If you won the lottery whats the first thing you would do?

[Sabine]

I would quit my job and hire a financial planner...I''m a bit too practical to go overboard and would want to plan exactly how much I would need for my future before making any big purchases. How boring am I?

 

[Dancing Fire]

the closest i ever came was hitting the 3rd prize of a 80 million Ca lottery. i missed by one number.

 

[musey]

Visit a financial planner with our ideas, and depending on their advice and how much we've won:

1. Buy a house or condo
2. Replace my poor 11+ year-old car (but not 'til 2010 with the solar panel Prius)
3. Go on a vacation
4. Put the rest into savings and retirement accounts, possibly invest


Same applies if I land a really great job

because I don't play the lottery or gamble.

 

[mrscushion]

I would (in that order... until the $ runs out):
* Set up generous retirement funds for FI and I
* Set up schooling funds for 3 children that cover all education through graduate school
* Pay down FI''s mortgage
* Fund a generous wedding budget, incl. the most fabulous designer dress I can find
* Go on an extended clothes shopping spree
* Set up a day-to-day fund that gives us a little spending money every month in addition to our income
* Invest the rest

 

[IloveAsschers13]

I would-

Pay off my student loans..
Pay for my mom''s college
Pay for my sister''s college
Put money aside for my brother when he goes
Get married!
Wait to buy a house till we get settle with our jobs...
Then I would probably start a family much earlier!

 

[zoebartlett]

The first thing I''d do is pay off all debts -- school loans, cars, etc., for us and our immediate families. Then we''d put a chunk of it in some type of retirement account. We''d take a few vacations -- one to Hawaii -- and then we''d buy a lake or beach house somewhere. We''d probably put some away for new cars when we''re ready to buy them.

My husband would love to retire early, but I think I''d continue working as usual.

 

[lyra]

If I won over $100K, I would buy a new house first, and not a mansion either. Just a really nice house on a bit of property. Okay, that would be about a million right there. Then I''d look after my daughters, then family, then friends, and then charity.

 

[HollyS]

First, pay every debt, credit card, mortgage.

Second, set up a trust for ourselves, and another for the education of our nieces and nephews. And make sure my father was living comfortably for the remainder of his life.

Third, buy whatever I''d like with the yearly income from my trust. Within reason. Mansions, yahcts, haute couture, and six figure jewelry would NOT be bought.

Fourth, open my bookstore/coffee shop. Call Haven and tell her I''m ready to go into business with her.

 

[Steel]

Grab the money and run.

Because somebody made a mistake...I never play the lottery!

With my ill-gotten gains I would move to a non-extradition country and buy all around me.

 

[MichelleCarmen]

Date: 4/29/2009 1:00:54 PM
Author: musey
Same applies if I land a really great job

because I don't play the lottery or gamble.

See, wasn't the same lotto question asked recently and some said they don't buy lotto? It seems like a moot point unless everyone here DOES buy tickets.

Who does buy lotto tickets?

I buy the state ones where the jackpot is around 1-4 million and usually get one a week. I'm not a gambler, but love the thought that I could win. Recently I won $3 with one of my tickets

(DH and I have been to Vegas five times and always allocate $100 to the slots. We have a great time with that and feel that's the perfect amount. The rest of our Vegas funds go to food!)

 

[zhuzhu]

Pay off our house and buy a rental property. Put the rest in bond.

 

[Haven]

I would do the following, in this order:

1) Tell DH
2) Swear DH to secrecy--the crazies come out when you come into money
3) Buy a house for my mom and pay off any debt she has
4) TRAVEL! We''d backpack through Europe for a couple months, post-college year style
5) Come home, pay off our house and school loans
6) Meet with our financial guy and ferret most of it away into investments
7) Add-on to our house
Buy some fun toys--an awesome bicycle for DH, his dream TV, and the Breitling watch that he wouldn''t let me buy him as an engagement gift.
9) Open The Haven, and live a blissful life doing what I love

 

[bee*]

For me, I''d:
Pay off my loans.
Buy D a car and I''m in two minds if I''d get myself a new one as I like mine.
Pay off my parents mortgage and treat them to a fab holiday somewhere as they totally deserve it.
Give my sisters money
Give money to the spca
Buy the eternity band to match my Lucida
Buy some Manolos
Save the rest.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/29/2009 6:01:55 PM
Author: zhuzhu
Pay off our house and buy a rental property. Put the rest in bond.

why would you want that kind of headache? just loan me some diamond money.

 

[Dancing Fire]

Date: 4/29/2009 11:50:10 AM
Author: EBree
The first thing I''d do? Hire a financial planner to discuss saving/investing most of it.

First big purchase? I''d pay off my mom''s mortgage.

the good ones are a rare find. most of them will try to get into your pockets.

 

[niccia]

I would thank God, start a haven for a group of dogs I know, immediately go buy my parents a new vehicle, pay off their mortgage, give them and each of my siblings a chunk, put some away in education funds for my niece and nephew, give me fmil and ffil a chunk, donate a bunch to animal havens/spca, buy myself a nice penthouse condo, and invest the rest in the bank.

 

[Maisie]

Date: 4/29/2009 7:16:27 PM
Author: niccia
I would thank God, start a haven for a group of dogs I know, immediately go buy my parents a new vehicle, pay off their mortgage, give them and each of my siblings a chunk, put some away in education funds for my niece and nephew, give me fmil and ffil a chunk, donate a bunch to animal havens/spca, buy myself a nice penthouse condo, and invest the rest in the bank.

Absolutely!!

 

[icekid]

Date: 4/29/2009 12:56:46 PM
Author: Dancing Fire
the closest i ever came was hitting the 3rd prize of a 80 million Ca lottery. i missed by one number.

wow, how much did you win, DF??

for me- winning a large sum of money would not be about buying things, it would be about buying TIME. I would finish up this working year, so as not to make schedule havoc for everyone else. And then I would completely quit my job, though I would definitely voluteer my services for free to charity. Medicine is can be incredibly rewarding, but even moreso stressful. So that would be my #1, by far. Then I would have more time for hubby, time for family (a baby?!), time to travel, time to lounge about

And actually, I''ve been complaining (and stressing) so much about work lately, that my hubby bought me my first ever lottery tickets for my birthday and then another one last weekend. I think we won ten bucks

 

[SparklyLibra]

Date: 4/29/2009 10:29:51 AM
Author: tlh
DISAPPEAR. It is amazing what people come out of the woodworks for money... even family.

AAAAAAmen to that TLH! They wouldn''t even know I hit the jackpot until I was out of the COUNTRY, lol! I''d set it up so that while I''m away the main people that I would give any $ to could access enough to pacify them until I return. Knowing my family, I might not even tell them where I am

I''d Disappear FIRST, then call and tell them all I''m not missing, just don''t want to be found.

Heck, I might even change my name before I return

 

[Samantha Red]

Again it would very much depend on how much. For example the Euromillions Lottery is 88 million on Friday, but my priorities would be

1. Look after our parents, family and friends

2. I would either pay off our mortgage or buy a house in the same village as we love it so much.

3. then buy some bling, and some nice cars

4. Give to charity, eg, a mix, of childrens and animal charities probably

If we won the 88 mill on one ticket, we would be giving a lot away

I wouldn''t want my life to change drastically and it wouldn''t be worth having if our families and friends didn''t benefit equally

 

[pennquaker09]

Donate all of it.

 

[butterfly 17]

we were at work a few months ago and we talked about this.
We were talking if we won 20 million what would we do with it.
So this is what I would do-

First I would pay off any debt I had like mortgage and car payments.

Then I would pay off my brothers mortgage and my sister's wedding for her.

Then I would buy a big beautiful house somewhere warmer and ask my uncle if he would like to live in the house I currently own. But I wouldn't spend more than 750 k for the new house.

Then I would buy three cars a big suv and sedan and a sports car and get rid of my hubbys car.

Then I would buy my mom and my mil houses somewhere near my new house.

Then I would buy my mil a house in Cambodia her native country and one for myself too.

Then I would give all my husbands brothers and sisters 200k each ( there are five of them) and each family that I am related to 100k per family let them know it was a one time deal. LOL.

Then I would buy myself a 3.75 carat f vs1 ha diamond and a 5 carat eternity band. And set my 2 carat ha in a pendant and get 2 carat total weight martini set earrings and a 5 carat tennis bracelet all with aca's. And have leon make me a sapphire three stone ring.

Then I would tell my job I wanted to work part time only two days week. Love my job so I wouldn't want to quit but of course I would rake a leave of absence first for six months and go traveling.

I would donate some money and build a community center in the area of the Phillippines where my parents are from.

I would have a big party at work and give each of my coworkers 5k as a party favor.

Then I would save the rest for my kids future and go back to work.

 

[Kelli]

I''d celebrate by vastly improving my collection of jewels! Then I''d pay off my house and my parents'' house, buy DF and I new cars-- nothing extravagant, just reliable, and I''d give some to charities, probably some that deal with cancer and the humane society. I''d spoil my nieces and nephews rotten too, and probably give some to our family businesses. DF and I would both still want to work, but I could tell the pain in the butt kids and parents to take a hike! Then I''d use my paychecks for travel instead of the mortgage!

 

[Kelli]

Oh yeah and pay for my wedding!

 

[butterfly 17]

I fogot to add I would pay for mara to upgrade to that three carat j, pay for mrssalvo's eternity band and upgrade masie's diamond to over two carats and pay for redroses upgrade and buy something for skippy, sevensone and kaleigh. And of course I would buy something for MC too.

 

[jcarlylew]

Date: 4/29/2009 9:39:47 AM
Author:Maisie
I would buy a fabulous car and a huge diamond! I would go house hunting too and get a lovely big family house.

1. pay off my loans and debt
2. donate money to my YMCA and Planned Parenthood, my two fav organizations.
3. pay off my parents house so they cannot refuse to let me keep it when they move out

4. buy my jeep back. i miss my baby, and hate my stupid responsible great gas millage mom car.

5. hire a personal trainer and get my body back
6. buy E a new car, that i like

7. buy a new laptop
8. invest in my sisters goals to own a catering company/restaurant or whatever she wanted to do.
9. work part time at YMCA.
10. seriously entertain the idea of a social degree.
11. make babies
12. set up college fund for best friends child.

oh yeah... AND BUY A FLIPPIN' HOUSE where i would only owe less than 50% on it.

oh and here's what i would really do if reason and sense was knocked into me
1. hire a financial guru.
2. pay of all debts
3. invest money were it would make sense

 

[AprilBaby]

Payoff all my kids student loans.

 

[CurlySue]

Assuming I won the big ticket lottery, here''s my list...

Quit my job and start taking classes at a culinary school.
Pay off what''s left of my student loans.
Give enough to each of my parents that they feel more comfortable in their retirement.
Give some to my SO to help him start his own microbrewery.
Give some to my sister and BIL to help them pay for my (future) niece''s or nephew''s college education.
Save/invest what''s left and isn''t needed for living expenses during culinary school.

 

[mrssalvo]

Date: 4/30/2009 9:30:03 AM
Author: butterfly 17
I fogot to add I would pay for mara to upgrade to that three carat j, pay for mrssalvo''s eternity band and upgrade masie''s diamond to over two carats and pay for redroses upgrade and buy something for skippy, sevensone and kaleigh. And of course I would buy something for MC too.

 

[dragonfly411]

The first thing I would do would be to buy back my old house on 52 acres. It was everything I''ve ever wanted in a home. 12 acres was planted in pines (agriculture exemption) with wild blackberries underneath (fruit). It had two large fenced pastures (one surrounded the pines so the horses could go in the pine area as well), a large dirt arena for riding, and three small paddocks. It had a 5 stall barn with tack room and an outdoor washrack, aisle, feed room and wash rack all cement bottom. The house was a 2 story log cabin with a wraparound porch downstaires, three bedrooms (one down stairs two up including the master) three bathrooms. The master had two walk in closets, and the bathroom had two different sink and counter areas, walk in shower, walk in toilet, and a jacuzzi tub. wood floor in that room. There was a balcony off the top two bedrooms that looked over the pond that took up about 7 acres. The kitchen had two refrigerators, two ovens... it was amazing. Large greatroom for dining and living area. The yard was around 2 acres, with huge oaks, flowers everywhere, bird feeders, a work shop and tire swing. The back 15 acres was all wild blackberries and flowers and backed up to more planted pines. Turkeys and deer wandered it. I miss that place.


I''d donate some towards cancer research
I''d buy back my broodmare and another mare I''ve wanted.
And then I''d buy SO all the equipment he needed to run his lawn business so we''d have steady income
I''d buy another property for rental, maybe condo or something
and invest some.