Powerball $290 Million ~ What would you SERIOUSLY do with it?

[DwarfMaster]

I always said I'd quit my job & move to some sunny Caribbean Island ...but seriously I could never do it.

What would you really do with all that money?
What would be the first thing you bought?
How much/if any would you donate to charity?

To what extent would you help out your family & friends? I mean where do you draw the line when you have that much money ~ immediate family, distant cousins, friends, neighbors, co-workers?


Just curious as to everyone's responses.....

 

[vacanut]

I'd keep $100 million and travel and distribute the rest to all my DIS friends!

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I learn to live in the style to which I'd like to become accustomed! I'd love to say I'd donate a lot to charity and live frugally, but most likely I'd live in wretched excess until I squandered every last penny!

 

[mickeyboat]

I am not sure I would identify myself before I had an attorney and a financial planner.

I would definitely quit my job, pay off my bills, buy a new van and a two-seater sports car.

I would set up college accounts for my kids and the children of my friends and more distant family.

I would buy DH a camp in the middle of nowhere and myself a house on a lake.

I would take care of my parents.

As for charity - I would build my kids' school a new playground, and set up some sort of foundation which could be run my one of my close friends to distribute $ to different causes - especially to breast cancer research.

Edited to add - I would travel A LOT, and build DH a beautiful state of the art workshop so he could build custom furniture.

Denae

 

[foolishmortal]

What would I do with 290 mil??


whatever the &&*%%^%$ I want!!

 

[AllyandJack]

I'd build my town a new school, a new police station and a new building for the town offices, so they could quit raising property taxes.

Then, I'd give my house to a deserving family and buy the 2 million dollar house for sale in my town. It has 60+ acres with ponds and streams and peace and quiet.

DH would probably keep working (for health insurance and because he loves his job). I'd have a bunch of kids and stay home with them and use the real estate license that's collecting dust so I can help people buy houses.

I'd also set my parents up in Vegas....they've always wanted to live there.

 

[Holly]

I would be so scared that the money would ruin my life, I would probably give it all away to charity.

Edited: I'm not trying to be trite. The statistics for living "happily ever after" once you have come into a large sum of money aren't encouraging. I like my life the way it is, thank you.

 

[ZachnElli]

I'd hire a maid to clean like everyday. I hate cleaning. I'd give a good 10% to charity. I'd help family out by buying them each a house or paying off the one they have (parents and siblings). I'd move back home and buy a big house with a great inground swimming pool and a large shoe closet for me! And I'd take all my nieces and nephews to Walt Disney World!!

 

[foolishmortal]

ok seriously..I would give my parents at least 5 mil of it, then distribute about 30 mil between all friends and family.

Then I set aside 10 mil+ for my 2 sons. then my wife and I will house and car shop before travelling!!!!!

 

[TxDisneyFan]

Seriously, I'd set up a trust for my kids. I'd quit my job so I could go back to college and get a degree in geology, meteorology or astronomy. I'd volunteer at local library, hospital and schools. We're building a house right now so I'd like to get rid of all my old furniture and buy new pieces. I'd love to travel. I'd buy a blue VW Beetle (had one but sold it - now regret it). My husband says he would continue to work (he's a firefighter) because he loves what he does.

After being selfish, I'd probably donate money to a few charities - local animal shelter, Lance Armstrong Foundation, Partners in Education (mentor program with local schools).

 

[scanne]

Well after taxes, it would probably be about $150 million.

Still, that ain't a small bag o change!

I would:

1. Pay off all of our debt
2. Have a decorator come to my house and re-do it ALL
3. Buy into DVC
4. Book a trip to WDW at the GF in the biggest suite (we'd need to go on the trip to buy DVC!)
5. Put $5 million into trust funds for both of my kids
6. Get a good accountant and invest a large sum
7. Pay off my parents' house
8. Donate a large portion to several charities including breast cancer and diabetes research
9. Open a "Cookies By Design" store
10. Buy a new car for me and DH

For #2 - I may just build me a dream home on a private lot somewhere instead of re-decorating what I've got. Not sure...

 

[wvrevy]

I dunno...After I got out of the hospital from my heart attack, I'd have to figure it out as I went along

Oh, and no "donating" to charity...I'd start a charity or foundation of some sort, but probably wouldn't "donate" much to pre-existing groups (maybe a bit to my personal favorites).

 

[ashjohnson80]

well first of all i would get my parents out of debt so they can live their lives instead of working every waking hour of every day.

then i would get myself out of debt and buy some really neat stuff.

then i would travel for a couple of years and go all over the world and go to lots of concerts and live at disney for a month.

then after i got that out of my system i would probably adopt a baby internationally.
(as long as everything was o.k. with my DH and me)

then i would invest and then i would give a lot to people who needed it. and probably still have a lot left over but that's all that comes to mind right now.

 

[ChrisnSteph]

I would buy three homes - one on the coast, in the country, and in New York.

I'd hire someone to decorate it all!

We'd drive normal, but newer cars.

I'd get on the wait list and buy a membership to Club 33!

We'd pay off our close friends and families homes and bills.

We'd travel, see the world.

College for my kids, and my sisters kids.

10 million would go to the Chromosome 18 Research and Registry Society.

My dh would probably quit his firefighting job and follow his dream of becoming a pediatric emergency room physician.

I'd probably shop too much!

 

[aprincessmom]

I would set up college funds for my nephews and cousins' children. I would pay off my parents', sister's and my houses. I would fund a yearly vacation for family members -- kind of like we do now but it would be paid for and everyone could just come and have fun. I would set the rest up as an endowed family charitable foundation and become part of the board that determines how the money is spend.

 

[Missy1961]

First thing is get an attorney & a great financial person.

I have 2 brothers (both married), but they are doctors, so they don't need my money.

I have 3 sisters. 1 is a lawyer. Doesn't need the money either. 1 sister is a social worker, married to a social worker, they have 3 kids. I'd set up college funds for the kids. The other sister is a physical therapist, married to a physical therapist, they have 2 kids. I'd probably set up college funds for them too. Why not? Great investment is the future, right?

Then I'd give my dad as much as I could. He's 80, a very active 80. He could do as much traveling as he wanted to. And golf everywhere.

I'd buy a house in Florida. Dad could live in it from Jan-Apr. He likes South Florida because that's where his friends go.

I'd buy into DVC. What else? And buy Annual Passes.

I'd buy season tickets for the Mets. Someday, they're going back to the post season.

I would donate money very quietly to my church. They do many wonderful things for people in my community. I'd also donate to other charities, just not sure which ones.

I'd still live in NY. I love NY. I'd go to all the Broadway shows I could see. I'd eat in wonderful restaurants.

And then I'd wake up!

 

[RadioNate]

I've spent a lot of time thinking about this.

I'd buy a new house. Maybe a 500,000 house, in my area I could get something really nice but not over the top extravagant for that amount. I'd also hire a decorator and some of the organization people. I'd definately have lawn people and a cleaning service.

I'd probablly pay off my parents houses. Of course DH would want to pay off his parents house and pay for his sister's college since she's stuck at her dad's university since they could pay for the east coast schools she got into.

I'd set up money for DS's education.

I'd throw a big party at WDW for all our close friends and family. Maybe spend 100-150k on everything (including hotel and airfare).

New cars for DH, me and probablly a little 2 seater BMW or Mercedes convertable to share.

I'd save and invest a lot for the future. I'm sure DH would still work.

I'd get some new clothes (at Nordstroms!) and all the high end shoes and purses I've been lusting after.

I'd give some to a few select charities. While I'm all for good causes I'm not generally happy with the big organizations and how they are run to trust them.

I'd help finance one of my best friend's screenplays, up to maybe 2mil. He is an amazing screenwriter and director who has won several screen writing awards and made a few short films but hasn't gotten lucky with the major studios yet. They are moving to LA in March or April so hopefully he will have better luck being in Hollywood rather than in TX.

Oh yeah I forgot my fun stuff...
A LOT of DVC points and annual passes
courtside Spurs tickets
a new computer and digital camera

 

[ladycollector]

290 Million?

First thing I'd do is buy a $500,000 motor home and put everything we own in storage. We'd be traveling the country baby!

I'd also make sure immediate family never had to work a day in their lives again (if they didn't want to). New houses, cars, etc for those that are close.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i would save a ton if it
give some charity right away
then to my family so they would leave me alone
and i would continue working
buy a new house move outta MA

 

[The Mystery Machine]

1)
Hire an attorney first thing so I can distribute some wealth as painless as possible right off the top. We would share the wealth with immediate family only.
I would prepare to set up trust funds, draft wills, all that business before I got the money. Hashing it out prior would be good for my marriage, just a thought.

2)
Sell this house and MOVE! Where I don't know. Probably in a gated community so my girls can finish the school year.

3)
DH would quit his job, that is for sure.

4)
Figure out where we would like to live by traveling alot.