If you won the lottery....

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

what would you do?

I haven’t bought a lottery ticket for a few years, but I got one this week. Didn’t win, but no one else did. The jackpot is about 112 mil right now, I believe. I know the chances of winning are ridiculous, but it was only a buck. I torture myself of dreaming about what I would do if I did win.

I used to tell people I’d march right into the Sergeant Majors office and take a crap while laughing. But realistically I wouldn’t do that. But I wouldn’t go to work. I just straight would not show up at formation. 112 million bucks? Hell, I’d call someone and say I wasn’t going to be there at 0 dark thirty, but I damn sure wouldn’t go in. When I did I’d just go straight to the commander and tell him I’m retiring immediately.

I see no reason other than pure assholishness to refuse my retirement or drag on the paperwork. What good would I be? Even after taxes with about what…60 70 mil do you think I’m really going to follow orders anymore? I’d like to think I would, but I’m fooling myself. I’d be all like “Screw this shit. I’m not doing that. I’m fucking rich!”

I have never seen it in writing but I’ve heard the government has a policy or reg to let people go if they get a windfall. Guess I’d find out. Assuming I got out I’d then make sure my family and friends were at least taken care of and I’d move…to a normal sized house in a normal neighborhood. No mansion, no fancy sportscars or all of that. I don’t need it. I’d get maybe a NEW car, but it would be another jeep. I’d get my wife a new car, but knowing her, it’d be a regular car.

Then I’d maybe get a boat to go fishing in. And buy a comic book shop. Thats about it. Sure I would travel but other than that I wouldn’t go all nuts with the money. Man, it would be sweet. Time to work on my artwork, go fishing and to travel…I’d tell my new neighbors I was on disability to exoplain why I never went to work, BTW.

What would you do if you hit a big time lottery?

2

Well, for starters, I wouldn’t tell a soul. Getting a large sum of money changes how people perceive you, and it certainly isn’t all for the better.

I wouldn’t quit my job in any spectacular way, but I would take a break and travel for a while.

3

My “won the Lottery” list:

Quit this job immediately (no more oil rigs!).
Build my house/shop (I already own the land and have a design on paper).
Buy about 12-20 more vintage/antique motorcycles.
Play with old bikes and Pocket Watches (my other passion) until the end of time.

Unclviny

4

I’d do pretty mundane, boring stuff.

If it was a huuuuuge lottery, I’d set it up so that my family could share in the winnings, but they’d be responsible for the taxes on their portions.

Next, I’d make sure money was set aside for my daughter to finish out her college degree and for my son to go to college. He graduates high school in 2011, and my daughter is currently in her sophomore year at the University of Washington.

Next, I’d pay off all my freakin’ bills.

Next, I’d make sure I learned how to invest, so the money kept rolling in.

Next, I’d resign from civil service, but defer my retirement until eligible to receive it. I’ve got nearly 27 years in, but I can’t retire for another 10 at a minimum, due to my age. I started CS early.

Next, I’d relax for a bit.

Oh, and I certainly wouldn’t be sharing the news. I don’t want any “long lost relatives” or “friends” banging on my door all of a sudden looking for handouts.
Oh, and I certainly wouldn’t be sharing the news with anyone. I don’t want “long lost relatives” banging on my door.

Next, I’d take some trips I’ve always wanted to take.

Finally, between all of that, I’d probably find some good causes to contribute to, as well as volunteer my time for some of them.

That’s about it. Pretty boring.

5

I know 3 people who won lotteries. One guy won 4 million, one won 8 million, and one won $350k.

The first 2 had their family and friends get weird and shitty. They also had complete strangers drive them nuts.

My very close friend who won the 350 thousand hasn’t had any problems with strangers bugging him for money. Must not be enough for people to bother begging for.

What I would do if I won the lottery depends on how much. If it was a gazillion I would set up a couple of charities and scholarship funds.

I would travel with my wife all over the world flying first class staying in the finest hotels. I would drive Jaguars and Ferrari’s. I would also own more motorcycles and guns than than anyone else.

6

I’d build the house that I always wanted. The round one, with the geodesic dome-enclosed hydroponic garden on top and the kick-ass home theatre in the basement.

7

I’d pay off my student loans and mortgage, fix up the house a little, and I’d like to believe I’d fund the rest of my PhD years.

8

after I got myself out of debt, and socked away enough for a decent retirement, I would then retire, and learn how to properly direct womens barbershop - then I’d start a chapter at the local high school.
I would pile some into my nephew’s kids’ college funds
I would donate some chunks of it to assorted charities
I would set aside a chunk to blow in Vegas (or possibly win, but let’s be real)
there would of course be shopping sprees and travel
anything not already earmarked would be spent, because I could.

9

Set up a trust fund to manage it with an objective of minimum tax paid and maximum growth.

Pay off every friggin’ penny of debt that we have.

Finish the renovations we have planned for the house.

Retire.

10

First I would quit my job.
Next, I would probably get a nice apartment in Austin while my house was being built.
I’d build a nice house on the Highland Lakes, outside of Austin.
The home theater in that house would look like the bridge of the USS Enterprise-D, just because.
I’d have some jet skis, a boat or 2, and a lot of guns.
I’d build a Factory Five Roadster.

I plan to do most of this anyways, it’s just going to be stretched out over 30-40 years instead of immediately.

11

Would I be correct in guessing that you are a member of the armed forces? If so, I’m surprised you are prepared for what essentially sounds like desertion.

12

Both my hubs and I would quit our jobs effective immediately.
All debts would be paid immediately as well.’
I would give a good chunk of it to family,particularly my MIL,so there would be no more discussion about her moving in with us.Ever.
Hubs and I would buy a house with some land so I could have horses.
Buy an RV and follow NASCAR (I am quite serious)
Give a nice chunk of change to the Leukemia Foundation and the SPCA.

13

With a jackpot of $112 million, the lump sum payment is around $30 million. Here’s what I’d do

$10 million in rock solid investments. Government bonds, CDs etc. Leave it alone. 100% reinvestment essentially indefinitely. Yes, it’ll get a lousy rate of return, but it’s a safety net.

$15 million invested to provide income. I know diddly squat about investing, so I’d split the money between at least three brokers. That way I should avoid any Bernie Madoffs lurking out there.

$5 million to spend. Decide where I want to live and buy some property there. I figure that $2 million will buy something really nice anywhere on the planet. That leaves $3 million for hookers and blow etc.

I’d make sure my family were OK (mortgages paid off, new but sensible cars etc), but I don’t think I’d be over generous. I’ve heard too many stories of things turning out badly.

I’m not sure about quitting my job. I love what I do, but I could make it a lot better. I do a lot of international travel, so I could easily upgrade my flying to first class all the way. All hotels would be the best available.

14

I’d take care of the usual stuff like has been mentioned, set myself up an irrevocable trust with about 20 million with any unused amount at my death going to the kids, and then…

Flying lessons. Right through to jet qualification. And then…

My own Mig-15. Oh, yeah.

<<Edited to add: And lastly, an invite to a certain Doper (whose initials are Johnny L.A.>>

15

Ditto. And maybe a Vans RV-8A. No, definitely that.

First thought, I’d buy an island somewhere and staff it with naked playboy bunnies to see who long it would take for my testicles to implode.

Seriously, I’d make sure that the money was put into safe investments and only live off of the interest.
I’d travel the world for a bit to find the perfect places to live. Then have apartments and houses there as needed. But, I’d probably just rent in most places. Serviced apartments are available in most large cities for any sort of extended stay.

16

I’d probably also try my hand at racing something. Probably karts or late models.

17

Well, the next Euromillions jackpot is £40M so I’ll bite: I’ll prepare to emigrate. That means fact-finding tours to all sorts of nice places.

And, as I’ve said before, flying lessons and a ME-262. If I were to go to New Zealand, I could be their air force. :slight_smile:

And a suit of chainmail and sword. Just because.

18

You don’t need 112 million bucks to do all that. You need to think big!

I’d buy a ticket on that Russian rocket taking people into space. Not sure what I’d do with the rest, but it would all be equally frivolous and awesome.

19

And send pics to my teacher who uses that as an example of something “completely crazy” which “nobody wants to do, so they need to be convinced that it’s worth doing”. Hi, these pics courtesy of Nerds’R’Us!

After setting up an adequate investment scheme, I’d buy a flat in the town where my mother and brothers live, allowing me to be “available to help” while being able to have my own space whenever I was between projects; I wouldn’t stop working, but I’d buy homes whereve work happened to take me, rather than rent, and then put them up for rent once I didn’t need them any more.

20

I’d invest it to provide incoming that would let me set up a business that then would not need to make any real profit - the business would pursue an assortment of my personal interests - probably concentrating on animation to begin with.

My reason for doing it this way would be so that it could employ a few interested, but circumstantially disadvantaged people and give them a chance to prove themselves (selecting the right candidates might be tricky).

ETA: I don’t normally play the lottery, except that I am doing so at the moment purely by accident. I found a valid 8-week lottery ticket in the gutter. It didn’t win on Saturday, obviously, or I’d be talking about that.