"I Won The Lottery"

[cabinetman]

I've been playing the lottery since 1988 every week. The very first week I had 5 of 6 numbers. Nobody knew what the payout would be. The amount would be based on how many winners for each set of numbers there were.

That first week on a Sunday morning when having breakfast at my favorite place (great looking waitresses), and finding out I had 5 of 6, I thought the payout would be huge. I left a big tip and grinned all the way out just waiting for the noon payout announcement. Well, it was disappointing. A mere $286.

But, If I win 6 of 6, I would be shouting "I won the lottery". It would be somewhere around $6M or more (if I didn't have to share it). So, I'm preparing to win, kinda getting ready for the shock if it happens.

LOML and I have had a few discussions on how our lives would change. You know, the ideas about where we would move, or the type of house, cars, and shop stuff.

So, imagine yourself getting a big win. How would your life change?
.

[schloff]

My employment status would be severely altered. That's about it. And a LOT of home improvement would be in the works.

Maybe buy a used Harley. Shovel head, most likely. Buy the wife a new kitchen, near the beach, perhaps.

Raise my kids, and live the Forrest Gump life for a while. Cut that big lawn for free, cuz I was a guzzilionare and all...

[Shep]

Where to start....

1. Quite job...check
2. Buy some more WW tools....check...check
3. Travel the world....check
4. Buy a bigger house....check
5. Pay off any debt we still have....check.
6. Give money to our church....check.

This is not an exact order. I think money to the church would be towards the top.

[Ed62]

I'd be buying a new house, all on one level, with a basement. After giving to charities, my family would be winners too.

Ed

[Uncle Cracker]

Step 1: Invest at least half of it to insure substantial future income, and provide for my grandkids.

Step 2: Pay off everything I owe.

Step 3: Buy some toys.

Step 4: Go back to work on my terms.

[Mr__Bill]

Along with all the usual things I would like to take bundles of $20s and just hand them out to people who look like they could use some found money.




Bill, over here waiting for the rain

[pierhogunn2]

0. Keep it as secret as possible.
1. See what it would take to fully fund the Charlotte Resue Mission for a couple of years, and do that
2. Pay off the house and bills
3. Pay for the kids college education ( they are 2 and 4)
4. Find out how much it would take to pay for Me and My families health care till age 90, pre-pay the premiums.
5. Be a full time dad
5. Become a pilot
6. Become a chef
7. Putz around the NC high country

[Ozzie]

After confirming I had the winning numbers and claiming the prize, the first thing I would do is leave town for a couple of weeks to avoid all the beggers and schemers. Then I would set up trusts for my grandsons education expenses and my chronically unemployed son. (He would spend whatever I gave him in six months and be asking for more). If there was enough money, I would buy Condos in Portland, OR (my grandsons), and Door County, WI., which we both love. I would set up a chartiable trust for our Parish Church and School so that they would have the income from it for needy children's education.

Then! We would travel and experience the things we only see on television. Finally, on our last day of life, I hope to have only a dollar in my pocket so that whoever finds me can call the Funeral Director. (Prepaid of course)

[smorris]

1) I'd try to keep it as secret as possible.
2) Put in a new kitchen.
3) Buy a bigger boat.

But alas, I don't pay the math tax so I'll never win.

[os1kne]

I'd like to think that my life wouldn't change by too much, except for a nicer house/cars and the lack of money worries. My job is very demanding and stressful, but I love it and I'd keep doing it. Assuming the winning was $1M+:

I'd definitely keep it as secret as possible
I'd definitely save/invest the majority for my wife, kids and me
I'd definitely give a nice chunk to the church
I'd definitely buy a nicer home and cars

I'd probably buy a few "toys" that I couldn't justify otherwise (PM2000 or similar, etc.)
I'd probably (depending on amount of winnings) give generous one-time gifts to relatives - with the understanding that I'm not going to be propping them up again. (I have some relatives that constantly have $ problems, regardless of income, due to poor decisions.)

[Eric]

Depending on the amount.

1. Wonder how I won because I never buy the tickets
2. Hire a lawyer
3. Pay the taxes
4. Invest half
5. Pay off the house
6. Help friends and family with their finances
7. Replace my commuter car
8. Travel
9. Finish my shop
10. Equip my shop with the tools I want.
11. Travel with friends and family
12. Buy a backhoe
13. Do some of those landscaping projects I want done around my place
14. Buy some more property
15. Do what I want when I want


Didn't even mention quiting my job, that should be a given. Who has time to work when there's so many things to do?

[dbhost]

LOML and I toy around with the idea, mostly because it is fun to dream...

So what I would do if I won the lottery.

#1. Figure out a way to keep my name and number away from the vultures. I have heard about collecting as a blind trust, and simply paying yourself out of the trust. I would work with my attorney on that regard.
#2. Pay the taxes on it as I receive it. No need to let Uncle Sam have an excuse to bother me later.
#3. Start showing up to work in a suit a day or two a week for about a month, THEN put in my notice. Make them think I got a better paying job somewhere else...
#4. Find a house similar size, or slightly larger than the one we are in now, out on at least 10 acres, within easy drive to one of the following cities.
-San Antonio
-Austin
-Tucson
-Phoneix
-Salem, Or
-Portland, Or.
#5. Let LOML go nuts on decorating the new house.
#6. Build dream shop on new property, move everything in and set up.
#7. After move out, completely remodel the house we are in, move my FIL in.
#8. Completely rebuild FIL's house.
#9. Take over my parents bills.
#10. Give accordingly to our favorite charities and ministries.
#11. Fund a business, and invest the needed time for a project LOML and I are working on.
#12. Take about 6 months to a year and travel North America. Canada, United States of America, and Mexico. Visit the relatives on both sides of the family etc...
#13. Repaint the Saturn, give it to a car-less member of my church with a year of insurance paid up.
#14. Same thing with the Focus. Actually, no, send that piece of junk to the crusher and watch it get squished. Maybe video tape it for posterity. (Can you tell I hate that car?)
#15. Replace the Saturn with a Tuxedo Black Lincoln MKS Ecoboost AWD.
#16. Replace the Focus with a Shelby Mustang GT-500
#17. Finish the wish list for the mods on the pickup.


There is more, but those are the big ones that spring to mind. Not neccesarily in that order...

[crokett]

Well just about in this order:
Pay off the debt on the house
Set up trusts for my kids.
Make sure my wife doesn't have to worry about money in the event I die.
Set up my parents' heritage farm as a trust.

After that, maybe shop tools, probably pay somebody else to do all the stuff to the house that my wife wants done. Not sure we would move. I like this location.

I would still work. Don't know if I would keep the job I have. I like it a lot but I could take only so much time off playing before I needed to be productive again. What I might do is offer my woodworking brother a partnership. I'm the money, he's the talent.

[billwmeyer]

Dream list

1. Sober up, ( I haven't been drunk since the 70's then only mildly).

2. Hire lawyer

3. Retire!!!!

4. Go hide on tropical island

5. Share with family.

6. Set up trusts for grandkids, and for an emergency fund.

7. Build log house, probably in the Branson Mo. area, complete with large workshop and special garage for pending antique car collection of 4 or 5 cars.

8. New car - maybe a Porsche Cayanne

9. Buy new small pickup, probably Chevy Colorado extended cab.

10. Travel

11. Set up charitable foundation.

Bill

[BobSch]

1. Change my phone number.
2. Hire a lawyer.
3. Hire an accountant.
4. Enjoy the looks on peoples' faces when I give their charity a nice big check.
5. Buy some more tools and a shop to put them in.
6. Travel.