Lotto Fantasy

[Murphy101]

So if you won how would it change your life?

For me:

I’d sell my house and buy something a bit nicer in my town because I like living here and I love my parish and despite its many failings, there’s many people I love here. But I don’t see me ever buying a mansion or anything crazy.  Mostly because the upkeep sounds like a headache even if paying others to do it.

I’d get a new van and repair my pickup truck.

I’d enjoy investing and setting up charitable programs. 

I’d enjoy going on one of those things called family vacations. You know where the entire family actually goes somewhere for an entire week - maybe two! *gasp*  I would plan one of those every year.

But the biggest change wouldn’t be material goods.

It’d be no college stress for my kids.

It’d be no medical care stress. I’d not sweat diabetic supplies or braces or contact lens.

It’d be the never worrying about the grocery budget or  unexpected stuff like the engine light coming on the van or hospital ER visits.

[Lady Marmalade]

Well, DH went and bought a ticket this morning. Over $1 Billion? That's insane!

We just bought a house, but we'd pay it off and stay here rather than move.  For now anyway.  New cars for everyone, and we'd buy homes for our parents wherever they want them.  

But yes, college would be paid for and we'd probably take a few vacations.  With that kind of money, our nieces and nephews probably wouldn't need to worry about college either.   It would be SUPER fun to tithe to our church out of the winnings.  

Realistically though, we'd probably just trade financial stress.  We stress now about the lack at times, and if we won a lotto, we'd probably stress about all the things we could do with that $$, but want to be careful about not blowing through it on stupid stuff. 

[historically accurate]

DH bought a ticket this morning when he got gas. So, I have been trying to figure out what I would do with $500 million + after taxes.

1. Pay off all debt.
2. New truck and 5th wheel, and disappear for about a year.
3. Set up trust funds for niece/nephews/other family members.
4. Buy a new house and cars after we were done driving around. Kids would be ready for college at this time as well.
5. Set up foundation to handle giving/scholarships/philanthropy.

Edited October 20, 2018 by beckyjo
typo

[alisoncooks]

DH bought a lotto ticket last week (we never play). I enjoyed the fantasizing, lol. The easy bit was $1? million each donated to: DH's college, our church, and 3 specific ministries.  The hard part was family. I was thinking: paying college, in full, for all nephews and nieces (with a $??k bonus upon graduation for getting a good start in life). Trust funds (several million) for my own kids. Major help for my parents/MIL. 

Then the day-to-day stuff. Functioning vehicle for DH. House that doesn't need work. Debt paid off. Happily signing the kids up for all the extracurricular things that they want to do, but we currently can't afford. Buying name brand clothes/shoes brand new!

Trip to Universal to see HP! ?

Edited October 20, 2018 by alisoncooks

[milovany]

My daughter asked if we could get a second horse if we win the big prize and I said we could buy the $4 million equestrian estate up on the hill if she wanted.  ?

I honestly think I'd want to sell our house and no longer live in an owned house.  No worries about upkeep and the like, and no care about building equity.  I kind of don't mean renting instead, either.  I think I mean travel, do this, do that, go here, go there.  When in our home town, short term rental through Airbnb or a hotel.  My husband doesn't concur though.  He'd want to pay off the property we own and stay here.  I guess that's probably what we'd do. 

Newer vehicles would be nice.  Helping family pay off their houses.  Buy starter houses for the kids. 

Definitely start up some kind of charitable cause that I could put a lot of my time and effort into.  I've thought about purchasing a tract of land and putting several (10-15?) tiny homes on it so people who can't afford more could start small with home ownership.  Or a beach house where I could host foster kids waiting for adoption for the summer. 

I actually love my job so don't know if I'd totally give up working. 

[Selkie]

I'd get our house completely remodeled in one fell swoop, instead of doing it bit by bit.

Buy up some land surrounding us to increase our acreage.

Sell our business (dh would never agree to this though - the man never wants to retire).

Start a horse/farm animal sanctuary, my very expensive dream.

 

 

[fairfarmhand]

Pay off house 

pay someone to do the stinking trim in my sunroom that’s been sitting unfinished since June. 

Id pay someone to color my hair. ?

college funds for the kids. 

A trip to ireland. 

I’d pay someone to mow grass every summer. 

I’d love to help my friend with crappy insurance and medical bills meet her deductible each year. 

It would be nice to just go buy quality items over scrabbling together wardrobes for my kids. I hate when the seasons change and I have to scrounge around to make sure every One has what they need without breaking the bank. 

Id build a tiny chapel out back to worship as a family each day. With stained glass, wood floors, and no electricity, because candles. 

Put in a pool. 

Build tiny cabins in the back for pastors and missionaries  to be able to take free  or low cost vacations with their families. 

Theres a couple families whose adoptions I’d find. 

Id set up college scholarship funds for random kids...kids who garden, kids who play the harmonica, kids who juggle, kids who love ovaltine. Kids who like dragons. Id get a kick out of administering random scholarship funds like that. 

 

 

 

[brehon]

Hmmm...

1.  Pay off mortgage and other debt

2.  College funds for my kids, my niece, & 3 young cousins

3. Trust funds for the above

4.  Ensure my mom and dad & stepmom are taken care of

5.  Donate to my church to help discharge debt and finally buy a proper organ <dreamy sigh>

6.  Complete the final projects on the house

7. Travel 

[Guest]

Travel, travel, travel. All the college funds; graduate school for dd (and if other kids eventually choose that). Private school for DS13 beginning next year. A nice, safe, clean living situation for my parents. Extensive dental care for my mother, assuming she would want it and only money is the obstacle. Do the repairs/updating my house needs. Help out certain friends and relatives whom I know have specific needs. Give a certain amount to all siblings/in-laws. (DH and I always fake-argue what that amount would be. Probably in reality, our accountant would advise us on the best way and annual amount so nobody gets hit with a big gift tax.) 

I am intrigued by what @milovany said about being sort of permanently nomadic. I could really get on board with something like that, but dh does have his “toys” that require a location - I don’t see a reduction in said toys if we won such a huge amount of money. 

[madteaparty]

I don’t think much would change for me personally. DH would just have a lot more to invest but he’s into that already so I guess that would be a whole hedge fund or family office or whatever it’s called these days. Off the interest,  all the kids in my life, all of them that want to, would head to private school. Two certain little refugee camps in Greece(well, one is not little) where we’ve spent time would be better funded, but the funding is not the issue there. It’s amazing how many problems money does not solve. 

Edited October 20, 2018 by madteaparty

[historically accurate]

1 hour ago, fairfarmhand said:

 

It would be nice to just go buy quality items over scrabbling together wardrobes for my kids. I hate when the seasons change and I have to scrounge around to make sure every One has what they need without breaking the bank. 

 

 

 

 

OMG, this would be pretty awesome. I hate the change of the seasons/wardrobes!

[Murphy101]

I don’t know that I’d do much for family. But then again I only have the kids as family. Dh’s parents are already retired and doing okay. Not wealthy but not in any kind of need.  They like their house and it’s paid off. 

We’d set up a college fund for each kid. And our kids would never have to worry about medical needs not being met. We’d probably get them a mid range priced car when they graduate high school. I’d expect them to do more with their lives than spend lotto money. Start a business. Run a charity. Something. But yeah, the most expensive and urgent of needs: education and medical and transportation would be taken care and that’s no small thing imnsho.

Dh is an only child and I might as well be. All my siblings are grandparents and I’m not close to any of them. I go years sometimes not seeing them and they all live fairly close by.  One is even a great grandparent already. I wouldn’t feel compelled to provide for them at this point and I’ve never even met most of their grandchildren. I have never met two nephews even.  It sounds a bit poopy to lay it out like that but that’s our reality.

We would absolutely start several large endowments.  And I would imagine that our new full time jobs would be managing or overseeing how all that money is either invested or spent.

[Murphy101]

44 minutes ago, beckyjo said:

 

OMG, this would be pretty awesome. I hate the change of the seasons/wardrobes!

 

Amen.

On that note.

Holy cow. The stuff I’d get rid of without worry of what if I need it later and can’t afford it. Like a pp, I’d just donate everything I don’t have a sentimental attachment to, which is darn near everything, and move into a house I don’t need to fix up.  With a pool. And one of those forever hot water systems in the house. A friend just moved into a house with that and OMG. Yeah. That’ll be on the list for a new house.

ohhhh. Thinking about the endowments I might like is exciting!

One for music

one for studio arts

one for affordable/free catholic school

one for food pantries

one for juvenile diabetes cure research And medical expenses help

community development and improvement issues like bike lanes and making the city more pedestrian friendly.  

ohhh. I just thought. Imagine the kind of voice for change a person with a billion dollars could have. ?  That’s really intimidating to me. 

[LarlaB]

I would sell my house (clearing $200k), pay off debts from sale of home, and buy a small home (or park an RV) on a lake or creek here in Colorado and just hang out there for ONE year. Kids would stay in their school and life would be simple.  As simple as possible. Not buy or spend anything special or extraordinary. Just live. No decisions or investments. Just live. Dream and scheme and strategize...but not spend $.01 of winnings until one year had passed.

And after 3 months of testing, I’d take the hospital chaplaincy job. Dive in and just do it. 

I didn’t even think about this reply- just typed it out. LOL. Guess that’s what’s in my heart. 

[Murphy101]

19 minutes ago, Plum Crazy said:

Both me and my dad have talked about renting homes in places 6 months at a time. That gives you enough time to get to know the area without any rush. We'd love to do that through Europe. 

------

$I.6 billion is ridiculous. I'd rather they have more winners more often with less amounts than have that much go to one person. That is so much money even after taxes and lump sum payout. 

 

It might not go to one person. Often it is several people who win. Either because they shared a ticket or because multiple tickets had the same numbers.

And the bigger the win, the more people play so there’s that incentive to the lotto profit system. Which in theory is a profit intended to support other stuff.

I don’t buy tickets either. It’s more therapudic for me to dream about what if and spend the $15 on coffee or yarn. 

[ktgrok]

I'd get the van door fixed, lol. 

But the big dream would be to build a house that would fit our family and needs, with a separate outbuilding for DH to use as an office. He could quit (and would, immediately) but then would want to do consulting or something, or run charities, something. I'd also want to buy my parents a house and my sister, and I guess DH's brother (there are some issues there, but we'd get him something). Ideally I'd want to have my parents and I and my sister all live very close to each other, but my parents want to live on the water, and I don't know if my sister is willing to move. She has an ex DH she needs to be near. Hell, maybe I'd buy him a place to , if that would fix the issue. 

And I'd get two mini donkeys. 

And take a trip to Scotland. Maybe my nuclear family for a week or two, and then fly the rest of my family over for another week. 

And hire a maid.

And buy an RV.  A REALLY nice one. 

 

[Murphy101]

Just now, texasmom33 said:

Too bad we can't buy a Hive ticket to split!! 

What is up with this place and Scotland? Everyone wants to live there I guess. 

Also, dh informed me if he wins that he would keep working and go back to school and get his MBA while he was at it, until his company stuff is over. I told him that's really going to be a hard to commute from my island. ?

 

I don’t know what it is about Scotland either. Cold wet and dreary is not the life for me if I can avoid it. I’d visit because I like seeing new places but it’s not particularly high in my list.  Though I do think some European tours would be fun. 

[ktgrok]

2 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

 

I don’t know what it is about Scotland either. Cold wet and dreary is not the life for me if I can avoid it. I’d visit because I like seeing new places but it’s not particularly high in my list.  Though I do think some European tours would be fun. 

I spent a week there when I got married to DH, and it wasn't dreary. It was gorgeous. And I'm a Florida girl, so normally don't like cold places, but it was SO pretty. Constant rainbows, these beautiful vistas....we actually found ourselves saying out loud as we drove around the highlands,  "Come one now, that's ridiculous. Nothing should be that pretty! You are just showing off now!" 

Oh, and the people were SO nice. And the food was really good, which I wasn't expecting. Especially the cheese/dairy products. I think all that good green grass must be the secret. Also, DH is a scotch snob, so we'd be there touring the distilleries. 

[Murphy101]

21 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

I spent a week there when I got married to DH, and it wasn't dreary. It was gorgeous. And I'm a Florida girl, so normally don't like cold places, but it was SO pretty. Constant rainbows, these beautiful vistas....we actually found ourselves saying out loud as we drove around the highlands,  "Come one now, that's ridiculous. Nothing should be that pretty! You are just showing off now!" 

Oh, and the people were SO nice. And the food was really good, which I wasn't expecting. Especially the cheese/dairy products. I think all that good green grass must be the secret. Also, DH is a scotch snob, so we'd be there touring the distilleries. 

 

Dh noted the scotch issue when he heard me mumbling out loud. He’d go for that alone. And that does sound pretty!

[Liz CA]

I'd buy a little cottage by the sea...because you are closer to heaven in a little house by the sea. ? Dh always says "yes you are closer to heaven when the tsunami comes."

Then I'd research charities and donate.

Have money in the bank when the bottom falls out of my car...

Hire someone to clean for me and have massages weekly or more often. 

Perhaps get another degree and help people who need help but don't know how or where to go or have no resources.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Liz CA

[Paige]

We'd move. I'm not sure where, but I'd want somewhere on the water that is never very cold. I'd probably take a year or two and explore our options. 

I'd help out family and causes that are important to us.

That is so much money that it's hard to even comprehend. I'd want to set up foundations or other lasting meaningful contributions like the Rockefellers did. It would feel like a tremendous responsibility.

 

[Ausmumof3]

I wouldn’t mind a small lotto win but wouldn’t really want a massive one.  I’d fix our house (replace broken flooring, get the roof replumbed, get a painter, a retaining wall and some landscaping, concrete the shed floor).  We’d pay off the mortgage.  I’d put some aside to replace my car when it dies and I’d buy the car I really want (a newer version of what we have). 

If there was a stack of extra I’d like to donate to an indigenous literacy foundation and either set up a homeschool library or just sponsor the public libraries to buy more homeschool books and resources.

if there was still lots left dh would love a small boat.  Dd would love a horse and we might be able to afford vet bills.  I also would really like the kids to have music lessons.

so having written all that down I realise I’m actually quite greedy!  Maybe it’s lucky we don’t buy lotto tickets!

[Ausmumof3]

5 hours ago, beckyjo said:

 

OMG, this would be pretty awesome. I hate the change of the seasons/wardrobes!

Lol..: it better still pay a personal organiser shopper to just do it!

[Peaceseeker]

I was fantasizing about this the other night as well.

 

I would:

1) build a moderate sized house that I loved where we live now

2) give a lot of money away to family and friends. Pay off their mortgages, send their kids to college, etc

3) set up trust funds for our kids

4)set up long-term retirement investments 

5) set up a foundation/charity and find ways to help people around the world that are struggling much more than I am now without the lottery.

6) build our little church a much needed fellowship hall

7) travel and not work, other than maybe managing my non profit/foundation

? buy a little beach cottage somewhere 

If I was really motivated I would create my dream small private school.  The kind that doesn't exist but you wish it did. 

 

[Murphy101]

1 hour ago, CaliforniaDreamin said:

 

If I was really motivated I would create my dream small private school.  The kind that doesn't exist but you wish it did. 

 

 

I suspect it does exist and it just has never been in the neighborhood of my price bracket currently.  Or even in the state of my price bracket.

[moonflower]

I would be happy to win $20k or so in the lottery, or even maybe $100k.  Could pay off all debt and invest a bit.  I don't want to win the mega millions and I don't play.  The history of what happens to lotto winners is not kind, imo

[DawnM]

I don't play the lotto, but if I had $1B I have a long list of things I would do, including helping my parents, hiring a full time nurse and paying for her living expenses as well.  Right now they don't need one full time, but there will be a time.....

Buy a better house, with a heated pool, and hire people to clean, cook (I would be fine with a twice a week cook to come in and cook and stock my fridge and I would just need to heat up!), gardener, etc....

I would buy houses for my kids wherever they wanted to buy them so they didn't have to stress about starting out in life (or buy townhouses to start so they would be easy to sell and move, whatever works.)

College is a HUGE expense right now, so that would be covered.

I would look into starting a charter school specifically for kids on the spectrum.  I can't tell you how horrible the PS is for kids with Asperger's (now ASD).  I would like a PUBLIC school option for them, and I would make large endowments so that we could do extra things, like have one teacher per 6-7 kids, etc.....and lots of teacher's aids.   All the schools for ASD around here are $30K per year.

And there are charities I know of needs for here and overseas.   I would help them.

And there is one splurge that is HUGE and expensive, but I would love to do it.  I would love to charter a private yacht with about 15 bedrooms and invite my best friends and their families for a 10-14 day excursion with a cook, captain, cleaning lady, entertainers, etc....and just have the time of our lives.  100% paid by me.

[Carrie12345]

14 hours ago, Plum Crazy said:

I've been enjoying home shopping on Zillow.

Zillow frustrates me, lol.  I don't like "rich fancy".  There's one property just outside of the area I want to be in that is more "country fancy" and might work, but  it's technically off the market now. I think they just couldn't find a buyer that rich, but they'd sell now.  If not, I'd purchase land with a less desirable house, donate as many materials from it as possible, and start from scratch with an architect who can figure out how to make a mansion that doesn't look or feel like a mansion, lol.

That's after paying 40ish% in taxes, setting aside 10% for giving, 10% for family, 10% for future family (I have 5 kids and a bunch of nieces and nephews who will likely procreate before I die!), and that manse ? would come out of the 10% for spending on big ticket items. But that's after we cash out current funds and go dark to retreat to some obscure location and hire smart people to help us figure out how to manage all of that.

Managing all of the charitable stuff would be like a full time job even with a lot of help, so I wouldn't get bored.  My husband could do charitable work in his current field. I'd support my growing children as long as they focus on working hard to do good in the world.  My dog would get a giant predator-proof outdoor space, lol. 

I'd like to hire a chef for a few meals a week, go out for a few a week, and then have one or two nights a week that make cooking for my family feel special again.
Everyone's medical appointments would be up to date.
I'd have at least 2 washer/dryers so that I won't go to do laundry and discover one of my kids is already washing a single pair of jeans.
We'll explore every single NYC museum and go to all the Broadway shows.
All of my hangers will match.
I'll never ration my printer ink.
I'll finally get an unlimited data plan.
I'll actually get all of my pictures printed.
I will proudly stock my wine cellar with cheap wine.
I'll make sure we never run out of tape.

 

[Carrie12345]

18 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

In case anyone was wondering, the cash option on $1.6B is $904M. 

The highest federal tax bracket is like 40% (though I think they only withhold part of that at the time it’s delivered so a winner would still have to pay more at tax time.). So on $904M, you are already down $360M right back to Uncle Sam, bringing you down to like $540M. 

And then you would probably have to pay state taxes. In my state that looks like 6% but some states are lower, some are higher, I have seen numbers as high as like 12%.  At 12%, that takes another like $103M.  Which means that if a single person wins $1.6B, they actually walk away with something like $430M. 

Which, even if you stuff it in your mattress (or 100 mattresses) and use a 3% inflation rate, gives you 3.7 million dollars a year for, like, 50 years.
Invested modestly, the numbers are *beyond* ridiculous.

[mommyoffive]

55 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

In case anyone was wondering, the cash option on $1.6B is $904M. 

The highest federal tax bracket is like 40% (though I think they only withhold part of that at the time it’s delivered so a winner would still have to pay more at tax time.). So on $904M, you are already down $360M right back to Uncle Sam, bringing you down to like $540M. 

And then you would probably have to pay state taxes. In my state that looks like 6% but some states are lower, some are higher, I have seen numbers as high as like 12%.  At 12%, that takes another like $103M.  Which means that if a single person wins $1.6B, they actually walk away with something like $430M. 

 

 

Wow. Still I would take it. 

[HomeAgain]

Dh and I have had fun dreaming about this. ?
-we'd pay off the house, clear the brush from the land, and redo some things that are coming up (like a new water heater, storm doors, and driveway paving.  Then we'd add solar panels, radiant floor heating, and maybe an extra room.
-we'd take a round the world cruise
-we'd set up a few secret givings: pay off my sister's mortgage, set up a scholarship fund, and offer a teacher training fund to be used on things like Barton, exploring mathematics, basic phonics training/science of reading.
-Dh would see a chiropractor regularly.
-Ds 8 would homeschool with lots of field trips, oldest would do college worry free.


And I think we'd be happy.  We'd live off the interest and spend more time on hobbies.

[mumto2]

I have been reading and enjoying all the responses. Definitely the cash option.  First we would take a really awesome cruise around the world for the whole family.  Then we would probably buy multiple nice homes in places we loved and move between them at will.  The hotel idea sounds great but my back is an issue and I need my own matress.  I would take my matress brand on the cruise, I know I sound like a really old lady with the mattress but more than about three nights away from home and I am in pain!  Beyond that I would stuff a charitable rust account with as much as possible before paying taxes. Dh and I had fun the other night talking about all the great things we could do with that trust!  There would still be plenty of money for the practical trust funds etc.

For perspective my elderly neighbor actually won and received close to $2 million about 25 years ago.  She has now spent pretty much all of it but she is in her 90’s and spent very intentionally.  First she gave each of her adult kids roughly 100 thousand dollars.....I think she had 7.  Then she donated to a few really specific things in the community that needed to be done,  she bought new gates for the village church and repaired a wall for instance.  The big needs like stained glass repairs were beyond her funds and eventually done with grants, she did realistic giving where she could accomplish completed projects.  Then she got on a cruise ship and traveled on and off for like 20 years on the same ship.  She went all over the world coming home for a couple of months at will.  She loves her lottery money story right down to her numbers.  Still plays them btw.  ?

[Garga]

Gotta run out the door, but guys, we need more creativity!  I’m totally building a giant mansion with secret rooms and passageways and a hedge maze. 

Sure—college, charity, etc, but with a billion bucks, I’m totally having some secret passageways.  

And a ridiculously expensive car.  Probably something old and classic.  Maybe three of them.  

[Carrie12345]

3 minutes ago, Garga said:

Gotta run out the door, but guys, we need more creativity!  I’m totally building a giant mansion with secret rooms and passageways and a hedge maze. 

Sure—college, charity, etc, but with a billion bucks, I’m totally having some secret passageways.  

And a ridiculously expensive car.  Probably something old and classic.  Maybe three of them.  

Part of our philanthropy would be focused on conservation, so I have to be careful.

But I've always wanted my own Tilt-a-Whirl.

[Murphy101]

6 hours ago, moonflower said:

I would be happy to win $20k or so in the lottery, or even maybe $100k.  Could pay off all debt and invest a bit.  I don't want to win the mega millions and I don't play.  The history of what happens to lotto winners is not kind, imo

 

Yeah, but history sure isn’t kind to broke people either, I’d rather take my chances with the money than without it if I had the option.

$20-100k does not go far. I’d take it if I had the chance too, but really it does not go far at all. In fact it can go just far enough to actually make you worse off rather than better in some cases. 

[Garga]

17 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

Part of our philanthropy would be focused on conservation, so I have to be careful.

But I've always wanted my own Tilt-a-Whirl.

Yes!! I plan on lots of charitable things, but I would want to blow a bit of the money on something purely fun and seflish.  Like my passageways and couple of classic cars.  I love the idea of you having a modest home...with a Tilt-a-Whirl in the back.  So fun!

I envision walking around looking like a normal person (not rich) and meeting people that have needs and then annonymously meeting those needs.  Like, if the cashier at the store says something about her tooth bothering her, then sending a bunch of money to her where she works for her dental care, totally anonymous.  I’d like to be able to see the people I’m helping, even if they don’t know it’s me helping them.  I picture myself routinely giving anonymously like that.  

[Murphy101]

14 minutes ago, Garga said:

Gotta run out the door, but guys, we need more creativity!  I’m totally building a giant mansion with secret rooms and passageways and a hedge maze. 

Sure—college, charity, etc, but with a billion bucks, I’m totally having some secret passageways.  

And a ridiculously expensive car.  Probably something old and classic.  Maybe three of them.  

 

This would be my husband. Seriously I can see why lottos can ruin marriages. I am very quiet low upkeep contemplate a plan and dh would be LET’S BUY IT ALL TODAY! I could totally see how he could win a billion dollars and die broke. 

Now that I’ve got that out of my system...

heck yeah I’d have fun with it too!  A nice car and a nice pickup truck and I’d always fly first class or heck, why not a private plane - not like my family wouldn’t fill a small one. And totally would enjoy a boat of some kind or two. 

And yes! Secret rooms and a panic/tornado/shelter room(s).

One of the things I think is sad about such a huge landfall is it must become extremely isolating. Suddenly no friendship or relative can be taken as genuine. I know some people say they’d stay in their house or just get a modest house ut the reality is that’s not practical.  I’d want security big time. And privacy. I’d worry about my kids a lot too.

[Garga]

Just now, Murphy101 said:

 

One of the things I think is sad about such a huge landfall is it must become extremely isolating. Suddenly no friendship or relative can be taken as genuine. I know some people say they’d stay in their house or just get a modest house ut the reality is that’s not practical.  I’d want security big time. And privacy. I’d worry about my kids a lot too.

Yes, I’ve thought of that, too.  Part of me wouldn’t want anyone to know I’d won, but it would be pretty much impossible to keep a secret, so practical matters would come into play—safety, etc.

[Angie in VA]

1. Tithe

2. Truck for DH

3. New roof for church

4. Donations to some charities and other places

5. Help 2 single mothers I know: house paid off, new cars, a nice amount in the bank

6. Buy a beach rental that we share w/ ILs and then rent out

7. A million each to my 2 best friends just so they'd be millionaires too (would have to give more due to taxes) and then out and out spoil some other friends with big gifts

Love dreaming about this! Too bad I don't play. Not saying I'd never be tempted, especially right now, but normally? No. 

 

[Carrie12345]

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

 

 

One of the things I think is sad about such a huge landfall is it must become extremely isolating. Suddenly no friendship or relative can be taken as genuine. I know some people say they’d stay in their house or just get a modest house ut the reality is that’s not practical.  I’d want security big time. And privacy. I’d worry about my kids a lot too.

Private security firms are big here b/c we don't have much police presence. I already know which company I'd contract. ? 

[Murphy101]

I’m like the poorest among my friends. Lol But I would absolutely pay to go on vacays with them a couple times a year. Donate to a cause that we share. Maybe more. Idk. 

 

[Murphy101]

I like the idea of renting homes in warmer climates during the winter. 

Some things I would want to do but likely wouldn’t because I’m still raising kids. My older kids take classes in high school and then there’s living by the college calendar too. I think some of that would change to other options but I don’t think I’d win the lotto and suddenly be okay with them not continuing their education. If anything, I’d be super excited about being able to better find it. 

If I didn’t have that issue?

I’d probably have multiple houses either rented or owned and divide up where I live.  

[Carrie12345]

8 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

I like the idea of renting homes in warmer climates during the winter. 

Some things I would want to do but likely wouldn’t because I’m still raising kids. My older kids take classes in high school and then there’s living by the college calendar too. I think some of that would change to other options but I don’t think I’d win the lotto and suddenly be okay with them not continuing their education. If anything, I’d be super excited about being able to better find it. 

If I didn’t have that issue?

I’d probably have multiple houses either rented or owned and divide up where I live.  

 

Controversial stance:

I think my kids would quit "regular" college. It isn't necessary for their every day dreams.  But I would probably make them take classes in finance. I'm sure ds would train with amazing music instructors. My daughter would demand more emergency service courses. So I guess we'd be tied to schedules anyway.  But we don't always have to do everything together. I could hire a stern house mother, lol.

[HomeAgain]

I think a tithe to an organization you're a part of would be dangerous.  It would be announcing to the entire church that you won, and when word gets out it never ends well for anyone.

I think a better option would be to do God's work with the money and quietly take the same amount, but spread among various organizations.  But I also wouldn't tell anyone we'd won.  I'd put the money in a trust to keep my name out of the news.

[mumto2]

10 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Question...well two...

 

What would you tithe on?  $1.6B, $904M, or the $500M or so you finally end up with?  

If a tithe is 10% (is that right?) wouldn't the tithe alone pay for the new roof for the church?  Even on $500M, that's like $50M, I would think that would pay for a new roof for most church buldings...unless it's some mega church or something with multiple buildings that you are talking about all roofing together?

Not that these questions matter of course, I am just curious lol

50M would even more than  pay for a new leaded roof on the 900 plus yo village church.  I think the cost was roughly 200K when the lead was stolen about 20 years ago........I wouldn’t tithe to one I would give to many churches through a charitable trust.  Share the money much more efficiently and anonymous.  Cannot even imagine what havoc announcing a win like that would create in someone’s life.

 I think the number to tithe on would be off of what was actually received.

 

[Murphy101]

32 minutes ago, Carrie12345 said:

 

Controversial stance:

I think my kids would quit "regular" college. It isn't necessary for their every day dreams.  But I would probably make them take classes in finance. I'm sure ds would train with amazing music instructors. My daughter would demand more emergency service courses. So I guess we'd be tied to schedules anyway.  But we don't always have to do everything together. I could hire a stern house mother, lol.

 

Idk. Really no idea. I’m sure for at least 6mo to a year we’d put a halt in just about everything until we felt more settled.

But I keep coming back to how isolating that much money is and how would I go about helping them find genuine relationships while also learning to navigate a new reality. One way might be via various education options. 

[Murphy101]

24 minutes ago, happysmileylady said:

Question...well two...

 

What would you tithe on?  $1.6B, $904M, or the $500M or so you finally end up with?  

If a tithe is 10% (is that right?) wouldn't the tithe alone pay for the new roof for the church?  Even on $500M, that's like $50M, I would think that would pay for a new roof for most church buldings...unless it's some mega church or something with multiple buildings that you are talking about all roofing together?

Not that these questions matter of course, I am just curious lol

 

Tithe is not 10% for Catholics.

Tithe is simply giving to the church for us. 

 

[Murphy101]

13 minutes ago, HomeAgain said:

I think a tithe to an organization you're a part of would be dangerous.  It would be announcing to the entire church that you won, and when word gets out it never ends well for anyone.

I think a better option would be to do God's work with the money and quietly take the same amount, but spread among various organizations.  But I also wouldn't tell anyone we'd won.  I'd put the money in a trust to keep my name out of the news.

 

Only if you want your name attached. Anonymous donors happen all the time. And instead of a direct donation, they could start a trust or endowment that would do it.

And then there’s nothing stopping someone dropping an envelop with 20 $100 bills in the collection plate/box either.

Edited October 21, 2018 by Murphy101

[Garga]

Somehow or other, I’d never (ever) cook again.  I don’t like cooking.  I hate cooking, actually.  So, I’d hire a cook, I suppose, who loves to cook, and I’d let them figure out what to feed my picky family.  They’d love the challenge, I’d pay them money, I’d never have to cook—win-win.

I would absolutely have an indoor heated pool (we’re taking about being a billionaire here..and even after taxes, the money is astounding.). I don’t like being outside: I burn, the mosquitoes love me, I don’t like wind, blah blah.  But I enjoy swimming, so...indoor heated pool because I don’t like being cold.  I’d have that thing up nice and hot.

Oh and 100% a personal trainer.  I went to the ocean for a 3-day weekend trip a few weeks ago and pulled out some shorts and tshirts I don’t normally wear and man-oh-man, I’m out of shape.  I looked like a little blob of mashed potatoes in my mom shorts.  I hadn’t realized how out of shape I was.  But I never really know where to start to get in shape...so personal trainer, for sure.  (Currently, I’ve started using the treadmill’s pre-set “weight loss” settings twice a day.  Hopefully that’ll jump start some fitness for me, but it’s pretty boring.  I don’t have the money for a gym membership and I hate being outside...so I’m stuck with the treadmill.)

At 45, I am finally starting to look my age and sometimes I don’t feel like looking my age.  I know that somehow or other, cleverly applied makeup can make a person look really, really good.  But I don’t know how to apply it and certainly don’t want to spend the money on it, since I’d only use it once in a while in my current life.  But if I was rich, I’d go ahead and spend the money on some good makeup and learn how to use it, so that when I wanted to look polished, I could. 

So...food, pool, trainer, makeup.  This is in additional to my house with all the secret rooms and passageways.  It doesn’t even have to be a huge house  The house from Paddington Bear would do, as long as there are secret passageways and rooms.   And the hedge maze out back.  I’d like that.

I think I’d get the yellow car from The Great Gatsby, whatever kind that is.  And two little sports cars from the 60s.  Doesn’t matter what kind.  All the sports cars from the 60s are adorable.

I’d buy a cottage (covered in roses) by the sea in southern England and I’d send my friends on trips to it whenever they want to go.  Their mortgages would all be paid off as well (of course.)  My kids could do whatever higher education they wanted—-college or whatever.  I’d get them starter homes when the time comes.  I’d create some sort of pool of money for my friend’s kids to have access to for education. I don’t know my family except for one cousin (a little bit), so I’d pay for her kids’ education for sentimental sake, since we had a few fun summers together growing up.  (Haven’t seen her in 33 years.)

Lots and lots and lots of money would go to helping people that I’d run into, preferrably annonymously.  See a little old lady without enough to buy her cat food?  Put money in her mailbox.  See a kid in a threadbare coat?  Money for a nice warm coat, etc.  

My husband could totally stop working.  We’d both be able to sit back and figure out what we really want to do with our time/lives and then do it.  I would most likely work with some sort of charitable organization.  I have a hazy goal of doing that when I’m done homeschooling—getting whatever degree would let me work with an organization that’s helping people.  I used to work for a health insurance company.  Blah.  I don’t want that kind of job anymore.  I want to be working to help others.  I want my work to have meaning, so if we didn’t *have* to work anymore, I could figure out how to be part of something helping others.  

I’d certainly go on vacations.  I like historical places, so it wouldn't be to resorts, but would be to educational places that we’ve read about in history that I will never be able to go, unless I win a billion dollars.  ?

Oh!  And I’d have about 40 cats.  Seriously.  With all that money, I could afford to take care of them.    Lots and lots and lots of cats. A few rooms in the mansion (sunny rooms), would be outfitted with all sorts of shelves and tunnels for them to play in.  100%, I will have 40 cats.

[Carrie12345]

One of my big things would be building a home (probably buying the defunct charter school, lol) for my co-op.  The most fun part would be shopping for the library. An entire homeschool library!!!

My state doesn't have anonymity, so :::shrug:::.