As you may have noticed, there’s not exactly a shortage of things to do with your free time or free dollars (or not-so-free dollars, as the case may be). So here are some evaluations of the various choices we have when it comes to spending those two precious commodities.

Your Time: Speak Your Mind

In a post from the New York Times Bucks Blog, the author explains why filling out hotel surveys can be worth the time it takes. Here’s why:

• It doesn’t take long: When you receive follow-up emails asking you to rate a transaction or experience you had, you can do so in only a few minutes.
• It can get you free stuff: The Times writer complained about a terrible experience and was offered a free upgrade by the hotel in question.
• It can help you vent: Even if you don’t get any financial reward for complaining (or praising) a company that did you wrong, you may benefit from getting concerns off your chest.

Another technique you might want to try if you have some time on your hands is to write a letter of praise or thanks to a favorite company or the manufacturer of a favorite food. Often, manufacturers send coupons or vouchers in the mail in response – it’s not a guarantee, but if you love a product anyway, it could pay off!

Your Money: Gambling Doesn’t Pay

While you probably know that playing the lotto or hitting a casino is not the best way to make money, you may not be aware of exactly how much such ventures might cost you. Luckily, WalletPop.com offers a numerical breakdown of just how costly such pastimes can be.

Before buying your next lottery ticket or sitting down for your next hand of poker, consider this:

• The lottery: Your odds of winning, according to estimates, are slightly worse than one in 1.35 billion – and they don’t improve if you buy a second ticket.
• Blackjack: While this betting game apparently has slightly better winning odds than most, it still favors the house: for every dollar you spend betting, you’ll lose between 0.5 and 1.5 cents, meaning, of course, you’ll stand to lose more the more you bet.
• Slot machines: Ever heard the saying about avoiding the path of least resistance? Whoever coined that phrase could have had slot machines in mind – the easier something is to do, in general, the less payoff it stands to have. Sources estimate that players lose up to 15 cents per dollar spent. Ouch.

Think it’s any surprise that so many lottery winners end up filing bankruptcy within a few years of striking it rich?

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