You Got a Raise: Here's How to Spend It!

Congratulations! You just got a raise! Well, you did if you make minimum wage. Last week, the federal minimum wage went from a measly $6.55 per hour to a whopping $7.25 per hour!

What's that? You're not impressed? You don't think an extra $0.70 an hour makes a difference? Guess what, we're here to prove you wrong.

Let's say you work part-time (obviously, you don't want to spend every waking hour of your summer workin' for the man). That extra 70 cents works out to $14 a week, and you know what you can buy with $14? Lots of awesome, useful, fun, exciting, unexpected, weird, surprising, and practical things. Yup, all of those adjectives. We've scoured the aisles looking for ways to frivolously spend your money items to fill your basket, and here's what we suggest:

• A single, full-price movie ticket and a small drink or popcorn. (Since you can always buy a cheap can of soda at a nearby deli and stash it in your pocket, we'd go with the salty, butter-covered popcorn you can only get at a movie theater.)
• 5 cans of silly string—sweet!
• All the bubble gum in this machine. OK, MOST of the gum in this machine.
• Cake mix, party hats, and favors—then you can throw a party to celebrate your raise!
• 10 rolls of cheap toilet paper NOT for toilet papering someone's house. We repeat, NOT for toilet papering someone's house (wink, wink).
• 7 packs of these taco-scented scratch'n'sniff stickers. Mmmm, tacos.
• This book entitled 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget.
• A harmonica to keep yourself entertained. Or better yet...
• A bag of plastic kazoos to use in starting your innovative all-kazoo band.
• A bid on this lovely ceramic figurine of a weiner-dog dressed as a nurse. (You can find anything on eBay.)
• A starter kit for your new knitting hobby. (Note: Knitting is your new hobby.)
• 100 number 2 pencils. Then you can break them in half and have 200 number 2 pencils. (Note: Half of your new number 2 pencils will not have erasers.)
• Your sanity (you might need to save up for a week or two for this precious item).
• A lot of Kleenex, to wipe away the tears you'll shed when you realize that even with an entire summer's worth of savings, you can't buy your own sanity.
• A single stock share of Chiquita Brands International, Inc.—which we're pretty sure is the company that sells bananas. Or...
• 14 pounds of bananas.
• A board game. How about one of our faves, Apples to Apples?
• A Lego Bionicle Stronius, whatever that is.
• Pixy Stix. Lots and lots of Pixy Stix.

Did you get a raise last week? If so, what are you gonna do with all your extra money? Anything above look especially appealing?