If I offered you $500 now or $1000 in a year...which would you choose?

500 now please.

$1000 in a year. That’s a great return on $500.

Neither, I can provide for myself & have no need for donations & besides…££££££££

I’ll take $1000 in a year please.

Are you kidding? I’ll take the $5K and run. One of us may not be around in a year. ;-)

$1000 in a year. I’m young enough to wait.

$1,000 in a year.

Since this is entirely hypothetical, and I’m not in immediate need of $500 (or £ or ¥ or €), and I’m not living in a time of hyper-inflation where $1000 in a year would purchase the equivalent of $500 now, and I would presume that I could trust you to keep the promise, I’d wait for the $1000, for the reason given by @hominid.

I would wait the year. It would also give me time to plan on what frivolous expenditures I was going to make.

Since I am not in immediate need of $500 and there is no way that I could invest that $500 so as to make an additional $500 in a year, I would wait.

I’ll take the $1000 in a year. I trust you.

PM me and I will give you the bank account details. I don’t mind what you choose. Thanks in advance!

It would depend on whether or not I know you and trust you. If I know you and know you’re good for it, and I trust you, I’d take the $1,000 in a year. If I don’t know you and/or don’t trust you, and think you may spend it or may be talking sh**, I’d take the $500 now. In that case, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

It’s an inconsequential amount.

Given that our relationship is based solely on Fluther, I’d take the $500, asap.

If you had gone on to pursue your law degree, I would have opted for the $1000 in a year. But since you’ve decided to follow your heart instead, I’ll take the $500. You’ll need the money more than I will.

$1000 in a year, if it’s a sure thing.

@thorninmud Nice. $500 will buy her a lot of puppy kibble.

500 now. You could die before a year is up.

I don’t need the $500 now, but I would probably take it now, rather than $1000 later.

Without more specifics, I’ll take the sure thing. Gimmee the $500.

Wait a sec. Are you offering me the choice of $500 now or the PROMISE of $1000 in a year?

After being reminded of your career choice… I’ll still wait and take the $1000 later, but secretly mail you $500 when the check clears as a thank you.

Right now for sure.

1000 in a year.

1000 in a year please.

Yep, count me in the 1k in a year club.

I’ve always wanted to be a loan shark. lol

I’m lucky enough not to be strapped for cash right now, so I’ll take the larger amount later.

I’ll wait the year out, thanks.

$1000 in a year.
I think you’re good for it. ;)

Can I have it in monthly installments of $100.00 for the year?

$1000 in a year. Will you write a note promising that if I die you’ll give it to my husband?

If I knew how to double my money in a year I wouldn’t give a shit about whatever you gave me.

So.. 1000 please.

A lot can happen in a year. Unless the $1,000 was guaranteed in writing. I’d take the $500 and run.

Depends on how much I trust you. If I trusted you, $1000 in a year. If not, let’s see this $500.

She’s a mod. How can you not trust her!

Looking at my bills piling up, especially medical bills, there’s a difference between what I want and what I’d have to choose. Life is coercive, so I’d grumble, take the $500, and watch it disappear instantly.

If I can consider you a reliable risk, it’s practically impossible to turn down a 100% return.

I’ll take $500 now. It has nothing to do with trusting you, and typically I am very content to wait for things for a bigger pay off, but as I get older I am more of a bird in the hand type of girl.

If the amounts were different my answer might be different.

I was just having a similar discussion with a close friend about when she should start social security. In America if you wait to an older age you get more money per month. She has decided to wait. By contrast my parents both took it as early as possible. My parents, who are stars at sacrificing and waiting for a better payoff in the end, took social security early for the lower amount.

Thank you! The book said, in essence, that everyone would choose the $500 right away. I’d take the other option, too, and I was wondering whether I was alone on this. I see that I am not!

The book is excellent, by the way, so I’ll just take this opportunity to thank the jelly who recommended “You are Not so Smart” by David McRaney. I know I ordered it on recalling some jelly’s raving, but have no idea who this might have been.

@Pachy @ibstubro @chyna Well, you guys are out for not trusting me and/or predicting my death within a year. Ha!

All others: Please PM me with your account details. I’ll need the PIN, too – for…legal reasons.

@thorninmud, @janbb, @fluthernutter and @LuckyGuy Lurve!! ♥

@longgone You are not a Nigerian Princess trying to smuggle money out of the country are you?

@rojo No – I think she’s traveling in a foreign country and had all her money and luggage stolen and needs to get home.

^^ I will neither confirm nor deny either one of these scenarios.

Next you will tell me you have detected problems with my computer and need me to access a particular site to clean it.

@longgone Are you from Russia and looking for a big, strong American man like me to marry?

There is a famous study of children and marshmallows. Children were offered one marshmallow now, or if they waited they could have two. They followed the children for years. The kids who delayed gratification tended to have better outcomes in life on the parameters they used.

It was not you I doubted, @longgone, nor your longevity.

$1000. I am good at waiting, and thankfully I am employed right now!

@rojo and @janbb This Nigerian hacker princess from Russia is still waiting for your PMs ;)

@JLeslie Yep, that tied in with the chapter, too. Thank you for the link :]

@ibstubro Oh, fine. Friends again!