I inherited $110,000. The first thing I bought was a convertible — here’s how I saved, invested, and spent the rest.

• Susan von Seggern used a $10,000 inheritance to buy a convertible and start saving for a home.

• She turned her initial inheritance into significant wealth, investing in property and a brokerage.

• Last year, she received another inheritance of $100,000, which she's used mainly to fix up her home.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Susan von Seggern, a 56-year-old publicist and CFO in Los Angeles. It has been edited for length and clarity.

My grandmother indirectly helped me become financially smart by leaving me $10,000 when she died in 1993.

While on her deathbed, she couldn't satiate her four grandchildren with sumptuous meals anymore, so she literally brought some fortune into our lives in her last bittersweet days.

I was 25 but wise enough not to waste the money on something that would only gratify me for the short term.

Instead, I bought a convertible I had been eyeing for a long time and devised a plan to save money for a future townhouse.

They shaped my parents into people who'd spend their money only if absolutely necessary. My money foundation was based on spending and investing money wisely.

In my early 20s, I drove an old Nissan Sentra around Los Angeles. I longed for a Geo Metro LSI convertible but knew that taking anything from the money I was making at that time as a publicist was impossible, and the only other option was going into debt. The risk of opting for either was greater than the happiness I would've experienced from buying this car.

Once I received $10,000 from my grandmother, I sold my Nissan for $2,000 and combined that with my inheritance to buy the convertible. I'm so glad I bought the car I wanted with great features, not a car other people wanted me to buy. I chose a car based on my desire, budget, and preference.

I kept saving this specific amount until the end of 1995 as if I were paying a car payment. I had a minimalist lifestyle, so I could save even more sometimes just by spending or not spending intelligently. All my drinks, parking, and business lunches were paid for due to having an expense account through work.

Things just kept aligning financially for me after I used the inheritance. No matter what I wanted to buy, I'd find myself having that amount saved because of how I utilized my money and saved it.

After saving for a few years, I set aside about $25,000 to cover the down payment, which was $17,500, for my first condo and other related expenses, such as moving and furniture. I bought the condo for $175,000 in 1995.

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