The Great Checkbook Experiment Day 2

Yesterday I virtually purchased an iPad for my wife. It should feign to arrive in 7-10 days. I think tomorrow I will purchase one for the boy, and maybe for myself. What to purchase today?

Today is the second day. Adding another two thousand dollars brings the current balance to $2004.00. I know I'll be purchasing a lot of electronics in these early days. Just to keep things interesting, how about something else?

Aha! My wife has been wanting a replacement sewing machine for a long time now. With this sort of buying power, she will never need sew again unless she simply wants to, so maybe this Singer will be something she will enjoy using for all those projects she has wanted to accomplish.

The Singer sewing machine costs $1995.00 plus $4.95 shipping and handling from Amazon. Subtracted from the previous balance of $2004 leaves a balance forward of $4.05.

These first days I am certain are the easiest, yet I am already feeling the challenge of getting it all spent.

The Great Checkbook Experiment

I am attempting an experiment, beginning today.

I am going to load up a virtual checkbook with $1,000 and spend it. Then I am going to add another thousand for each day of the experiment. Thus, two thousand dollars on day two to spend, three thousand on day three and so forth.

I have no idea how this will go, as I cannot now imagine spending $365,000 in some useful, productive, happy way. I found this idea through Abraham, with the recommendation that it only be done while it is still fun.

My only goals are to have lots of fun and learn what I may from such a thought experiment. If I can grow just a bit from examining how I would and wouldn't spend such monies, then I will consider the experiment a success.

I have been thinking about how to spend money for many years now. I am sure I am not alone. I am quite curious to see where this process takes me. I mean, really, we all want to donate vast sums to charity and save the world, right? Or do we?

I will approach this from the perspective of doing what feels right and good. If that includes a specific charitable donation, so be it. I am setting some ground rules, however. It seems like donations could easily be used as cop-out: Spend $28,000 on day 120 and donate the remaining $92,000 to a charity. Great. Now I have warm fuzzy feelings about all the "good" I just did, but I am really not playing the game. So, the basic rule is something like this: All purchases are to be as specific as possible. If it feels like an avoidance of actually playing the game, I will not do it.

I will not concern myself with charities and filler spending. If it feels good, I will do it.

Now, what do spend the first thousand dollars on? I know just the thing. My wife really wants an iPad. As configured, I am spending $996.00 this first day.

Balance forward: $4.00

Thus it begins.