What would you do if you won the lottery?

[Nomi]

I bought my first lottery ticket ever today, sort of an 'I am adult hear me roar!' thing. Though I have no illusions about the chances of winning (really, I payed $5 for a small piece of paper I can't even doodle on), it is so much fun to hear what other people would do if they won 'X' amount of $!

Some people just start listing all the shoes they want, others go into the investment side, and others still go on in such detail you know they've been daydreaming about winning the lottery for a long time. I know most of us here would be booking the dream Disney vacation as soon as possible!

For myself, the first thing I would do is work out the investment part. I'm young enough to have a lot of life left, and I know that lottery winners are prone to spending all their winnings. I would want to avoid this, and would look to my parents and find a financial advisor. After that, the main things to do would be to help my parents pay off their morgage, pay for my little sisters education as well as mine, and donate a percentage to the Equine Centre I volunteer at.

On to the fun bits! The few things I know I would absolutely do are:
Take my parents to Europe, since my mother has never been.
Take a few friends on a trip to WDW.
Purchase a house (a small one, I have whatever the opposite of expensive tastes in houses is), near my college and possibly rent out a room or two to fellow students.
Have, of course, the ultimate goldfish pond/ponds (indoor, if it could be done)
A whole fish and reptile room!
Look into breeding ball pythons as well as goldfish and bettas.
Still go to college and go after my dream job.

Now, tell me what you would do! Who would you tell? How would you invest? What trips would you go on? What frivolous things would you get? Where would you donate? Ect! How would all these things change depending on the amount you won?

 

[Planogirl]

I would:
Pay off all my bills
Buy a BMW (used)
Repair the house
Buy XBox Live
Buy 10 pairs of shoes and a pile of books

And.... QUIT MY HORRIBLE JOB!!!!

That is fun.

 

[Nomi]

I would:
Pay off all my bills
Buy a BMW (used)
Repair the house
Buy XBox Live
Buy 10 pairs of shoes and a pile of books

And.... QUIT MY HORRIBLE JOB!!!!

That is fun.

That sounds like a load of fun! I actually just got myself xBox live (Only a three month sub to start). It turns out to be a fun way to keep in contact with friends across the country! While hunting zombies, of course.

If said horrible job was quit, what would you do? Volunteer? Start your own business? Stay at home and read all those books?

 

[Mickey'snewestfan]

I don't think you guys are dreaming big enough. If I am going to dream of winning the lottery it will be one of those big ones -- you know 300 million or something.

Here's what I'd do:

1) I'd start a school, a reverse inclusion school for children with disabilities and their siblings and friends. I work in a charter school that's fantastic, but it's definitely designed for the "typical" kids and we work around that to make things work for the kids with disabilities -- this school would be backwards, planned from best practice for kids with disabilities, but actually welcoming everyone. Oh, and I'd hire someone ELSE to run it, and just work part time myself.

2) I'd buy myself a really nice house, with a yard for all the neighborhood kids to play in and then I'd hire other people to take care of it, and a cook. Definitely want that cook.

3) I'd have more than one kid. I'd adopt number 2, see how that went, and then maybe add some more. Right now I want a second child so much, but I've got too much on my plate -- but if I could afford to cut back to part time, add get some "help", I'm sure I'd do just fine.

 

[Nomi]

I don't think you guys are dreaming big enough. If I am going to dream of winning the lottery it will be one of those big ones -- you know 300 million or something.

Here's what I'd do:

1) I'd start a school, a reverse inclusion school for children with disabilities and their siblings and friends. I work in a charter school that's fantastic, but it's definitely designed for the "typical" kids and we work around that to make things work for the kids with disabilities -- this school would be backwards, planned from best practice for kids with disabilities, but actually welcoming everyone. Oh, and I'd hire someone ELSE to run it, and just work part time myself.

2) I'd buy myself a really nice house, with a yard for all the neighborhood kids to play in and then I'd hire other people to take care of it, and a cook. Definitely want that cook.

3) I'd have more than one kid. I'd adopt number 2, see how that went, and then maybe add some more. Right now I want a second child so much, but I've got too much on my plate -- but if I could afford to cut back to part time, add get some "help", I'm sure I'd do just fine.

Wow, you sure know how to dream big! All of that sounds fantastic!

I don't think we have lotteries that big in Canada. But if we did, and I won it, I think I wouldn't be able to comprehend all that money.

But in that case, I would build the equine centre a brand new facility, with all the state of the art, well, everything. A new arena or two, new tack for the lesson and therapy horses, all the amenities needed for the Little Bit's therapeutic riding program.

I would buy my parents a new house (or two), buy my grandparents a house, and my sister's as well.

I would still go to school, but once I was out I would want to plan an indoor theme park/zoo/resort the likes of which have never been seen. I would devote a large amount of time and money to freshwater/marine fish research and protection. I would donate or develop a reptile and fish rescue and education program.

 

[Planogirl]

I would find a part-time job that was at least a bit challenging and I'd volunteer otherwise. I would also donate money to a few pet charities and adopt a few cats from a shelter.

Plus I'd quit my job. Did I mention that?

I like the idea of a goldfish pond. It sounds peaceful.

 

[Nomi]

I would find a part-time job that was at least a bit challenging and I'd volunteer otherwise. I would also donate money to a few pet charities and adopt a few cats from a shelter.

Plus I'd quit my job. Did I mention that?

I like the idea of a goldfish pond. It sounds peaceful.

I sensing a little bit of discontent with your current job. See how super awesome at sleuthing I am? What do you do, if you don't mind me asking?

Ah, I'm not sure the goldfish ponds I have in mind would be that peaceful. I would have a single tail pond or long bodied goldfish pond, devoted to wakins, jikins, shubunkins (bristol, london, ect) and comets. I would probably have breed devoted ponds, one for top veiw ranchus, lionheads. I would absolutly have a giant collection of demekns and butterflies (my favorite). All the ponds would have state of the art canister filters, skimmers and UV light filters. They would have pristine water with carefully monitored levels. I would also culture my own greenwater and live foods for them. All part of raising show quality goldfish, but with millions I could make it all look pretty to boot!

I may or may not get a bit carried away when it comes to goldfish.

 

[PaulaSB12]

Put aside money for my sisters kids first for college, then their first car + insurance for a couple of years then deposit on their first home.

 

[NHdisneylover]

We did this at a conference I went to about 2 years ago. The "rules" were tat you had won one million dollars and that this sum was after taxes. I think we had ten minutes to draw up a plan of how we would spend it. Mine went something like this (but not exactly, circumstances have changed):

$500,000--invested for mine and DHs future
$300,000--invested for the kids' futures (plus what they will hopefully inherit):
$50,000 per kid for higher education expenses (won't cover all but will help and probably will cover all if they stay in Germany--PLUS they have a bit saved otherwise).
$50,000 per kid trust to be received on 25th birthday
$50,000 per kid trust to be received on 35th birthday
$100,000 to help out other family:
$20,000 each for my two nieces and my nephew for higher education
$20,000 each to each of my parents because they were not good financial planners when young and see that now and may need it some day.
$35,000 set aside to buy airafre "home" to DHs family every Christmas until the kids graduate. This would mean more to my DMiL than anything else.
$35,000 in donations (probably to the AIDS walk my best friend always works hard for, my kids' school, girl scouts USA, the small town library I used to work for and love and the children's theatre program in the next town over from that).
$30,000 fun money--probably would all go for more or nicer vacations than we could otherwise take.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

My family loves playing this game! It's fun to see who would do what -- and it helps you see what everyone's priorities are!

* I love my job, but DH isn't as crazy about his (long commute, long hours) so I'd hope he'd be free to leave his job and maybe start a biz as a fishing guide.

* We'd sock money away for college for the kids.

* We love our house, but maybe we'd get one with a bit more land. And a pool! A cool one, with a waterfall with a little hidden grotto behind it. And a curvy slide.

* I'd also love to be able to adopt more of those sad little doggie and kitty faces at the shelters.

Hey...I think today is lottery day in NC! Gotta go...

 

[Robinrs]

I'd start a business (because I LOVE working) and build a neighborhood for my friends and family.

I also love working for the elderly and will do something in that regard.

My son would NEVER see the inside of a Georgia school and again and the only time I'd see Georgia again would be in my rear view mirror.

I'd get every person who I want to thank and throw a bash for them and present them all with a check. I've done this over and over in my mind so many times and this would be my favorite part.

And my family will never want for anything ever again...

 

[paintnolish]

Pay off dh and my students loans. Then, I'd make sure the dcs had enough for a great college so they wouldn't ever been in our place! Then, I'd buy a larger, comfy house- a restored Victorian. I'd buy my parents a log home. I'd also buy/pay off my sisters' houses. I'd like to then start a bakery/coffee shop with ds.

Fun purchases: DVC and APs all around, lots of overseas traveling (Italy, England, etc.), a sports car and and SUV, Japanese hair straightening for me, Alaskan cruise for my mom (Northern Lights), hmmmm....

 

[MIGrandma]

DH and I talk about winning the lottery occasionally, trouble is that it isn't ever going to happen because we never buy tickets.

If we did win big though, we would first of all pay off our land up north and build a really, really nice "cabin" on the property.

We would be able to move my Mom into an assisted living place without worrying that she couldn't pay for it.

We would buy homes for our two children, and put $$$ away for all of the grandchildren's college funds.

We would make a donation to our church, and some of our favorite charities.

We would do some traveling (Alaska, Hawaii, Paris, London, Rome, etc.).

We would buy new cars for ourselves and immediate family.

We would give the rest to our financial advisor to invest for us.

 

[Pigeon]

As I've never bought a ticket, I think my odds of winning are marginally lower than those who do.

But if I did, I'd:
1) Pay off the mortgage
2) Put away enough for my kids' higher education to be completely covered
3) Fix up all the things that could use fixing in the house and buy some new furniture
4) Invest anything left over

 

[ladycollector]

1. I would create a HUGE pet rescue shelter and take in every animal (off the streets, from families, rescue from kill shelters) that needs help. Have an in-shelter team of veterinarians to take care of all medical issues, etc. Try to get them all adopted out. After I figured out the best way to run it, I would expand and open more around the country. Pet overpopulation and euthanizing/gassing are a huge problem in this country, and very close to my heart.

2. Buy my parents a house in the middle of nowhere like they want.

3. Start the process to adopt my first child.

 

[NY Disney fan]

1.) Give 10% away to charity first

2.) Quit my job

3.) Go to beauty school or maybe get my master's in some crazy major like Egyptology, which I find facinating.

4.) Help my family...hell I'd help every family!

5.) Buy a house.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Depends on how big a jackpot, of course, but:

Some off the top invested for our retirement and for DS's education and future home.

Pay off my younger brother's college loans.

Fix up the house some - especially the landscaping, but some interior things as well, maybe even buy a small vacation place.

I definitely like the plan to hire a cook/housekeeper! (And a yard/pool service, too, while I'm at it.)

I might keep my job, since it's very flexible anyway, and I enjoy it. But I'm not sure about DH. - If you ask him, he'll say he likes it, but I think if he really could, he'd change it to reduce his hours.


Will probably think of some more things, but have to sign off right now. I agree, it's a fun game for $5.00!

 

[Trish Bessette]

I've thought of this several timesand oddly have this weird feeling that I will win some day.

Call me weird but after taxes is taken and all I would love to end up with about 10 million - nothing more. I don't want to be crazy rich.

I'd invest half of it.

Buy a house with as much land as possible (hundreds of acres I'm talking) and build 2 other houses for my DD's to have when they are older

Pay off my bills, buy new vehicles

Pay off bills of our immediate family members (parents, brother & sisters)

Build a smaller scale retirement home that would house about 100 people. I just love the elderly and want to build this amazing place where they can enjoy the final years of their lives. Hire the best staff that cares about nothing but pleasing the residents.

Take a trip!!

The end would be having a comfortable home and staying balanced throughout this adventure. Always remembering who we are and not allow the money to change us.

 

[Ohiodislover]

I would be debt free which really would not be that much in the sceme of things.

Kids would have trusts for college, and then more for house after college

My Mother and MIL would be debt free

New cars, and house

IF enough left, I would quit my current job, stay off for about a year, and then go somewhere PT. Hubby would probably quit all together. IF ALOT left, I might quit completely.

In a couple years--house in HHI, where we will move when the girls graduate HS.

 

[disneybound2010]

DH and I have talked about this numerous times. While DH has wildly extravagant plans, mine are more practical...with a little fun thrown in

Pay off all debt

Invest

Give each family member(Dad,FIL,MIL, sisters and BIL) a set amount

Set up trust funds for DS and DN(along with college fund)

Buy back my childhood home(old Victorian home that was turned into hideous apartments after we moved) and restore it to its original state

DVC!

Travel