How should I invest my $1000?

[sm4him]

You're a student? What year? What are you studying? Do you have a full-time or part-time job currently? Are the rest of your school bills (not just tuition, but also rent, food, gas, vehicle insurance and upkeep, etc) already taken care of?

Unless you're about to graduate and have a good job already lined up, or if you have a couple more years but have ALL of your other expenses already taken care of, then I'd tend to agree with others...save that money--heck, even put it in a 6- or 12-month CD; at least it'll earn a little something.

You've got a decent camera setup and a workable, though perhaps not ideal, computer and monitor. Work on improving your skills, not your equipment, at this point.

If I get $1000 or less in a tax return or other "found" money (money that wasn't part of a predictable, regular income), I put it in my emergency fund. If I get MORE than $1000, I sometimes allow myself to spend up to half of it, and then I put the rest of it in the emergency fund. That emergency fund is then what gets me through crises throughout the year, when some unexpected expense comes up.

 

[peter27]

So if you're a student, how did you swing a grand back from your taxes? I wish I'd payed moor attention at skool.

 

[Tee]

Blow it on strippers.

This is the best answer. You're throwing your money away to begin with, might as well throw it away with a buzz and some wood.

 

[texkam]

would like to upgrade my photography equipment

Why. In what way/s is your equipment, or lack thereof hampering you?

 

[ktan7]

Go with option 3 - it's the tool that you use that makes you a photographer; not computer parts.

 

[Hayder]

If you choose to upgrade your lens, then choose them to work with full frame and crop sensor!!

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[JDFlood]

I am surprised at all the other answers. Must all be grand parents on this forum. Seriously, as a student you don't get much of a chance to spend fun money, so I don't blame you for thinking about it. You have a great opportunity to document your interest and life while in school. Best tool, a good camera! Option 3. Monitors don't matter much compared to other stuff... The last thing you need to up grade.. If you don't have to have more computer stuff, it'll get cheaper. The camera is the heart. One lens and creativity is all you need. I recently scanned some negatives from college.. 1973... They are wonderful... I was at the UofOregon and at some hippy festival I shot some real classics of hippy couples and a couple preppies. You will not be able to replace these latter... So get lots of shots now. Don't forget your friends, girlfriends, the town your in, as well as the shots to advance your art portfolio. You will thank yourself later... A monitor, lens, hard drive? You won't remember them.

I cashed my only bond at age 16 to buy my first 35mm camera... Theoretically, I should have saved it... But I had plenty of chances to replace The money i spent, but could not have replaced the photos. Your enthusiasm for life will take care of money later, feed your enthusiasm now. JD