You've been given £25k unexpectedly. What do you do with it?

I would split 5k for between both my kids into their banks and then i would put a deposit down on a house, if already done that then i would maybe put 10k on my mortgage and save the rest for a rainy day fund for example:loss of job, unexpected time out of work ect

Sort out debt issues, save the rest for a bigger permanent home, no more renting!

I wouldn’t bother paying it as a lump sum in the mortgage as it probably would not make a lot of difference long term. I’d save it or spend it on something we really needed like putting it towards a new kitchen x

Put some aside for my daughter. Pay debt down enough to make paying it off more manageable. Put down on a house. And then save a percentage and invest a percentage. I’d save more than I’d invest though as investing on that scale would be new to me and there’s always a risk.

It depends on your circumstances really. Do you have a good mortgage rate, how longs left, how much is in your pension, savings rates aren't amazing in the UK just now etc etc what are your current financial/ life goals

Pay off any debts first.
Then re evaluate finances, see where you can cut down on things. What payments are more manageable.
See if you can add to the pot that’s left. Put it towards a goal.

Should have added, only debt is the mortgage. I'm married with two young children and have a mortgage.

why 10k? Do you know if that would make a tangible difference to my mortgage? Maybe 280k outstanding

Pay more towards your mortgage each month, you’ll cut down your mortgage by 7/10 years, save the 25k for something you both want/need.
Any renovations, a new car, holidays. Put it into the kids savings

it was just half of the 20k whether is makes a massive difference or not surely it would make some difference? It’s completely up to you what you use it for, i know i definitely would have 2.5k
for both kids to save until they’re old enough and then have a rainy day fund as you never know what will happen in the future

Use it towards moving to a bigger house.

my husband and I are both in our 30s with crappy pensions despite working the vast majority of our adult lives.
Mortgage rate is fine we have a sizeable amount to pay off so not sure how much 25k would do.
I'd like to try some investment. My natural response is to be smart with the money as I'm risk averse. However, we were surviving without the money so this may be the one opportunity we have to take some risk with investment/business

5k spend on family trip and 20k pay off morgadge 😁

Just reading your comments, it sounds like investing or putting into your pension is the best. I’ve just opened an account with pension bee you get this money back from the government on your contributions. I also have premium bonds and once you put a lot in you’ll start to win most months. But yeah I’m sure there are much better investments so might be worth talking to an advisor!

I Would put it straight into a deposit for another house for our property investments .

Bills first, save rest for a house deposit

Put it towards a house.

Investing on etoro platform

I'd spend some to do a few projects around the house, spend some to take a really cool family vacation, then probably save the rest.

Towards a house deposit and then some for my little boys isa

Premium bonds. We put a good chunk in not long ago and each month we’ve received 50-150 back and you can withdraw the money when you like. Maybe an overpayment on the mortgage too?

Save save save!! I have premium bonds and you can win money each month! I have 20k on mine and I get on average £50-100 a month .. you never know what’s around the corner so I’d always look at saving money rather than spending it x

Nice holiday and premium bonds! We've won £50 our second month having them which is better than some interests x

I would put it in my high interest savings account. And some in my sons

Look online for a mortgage overpayment calculator. If I paid a £25k lump sum towards my mortgage it would reduce the term by 8 years which is significant. Overpaying your mortgage if you have no other debts is one of the best things you can do. In your shoes I would probably hold a little into premium bonds for a rainy day fund then put the rest to my mortgage.

We would save it to put towards moving house!

I’d go on holiday and pay off mortgage / use to move somewhere bigger.

Basic debt payoff, small personal loans, credit cards, car if it’s small enough etc, and then the rest to focus on the needs. We have a broken faucet so I’d buy a new faucet, then the rest would go to savings.

New kitchen (12k) pay off orlando trip (£5k!) take a thousand for a shopping trip and probably something sensible like save the remainder x

Wow! Thank you so much for your advice. Much appreciated!

Honestly. This is exactly the help I needed!

If you invest in one of those etf 500 index funds, on average it doubles your money every 7 years. When I did the math on it, comparing it to dumping it all into my mortgage, I realised there was no way I'd make out the same amount in savings as I would with investing. But that probably also depends on what your mortgage interest rate is and how much you owe. You can use a calculator or ask your bank how much you'd save over 7 years if you put 25k into your mortgage, and if you'd end up saving another 25k (or more), then that would clearly be the better choice.