Windfalls

Windfalls are profits that occur unexpectedly.  And I have had the pleasure of experiencing (3) windfalls over the past 30 days.

I got a $434 check, which I wasn't expected; a nice size raise at work and filled out my tax returns for the past 2 years and I am getting money back!!

So what do you do with a windfall? Since it's unexpected, it wasn't accounted for financially.  There are so many schools of thought... spend it all, save it all, spend some/save some.... etc...  I am not sure if there is a right answer, I think right is dependent on you and your circumstance.

2 of the windfalls have not materialized yet (takes a while for the taxes to hit your account and think the pay raise would be in the next check), but I am already planning it in my brain and here is how I am going to do it:  as for the $434 windfall, I already spent half of it and put the other half in savings.  I didn't mean to blow $200 but I needed a weekend out, it's been a long time and I was celebrating my raise.  Some of the $200 just got eaten away in my checking account with bills, etc... 80% of the tax refund will be applied to my debt and the other 15% will go to my savings and about 5% will go to a small gift for myself (a bag I have my eye on and some clothes for work).  The way I am handling the raise is that I am not accounting for it in my "budget". I am going to keep on living like I'm living and just sock the extra away into my savings.

So there is my windfall! How are you spending windfalls?