If you won the lottery...

Okay, so you bought a Powerball ticket and you're
entertaining what to do with all that money, provided
you won big bucks.

While we realize our odds of growing a third head
are greater, it is fun to think about what changes we
could make in our lives and the lives of others.

Hubby doesn't share my ideas, but I would like to stay
right where we are and do what we have always wanted to
do. New kitchen sink, a back deck, all sorts of stuff. At a slow
pace. We could drink Pina Coladas while watching our highly
paid crew work. Heh heh. Go on vacations.

Imagine what it would be like to visit the electric company
and pay for everyone's electric bill for one month. Or gas bill.
Of course, I don't want anyone to know if we won, which is
why I want to stay right here. Just thnk, on the outside it looks
like an ordinary fixxer-upper and on the inside, wow!

We could fund the local animal shelter, provide free neuter and
spay for all the animals, all sorts of stuff!

This thread is intended in fun. Please, no sermons
about gambling addictions, religious comments and
such. It's just a fun thread on what is a dreary weather
day here in Oklahoma. :-)

What would YOU do if you won?

Buy DH a 2007 Peterbilt truck! (our 2001 is sitting gelled up in 0° weather right now - boo hoo!) and I'd hire someone to finish the renovations in this house that have been half done for the past 3 years. aaargh! And I pay for all our kids' college/university degrees. And send most of it to missions. But, the lottery peeps require that you purchase a ticket in order to win, so unless someone gifts me with a ticket, it ain't gonna happen! LOL

You wrote: We could fund the local animal shelter, provide free neuter and
spay for all the animals, all sorts of stuff!

That is one of the many things I would do also.

Judy

Buy my own Island grow tomatoes and spend to much time at Daves. Wait I already do that last part.

Don

I forgot to add - TRAVEL - I would love to see the majority of this world.

A friend used to tease me that I may as well throw money out
the window, but I look at it as buying pencils for the school kids.
Since the lottery is only a year old here in Oklahoma, we've seen
the changes!

My son's school used to give bonus grades when the kids brought
school supplies, and not their own. To give the school. Bonus points
for a ream of paper, toilet and tissue paper. How sad. What about the
kids who could not afford to buy these supplies for themselves, let
alone for the school. Their grades were not as good because they lacked
money?

Very sad.

So I see our fun chance money as supporting the schools. :-)

Much as I love my house, I'm afraid I would give in to the temptation of a bigger one with a glorious view. I don't care about vehicles, but would dearly love a Prius (or some other such ecology minded autos). A big greenhouse in my new great big yard (goes along with the bigger house with the glorious view, of course). Three of everything from every single gardening catalog I receive in the mail.

And I would join with some of you other who've mentioned the free spaying and neutering.

And wow! To be able to pay the utility bills of those in need (especially the elderly who are on low and/or fixed incomes).

DH has a son who is developmentally disabled - we have always talked about building some sort of large home (maybe apartment?) and staff it with highly paid people who would care about all of the disabled residents and make sure they were clean, well fed, got to jobs and doctor appointments, were safe, happy, etc.

Oh, Murmur, wouldn't that be great? We could fund the senior citizen's center as well,
making sure everyone was bathed properly, had clean clothing and bedding and GOOD
food.

Sigh.

That would be fantastic to be able to do that. I just read a story about a family who is building a home for handicapped people. Wonderful people!

A greenhouse is a lovely dream too. :)

Kooger, really? It truly is what DH and I would love to do, but alas - we really would have to win a big lottery!!!

And, oh yes, wuvie, funding the senior citizens centers would be right there at the top!!!

(selfishly, I would still be going for the bigger house and Prius, but if I couldn't do that, I would settle for all the plants I could possibly squeeze into my current yard . . . oh, that's right . . . it's already full!).

Amazingly enough, this guy managed to make his life worse after winning. That must take talent:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070112/ap_on_re_us/powerball_winner_problems_1

Oh, dear - that's really awful. I have read more than once that winning a lottery has not been a good thing in the long run for the winner, but I'd sure like to make a good effort to be an exception to that rule!!!

Well, first you would get an accountant and a lawyer, because the red tape and taxes would be hideous. Of course, once everyone knows you have money, the price of everything goes way up.

If that didn't put me in an institution, and I actually got any money (if you take a lump sum and pay taxes, there's not so much left), and it wasn't well known enough that I felt threatened of robbery or whatever, I would go off and superinsulate my farmhouse, get top of the line windows, put in alternative energy (solar and wind), build a little barn, and put the rest into a charitable trust to be distributed among pet charities, education funds, conservation endeavors, permaculture, alternative energy and so forth.

So, I guess I don't really it after all. AAARRRGGGHHH I would need many millions to pay me for having to deal with the IRS!!!

OOps read the article...so okay 115 million would be worth it.



This message was edited Jan 12, 2007 8:58 PM

OK so I have been thinking about this...."what if i won the lottery?" Hmmmm well first i would pay my Tithes and then all my bills, so those nagging bill collectors would stop calling me like 100 times a day...when you dont have it, you dont have it..not much you can do...then i would either pay off my parents house or build them another one, and give them some money so that they both could retire and just sit and relax...Next I would help my sister and brother out,so they would not struggle like they are. Then I would buy me a big old house and a super HUGE greenhouse for all my plants. I would donate some to some local homeless shelters and such.
Ok now it is time for me to wake up......so have a good night everyone...

Char

Egads, sounds like the guy didn't have a very pleasant
life to begin with.

I don't want anyone to know if I win. There was a big hoopla
in our area because the winner of a big pot was able to get
an investment firm to claim the ticket for him / her. That is exactly
what I would do. I don't want folks knowing I won 10 million, let alone
10 dollars.

Yikes!

If I won the lottery, the first thing I would do is jump on a plane to somewhere warm and mail my office keys back to my *former* employer. From that warm place I flew to, I would figure out a way to get the money without the media finding out. After I got it, I would pay off all of our kid's school loans and offer them the chance to go back to school and finish up their degrees. I would give each of our kids a retirement account, but they would have to work until retirement time to get it unless there was a medical reason for them to get it earlier. (Hey, we had to do it, and it won't hurt them either). I would also make sure they all had safe vehicles to drive my grandbabies around in, and that their houses were suitable and not unsafe. I would set up trust funds for any grandkids that I had at the time, and also put some money into a separate account to be used to set up trust funds for any future grandkids that weren't born yet. Then I would find a place that I wanted to settle down, preferably in zone 8, and do some anonymous philanthropy and gardening.

I think I would get bored though, so I might have to become a Walmart greeter or something.

In addition to sharing with family, I would arrange scholorship funds for struggling students. There's always a need for benevolent (sp?) stuff......

I would buy a pony.
maybe even more than one....

and make a BIG parklike garden........

when I got back from Hawaii......

we can dream....

I would finance all my grandchildren's college education, buy a place on the water for our family to use as a vacation get away (nothing big, just comfortable). In a neighboring community, some benefactors pooled their money and will provide free college education for all who attended school in that area. If you go there from K to 12, you get a full ride. If you were a move in, your amount is lesser. I would do this in our community...(former teacher....can you tell!)

I'd hope I wouldn't screw up my life!
I'd buy a few of other houses; one on the coast, one near family (brother's & sister) and one near the Grand Canyon. I'd also need a plane and pilot! And the Best coffee!

I would buy a farm/ranch/land (several thousand acres) in Santa Barbara County or San Luis Obispo County, California - something like this http://www.realtor.com/FindHome/HomeListing.asp?snum=80&frm=bymap&mnbed=0&mnbath=0&mnprice=0&mxprice=99999999&js=off&pgnum=8&fid=so&mnsqft=0&mls=xmls&vtsort=&typ=6&typ=5&poe=realtor&exft=e20acres&ct=Santa+Barbara&st=CA&areaid=2206&all=&areaid=80183&areaid=3055&areaid=59705&areaid=56883&areaid=40490&areaid=29883&areaid=43908&areaid=732&areaid=93665&areaid=68612&areaid=7250&areaid=53861&sid=07E4C71141BDC&snumxlid=1056023838&lnksrc=00001 (Yeah, dream on, Kiddo.)

Kelli, what a phenomenal piece of property!!!! And, gee, six bedrooms . . . and only $28 mil! Honestly, I can't even imagine. The monthly payment is almost as much as I paid for my house - lol!!!

Yup, that's about what we'd list our house for if we put it on the market. lol

Oh WUVIE....great thread! I see none of us won the $155,000,000.00 last night! LOL And now it's up to $180 million. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for either your family or ours to win!

I've often wondered how the people that won that big lottery got away with having someone else claim the ticket. I had read that they were trying to open a trust 'after' they won the lottery and they weren't able to do it. I guess there is a way to get around everything.

I'd move back home to be close to my Dad and then buy a home in Chile so we could spend half the year close to DH's Mom...set up funds for all the DN&N to go to college. Set up a no kill shelter....several charities....gosh the list would be long

First up I'd tithe & pay off all my debt ... Then I'd start having fun.

I'd look for about 20 acres of land, with trees & hills. Build a small new house, build a barn for the horses, get the land finished for the horses (fertilized, mowed up nice & full of lush grasses). I'd get an enclosed building built for a riding arena or two inside, and have another arena made up outside for when the weather is good. Buy a new truck & horse trailer with living quarters in it, so I wouldn't have to stay in a hotel at horse shows.

While all the construction was going on, I'd probably send both horses to the best trainers I could find, and go there as often as they'd let me for lessons.

With all those plans, I don't see how I'd have time to work... So I'd probably have to cut some of those plans & save a lot, so I could live off of the interest and never have to work again. =)

Hmm... I'm figuring if I had $100 mill after taxes I'd buy 200 acres in the mountains somewhere, maybe outside of Asheville. Then I'd build my dream home and invite all our friends and family to come build homes on their own 5 acres all on our property. We set it up like a community and have our own little 'town'. I think it'd be a gift to have our kids (someday of course, just thinking ahead) grow up with our friends and families kids, etc. Of course the government would decide we were a 'cult'. LOL

DH and I used to dream of such things, too, ecobioangie - I sort of pictured him as a godfather type, though!!!

Oh lord, I won't tell Kevin that. LOL I'll have to put up with the ego!

How many heads do you have now Wuvie??

I'd buy a big bus type camper and hit the road. I want to show my kids just what this country is all about, and all of the beautiful people and places in it. I figure I could spend at least the first year driving around while my new house is being built on that nice little piece of land we have had our eyes on for years.

All of my relatives would be debt free. Nieces and nephews would have free college educations.

I'd walk into my doctor's office and give him a huge check for whatever equipment he hasn't been able to get yet. He has been very good about letting us make payments on our huge bills, so I know he does it for others too.

There would never be a name left on the "Angel Tree" at Christmas. And warm coats would appear when needed.

The teachers would never have to use their own money for supplies. Field trips would be paid for those that can't afford them.

I'd make a "fun fund" for all of the kids that can't afford "extras" like movies, roller skating and swimming. My kids have heard "not this week" soooo many times.

The Humane Society would have all the funds they want.

I'd fund medical research. I'd hire a PR firm to make Organ Donation the first thing people think of instead of the last.

Dave's Angel Fund would never have a zero balance!!!

I'd like to do as much "good" as I can, and hopefully not let the money change my values. I want to be as good a person as my pets think I am, lol.

mg

MG, somehow I am just positive that you are indeed a really good person!! I loved what you said about "no name left on the Angel tree at Christmas" - almost made me cry!

Right away, I would take 10% and give it to my church. Then I would pay off all my debts, invest a lot of it, redo my house...maybe build a new house here on the farm. I'd buy my DH all the farm equipment he'd ever need and do anything to the farm he wants to. Buy my kids a new house, pay off their bills and put money in the bank for the grandchildren.

Then I think I would invest into an account that will keep a food bank going in our community. It will buy good food and distribute, not these dented cans and stuff that's been hanging around in people's cabinets for 10 years. It would be new, good for them food. I'd volunteer there and maybe hire a few people who can't find a job to keep it going. It would be a perpetual fund account, living off the interest.

I would take all my family and friends on a vacation somewhere where we are pampered and spoiled.....I can't think of any place right now I'd like to go....but I'd research it well.

I'd go to school to learn things I've wanted to, but never had the money to go to school.

I'd hire a personal trainer, lose weight, eat right....and stick to it for the rest of my life.

I would do many random acts of kindness.

I wouldn't mind people knowing if I thought they wouldn't call me all the time or be knocking on my door, etc. I would want peace in my life.

I would change my phone number, ha, ha. to unlisted. Hmm, maybe I'd hire a secretary.

I wouldn't stop doing the farmers' market, but I may give up my custodial job at church so that someone else could have a job.

I'd buy DG from Dave and hire Dave to do all the computer work for me....(dave no rotten tomatoes, okay?)

I'd learn to play the piano.

I'd plant flowers everywhere, not only my yard but other yards that need sprucing up...[if they'd let me].

I'd give those Christmas Angels....Christmas in July.

I guess I wouldn't do much with the money. Hmmm....

Blessings,
Kathy

This message was edited Jan 15, 2007 10:38 PM

I've thought about this a few times, too!

I recall a while back someone won a big lotto prize, and had it claimed by an attorney in the name of the trust fund. To the best of my knowledge, they never did release the actual names of the winner(s).

So, that's what I'd do, as DH and I are both homebodies, too, and would want to change our locale or lifestyles much. Neither of us enjoys traveling, so we would just 'fix up' what we have now. I'd go batty if I didn't work, so I'd continue to do so (DH says he would quit on the spot!!)

There were several organizations that helped out my son when he was ill, so a lot of $$ would go to them.

Personally, I know of several families that desperately need help due to illness and medical expenses, so I'd help them out anonymously, as I'd want no one to feel indebted to me.

I also have a great plan to help indigent young cancer patients, such as my son was. (He was 19 without insurance.)

I'd also 'take care of' my/our families and my bosses and co workers as they've always taken care of me in many ways.

I'd also like to help out people who want to begin or continue farming but are running into obstacles. Farming used to be 'everyone's job' around here, but farms are selling left and right and the beautiful farmland is being developed. I agree with someone who once said right here on DG that one day, we'll have to tear down condos and subdivisions because we'll need to farm the land that they're built on.

The rest would have to wait until the chosen circumstances to give it out arrived!
To sum it up, I'd give away most of it. I don't want *a lot*, just *enough*!!

Hire the best security guards money can buy because we would be besieged with people we hardly know, but with whom we might have a passing acquaintance.

If the lottery were big enough after ttihing 10% to our church, we would do the following:

Send money to some missionaries who are having a hard time staying in the field.

Hire live-in maid, cook, gardeners and chauffer

Tear down our house and have a larger one built. Furnish it with nice furniture.

Hire a world class garden designer and his firm to design and plant gardens for me.

Buy houses for each of our children and grandchildren and set up trusts for them.

Buy a new house or trailer for one of our neighbors as theirs is in very bad shape.

Buy a house and new car or truck for the woman who delivers our paper as she deserves it.

Take luxury vacations all over the world.

Prepay our funeral expenses, because knowing our children as soon as we died they would be spending whatever is left willy nilly.

Dreaming is nice, isn't it? LIZ