SURPRISE: You've just won the lottery... What will you do with your new-found wealth???

Question

(Theoretically speaking of course. I couldn't even begin to award you such a large sum of cash, but...)

Think about it. There's so many things one could do with such riches. We've all dreamed about it. Now, what would YOU do with the money? Travel? Give it to charity? Pay bills? Buy something special for someone special?

Tell me, just how will YOU spend it?

For those dreamers out there, let's use the most recent huge Mega Millions lottery prize as the example.

It was over $300 million!

Answer 1

get ready to move

Answer 2

I would pay off all of my bills first. I would help some family members going through a tough time. Since my divorce I have been renting and struggling from month to month. I would buy a modest house with some nice "new furnishings" and then I would take my kids on a vacation with no worries. I would set up a retirement account and trust fund for my two children. I would finally be able to enjoy all that life has to offer. I am sure I would help people in need along the way that have been struggling just like I have.

Answer 3

Oh, a combination of things. Travel first; my wife wants to go back home (the Philippines). I would help her family, nieces, nephews, all the rest, as they have a hard life. Perhaps one of those nieces or nephews, with a good solid college education, can help others there.
Also, I would buy a house for each of my sons; a new car; put some money into savings for each of them so they wouldn't have such a hard life as my wife and I.
Of course, pay off the mortgage and all that.
Charity? No. All of them, the Red Cross and all the rest skim too much off the top. Very little goes for what they are collecting the money for. If I knew personally someone who needed the help, I would gladly help them, but not any organized charity.

Answer 4

Giving to charities, traveling & buying things go without saying. But after the initial shock of "OH MY GOSH, I JUST WON $300 MILLION" you have to return to normal life.

That's where the responsible spending has to come into play. So, I'd start by: paying off all my debt (and that of close family & friends) - bye bye hellish student loans!! I'd finish law school and set up college funds for all the children in my immediate & extended family. And aside from putting a majority of it away, I'd also make some safe investments. (real estate, stocks)

update:

Personally, I don't think it would be a good idea to give large sums of $$ to friends & family - because it seems to destroy relationships. But I would make substantial contributions to their retirement plans. I wouldn't want to be the reason people ruin their lives & lose their dayum minds. Because some people get a little bit of $$ and they go CRAZY!!

http://www.lotterypost.com/news/161361.htm

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2007/04/01/lifestyles-of-the-rich-and-stupid/

Answer 5

Hmmmm... Over 300 mil eh? Well, first off, I would have to get myself out of debt. And my family. Then I would give to charity and mission work. But I would probably be giving to charity throughout the rest of my life, so I can't really place that in a certain order. Next, I would invest. No sense in just letting it all sit there not accumulating anything. And finally, I would go buy that Italian villa I have always been dreaming about and write that book that has always been nagging me to write it.

My dog and cat would be thrilled with their new digs.

Answer 6

Kick the neighbors out of the house on the left. Move the neighbor on the right into the house on the left. Tear down the house on the right. Put up a huge fence. Build a pool. Pay off all the family debts. Donate a crapload to the homeless shelter down the road. - s

Answer 7

pay off all my loans , my mortgage , my taxes . Then get a contractor and surveyor and build my family a new home on our property . There would be about 4 new homes built for my Mom and adult children , while the contractors are doing this I would take a vacation to Bermuda . And Last but not Least . I would get our church out of debt and renovate the 200 year old church that I was baptized in and married in.... Also I would put a scholarship out there for someone who isn't into sports , family isn't on welfare and and really needs the help !

Answer 8

Pay bills buy a new car. Pay driving classes for my daughter. Buy her a car. She wants to go to Florida. So I would give her an amount big enough to make some of her dreams come true. My mother has helped me in the pass, so I would give her a few thousand. I have a medical problem at the moment. I would have that fixed. My husband and daughter need to see a dentist. I would make them appointments to have everything they need fixed. I have 2 disabled relatives living in nursing homes. I would spend some on them. Or give them an amount so they can do as they like with it. I imagine we are talking about a huge sum of money. I would also buy my first house. A nice one with big bath rooms. Ah the good life. If only it happened. I'm sorry I forgot to thank God for my good luck in winning. It's nice to be able to dream.

Answer 9

first of all i love this question, thank you!

first i would pay off my mom's debt. she has racked up a butt load of it raising myself and my brothers and sister by herself after my dad died. she always tried to give us what we wanted and damn we wanted a lot so that would be the first thing and i would set money off to the side for a four year(or more) college education because that for me would be a lifelong investment
then i would get rid of my brother and sister's debt and help them out where they are struggling
next would be getting a car (economy friendly, of course) so i can get from point A to point B and getting my own place whether it's a small house or a loft or i have one built for me
after that would be self improvement and improvement for my family there have been so many health issues that need to be dealt with that we didn't have the money for
i would also have my mom's house remodeled help my brother start his own business take a vacation to see london and ireland then set some more money aside for future endeavors.
i would also donate money and work with programs for overweight kids because i am overweight and my childhood was hell and that was one thing we didn't have money to deal with
i'm sure if i would win the lottery i would have other things to deal with but those are the things that are highest on my list

Answer 10

I would build the house of my dreams, invest some, give some to my favorite charities, make sure my family members were taken care of, get a new car and travel - I've always wanted to go to Italy.

Answer 11

I always said that if I won a huge lottery I would accept e-mails from 100 people telling me their sad stories and why they needed the money and how it could change their life. I'd pick someone that I felt would do good with it and change their life. Depending on how much I'd win I'd try to do it once a year to help a needy family, someone I don't know. I would help my family and friends also. Take all my friends on a cruise around the world. Give to hospice because they do make someones last days the best they can. I wouldn't be greedy at all, because what goes around comes around. If help is needed I'd be there!!!