Let's dream. If you had a Billion dollars...

[MRBXXXFVVS1]

What would you do if you had a Billion dollars?

The biggest impact would be my mental and emotional health because I could live more like I did pre-COVID. I would essentially pay to only interact with vaccinated, masked, COVID tested persons and rent out places (restaurants, museums, retailers, etc.) so DH and I would be the only people there. I would pay a premium for staff (housekeeper, chef, and trainer) that lives on site and quarantines with me - everyone has a price! I would buy a jet and houses around the world, so I could travel without any COVID risk. Basically, I would buy pre-COVID life back.

I would pay off my parents' mortgage and/or upgrade their house and car. They are very modest and have never treated themselves to anything nice. I would provide an environment so that my parents also feel like they can live their life safely.

Those changes would be the most life changing especially now during COVID times for me. I would also donate generously to causes that are important to me and society, mostly focusing on the "bottom of the pyramid" and the most critical of needs - clean water, food, health, and the environment.

I might make a few luxury purchases, but really nothing extravagant. My life would not change much except being able to leave the house, having a jet and more houses, and taking care of my parents!

 

[Matata]

I would set up a foundation that distributed funds to agencies working on behalf of underserved people in my community.

 

[missy]

I would end the pandemic by making sure all countries had sufficient vaccine supply and I would send people to each country to explain why getting vaccinated is critical.

Probably a billion isn't enough but it is a good start.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I have a friend who is a billionaire. It's mind-boggling to me, especially when she says she can't afford something expensive! It's because she didn't have the money growing up, but did as an adult as her father became more successful. She's very down to earth, except when she takes the family jet or helicopter for vacations.

It has not prevented heartbreaking losses or illness. It hasn't been able to save loved ones. Money definitely has brought her privilege but not necessarily happiness. She and a sibling have donated a huge amount to various charities, as did their father. There's so much money that even after all that, there's still oodles left for a luxurious life.

I also had a student years ago whose father was famous, which I didn't know until he was on TV. I had no clue they were so rich. It was weird that this kid and his family made more money in interest in a day than my annual salary! I really wanted them to buy me a car....

 

[MissGotRocks]

A billion dollars is hard to wrap your mind around! There is not a whole lot these days that I yearn for but I am sure I would change my tune if that amount of money was available to me. I know I would enjoy splurging on family and friends for sure and would give quite a bit to the underprivileged. I can see though where new found money could be a blessing and a curse. Some lottery winners have had their lives destroyed by big money; I'd like to think I could keep my head above the fray!

 

[Snowdrop13]

I would certainly be giving most of it away locally, homeless charities, foodbanks and the like, maybe MSF too. I’m not sure I need or can justify, owning more than I already have.

 

[LilAlex]

Actually made me think. A billion would be tough. Enough money that you could tackle real problems but not enough to solve them. You'd need staff to oversee the funds and projects, to do the due diligence for your initiatives, and to weed out the scammers.

I see why the smart money just hand it off to the Gates Foundation now... all that infrastructure is there. Seems like the success metric there is lives impacted, globally, per dollar spent.

I would also get some killer unheated sapphires and nicer shoes.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

Let’s answer the question as if I were to suddenly get a billion dollars in hand, to add on to my current (comparatively insignificant) net worth.

For starters, I would calculate how much money I would need if I wanted to retire tomorrow and live a comfortable, luxurious life (but not something crazy, like a slightly upgraded version of my own life right now at best), plus money required to educate and “set up” two kids with a decent nest egg (and what the heck, enough for two grandkids per kid too). So basically money needed for me, my spouse and six hypothetical dependents. I wouldn’t completely stop working - maybe switch to something I’m passionate about, but I’d keep this money anyway, for a rainy day.

After that I would calculate how much I would like to give to family members and friends that I care about, and organise it in ways that they would allow me to do so (no one in my circle would just accept cash from me).

After that I would probably put like 10 million into a “Armageddon” fund - short of nuclear disaster, I feel like that’s enough extra money to take care of any emergencies for my family and close friends.

My parents are very comfortable and don’t need money from anyone, but I’d take them on a shopping spree purely because I can! I’d also throw a super lovely, lavish wedding and spend a lot of money on it. I’d make it a no holds barred, all expenses paid weeklong vacation for all the people I care about. I’d spend quite a bit of money on some truly stunning jewelry - some big rocks in store for this size ho!

All of that wouldn’t put a huge dent in the billion, so:

I’d set up a foundation or a charity, something in a field that interests me. I’d probably work at least part time in the management of the charity. Id put a good amount of money towards that charity. I would also donate to charities in other fields that matter, charities that I would carefully vet first. I would like the bulk of the money to go towards charitable endeavours (in the fields of education, public health and environment).

I’d also probably never fly anything other than business class again, I hate economy.

 

[doberman]

I would start my own animal rescue organization

 

[MamaBee]

That’s a hard one…I would first set my son, David, up for the rest of his life. He has Autism..and completely dependent on us to take care of him. I would make sure he would live his best life. We pretty much have this set now but the extra money would seal it. Then I would pay off the mortgage of one of our sons and buy a house for my other son. It would also include enough for them to pay for property taxes, etc. We’re already putting money towards my two grandchildren for college..so would add to that. After that we would donate a large sum of money to our charities…We probably wouldn’t change our lifestyles. We live below our means now anyway. I don’t think it would change me or my husband. We’re not consumed with the need to have more money. Oh..I would buy a four or five carat emerald cut diamond ring. I would also buy a ten carat for @missy..

 

[Bron357]

I’d need a couple of Billion.
not for me, for my causes.
I would ban greyhound racing here in Australia and ensure every single greyhound had a wonderful home to live in.
I would set up a heap of safe houses so that women fleeing domestic violence situations would have somewhere safe, secure and nice to live while they rebuilt their lives.
I would offer a stack of scholarships so that kids from poorer families could access the education of their dreams to have the success in life they deserve.
I would fund research into Cancer and Genetic disorders so a cure can be found.
I would offer proper healthcare to anyone anywhere who needed it and couldnt afford it.
I would do anything and everything so all people’s could live happy, healthy, productive and safe lives while respecting and protecting everything else on earth and earth itself.

 

[missy]

That’s a hard one…I would first set my son, David, up for the rest of his life. He has Autism..and completely dependent on us to take care of him. I would make sure he would live his best life. We pretty much have this set now but the extra money would seal it. Then I would pay off the mortgage of one of our sons and buy a house for my other son. It would also include enough for them to pay for property taxes, etc. We’re already putting money towards my two grandchildren for college..so would add to that. After that we would donate a large sum of money to our charities…We probably wouldn’t change our lifestyles. We live below our means now anyway. I don’t think it would change me or my husband. We’re not consumed with the need to have more money. Oh..I would buy a four or five carat emerald cut diamond ring. I would also buy a ten carat for @missy..

Aww I love you so much @MamaBee and not just because you’re generous.
You rock

 

[MamaBee]

Aww I love you so much @MamaBee and not just because you’re generous.
You rock

Love you bigger!

 

[AprilBaby]

I would downsize and have two apartments, one here in Illinois and one in Oregon. Go back and forth between them. Pay off my kids mortgages, set the grandkids up for college. Buy a five ct ACA. Donate to things I believe in.

 

[MamaBee]

Love you bigger!

Just to clarify..haha…This is an expression we use all the time in our family because my son told me this when he was three years old.. It also developed Into me replying…I love you bigger than a dinosaur!

 

[diamondringlover]

I would retire today...then figure out what to do with the money....

 

[Austina]

For ourselves, the money wouldn’t make any difference to our current lifestyle and our DS and DDIL are doing really well, living mortgage and debt free. They don’t (currently) have any children, but if they did, we’d set up college funds for them.

We’d set up a foundation and research good causes, not necessarily big charities, but the smaller ones that struggle for funding. We’d buy them things they needed rather than donate the money, because we wouldn’t want the people running the charities to use the money for fancy offices or cars for the CEO. (That‘s one of the important factors in our charitable donations now)

I honestly don’t think any of our friends would feel comfortable accepting a large sum of money from us, but it’d be nice to pay for them to come and visit when we move.

 

[okthen]

I've chatted with a few billionaires and multi-millionaires.

My first takeaway is most have a strong sense of leaving something for the next generation. This is beyond what I see people do in real life, which is thinking about their children's education and well-being. Billionaires definitely think in generations and "legacy". One example of how this translates into real life is that even when they take enormous risks in building businesses, they can be very conservative in how they invest. And they have things like family charters, mediated family meetings, councils, wills -- the family is run like a company esp as kids grow older and marry etc.

My second takeaway is most billionaires definitely give significant amounts to charity and affect change -- but they also bend over backwards to pay lower than the full tax rates. This includes lowering company taxes, managing investments to lower full capital gains tax and most importantly, using foundations/endowments which where I live only have to give away about 4% of their corpus a year.

Which is another way of saying billionaires take from people (by not paying full taxes) and then give a slice of it back to them with much fanfare. So in a way, they like to play government. And maybe their help wouldn't have been needed if they had paid full taxes.

Then I've been surprised some don't have structured philanthropic programs and give away to friends or business contacts' philanthropies at random.

 

[voce]

I'd invest three quarters, set up a non-profit with the remaining quarter, and funnel my passive income from investments into the non-profit. Really not different from what many of you have already said. What matters is the impact of my dollars, not a luxurious lifestyle.

 

[lala646]

I would keep about 5-10% of it to enjoy and share with family, and enjoy spending the rest of my life donating the remainder to worthwhile charitable causes.

 

[Missie1]

So off the top I am retiring and buying an apartment in Paris in the 6th as I will be living there part time. Also a massive Brownstone in Manhatten as DH loves NYC. Also I will need a jet to shuttle me and DH back and forth across the ocean. I would travel and just explore everything. I would get my Dad totally set up with staff to take care of his needs. I would get remaining family and my BFF situated. I would definitely donate to inner city foundations in Detroit for children and less fortunate individuals. I probably will form a consulting company and hire BFF to run it. Not sure what area but have time to figure that out.

Now to the fun stuff. I will be getting some insane jewelry. New massive studs, massive ideal cut solitaire. VCA pave and stone 20 motifs in the turquoise, mop,gmop,onyx and coral. My wrist stacks would be insane. Harry Winston marquis tennis bracelets that sort of thing. Chanel Flaps in exotics oh boy the fun I would have.

 

[AllAboardTheBlingTrain]

I just stopped and thought about how much a billion dollars really is. I did the math and realised that all my dreams and wants (setting up two generations to come, helping out family and friends, financing retirement TOMORROW, buying mouthwatering jewelry, throwing the wedding of the century (by my definition), literally going on a whirlwind shopping spree and buying everything my heart - and my parents’ hearts - could desire) - all of that could be achieved well within a 100 million dollars. And that’s overstating by far.

So after setting up what I consider a fairytale life for me AND a minimum of two future generations, plus improving the lives of my loved ones in whatever ways they allow me… I’d still be left with 90% of my windfall. It’s an unimaginable amount of money.

So yes - 85-90% of the money would go to charity, some towards a foundation I would like to personally manage and get involved in running; and most towards other vetted charities.

 

[elle_71125]

I've always told my DH that if we won the lottery, I'd like to open an animal sanctuary. It would make me so happy to be able to save & protect animals in need. I like to think it would be a place where we love & support animals for as long as they need, while also encouraging adoption for as many as we could. I am very sensitive and seeing so many animals homeless, abused, & put down unnecessarily just really breaks my heart. I think every animal deserves a loving home.

So that's what I'd do with a billion dollars. The amount of animals I could help with that kind of money is mind boggling.

Side note: As I'm not entirely altruistic, I'd obviously spend some money on my family too. I'd like a new home for DH & I, to pay off my parents mortgage, and of course...a super sparkly, top quality gem for me.

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I used to say that if I had oodles of money, I'd hire mercenaries to kill all the animal poachers. I don't feel bad about it one bit.

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

I would run my own food bank. And give big time to Dr's without borders and other stuff like that.

And finally be able to go shopping at VCA.

cheers--Sharon

 

[Lookinagain]

I'd buy my daughter a home and give her a decent (but not huge) cushion of savings where she could only draw down so much per year. I would not want her to have so much at one time that she quit working as I don't believe that is a good thing. I would probably give most of the rest of it away to one charitable organization or another, rescue lots of dogs, give some college scholarships to kids in need, etc. I have no need for a bigger or fancier house, I buy the car I want, and I don't even wear the larger diamonds that I have. I seem to prefer the smaller ones. Assuming COVID allowed, I'd travel more, but honestly, I've always traveled a lot. So I guess what I'm telling you, and myself, is that I don't need all that extra money for me. I'm happy to be able to say that. And it would be nice to do good things with it.

 

[Elizabeth35]

Giving Pledge

 

[PinkAndBlueBling]

I love how so many of us want to save animals!

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

A billion dollars is a lot of money !

I would start a company to employ people and give them a decent wage
Id locate the bussiness in a town that really needed employment

Id build lots of nice, new and roomy but basic 3 bedroom homes and sell them at a price so people can afford to get on the property ladder - no property investors allowed

Id start up a program particularly targeting free neutering for Tom cats and build extra resources at the SPCA so they had room to accommodate all the toms that need homes

 

[dk168]

Make sure my closests and dearests get to share my fortune.

Give money to the charitable organisations that I support.

Set up a chain of cat and dog daycare centres, and sanctuaries.

Buy a piece of land and build my dream house designed and built to my specifications.

Keep some to spend for myself, a few millions would do nicely; and give the rest away to other charitable organisations that might be of interest to me.

DK