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

[gdulaney]

What would I do with all that money? Pay off bills, move to a sunny place (St Johns USVI would be nice...but I could also be very happy in FL), tickets to the Daytona 500 for hubby, start a charity, travel, go to school, open a hot dog stand on the beach (long story -- great dream!), smash my alarm clock and forget about my daily commute downtown...

What would be the first thing you bought? dinner to celebrate

How much/if any would you donate to charity? Some...but I'd also like to set up a charitable organization to promote literacy. Love my little ferrets, so I'd probably look into setting up a ferret awareness program and offer support to various animal shelters (especially ones for fuzzies).

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? I don't know how much I'd help out --- but I'm fairly sure I know where I'd draw the line. The folks who come crawling out of the woodwork to be my newest, bestest friends... well, there's the line. One thing I know for certain...mom would get a new T-bird. She's always said that if she ever hit the lottery, she'd love a new convertible Thunderbird.

Ginny

ps--- I like the motorcoach idea....forget tickets to the Daytona 500...I could get hubby tickets to all the races and we could become NASCAR groupies.

 

[EthansMom]

Take the lump sum payout. After taxes, DH and I would probably have about $75M. DH would quit his job. We would probably move to Washington State -- Puget Sound area. Would buy a modest, but nice home on the water. DH could get a modest, but nice sail boat. Kids would go to private school. We would travel as much as we wanted. Would probably "share our wealth" with family by taking all of our family on vacation once per year. Also, would dramatically increase our charitable contributions.

 

[bajanswife]

Honestly? I'd be totally overwhelmed!

I guess, like others said, I'd get a good lawyer and financial planner. Together we'd work out a good investment strategy.

First, I'd pay off all of my debt and my parents' debt, and my DH's dad's debt.

I'd keep a certain amount of "slush money" out of the investment pool - I'd have fun with that! Vacations, whatever!

Once the funds were invested, I'd cycle cash out for stuff like:

- charity
- investment in Dad's companies
- gifts to our siblings (DH's sister in particular - she needs it right now)
- trusts and college funds for the kids

I'd want to give my best friends some too, but I'm not sure how it would be received, and I'm not sure I'd know where to draw the line. It's a mind-boggling amount of money - I'd want to be very generous, because even 1% of it is more than I ever would have dreamed of having!

I'd quit my current job - too much driving around, too much juggling routines, and the work itself doesn't excite me tremendously (I can live without it). I'd dedicate myself to driving my kids around and doing stuff together. I'd have my free time for the gym etc. when they were at school. If I did take on work it would be to help develop DH's little side business. Not sure DH would quit his job - he had the opportunity to take a much less stressful, family-oriented job that reflected his hobby and he didn't take it - he was afraid he'd be bored! He likes his job, and is definitely not in it for the money.

There's more I'd do I'm sure, but those are the highlights.

 

[Trish Bessette]

First thing I would do is disconnect the phone!

Second thing, get a good lawyer and financial service specialist.

Third, go and claim my prize.

Pay off my own and my dad, mom and two sisters debt as well as DH side of the family.

Put 10 mil away for each of my dd's.

Buy a beautiful house tucked away in the mountains.

Rent an entire airplane, book the entire Wilderness Lodge, pack as many friends as I can onto that plane for a vacation they will never forget

Finally, pray to god that I stay grounded throughout all of this! It is a risk I'm willing to make

 

[NMAmy]

Whenever someone asks this, it always reminds me of a friend of mine many years ago. We were sitting in the living room of her trailer and the lottery drawing came on and it was a big jackpot. She was checking to see if she'd won and she told me dreamily, "If I win the lottery tonight, I'm buying new carpeting for the trailer." Once I picked myself up off the old, shabby carpet, I told her she needed to think a little bigger than that!

Me, I've always had the dream of taking my extended family to WDW with me for a month or so. DH, DD, my mom, my sister, my nephew and his wife, my niece and her husband and the kids. It would be such a blast!

Aside from that, I'd share with my family (listed above and a few other deserving relatives) and most of my money would go into investments after paying off my house. I wouldn't move--I love the house we have now and see no reason to leave it. I'd buy DH and dd a new car and that's about it, really, for frivolous spending.

And, I certainly wouldn't be one of those folks who would go to work the next day. It'd be sayonara, baby!

 

[welovedisneyx4]

I would go on at least a 4 week DW trip, paying the way for my parents one week and DIL's and 2 BIL's (and families) another week and then 2 weeks w/ just DH and the kids. We would stay at the Contemporary, Poly, and Animal Kingdom.

I would pay off our house and cars and my parents and DIL's debts. I would expand our house and get new furniture and a tv system and put in a hot tub. I would probably keep our cars, but buy DH the Endevour that he really wanted. I would hire a maid! (That would be one of the first things I did!!) And a lawn service for DH!

DH would probably quit work. I would have to keep working while the kids are in school. (that would keep the health insurance) Or...DH could get a teaching job and I could quit!! I think that is the better plan. I would probably work as a travel agent on the side.

I would pay for our new Church construction. I think it is supposed to be around 1 million. I would also donate to charities and would look into setting up scholarships for low-middle class average students.

I forgot about sitting up college funds for the kids. I would also help my 2 neices and several cousins w/ their kids college. I would give some to my 2 BIL's and their family.

I would give serious thought to buying a house at Myrtle Beach. I would get season tickets for Va Tech football and basketball and maybe Duke bball as well as ACC basketball tournament tickets.

Then I would invest the rest and live off the intrest!!!

 

[DwarfMaster]

First....I'd probably have to borrow money from my parents so I can take everyone to dinner

I would love to travel
We'd be taking a few cruises every year

I would definately buy a new home for my parents.
Give a little $$$ to my brother to start a new business.
I'd probably give some to a few close friends who are in financial need.

I'd build myself a beautiful new home ~ but I don't want to leave the school district....the kids really like it here, so we'd find some property nearby.

I'd probably give my old house to my Ex-DH. (I don't know why )

I would certainly need a new car...but nothing sporty...a Nice SUV sould do just fine.

 

[Quackmore]

$290 million. Oh I'd keep working my job.

Yeah right!

 

[scarlett873]

I would definitely find a lawyer and accountant before going public with my prize. We would use the money to pay off all bills so we would be debt free! Most likely sell our house or give it to my brother and his fiance. We would build our dream home, but not sure where yet. I'd certainly buy into DVC and invest in AP's! Donate some of it to charity...I'd build my parents a new house wherever they wanted! I'd help out my brother and sister for sure...I would set up college funds for my DH's kids...I would quit my job and finish my culinary arts degree. DH would probably want to start his own business. I would do cake decorating full time, but out of the top notch kitchen in my own dream home! We'd travel!!

Most importantly, we would take the necessary steps to start our family. Whether that means fertility treatments or adoption, we would do what we had to in order to fulfill our dream of being a mom and a dad.

 

[inaminute]

The first thing I'd do is change my telephone number to an unlisted one. I don't need relatives climbing out of the woodwork suddenly claiming me to be their favorite! LOL! I'd then talk to a lawyer and financial people. I'd do this BEFORE I even claimed the money.

Then, I'd buy the maximum number of DVC points available. I know I could afford to purchase an amazing home in Florida, but that's not on Disney property! And, then I'd book a trip for the maximum amount of time with those points!

Donate a large portion of it for Aids research and children's charities--I'd want to do some good with it. Of course, we'd take care of family members--both our sons, our grandson, our ex-DIL, my DH's sister, etc.

DH and I would spend a lot of time travelling the U.S. and the world. After that, as we're still relatively young, we'd need something to do, so maybe we'd get involved in charity work of some kind.

I don't know what I'd do with the rest of the money. Except fix up my current house and sell it. Then build my dream-house. That's it, I guess. I'd spend the rest of my days in comfort--with absolutely no worries about money.

 

[Mister Incredible]

Not even going to think about it, because chances are so slim.

However, if anyone here wins can you send me my $10 back?

I would be just as happy if I hit the $100,000 (5 numbers).

That would pay off the bills, and be a great start toward the kids college savings. Anything over that is bonus bucks!

 

[HayGan]

DH and I have discussed this many times

We would each get $10mil to do with whatever we want. Each of our parents and siblings would get $1mil. Our neices and nephews (as well as my god daughters and my other best friends kids) would each get trusts set up for $100K each. Our church would get $1mil as well as a few other specific charities. The rest we would build a home (or two) and set up trusts for both of our kids. BTW, we would each get a generous allowance from the interest realized every year.

With my $10mil I would:
Buy my mom her red convertible
Throw a huge party for my entire office (with some fantastic gifts )
Give a few friends and close relatives $50,000 each
Hire a full-time therapist for my son
Hire a personal trainer and chef to help me get my butt in shape
Buy myself a new vehicle with all the bells and whistles that I want
Give 5 lucky DISers and their families an all expense paid trip to the World

and then just enjoy life being able to spend more time with my family and see the world and World

 

[golfgal]

First I would get an unlisted phone number.

What would I do with the money:

I would pay of siblings homes, except my older sister who already had her inlaws pay off their mortgage to get them out of debt and they promptly refinanced the house to the hilt to "renovate" the house. DH's and my parents homes are paid for so I would probably let them go hog wild with a decorator or what ever.

We would set up college funds for the kids in the families that don't have them already-some of our nieces and nephews have that taken care by various grandparents.

We would set up some scholarship funds at the colleges we attended.

We would build a new Catholic School in town and start and endowment for building upkeep and operating funds.

Dh would quit his job, but he would drive me nuts staying at home all the time so he would either have to find a "fun" part time job or do some volunteer work. I would continue with the volunteer work I do.

We would travel, A LOT, probably every vacation the kids would have from school.

It would be fun, then, to set aside some money to just give away because. Wouldn't it be fun to be at the grocery store and say "I'll pay for the guy behind me, too" or to walk up to some cute kids at the park and say "here is $100 take your mom and dad out to dinner"--hopefully with mom and dad around so they don't think I am some kind of a weirdo.

Of course this would all be money spent AFTER the proper investments were made, etc.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Spend about 5 million on a house down south... with all the ammenities. Put cash in a trust to ensure that my kids and their kids will have all they ever need forever. Travel some.

Make BBQ.

 

[lovetheparks]

I would make sure my 70 year old Grandma never had to work again - she still has to. I would pay off everything she owes and set up a monthly account for her.

I would pay off my other Grandparents home and all other bills.

I would quit work and spend time training my dogs aw: so we could go around to nursing homes and children's hospitals to help spread some cheer.

Buy a motorhome so DH, I and dogs could travel and also do above said volunteer work.

*Edited to add that I would start a fund for people suffering from infertility to provide affordable care and treatment options

 

[MosMom]

Build or buy a big house on a big lot of land and have horses.
Pay off the homes of all my friends & families
Take a big expensive trip to Disney
Get new cars
Then I would figure out what to do with the rest of it and how to make it last for many generations.

 

[Mister Incredible]

Actually I would like to see about 10 people hit the jackpot. It's too much for one person. It would be nice to see more than one win.

 

[CheshireVal]

I would pay off my debt, which would wipe out all my winnings.

 

[eeyore kelly]

Set my kids up a trust.

Build a house.

Pay off my sister's adoption bills.

Put aside money for nieces and nephews college.

Set up a trust for DH's parents to be given in monthly allotments.

Buy the land from my uncles and cousinthat connects to mine

Pay off my other sister's house.

Give a large endowment to my college, kids' school, and the school they set up for the refugees

Sponsor an adoption

Pay Motley Crue to have a concert for just me and my friends

Buy my Dad a new truck as a thank you for all the money he forked out on us when DH and I were first married

 

[Hercules10]

"Two chicks at once"