what to do with $100?
August 2, 2007 10:02 AM Subscribe
You have $100. The exercise is to take that $100 and return an investment on it. What do you do?
This post was deleted for the following reason: This is wide, wide open as presented; yea, even unto Chatfilter.
Define "return an investment"?
posted by thehmsbeagle at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by thehmsbeagle at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
That's a loaded question because it's all about how much risk you're willing to take to make a big return. If you can't afford to lose any principal, you can stick it in an online savings account and make 5.5% a year, doubling the money in about 13 years. At the other extreme, buy $100 worth of shares of your favorite small cap stock - it might go bankrupt and be worthless, or it might be the next Starbucks and you quadruple the money in a year.
posted by krark at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by krark at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
Is there a time limit? Can it be illegal?
Perhaps Melt nickels.
Or, buy and resell pot.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
Perhaps Melt nickels.
Or, buy and resell pot.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:05 AM on August 2, 2007
I think we need some more info here.
posted by craven_morhead at 10:06 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by craven_morhead at 10:06 AM on August 2, 2007
Go to the video poker area of your local casino and always play with max bet. The more you play the more your P/L will trend toward the expected payoff (which you're on the losing side of). It is very possible to earn 20%+ returns rather quickly, but I'd exit after that.
posted by geoff. at 10:08 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by geoff. at 10:08 AM on August 2, 2007
You could bonus whore online poker.
posted by dagnyscott at 10:10 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by dagnyscott at 10:10 AM on August 2, 2007
Buy bottles of water and sell them on the side of a highway for a significant markup. You could easily turn $100 into $120!
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:12 AM on August 2, 2007
posted by Astro Zombie at 10:12 AM on August 2, 2007
There are lots of high-margin "business opportunities" that just don't scale.
With $100 you could probably double your money on a hot day in a crowded place, selling bottled water or soda on a street-corner. It's just that you won't make money during the winter, when it's raining, or when it's not crowded (and you'll probably get hit up by the local gestapo for a permit of some sort), making it a poor long-term strategy.
Plus, just because you can turn $100 into $200 on Day 1 doesn't mean you can turn $200 into $400 on day two. Hence why I don't quit my job to run a lemonade stand. :)
On preview: Selling crack would also probably work. However, it also runs into similar problems.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:17 AM on August 2, 2007
With $100 you could probably double your money on a hot day in a crowded place, selling bottled water or soda on a street-corner. It's just that you won't make money during the winter, when it's raining, or when it's not crowded (and you'll probably get hit up by the local gestapo for a permit of some sort), making it a poor long-term strategy.
Plus, just because you can turn $100 into $200 on Day 1 doesn't mean you can turn $200 into $400 on day two. Hence why I don't quit my job to run a lemonade stand. :)
On preview: Selling crack would also probably work. However, it also runs into similar problems.
posted by Kadin2048 at 10:17 AM on August 2, 2007
Yeah, as others have said, it depends on a number of things, including a) how long you have; b) how much risk you're willing to undertake. Are you trying to maximize the average return from your scheme, or the maximum possible return?
If you want an investment with near-zero risk, put it in a high-yield savings account. If you're willing to accept a very large chance that you'll lose the money in exchange for a very small chance of getting a huge return, go buy 100 lottery tickets. There are other solutions which accommodate levels of risk tolerance between these two extremes.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:26 AM on August 2, 2007
If you want an investment with near-zero risk, put it in a high-yield savings account. If you're willing to accept a very large chance that you'll lose the money in exchange for a very small chance of getting a huge return, go buy 100 lottery tickets. There are other solutions which accommodate levels of risk tolerance between these two extremes.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:26 AM on August 2, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by biffa at 10:04 AM on August 2, 2007