[Susan in VA]

Dream a little!

If you won the lottery, or some unknown very distant relative left you a pile of money, what would you do with it?

I know many of us would pay off our debts, put much of it into our retirement funds, donate some to our favorite charities or churches, and help out family members and good friends who had serious financial woes.

But THEN what?  Would you travel around the world?  Buy a big boat and live on it?  Move to a mansion (assuming you don't live in one now)?  Hire a gardener and a cook?  Buy a DX for everyone on Kindleboards?  Throw parties every weekend, or buy an island and live in happy solitude? 

Anyone?  Surely we've all had the if-I-won-the-lottery dream...  even if we don't actually buy tickets.

 

[Ann in Arlington]

There's a guy in DC who just won the Powerball -- actually a month or more ago.  Many millions of dollars.  He was SMART.  First thing he did was call a lawyer and the next thing he did was call a financial advisor.  Set up a bunch of trusts -- for kids and grandkids to go to college, some charitable, and one for himself to live on.  Put it all in a company and then had his lawyer go redeem the ticket.  Took the lump sum to be distributed among the various trusts.  The guy is 82 or so. . . .and so far, we don't know who he is.

As for me.  I would have pre-ordered the DX already.    Beyond that, I don't know.  It would be nice to not have to think about whether or not I should buy that cute pair of sneakers when I already have 4 pair at home so I don't really need them.  OTOH, I think my parents made me too practical to ever go completely off the deep end.

I already have a cleaning lady.  (I REALLY REALLY hate to clean.)

I'd probably buy my DH many of the tools he doesn't have only because he doesn't feel he should spend money on, say a lathe, when he won't really have a need to use it much.

The college I graduated from would get a big chunk.  Also our parish.

I'd love a pool. . . .but would have to move for that so that would take thinking about.  And would also then have a pool service 'cause I'm not interested in being the one that pulls the dead chipmunks out of the skimmer. Oh, with a hot tub.

Probably put some in trust for nieces and nephews.

Buy an HD TV and TiVo. 

Buy and alto and/or tenor recorder.

Take lessons on the tenor sax I have.  Maybe the violin too.

Perhaps travel more. . .especially to where it is warm when it's not here. 

 

[WalterK]

Travel around the world in my personal submarine.

http://66.83.181.250:8080/db/ussubs/live/submarines/seattle_1000.php3

- Walter.

 

[LaraAmber]

1. Buy a new house.  We live in a townhouse now, which is great as part of our "live below our means" philosophy, but having a dedicated office and two car garage and a basement would be nice.  Nothing huge or fancy just a nice home, probably LEED certified or otherwise built green.
2. The youngest SIL is a freshman in college this fall.  Giving her a scholarship (dependent on grades, no free ride here) would be wonderful.
3. Taking over paying for grandparents' nursing care.  
4. The family owns some land further south that is jointly owned by father-in-law and his brother and would be split even further when inherited.  I would buy out the other kids and keep it intact.  Also, build a new cabin there.
5. Talk to siblings about what "one time economic outpatient care" do they want.  A new car?  A student loan or credit card paid off?
6. Plan trip to Europe.

Lara Amber

 

[Gertie Kindle]

There's a guy in DC who just won the Powerball -- actually a month or more ago. Many millions of dollars. He was SMART. First thing he did was call a lawyer and the next thing he did was call a financial advisor. Set up a bunch of trusts -- for kids and grandkids to go to college, some charitable, and one for himself to live on. Put it all in a company and then had his lawyer go redeem the ticket. Took the lump sum to be distributed among the various trusts. The guy is 82 or so. . . .and so far, we don't know who he is.

When I worked for the lawyers, we used to talk about this, especially if one of our group tickets won. Setting up a corporation is the first thing to do so that the funds can be paid directly into it. Otherwise, the lottery commission forces you to take a drastically reduced lump sum.

Then education and medical trusts, charities, etc.

I already have a cleaning lady. (I REALLY REALLY hate to clean.)

This would be first on my list for things to do for myself. Second would be to hire a part-time secretary whose main duties would be tossing out the junk mail and doing the filing and shredding.

I'd love a pool. . . .but would have to move for that so that would take thinking about. And would also then have a pool service 'cause I'm not interested in being the one that pulls the dead chipmunks out of the skimmer. Oh, with a hot tub.

A pool would be nice, and I have plenty of space for one. Of course, I would need a pool boy man.

I'm going to need a new car in the next year or so, but I think I'm going to have it customized to accommodate all the people I have to ferry around.

Speaking of customized, I have very small feet. High on my list would be custom shoes. Lots and lots of custom shoes.

And loads of Kindle books. Maybe that should be first.

 

[MAGreen]

First, I would look into the housing market and invest a large chunk into land and houses. Then I would want to have my dream house built, and have a couple more kids, and hire a cleaning lady! Set up trusts for them to go to any college, as well as a few of my friends kids who are like family to me. I would have my husband retire and build him a workshop and garage so he can play! Then, once the kids were old enough, I would travel the world with him. I'd probably go back to school too.
I would also donate Kindles to nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and KindleBoards!
And every Kindle book I have been wanting!

 

[Thumper]

After paying off all debt, including the house...

Let the Spouse Thingy get the car or motorcycle of his dreams
Stick enough aside for a comfortable retirement
Buy the Boy a new car

and then I would plunge some serious bucks into my business, so that I can take on more new writers and get them better distribution. That would be the icing on the cake for me.

Mmmmmm...icing....

 

[pidgeon92]

We'd love a house in an area with a year round nice climate so we could always have fresh food growing. The house would have a sunny porch for reading, a fabulous kitchen, and a large, stocked wine cellar.

 

[tessa]

After making sure my family was taken care of I'd travel to all the places I've read about.

Tessa

 

[crebel]

Definitely all the things Susan listed in "I know many of us...", but the "THEN what" dreams would be:

Having a second home on the South Island of New Zealand.  We visited in 2005 and fell in love.

Some remodeling and serious landscaping of our current home and 2 acre yard.

A BMW Z-car that my DH has lusted after for years and something new for me (cherry red mustang convertible with leather interior and all the bells and whistles probably).

Pick up and travel wherever, whenever we wanted to.

A cleaning service (clean sheets on my bed EVERY day), a 24/7/365 on-call masuess, and finally I'm with Gertie-custom shoes, lots and lots of custom shoes (IMHO Imelda had the right idea)!

 

[EllenR]

1. Trust fund for the kids to finance their education (after calling lawyers and setting up my estate).
2. Trust fund for all my nieces and nephews to fund their education if their parents fall short.
3. Pay off our house.
4. Pay off both of my sisters' mortagages.
5. Hubby and I quit our jobs and travel extensively with our kids and a pack of tutors.
6. Apparently buy a private plane cuz I need to take our golden retriever when we travel!
7. Oh almost forgot, move my father-in-law from the VA to a private, well-run nursing home.
8. Donate to worthy causes.

EllenR

 

[WalterK]

Oh yeah, when I wasn't in the submarine, I'd probably be relaxing in one of these models.

http://www.fiusdistributors.com/models_public-r.htm

- Walter.

 

[NogDog]

I'd hire the best bunch of doctors and finest care-giving services I could find to take care of my mother, who is unfortunately suffering from many ailments in her declining years -- some of them quite painful.

After that and any mundane financial stuff, I'd buy a nicely equipped home/cottage/cabin in a peaceful location and try my hand at writing a novel or two.

 

[kim]

Travel around the world in my personal submarine.

http://66.83.181.250:8080/db/ussubs/live/submarines/seattle_1000.php3

- Walter.

That is so cool! I'm not sure I'd ever want to be submerged for 20 days, but it's still way cool.

 

[Susan in VA]

Wow, twelve replies in less than two hours. We do like to dream.

While I also hate to clean, I'd hate even more to have a stranger in the house picking up my mess. So no cleaning lady for me.

Probably no pool either, since my parents have one and they live five minutes away. But a hot tub would be installed within a week! Maybe as part of the new deck (which really does have to happen sometime soon since the existing one is not in good shape anymore).

Extended travel -- two weeks in St. Maarten, two months in Locarno. Then all the places I haven't been but would like to see. That's a long list.

Weekly pedicures.

 

[Vegas_Asian]

wouldn't need to stress about my tutition so much.
buy a house in Hawaii for mom and dad
House for myself
Place for my bro
Pay for their other houses
rebuild my grandparents house.
Take in my cousin.
Get myself a great dane LOOK A PUPPY-->

Donate to the shelther...Donate to a lot of places.
Put a lot of aside for later because I know I want to open my own business one day.

 

[KindleKay (aka #1652)]

OK- after the usual: pay my bills, pay off my house/cars, etc.  I would probably buy a bigger house (paid in full) and then I would buy a 5th wheel camper, a BIG one, that I would use to travel around the US in.    I would also get a college fund and a car fund set up for my DS who is 12. 

THEN, I would buy Kindles, skins, Oberons and amazon gift certificates for my sister and my friends who love to read and can't afford to buy a Kindle of their own.... Cause I want all of them to experience the love of Kindle, too!!!  (And that is the truth!!)

 

[sixnsolid]

This is fun! 

I would set up trusts for my kids so they could go to the schools of their choice.  We have three in college now - ouch!  I would send my son to the scrumptious private school for children with autism that is just a dream for us right now.  I'd fly my daughter's Marine boyfriend home to visit every time he had had leave.  I would pay off my mortgage.  I'd build my husband the garage of his dreams, and buy him a 60's era box Nova to live in it.  My husband would never work again and we'd hang out all the time.  I'd throw a Christmas party for my county's foster children every year. I'd buy my mom a little pink Victorian house with gobs of gingerbread trim and have a personal driver at her beck and call (she doesn't drive).  I'd buy my mother in law a Hansel and Gretel Tudor cottage with miles of gardens.  I'd play anonymous fairy godmother to anyone I came across who needed help and encouragement. 

Yup, I'd have a great time 

 

[Gertie Kindle]

http://www.fiusdistributors.com/models_public-r.htm

- Walter.

Don't you need a license to fly that thing?

 

[Susan in VA]

I'd buy my mother in law a Hansel and Gretel Tudor cottage

Surely you're not saying that your MIL is a witch...