I’d drop out of school and find a nice country that would like my wealth, maybe a Britian/Scotland/Ireland, Australia, or Canada, and move there. Then I’d use half the money to live on and invest the rest. In the meantime, I’d work on my writing, read books, watch movies, play video games, and occasionally leave the house to buy more books, movies, and video games.
If that letter arrived today, I would finish school, and either
a) find a job for one year
b) live with my parents for a year
That first $100,000 will be going to pay back all my loans. I don’t think there would be enough left to live off of for a year. Hence the working for a year till the next check came, then goodbye ever working again.
I despise working. Doing nothing is what I was designed to do.
bouv, thanks for bringing reality back into it…but I’d probably have to pay my loans off too…
But, before I’d taken that into consideration, my first thought was that of course, I would quit, but as I don’t hate my employer I’d give two weeks notice (no amarinth shaped holes in the wall.)
But, after that - I’d go back to school… the first time, I was so focused on getting a career that I ended up not really liking that much…I’d like to go back and just learn things, there are several masters degrees that I’m interested in and a few doctorates.
Not for the sake of doing anything with them, just to learn stuff - I’d love it.
I’d also like to go to umpire school.
If I was able to find a job I loved, I’d work again. But as of now, I have no overwhelming desire to work…and quite frankly, sitting idle in Italy for a month or two here and there doesn’t sound bad to me at all.
Since I’m a student, I’d stay a student. Progress at a leisurely pace. I would pay off debts, get a modest car, decent condo, and a super fast computer. Lots of super fast computers. But my true passion would be learning.
If it wasn’t school then I’d work. For some reason in my daily travels I’ve become fascinated with those large earth moving machines. I would see if I could operate one of those. I think there would be great satisfaction in moving x amount of earth from point a to point b. That sounds wierd, but it has appeal for me. I couldn’t stay at home. I would need the schedual to keep my good habits up. Otherwise I’d never get out of bed.
After thinking it over this weekend, I figure $500,000 would do me. That would allow me to achieve my wishes above. I would need more for the family and also to have a nice buffer zone.
I wouldn’t even pack. I’d jump on a plane and head overseas. I’d travel for years, only to return home for Christmas, Australia Day, and periodic detox sessions.
You might be able to get 100k per year on average, because the historical stock market average has worked out to around 11% per year. But you’d have to invest in the stock market as opposed to lower-yield investments like bonds and CDs, and that 11% is an average; it includes up years and down years. There have been periods of time when the stock market went down each year for several years straight, or only rose 1-2% each year. So although the stock market would be good for long-term growth, you couldn’t count on it for income. If you wanted safer investments you could count on, 5% is more realistic. That’s why I’d want at least 2 million.
I’d quit my full-time job, but I’d still keep doing my part-time jobs, since they’re more like fun stuff that I happen to get paid for. I’d probably start taking classes in different things, and maybe start on that book I keep telling myself to write.
In any case, I certainly wouldn’t need an office job to keep me occupied to my satisfaction.
Well, I’d definitely finish out the year. It wouldn’t be fair to my school district to disappear on them like that.
Then there would be the travel. And the going back to school. And the art studio/writer’s retreat.
Finally, there would be the return to teaching. Part-time, most likely, but enough to keep me in the biz.
Who can say for sure? But I think I would. I have always said that a man needs a reason to get up in the morning. I don’t do leisure well. I actually (usually) enjoy my work. I think I would. But I’m not sure…
I’d keep working for a little while (say 5-6 more years) while adding the $100K to my investment fund.
After I then quit my job, I might maintain some professional activity, probably as a consultant. Or maybe I’d start a new business. Or a rock’n’roll band.
Why on earth would I work and take up a job that another person needs when I have more than enough money to live on?
Just because you don’t work doesn’t mean you can’t be useful. I’d be able to be a stay-at-home mom, do a bunch of work for charity and maybe even stay in school until I get sick of learning (never).
I would probably still work, just because I like my job, but probably not full time, more as a consultant / telecommuter.
What I *would * do though is open a bed & breakfast somewhere with nice piece of property, must have some wooded area and a stream or river for fishing.
Take classes, learn to speak spanish fluently, play the piano, garden, keep a couple horses. Take cooking classes so I could make a souffle (dang, thats spelled wrong isnt’ it? I could learn how to spell too!). Raise my little dogs (Papillons), and make sure my sister’s kids all went to some kind of college or trade school.
Travel at least twice a year. See Costa Rica, China, New Zealand.
Would be nice eh?
I couldn’t get out of this place faster enough if I didn’t have to be here.
If anyone wants to work after getting a load of money, there are plenty of places looking for good volunteer workers. If you have a load of money and work for money, you are also depriving someone who really needs to work for money. Volunteering is a win/win situation.
I’d quit my job, but continue doing the fun elements (like puzzle construction) on a freelance basis.
I’d probably either do volunteer work or get a part-time job to make sure I left the house once in a while, but keeping myself entertained has never been a problem for me.
Does “two chicks at the same time” count as work?
Not if you’re acquiring investment capital.
I would disappear! I would move all of my money to anaonymous accounts in the cayman islands, and live in an estate under another name.
I would travel under a false passport, and stay totally unkown! 
I would start by paying off our debt, including the mortgage, which would take a couple of years. Then I would quit my current job, after giving appropriate notice, and go to culinary school. Then I’d buy a huge house (we only have a condo now) with a carriage house or something in back, change that into a commercial kitchen, and start my own small bakery/chocolate business. And maybe do some event planning on the side. That way I could stay home with the kids (when we have them), and still do stuff I love.
Gosh, that would just be so great. I take cash, check, or money order, Mr. Gates! 
Goodness, I don’t think I could handle the bulk of my education being used for nothing. I mean, I certainly have hobbies and could keep myself busy, but I’ve spent the last two years learning about museums and, darn it, I want to work in one now. I couldn’t turn away from that. It’s what I want to do! 
Heh I’d probably work at McDonalds for kicks. Show up to work wearing an expensive rolex, 1,000$ jeans/shoes, harboring a devil-may-care attitude and if someone gives me shit I’d laugh in their faces and toss my apron into the deep fryer. Then I’d find another sucker to hire me. Rinse. Repeat.