These days, when it comes to money, it can be hard to dream big. The average American holds about $90,460 in debt, so most of the time, if we’re offered free money — even hypothetical free money — many of us would forgo our bigger aspirations and shovel all that cash toward getting out from under its weight.

But recently, children’s author Erin Entrada Kelly asked a compelling question, with an even more exciting caveat:

“Let’s pretend I have just arrived at your door with a check for $50K. The rules: You must spend it within three months. You cannot give it to charity. You cannot use it to pay off debt. You have to spend it on something(s) for yourself. What will you do with the money?”

We loved the prompt so much that we reposted it — twice — and nearly 1,000 (!) of you chimed in. What we learned, though, is that most of your dreams don’t actually require a magic check to achieve (although the cash sure would be nice).

Here are five of the most common responses we saw — and how Ellevest can help you start to build the wealth you’d need to achieve them not just in a perfect world, but right now.

1. Invest in your future

Technically, this doesn’t count as “spending the money within three months,” we know. But hey, we’re Ellevest. Helping women invest in their futures is what we do best. And lots of you aspire to grow your wealth rather than use it right now, whether for retirement or otherwise. (*sniffle* We’re so proud.)

Luckily, this is the easiest goal to start with. Whether you have $50,000 or just $5 to spare, Ellevest’s IRAs and investment portfolios are designed to help women build wealth. Our investing platform is built by women, for women, and works to accommodate women’s lives specifically. It accounts for things like career breaks and longer lifespans and can be personalized to help you maximize your social, political, and environmental impact when you invest.

Our recommendation: Start investing in Future You with Ellevest

2. Make a mortgage down payment

One of the most popular responses we saw boiled down to two words: real estate. Whether that was a down payment on a home or rental property, a renovation / remodel (including multiple barns!), or even just land, you know the value of equity very well.

So do we. That’s why one of our tentpole investing goals — which we call the “Place to Call Home” goal — is specifically designed to help clients invest enough over six years to put a 20% down payment on their dream home. (Or barn.) You can change those inputs if you want, though. And if you’re a first-time homebuyer, there’s lots to learn in the meantime!

Our recommendation: Build a “Place to Call Home” goal

3. Open a business

Plenty of you didn’t stop at leveling up your career. You wanted to level up your life by opening your own businesses — or funding the ones you already have. From planting flower farms to buying food trucks to producing short films, there was no shortage of creativity when it came to your new dream ventures.

Our guiding principle at Ellevest is simple: Nothing bad happens when women have more money. We believe that building wealth shouldn’t have to stop at getting out of debt or saving for retirement (although, duh, we love those, too). That’s why we’ve also designed a goal specifically for our most entrepreneurial clients: the “Start a Business” goal. (Clever name, we know.)

With a default (but customizable) timeline of five years, this goal is built to help you build two years’ worth of income as a cushion so you can spend that time getting your guinea-pig-themed café off the ground without the added financial stress. (Read more about why two years is often the ideal amount here .)

Our recommendation: Build a “Start a Business” goal

4. Make your escape

Want to know the difference between a good vacation and a great vacation? A plan. You all know your dream destinations — Antarctica was our personal favorite! — now it’s time to make it happen. While IRAs and investment portfolios are meant to take care of you long-term, taking yourself on a much-deserved adventure will be a more immediate expense, so a simple savings goal could be enough to do the trick.

If you’re not sure where to start, Ellevest’s financial planners also offer one-on-one sessions where you can take a deep dive into your finances with a super-experienced pro to help you build a plan tailored just for you — and that dream vacay that awaits, just around the corner.

Our recommendation: Book a Budgeting & Spending 1:1 session

5. F*ck it, we’re buyin’ stuff

Hey, it’s your fantasy. If you want to go to Target with 50 stacks, be our guest. Maybe just make sure it’ll align with your core values first, though. Ellevest’s coaches can help you figure those out, too, with small-group workshops built to help you carve out time to define what matters to you, and how to save — or spend — like it.

Our recommendation: 7 Days of Intentional Spending email course

A step forward is a step forward — no matter how small

Let’s face it: Daydreaming about a bag of cash dropping into our laps is mostly about instant gratification. When we ask, “What would you do with $50,000?” we’re really asking, “What would you do if you could skip what it takes to save $50,000?”

And while that can be fun, we believe that every woman+ has what it takes to build that wealth and make their dream a reality — without having to win the lottery first.

Disclosures