Wednesday somebody in Florida won the powerball jackpot worth — what was it? — $1.5 billion? I stopped counting at a billion. But this morning I was meandering through this blog fixing broken stuff (so much broken stuff) and I came across a post from 2016 where I asked folks what they’d do with the money if they won $1.5 billion. (Apparently the total had surpassed a billion in the past and I’d forgotten.) Anyway, what would you do with that much money if you won? And for those of you who responded back then, have you changed your mind in the years since?
I’d spend it. All of it. 😉
Every single dollar?
Every one.
I’d spend it. All of it, mostly on stupid stuff.
The definition of stupid can change from moment to moment, so you’d have to work fast.
True – I could be in danger of buying something smart.
🙂
Spend and share
That pretty well covers it, although sharing with others would amount to spending on your part. But it’s generous either way.
Buy myself somewhere really nice to live, with a swimming pool in which I could disport myself in bathing togs where no-one could see me. It wouldn’t even vaguely resemble a mansion, but there would be trees and gardens and birds and beautiful places to walk through. And it would have a really functional kitchen full of all the kitchen stuff I gave away, so that I could go back to cooking for myself. There would be a big room specially for my yarn stash – all that wonderful stuff I long for as I browse the crocheting sites .. and a super large enclosure in the garden for Boodie so that he could rush about with impunity and never be in danger or likely to get bitten or catch anything horrid.
And with all the money left over I would appoint a professional to find the best and most deserving places to donate it to.
Ooo, may I come for a visit when you get that place? Sounds lovely. And aren’t you smart to think of getting a pro to help find deserving places. I hadn’t thought much beyond just a few favorite categories — nature and wildlife preserves and such, and animal rescue groups.
You took the thought out of my head. 🙂
Beautiful places nearby, I mean – not that my property would be ginormous ..
I would set aside money to travel first class and then give the rest away to my favorite non-profit groups, especially environmental ones. Maybe a new car to replace my 2009 Outback.
That’s the only way to do a lot of traveling. But there would still be a lot for those non-profits. There are so many that already do so much good with so little. Imagine what they could do with some help.
Personally, I like Bill Gates’ solution. After making sure my family would never want for basics, I’d establish a foundation with the goal of making the world a better place. That would ensure a life of interacting with interesting people while pursuing a feel-good goal.
All the little stuff that everyone mentions sounds good, but managing it could become a headache. Your idea of a personal chef, for example. Where can you find a good one who would want a career catering to a single person (an introvert, yet)? And the larger house that would entail? Other servants? You would want to ensure personality compatibility, so you couldn’t leave entirely up to someone else the details of personnel management like taxes, salaries, vacations. So you would need a personnel manager and a finance manager. How do you find people you can trust for that? First thing you know, you’re running a company.
Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t turn down the $. I guess I’m just saying that life is complicated and beyond basic needs, money brings complications. Reading the news, I think it’s evident that a lot of rich people turn to building yachts and meddling in politics. If you win $1.5B, maybe the first thing you should do is take a course in philosophy?
Yes, first thing anyone should do is hire trustworthy lawyers, accountants, etc. to manage everything. I really appreciate the way Bill Gates has gone about it. He’s one to emulate.
So many worthy causes. But of course, like you, I’d make sure family was taken care of first. My most immediate concern is a granddaughter who will be going to college in a year. Tuitions these days are absolutely obscene!!
Laudable thought, Jim: just make sure the University – sorry, College ? – is running an equally laudable course ..
That is a huge amount of money… like, how could you spend it all? I’d definitely be getting a new house with NO STAIRS and maybe another one on the beach. I think I also would be getting a driver for my car, someone to keep the house clean and meals made, and then I’d have to find a home for the rest of the cash. I’d set up a foundation for scleroderma research, and a whole bunch of money would be going to my favorite cat rescue organization. I have always donated to Food Bank of the Rockies… I guess they would be getting a huge chunk of change too. Do you think that there would be enough money for food kitchens and medical clinics for unhoused communities? I’m in a group of knitters/crocheters who produce hats and care items for people living on the streets, and it has made me more aware of the need.
Hannah and Mateo would be getting tuna for life!
Hannah and Mateo are family. And it seems pretty unanimous that we’d all take care of family first. I’m lousy with math but it seems to me that $1.5 billion would be enough to be very generous with all our favorite recipients and still have plenty left. Of course the tax man gets his share first, but still it would be far more than I can imagine.
I’m in Aurora. Our mayor has been pushing the outlawment of homeless people within city boundries. I realized after my post that I should create a foundation to fund Aurora Warms the NIght, an organization that we are also knitting for Money like that is so much that it will make more money by itself and that can be put to use in good ways.
Hannah and Mateo would be rolling in the tuna!!
Oh my, I hadn’t even thought about how that money could be used to make more money. Hence my need for an accountant.