<prompt> Human: Im 28 and Ive never had oodles of money at my disposal, and after my grandmother passed earlier this year, some of the investments that she and my grandfather had made made its way to me. Its not a large amount 1000, but still more money than Ive ever gotten at one time. My dad suggested that I turn around and invest it myself, which does sound like a smart idea, but Ive never done anything like that before and wouldnt know where to begin. On top of that, I have things that need taking care of my car is starting to get up in age and is going to need work soon, plus Id like some blood work done. Thankfully, aside from monthly bills like my phone and rent, I dont have any debt from school or credit cards, either. Is 1,000 too small to invest? Should I get my car up to snuff to keep it from getting expensive later on? Should I just keep it as a cushion in case something happens? Im really at a loss here.  <response>: Keep it as a cushion particularly if you dont already have a 3-6 emergency fund.Frankly even if you do have your emergency fund, you know you have car and medical expenses in the near future so this stops you digging into any savings too deeply. 