So, how much are we talking? Did I win the Classic Lotto, which is $5.5 million, with a cash option value of $2.8 million? Or did I hit it a little bigger, and win on the Lucky For Life, and take the cash option value of $5.8 million? OR did my numbers come up on the Mega Millions Multiplier, with a cash option value of $124.6 million?
Holy crap! DID I FOR REAL WIN THE POWERBALL POWERPLAY AND TAKE THE $131.5 MILLION CASH OPTION VALUE?!
I feel like there's way too many lottery options. I don't even play the lottery, but I definitely feel like I deserve to win.
Let's say that I win a really big jackpot. Here's what I'd do
If I Won The Lottery
1. Call my financial advisor and listen to his subsequent advice for investment
2. Tell Rick and absolutely no one else
3. Arrange for Rick to quit working immediately
4. Pay off our debts
5. Arrange wonderful private care for my mother in her own home
6. Give money to my children for their debt
7. Start planning a lengthy trip
8. Start researching local non-profits whose mission I believe in that would make the most of my donation
9. Indulge in the luxury of a housecleaning service
10. Buy a new boat
This is just a starter list. I would win such huge, enormous, abundant money and invest it so wisely that I'd be able to do all kinds of stuff. The mind boggles.
Wouldn't that be something? It's a fun dream, but that's all it is. What are a few things you'd do with all your newfound cash?
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Well that list is almost word for word my list - except I'd be giving money to my brother/niece/nephews. And instead of a boat we would probably buy a house. We've never owned a home! Mike & I used to buy lottery tickets all the time when we lived in Ohio. We did that instead of going to the movies - we probably spent about $20 a month for a few years there. We even occasionally won. But the dreaming about what we would do if we won made the investment worth it for us.
ReplyDeleteBug--My son Sam never wants to own a home. He loves renting--that way if something major goes wrong, it's not his problem.
Delete20 bucks a month is not a lot to spend on the lottery as an entertainment. I worry about the people who spend hundreds a month as their investment plan.
Let’s just say I won huge...then I would buy the compound I discussed earlier and get as much of my family there as want to come. I’d set up college accounts for my nieces and nephews. I’d hire a hit man to take out my evil cousin. (Kidding?). I’d buy a house in France, for when I need to get away from the family compound. I’d buy Ted the electric car he dreams of. I’d buy myself a horse, even if I never ever ride it. I’d buy Mulder some new treats. I’d set up a Foundation to donate to my favorite organizations. I suspect I would stick with the ones I already support, I would just increase the amount from $5 a month to a lot more.
ReplyDeleteIf I won a much smaller amount, not enough to really get crazy, I would pay off our house, maybe move if there’s enough, and get Ted the electric car. And take a fabulous vacation when that can happen again.
Oh, and either way, I would do what you said, and hire a financial advisor to make sure I don’t blow it.
Coincidentally, I bought a couple of tickets today...I think the last time I did that was January of this month, I don’t buy often. Fingers crossed!
J--Don't kill the evil cousin, just install a gatehouse and keycard system at the compound and deny her/him access.
DeleteI like your list for you, especially the horse. Heck, get two. Why no oceanfront beachhouse? And I hope to get an invitation to your home in France. (I'm crossing my fingers for your win.)
HA! I just reread my comment. January of this month is about the most 2020 thing I could say, right? Obviously I meant January of this year. And yes, horses are very social, I should totally buy 2 or 3 so they can have a little herd. And the compound should be oceanfront, now that you mention it. Clearly I need to discuss all decisions with you first so you can guide me gently into better decisions. I think the Monterey area would be a great place. And of course, you would be invited to the French home, both while we are there and on your own!
DeleteAlso, evil cousin does no harm to me directly, so keeping her out of the compound would not help. She needs to be gone off of the earth.
DeleteI've always wanted to be an architect and most of my "lotto dreams" have involved building a house in all my favorite places. I would also do many of the things on your list.
ReplyDeleteJean--That's a lot of houses. It sounds fun, especially if you design each one differently.
DeleteI've always loved dreaming about winning the lottery! If I won at this point in my life I would buy a little condo on the beach with beautiful views and a little cabin up in the mountains to split our time between. I would also buy my youngest son a small home and pay off my other two children's mortgages. Beyond that just live a quiet, simple life. Oh, if I ever have those grandchildren I've been waiting on, they would all get prepaid college funds along with getting a little spoiled!
ReplyDeleteMartha--The best of both worlds! I'm not beachy, but a place in the mountains sounds lovely.
DeleteI know they say money can't buy happiness, but imagine the happiness felt by our kids/grandkids when we pay off their debts for them! That IS happiness, for my money.
That is funny, I think I should win but I don't play either! I love your choices, I agree and will add doing much more to support the environment and help Little Buddy with a estate plan that will take care of him forever! ,
ReplyDeleteMeredith--Actually playing the lottery seems like a technicality to me!
DeleteOf course the estate plan for your son would be perfect.
Where did my comment go? Anyhow fun fun and you have lovely ideas. Generous caring ideas.
ReplyDeleteI won a dollar on a dollar scratch off this week!
I WOULD take care of my kids and some friends that deserve financial independence.
I would probably start a cat rescue!
and I would donate to a cause that I researched really well.
I would buy my children homes.
kathy b--I've never even played the scratch-offs!
DeleteDon't you already have a cat rescue? LOL
I used to occasionally buy a lottery ticket, especially after my "19" experience: a few years ago, I had to travel to Houston for a teaching conference. My flight number was 1919. When I got to the hotel, they assigned me room number 1919. After going up to the room, I turned on the TV and "Who wants to be a millionaire" was on. At the exact moment I tuned in, someone was answering a question with the year 1919. I dunno... that was a lot of "double-19s" all in a row. For some reason I got it in my head that maybe I should play the lottery with that number, lol. I played with 19 for a few months after that but never won. Now you've got me thinkin' I should maybe play again occasionally. Especially if the lotto is on the 19th of the month, lol.
ReplyDeleteI would do pretty much everything on your list. I would love to win enough to live a bit more comfortably, take care of my family, and set up some kind of company devoted to looking for solutions to any of our pressing environmental issues. Or helping to rehab the homeless. Or providing job training. There are endless options out there for sure.
Ortizzle--Well, the number was obviously 1919, not 19. Not very useful for the lottery, but the coincidence was pretty significant.
DeleteI mainly want Rick to be able to retire. His body is getting so beat up and worn down. He's worked hard for so long, and his body is giving out at this point.
I've never played the lottery even once! I'm not a gambler at all.
If you need a travel consultant for the lengthy trip, I'm here ;-)
ReplyDeleteMikey--I will call on your expertise for sure.
DeleteDee--I don't play, either, which I feel is an unfair prerequisite.
ReplyDeleteI'd hire landscapers, too, now that you mention it. What a great idea!
I would give some to my family; give some to animal rescue organizations; donate to local homeless shelters and those providing food for people; invest of course as a financial advisor would suggest; buy a house in Rehoboth Beach; and save some for "mad" money - to spend foolishly however I wanted (The Tim would have some too); have more pets!
ReplyDeleteBridget--You'd have a house in your beloved Rehoboth Beach! I like that idea for you.
DeleteMy mother would warn you, "More pets means more pet hair. You know that, don't you?"
I play the lottery online these days. It's incredibly easy and I like it when emails land in my In Box that say "you won $4!" or "you won $12!" Bo is convinced that is a scheme to just keep me playing! However, I won those amounts frequently when I bought tickets in person locally. The added bonus of online lottery is that they often incentivize you to buy tickets by matching deposits or partially matching deposits (e.g., if you deposit $100, they give you $100 credit or on less exciting days, they offer $10 for a $50 deposit). I only go for such offers when I plan to make a deposit anyway.
ReplyDeleteMy fantasies are pretty much like yours and everyone else's. Call my financial guy, tell Bo and Justine and nobody else, help them with their stuff, take care of my mom well, get stuff here and at our mountain property in tip-top, maintenance-free shape (which may involve having a salaried handyman), plan a fabulous trip with girlfriends and another with Bo and Justine, have weekly housecleaning, have more frequent pet groomings, and last but not least, start my own celiac/non-celiac gluten sensitivity foundation that would cover everything that is lacking in current resource organizations (and also not be funded by corporations that do not look out for gluten-free individuals but rather look out for their $$$$). There are some who say you should never buy lottery tickets--my financial guy is probably in that group! LOL--but I consider them entertainment if nothing else. Also, I actually personally know two people who have won big jackpots ($1M plus) so it does happen, even if the odds are not good.
Shirley--I don't play the lottery because I don't gamble at all. I am not a risk-taker. If I have even a dollar, I would rather have that dollar than risk losing it. The fact that we own stocks annoys the hell out of me.
DeleteGosh, I love the idea of a salaried handyman. Right now, that's Rick. I'm so tired of him having to do everything at the lake rather than just enjoy it. (Although, he does love puttering away on some stuff.)
Do you have mobile pet grooming where you live? We have a lot of those here in NEO. I'm especially fond of the van called "Bubbles and Biscuits" that's often parked at the St. Bernard's house a few blocks from here.
Good luck with your lottery! I hope you win B I G !!!
We have one mobile pet groomer who comes to our area. I used her a few times last year. She was super sweet but her groomings didn't last as long as the ones done by the groomer at the vet's office. Now that I want to stay home, I checked her schedule again but she doesn't have any openings until next year. We could definitely use more mobile groomers here. Bubbles and Biscuits is a cute name!
DeleteHow fun would that be?
ReplyDeleteI love your ideas for spending.
I already feel like I've won the lottery, so I would certainly give more to charity than we already do; that would be an awesome feeling for me.
Suz--It would be the most fun I've ever had, I think. I agree that being able to increase charitable contributions or start a foundation would feel terrific.
Delete