Go on a trip

Whether you’ve been planning one for a while and could use the boost or just needed the funds and a good reason: now’s the time. The weather is starting to heat up and it’s just before the rush of summer weekend trips start happening. We aren’t saying to go crazy here – a $400 refund does not equate to a $4000 tip to Europe. Start small and see where you can go. Need a place to start? A few of our local-ish suggestions can be found here and here.

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Pick up the tab

Show your friends some real appreciation and pay for your group’s tab on the next night out. They put up with your bs the whole year, they earned it (and odds are it’s probably your turn anyway). Pay them back in booze and love <3

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Hit up that classy ass restaurant with the $12 soup

Splurge on a fancy dinner and amazing food. We’ve got a ton of places for you to go listed already: best pizza, best bbq, best late-night food for those of you who enjoy fine dining after hours, and some hidden gems you have to try. And no: they don’t all have $12 soups, but they are all worth splurging on.

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Revamp your closet

Spring cleaning = spring reviving. Get rid of your dusty last-season clothes by donating them to a nearby drop box (the Goodwill bins are everywhere) and then hit up your favorite stores for their post-winter pre-summer sales. A few bucks can go a long way if you spend it right.

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Empty your cart

YOU KNOW THE ONE. You did some online window shopping one day and added a hundred dollars worth of stuff but then backed out because the $4 shipping fee was too much. We ALL have that cart online that’s just been sitting there full of items ever since that fateful day. It’s time to acknowledge all those annoying “You left items in your cart!” (Oh really, DID I?) emails and follow through.

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Step up your gadget game

There are a lot of cool things happening in the tech world right now. Forget the iThing 37Q and go for something useful that everyone doesn’t already have and will be totally jealous of. This list has a bunch of cool toys that are not only relatively affordable, but will make you wonder how you lived without them (Don’t let the title throw you: Dad or not, you will enjoy most if not all of them).

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Get a car

Your return may not be enough to purchase a brand new Lambo outright (if it is, you need to gtfo), but it will most definitely help you put a dent in the down payment of that ride you’ve been eyeing for the past few months. Just don’t put any actual dents in it once you get it.

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Go to a concert

Do you not remember the last time you saw a live show? Don’t want to throw down too much on one night out? No more excuses. Your favorite band/artist/dj/act/group is coming up and if you’ve never seen them before it’s time you did something for yourself. Grab a friend, buy a ticket, and have the time of your life (we suggest one of the many epic shows coming up at Echostage).

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