Who wouldn’t love to get a sudden influx of cash? One day you’re struggling to pay bills, or wishing you could take a vacation, and then the next you suddenly come into hundreds or thousands of dollars – perhaps even more. It’s a great dream, but it doesn’t happen very often. For those people it does happen to, there are a few common ways they come into a cash windfall.
Dividends
If you have investments in the stock market, occasionally you could be paid dividends. Dividends are when a company redistributes its earnings directly to its shareholders. This means that if you have stocks in a certain company, and they have large profits, you could see a percentage of this in the form of cash. The more you have invested in the company, the larger amount you could receive. To learn more about dividends, you can check out this guide.
Gambling or Winning The Lottery
One of the riskier ways that a person comes into a financial windfall is through gambling. Perhaps they went into a casino and won at the slot machines, or they went to a nearby racetrack and the underdog horse they bet on won. Gambling can be a fun way to spend an evening, but you also need to be cautious with it. Never bet more than you’re willing to lose, and don’t make gambling a frequent habit – there are much better ways to earn some money.
Inheritance
Often time when a relative passes away, they will leave some of their remaining assets to a close family member. If someone leaves you something in their will, you could be the recipient of some stocks, properties, investments, or even just some cash. While this inheritance comes with a negative association, it is at least nice that someone you cared for was able to leave you something. As the days go by, this financial windfall may make things a little easier for you, which is what that person wanted.
Legal Award
When you take someone to court, and you win the decision, you can be awarded a reward in the form of money. While sometimes this award only covers things like damages or medical bills, in some cases you awarded more, and this money goes directly to you to use how you wish. This method of course comes with the headache of having to go through the legal system, but if you win in the end, at least you get what is coming to you.
In some instances, the person who loses the court decision could refuse to pay up. Since the courts are not great at enforcing their rulings, you may spend years trying to get this person to pay. One option is to sell off your judgment. You may be thinking “Should I sell my judgment to collection agency?†and the answer is, if you’re tired of chasing a person down, and willing to compromise on the amount you receive, then yes.
Selling Something
Finally, many people have found that by searching through their belongings, they come across something that is actually quite valuable. Perhaps it’s an old baseball card you have from your childhood, or a piece of antique furniture from your parents. You decide to see how much its worth, and discover it is worth a lot. You end up selling the item, and making a bit of money in the process. Not everyone is this lucky, but it doesn’t hurt to go through your things and see if you have anything worth selling.
What To Do With Your Sudden Influx of Cash?
If you were able to bring in a cash windfall, you may be wondering what to do with it? Some people like to catch up on their bills, others buy something nice, while some others simply save it away for a rainy day. What you do with it will be up to you, just don’t rush into the decision. Too many people go on a shopping spree the day they receive the money, only to regret it a few days later when they think of a better use for the money.
Cash windfalls are great when they happen, but don’t sit around waiting for one. The best part about a cash windfall is that they are often a surprise, making them more enjoyable. If you go out trying to suddenly earn a large amount of cash, you’ll probably end up disappointed, and could even hurt your current finances. Just go about your life, and if a windfall occurs, enjoy the moment.
