Lottery Winners - Some Sad Stories

[cabinetman]

We play the Florida Lottery every week. I keep saying "Ya can't win if ya don't play". Well maybe one day we will win. We always joke about what we would do with the millions. We have a couple we know that won $8 million. Haven't heard or seen much of them since. You would think that the money would solve all your problems and change your life for the better. Here is a link to just a few of the stories about lottery winners and what WINNING THE MONEY DID TO THEIR LIVES.
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[linear]

You can't lose if you don't play. I've never lost; my record shall remain spotless.

[cgallery]

I've seen this phenomenon personally by watching friends that have become very wealthy through good fortune and hard work.

Previously happily married couples divorcing, alcohol dependence, drug use, etc.

Vast sums of money seems to reinforce underlying personality shortfalls.

[ragswl4]

You can't lose if you don't play. I've never lost; my record shall remain spotless.

Truer words were never spoken.

[Uncle Cracker]

As a middle-classer, the bulk of my discretionary spending centers on two things: tools and beer. I'm pretty sure that if I were to come into a fortune, my focus would shift to: more tools and beer. Although I would probably move up to better brands of both.

[LinuxRandal]

I've seen this phenomenon personally by watching friends that have become very wealthy through good fortune and hard work.

Previously happily married couples divorcing, alcohol dependence, drug use, etc.

Vast sums of money seems to reinforce underlying personality shortfalls.

Couldn't have said it better myself and I'll leave it at that.

[Mrs. Wallnut]

About 4 years ago my mother hit a lottery win on the MegaMillions lottery that we have here in WA. It wasn't the big jackpot but was the next one down that was 175,000.00 and they took a big portion of that and put it into a plan for retirement and I think they will be able to start using that next year. And the only other thing that they bought was a brand new car. They had been married for years and had never had a BRAND NEW, no other person owning the car before them so they went and bought a Pontiac Grand Prix.

But IMO the money never changed them and they still live like any other couple. My dad is retired and stays home and does his volunteer work and my mother works at the local Safeway a few hours a day.

I read those stories and I am saddened to hear those stories but then I just look at my parents and hope that if I ever hit the big jackpot it won't change me that much.

But then I realize that if I won that kind of money I would be building a new shop and buying some trucks to haul all the lumber that we would buy.

[goslin23]

Living paycheck to paycheck is a way of life for my family. It feels pretty darn good not to bust open the piggy bank before the next paycheck arrives. It feels like a big accomplishment.

I get bonuses from time to time that allows me to pick up the "expensive" power tool or toy that I've been drooling over. It would just be wierd to be able to buy something I wanted when I wanted it! I appreciate my things much more because I had to work so hard to be able to buy them.

Winning the lottery or getting a large amount of money probably wouldn't change the way I am but it would be a nice experiment, any millionaires here?

-=gos=-

[scorrpio]

My lottery is stock market. Tech stocks have been on the rise. Nanotech boom is coming. Every dime should be invested wisely.

Playing lottery is like hooking a 3hp cyclone to your wallet.

[cabinetman]

Playing lottery is like hooking a 3hp cyclone to your wallet.

I don't think the winners think that.

[scorrpio]

I don't think the winners think that.

Read some of those 'winner' stories and think again.

[JoeyGee]

I've read those stories before. I have told LOML if we ever did hit a jackpot (although we rarely play) I would take out money to pay off debt, donate some to our chosen charities and then bank the majority of it for at least a year (somewhere we can't tough it) just to adjust to the idea of having it and plan on just how to not waste it.

[cabinetman]

Read some of those 'winner' stories and think again.

Someone else's inability to manage their life might be enough reason for you not to play. I can read stories like that all day long and it doesn't change my attitude about playing, or bother me one bit. For all those that dropped out of college, didn't change my attitude about my wanting to graduate. I don't live or gear my life by the misfortunes, or fortunes for that matter, of others. The stock market is a gamble of its own kind. Ask some Enron stockholders. In the 37 years in business I've seen a lot of cabinet shops come and go, and it did nothing to change my attitude. In fact it wasn't even depressing. Hey, the more that went... better for me.

I can say that I've been successful in my profession and having money takes some of the fun and adventure out of getting what you want. I would suppose getting a "windfall" might present a different set of problems inordinate to ones daily routine. I've heard it said: "Poverty is no disgrace, it's just inconvenient".
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[Rand]

I occasionally buy a lottery ticket when the jackpot goes over 100 million. I figure the odds are 50/50. Either I'll win or I won't.

A friend of mine calls the lottery a tax on people who are bad at math.

[Perfidiajoe]

I've said it before, & I'll Say it again, "If I hit a jackpot, (I play a buck or two once or twice a year) I'll spoil myself. I'll run right out & have all four of my tires recapped, spare no expense."