What to Do With 100k (20 Best Tips to Help You)

If you want to know what to do with 100k, this article will help a great deal.

It reveals a lot of helpful information as well as best tips on how to know exactly what to do with 100k.

 

Importance

It’s always interesting to watch tele-commercials and to see the various products that they have for sale.

Some of the items are so innovative that you wonder how you ever survived without them and so you may go online and order or pick up the phone and request the latest in gadgetry.

Added to the allurement, often these commercials will sweeten the deal by giving you two for the price of one and all you have to do is pay the extra shipping and handling.

In addition, it amazes me that they always use a number that doesn’t seem to be so outlandish.

For example, rather than saying $20, they will advertise the cost for the item at $19.99.

Somehow, it’s a psychological difference to pay $19.99 rather than bring yourself to buy the item for $20.

So, it is when we receive large amounts of money and somehow a certain figure takes on more of an impact and importance than another figure which is not much less than the more impactful figure.

For example, if you received an inheritance of $99,999 most likely you would be overwhelmed and ecstatic. However, if you received the same inheritance and it was found out to be $100,000 somehow that seems more psychologically impactful than receiving a dollar less.

In any case, if you find yourself the benefactor of $99,999 or $100,000 you are blessed. Let us look at ways that we can utilize that $99,999 to our advantage.

 

Personal Story

One of my significant roles as the financial development director with a not-for-profit was to raise needed revenue to ensure the delivery of services.

During March in one of the years, we decided to do a campaign to raise $100,000.

I had just gotten through seeing the movie Jerry Maguire and of course, the iconic movie had several great lines in it.

One of those lines was “show me the money.”

We took this as our theme and to engage the volunteers we came up with a workable strategy to realize this goal.

In addition, to sweeten the deal I gave all of the participants 100,000 grand.

Of course, not money but I went to the local warehouse store and bought a box of 100,000 grand chocolate bars and utilized this bribery and symbolism to engage their involvement towards achieving this fundraising goal to provide services in our community.

 

20 Best Tips to Help Know What to Do With 100k

 

1. Gather Your Thoughts

You are sitting there and within your hands is a certified $100,000 check.

What is your first action step that most likely should be taken?

It would seem that the first step is to allow it all to sink in and reflect upon your good fortune and have a grateful heart.

In other words, the first action step is, in reality, to do nothing at all, but to collect yourself, eventually calm your emotions, and be immersed at the moment.

Simply breathe!

 

2. Do Your Homework

The next step would be to come up with a plan of action.

To accomplish this, you would need to conduct your research and do your homework as to all of the possibilities in which you can utilize this money.

Utilization of $100,000 can take the form of spending it or a combination of spending the money and investing.

You can conduct this research by going online and googling the keywords of how to invest $100,000 or what to do with $100,000.

Your search will be rewarded with many websites that you can activate and find out what everybody’s thinking is.

Remember, however, that the ultimate decision is up to you and should be informed by your values and what you wish to do with the money.

 

3. Pay Yourself First

Depending upon your personality and your values, several things will cross your mind as to how to best utilize this windfall.

More than likely, you will not only think of ways to invest that money but also, ways that you can help others.

As it is with your budget, the first payment or amount of money that should be taken from your earnings should be in payment to yourself.

Therefore, this same philosophy must be followed even when a significant amount of money such as $100,000 comes into your life.

 

4. Education

One of the ways that you can pay yourself is perhaps to earn that degree that has been elusive in your life or go back to school and earn an additional degree.

This is certainly a valuable investment in you and paying yourself first in that ultimately it will enhance you mentally and emotionally as an individual.

Additionally, it is a well-known fact that a degreed individual or an individual with additional credentials will command more pay in the workplace.

Therefore, if choosing to advance your education this is not only an investment in you personally but in your financial situation as well.

 

5. Vacation

Another way that you can invest in yourself or pay yourself first is by taking that dream vacation that you and that special someone in your life have dreamed about.

Not only would the taking of this dream vacation be great for you personally and your relationship but also will provide some breathing room as to what strategy you wish to pursue with your $100,000.

 

6. Family

Another option that would be available to you with a $100,000 windfall would be the opportunity to help family members.

Perhaps there is that family member who is being crushed by debt or wishes to purchase their own home, etc.

This would be an opportunity to help that family member.

It is important, though, not to simply give the money outright.

In all likelihood, the best course of action would be to draw up a contract with the individual and make it a binding agreement as it would be with any other individual in being loaned money.

The terms of the loan should be documented and agreed upon with those terms being the interest on the loan, repayment schedule, outlining the actions that can be taken if the loan is defaulted on, etc.

By following this strategy, you are giving your family member a hand up and not a handout.

 

7. Home

Another possibility of utilizing the money would be if you are currently renting the home or apartment that you are living in is to buy a home.

The reality is that by paying someone else rent, you are making them wealthy and you have nothing to show for your monthly rental payments.

With $100,000 you could certainly utilize the money as a down payment and invest in a home and become a homeowner and start building your portfolio with this important asset in your life.

 

8. Real Estate

Because real estate is a good investment, and if you own a home, then the possibility of purchasing a rental home may be a pursuit that you wish to consider.

By buying a rental home, you can become a landlord and begin to realize the monthly rental payments as part of your investment in owning a rental home as well as the addition of this asset to your overall wealth.

In addition, there may be additional benefits as it relates to your IRS tax filings.

It is always best, as it relates to tax issues, to speak to a professional tax advisor to determine what is the best course of action as it relates to reducing one’s tax burden.

 

9. Emergency Fund

Another strategic move that is sometimes recommended by individuals is the creation of an emergency fund.

An emergency fund is a set amount of money that is set aside to handle potential emergencies in our lives that can impact us financially.

Some of those circumstances could include the loss of a job, illness, major repair or replacement of an appliance in the home, etc.

By having an emergency fund, you can tap into that amount of money to cover these financial emergencies and not have to worry about taking out a loan or using one’s credit card.

 

10. Charity

An action item that can be taken as a way of expressing one’s gratitude to the universe is to provide a financial gift to a charity.

This is a great way of paying it forward and helping an organization in its services of helping others.

In actuality, the best use of money is when it profoundly impacts the lives of not only yourself but others as well.

 

 

11. Stocks

A proven method of an investment strategy is to participate in the stock exchange.

Therefore, by buying stock, you are investing in the company through the purchase of shares and helping that company to be even more successful.

The purchase of stock can be accomplished through your efforts by researching and pouring over a variety of documents and learning about the company as it relates to its product, growth, vision, leadership, and financial reports.

You can also use a brokerage firm that will make the purchases of stock for you based on your assessment of risk and your financial goals.

 

12. Bonds

Another investment opportunity is through the purchase of bonds.

Bonds can be issued by a company or a government as a way to raise money to invest back into their company or entity.

Generally, bonds are sold when the company wishes to upgrade its software or hardware, modernize its infrastructure, or add additional structures.

To raise this money they sell bonds and individuals can buy these bonds and are paid on their investment when the bond becomes mature.

 

13. 529

If you have children or grandchildren, you may wish to set aside a portion of your $100,000 into a 529 type of education savings account.

There is the possibility to contribute to a 529 plan and money can be used to seed the children’s future. There is also the possibility that the gift can be utilized to reduce one’s tax burden.

Again, as a reminder, as with any potential strategies related to reducing the tax burden, it is best to consult with your CPA, financial, or tax advisor.

 

14. Financial Advisor

To help in the strategizing of how to best utilize the $100,000, you may wish to engage a financial advisor.

A financial advisor is a trained professional who understands the implications and ins and outs of investment strategies and financial planning.

Their role is not to lead you in any particular direction but to educate you and layout all of the possibilities so that you can make an informed decision based on your goals and objectives for your financial life.

It is important to select a financial advisor if wishes to go this route, who is fully engaged with your goals and is not there simply to earn a living but wishes for you to succeed in your financial endeavors.

The best way to find a reputable financial advisor would be to ask around, talk to family members, talk to individuals whom you trust in this area, and who could recommend an advisor for you to interview.

 

15. ETF’s

Another investment opportunity is through Exchange Traded Funds.

These ETFs are similar to Index Funds but unlike their counterpart, ETFs are purchased and sold similar to actions taken about the stock.

Also, ETFs are often automated as it relates to their transactions and therefore is considered a minimal manage investment and does not require much oversight from the fund manager.

Also See: How to Know What to Do With 50k.

 

16. Business

An opportunity for consideration is the purchase of an existing business or the starting of a new business.

Also, there are a variety of franchises that can be looked into and may provide the business support that you need to start being an entrepreneur.

The value of operating a business is that it is a consistent form of generating revenue.

Of course, one needs to do their due diligence in investigating this opportunity and realizing that there are other behind the scene actions that need to be taken in starting a business (business plan, determining the legal model, business licenses, permits, etc.).

And, as with all other investment opportunities, there is no guarantee that there will be dividends paid for your hard work.

 

17. Credit Cards

Perhaps, in the shadow of coming into $100,000, there is the shadow of indebtedness.

That indebtedness could be loans, credit cards, etc.

The harsh reality of carrying balances on these types of bad debt is that you are paying interest and making credit card companies even more wealthy.

Therefore, a possible option in the use of the $100,000 would be to pay off or reduce any indebtedness to relieve the pressures of paying extra money associated with outstanding balances.

 

18. Alternative Investments

The key to an investment strategy is to make sure that you diversify your investments.

Diversity simply means that you have money that is invested through many investment vehicles.

Those investment vehicles could be stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.

With this in mind, another possibility of investing some of your $100,000 would be through alternate investment options.

These options would be defined as investing in artwork, cryptocurrency, precious metals, etc.

 

19. REITs

Real Estate Investment Trust or REITs are another way that you can diversify your portfolio.

A Real Estate Investment Trust is an opportunity to pool your financial resources with other investors who earn dividends from these real estate properties.

These real estate properties are a conglomeration of a variety of brick and mortar buildings.

Some of these buildings include office spaces, malls, apartment buildings, warehouses, etc.

By being part of this pool, you derive the benefits of the investment and don’t have to worry about actually managing, buying, or financing any of the property themselves.

 

20. Brokerage Account

An added possibility of investing your money is by taking advantage of online brokerage accounts or firms.

Some of those firms could include Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard, etc.

By working with these professionals, they will assess your financial goals and objectives, and help you to evaluate your risk level to determine what types of investments you are comfortable with.

 

What to Do With $100,000 FAQs

 

What Is the Best Strategy to Put Into Practice When Receiving Large Amounts of Money?

The best strategy to follow would be to compile or follow your financial strategy as it pertains to the financial outlook for you and your family.

Also, it is important to utilize the investment of this money as an extension of your personal beliefs and placed personal value that you follow on the use of your financial resources.

 

What Might Be the Worst Possible Thing to Do With $100,000?

Perhaps, the worst possible thing to do would be to place the money in a banking institution’s savings account and earn insignificant interest.

Even if a person bought an expensive car the money and the purchase would bring some sense of excitement and appreciation for the money that was provided.

 

You Can Do It

We often dream about receiving large quantities of money.

Often, we think of extravagant things to do with that money.

However, the reality is that when that money and if that money comes, our priorities seem to shift, and our thoughts of ideal opportunities to spend the money now focus on more of investing the money.

In either case, the choice is yours and is something that you either have the capability of following through on or can educate yourself as to the best possible use of the windfall.

 

Conclusion

You have been shown the money.

Now the question is what to do with that money.

There are many possibilities, and the choices are yours.

It is just a matter of choosing what is important to you, what is your financial strategy, and how you wish to improve your life and possibly the lives of others?