Powerball WWYD

[alayne926]

Ha! I almost started the same thread!

We would pay off our house and our rental property. Pay off student loans. Put enough in the kids' college accounts that they will be set. Most likely help our parents pay off their houses so that they don't have that worry when they retire.

Then, we'd travel. DH would probably quit his job to do something that he enjoys and so he could be his own boss.

Honestly that is so much money, I don't know what else to do with it.

[beersandweirs]

In addition to the normal buy houses, travel, pay off debts, etc. husband would love to start a microbrewery and I would probably buy a bunch of property with a house for neglected animals.

[littlemissgrump]

Let's see!

We would probably get a new house, we love ours but there are some changes I would make including location. Maybe buy a beach house as well.

I think a car upgrade would be nice. Traveling like @jemomma said and making sure college was taken care of for our LO and future kids.

I think we'd try to live as we do now so a lot of the money would be used for charity. ...and now I'm remembering the business I'd like to start which is a giant kid's club and resource center. One that stays really clean!

[beersandweirs]

Jan 11, 2016 12:59:51 GMT -5 Kristykristyleelee said:

Jan 11, 2016 12:55:38 GMT -5 beersandweirs said:

In addition to the normal buy houses, travel, pay off debts, etc. husband would love to start a microbrewery and I would probably buy a bunch of property with a house for neglected animals.

OMG thats the business we would start, a microbrewery!!!

When I win the powerball, I will hire your husband as a master brewer. You're welcome.

I'll let him know, he will be so excited!

[carolyngrace]

Ok I put this on the randoms thread, but now I'm trying to really think about it. Because I'd have to do something crazy with that amount of money! Like Kristykristyleelee said, I'd take care of all of my family and close friends (pay off their debt, buy houses, etc). Also buy myself a nice car, remodel my house, etc....

I really think I'd just start a foundation and give the money away over time. My focus would probably be on education, job readiness, and small business creation for people around/under the poverty line.

The "craziest" and most fun thing I can think of is tossing out everything in my closet and doing a multi-city shopping spree. I couldn't buy that much (I'd want to keep my house, which isn't big!), but I'd want EVERY item to be beautiful and the highest quality possible. Ahhh...

[beersandweirs]

On the subject of beer brewing, husband is going to brew me a super malty oatmeal stout this weekend, you know, for the milk supply.

[Widget123]

I really don't know. I really can't imagine myself not working at all so perhaps start my own business and that would be compatible with having the luxury to travel, etc. Something with charity.

[erbear]

I can't even fathom that much money.

I have a standard "win the lottery" scenario -
1. Pay off all debts
2. Buy a nicer, bigger, yet still modest house
3. Travel the world
4. Hire a housekeeper
5. Try to have a second baby (frozen embryo transfer)
6. Set up a trust for LO (& future LOs) and my two youngest nieces
7. Donate to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
8. Buy a beach house on Tybee Island

I wouldn't want a bigger, fancier car. Well, maybe a little bigger (a Chevy Equinox instead of the Trax). Nothing ostentatious. I did joke to H that we could buy the Magic Kingdom for that money, haha.

[beersandweirs]

Oh yeah, I would absolutely start trying to get pregnant again once baby is 9 months.

[dmoney]

We were talking about this at work last week when it was 800 million. Dh and I would pay off all of our debt, each get new cars, pay off our house and get a bigger one ( we are in a townhouse with a 95 pound dog). Put a LARGE chunk away for LO's College. My boss said she would quit her job and start a charity. I really think I would come into work every day. I enjoy my job and enjoy having responsibility. My husband said he would prefer me to quit so that we could travel and so that I can stay at home with DD. Though we would probably put her in daycare still like 3 half days a week so that she can get the socialization and make friends. Other than that, i don't think I would really go crazy buying this and that. Maybe get a house at the beach so that when we wanted to go down we could.

[dmoney]

Jan 11, 2016 13:49:32 GMT -5 @bubbs119 said:

Jan 11, 2016 13:28:18 GMT -5 dmoney said:

We were talking about this at work last week when it was 800 million. Dh and I would pay off all of our debt, each get new cars, pay off our house and get a bigger one ( we are in a townhouse with a 95 pound dog). Put a LARGE chunk away for LO's College. My boss said she would quit her job and start a charity. I really think I would come into work every day. I enjoy my job and enjoy having responsibility. My husband said he would prefer me to quit so that we could travel and so that I can stay at home with DD. Though we would probably put her in daycare still like 3 half days a week so that she can get the socialization and make friends. Other than that, i don't think I would really go crazy buying this and that. Maybe get a house at the beach so that when we wanted to go down we could.

I call BS on anyone who says they would still work. I don't believe it. Unless you're your own boss, maybe?

I might not work a full 40 hours a week but I really do believe that I would still have a job.  I enjoy working, i might be crazy but yeah. 

[tiffbot]

This stresses me out. I'll have to think about it. Or not, because I live in Canada and it's not happening anyway.

[belle0720]

Jan 11, 2016 13:23:08 GMT -5 Kristykristyleelee said:

So, I just saw something on FB that is sort of mind boggling.

Powerball - 1.3 Billion

[divided by]

US Population - ~300 Million

[equals]

everyone receives 4.33 Million

Like...why can't we make this happen?

Because that math is wrong LOL Unfortunately

[kemdupuis]

1. DH and I would quit our jobs.
2. Pay off our college loan debt.
3. Pay off our parent's and siblings mortgages. Make sure they are all set for life.
4. Buy a house on the ocean.
5. Travel the world extravagantly.
6. Set aside a significant amount for B (college, wedding, house, set for life)
7. Set aside a significant amount for future children (college, wedding, house, set for life)
8. Throw a HUGE PARTAYYY
9. Set aside enough that we will be set for life.
10.. Donate millions to charities we support, research, our universities.

[belle0720]

All of the obvious things...

Pay off our house. But we'd then rent it out and buy a new house on a big lot of land with a vineyard.

Pay off my mom's house and fix it up for her.

Pay off my student loans.

Get a personal trainer and a personal chef.

Start a house flipping business/buy rental properties. Hubby and I love remodeling so this would be our jam. Plus him and his parents already have rental property investments and are very savvy at it.

Trust funds for the kids and college.

Travel, travel, travel. And of course some good shopping.

With that all said, someone in a FB group posted a question about whether you would keep it private that you had won so that you don't have every old friend knocking on your door for money. Plus apparently people have received death threats and such after winning. So I would stay anonymous. I'm sure people would hear it through the grape vine, but I wouldn't be in any newspapers or blasting about it on social media. If I win the lottery, I want to stay rich and stay alive please!

[belle0720]

Jan 11, 2016 14:14:57 GMT -5 carrots said:

Wait, belle0720 aren't you an accountant too? Gah, we're the worst.

yep! haha I saw someone post about it on facebook this morning and immediately knew it was wrong!

[belle0720]

Jan 11, 2016 14:25:49 GMT -5 madymoiselle said:

Is that right that the government takes about 50% in taxes before you see the money? So you only get about $650 millions ... that's too bad .. lol !

Joke asides, we would pay off our parents/siblings and very good friends mortgages off, or buy them houses. We would buy a house on a hill in LA with a nice view of the city and the ocean and an infinity pool, and then we would travel everywhere and help charities as we go.

Would be nice to be able to travel back home when we want and in first class, oh the dream .

I would also put a lot aside, so that we, our children and so on, can live off the interests for a long long time!

Off I go see if I can cash the money if I win, a colleague told me once you had to be a US citizen ...

YES! First class travel! Maybe even private jets!

[holliberry28]

To reiterate what a lot of people already said, I would also want to hire a full-time nanny, personal chef, and personal trainer, because, so tired always.

Pay off our debt, our families debts, buy new homes for us and our families, and put money away for college, savings, etc.

I like the idea of using the money to help save homeless animals. Possibly some sort of organization where no animals would get euthanized ever again. I know there are local no-kill shelters, but maybe something on a grander scale, if that's even at all possible.

I'd quit my job in a second but would probably would want to go to medical school. Something I'd always wished I'd done.

[hannahl201477]

Buy a new house. Not anything to massive but much larger than I could afford without powerball. Buy a house on the beach. But a new vehicle. Travel. Give some to charities. Give some to our family. College fund for my kids and nieces and nephews. I'm not sure what else.

[dmoney]

Jan 11, 2016 14:35:18 GMT -5 michyme123 said:

Jan 11, 2016 14:33:27 GMT -5 Kristykristyleelee said:

Like they fired her? Or she decided to resign?

That aspect never even crossed my mind - the idea of taking up a spot where someone else could work to earn the money they need. I can get how that could become an issue in the workplace.

This amount of money just absolutely changes someones life, in every way imaginable. Not all ways are good, either.

she was basically bullied/pressured and quit.

I think that is why I would keep the fact that I won a secret.  You dont have to publically announce that you are the winner.  I wouldnt want everyone in the world knowing who I was and the fact that I won that much money.

not sure if everyone heard but someone in MD did hit every single number on Saturday BUT the powerball number.  that person won 1 million.  Still nothing to shy away from! 

[jillywilly]

Step 1 - go to Aruba and don't come back. I'd figure the rest out from there

[belle0720]

Jan 11, 2016 14:59:50 GMT -5 budders said:

1. Pay off student loans

2. Move somewhere WARM and buy a house.

3. Travel everywhere and often

4. Have another baby (maybe even more than one since we could actually afford it).

5. Get my PhD in special Ed (sounds boring, but the only reason I haven't done this is money) and teach at the college level instead of public school

6. Help family pay off debts/gift them some money

7. Set up trust/college funds for kids

8. Invest a bunch of money

9. Donate most of the money to a variety of causes, including special needs foundations and humane animal rescue.

Oh yeah this for sure. I would for sure have at least 3 more babies. I would love to have a big family but at this point we don't know how many we would feel financially secure having. Also, the thought of my body growing and changing so many times is daunting, but if I had money for the personal chef, trainer, and brilliant plastic surgeon then it doesn't seem so scary. I know it's vain, but it's true.

[Deleted]

1. Pay off Debt
2. Set up trusts/college funds for both boys
3. Buy waterfront house in Maine
4. Buy slope side house in Telluride
5. Have a horse property somewhere and get back into the show scene from the breeding side
6. Travel
7. Donate a ton to charity
8. Pay off debt for my immediate family

[pbubblegum]

Pay a shit ton of taxes to claim the prize because Canadian.
Become an angel investor with my H.
Buy a basketball team.
Buy the penthouse we looked at today.
Travel.
Start a foundation to help refugees and children.

[erbear]

dmoney - from my understanding, you can't stay anonymous in every state if you win. PA is one of them.

[jessila]

DH buys in with his office whenever the number is ridiculous so we discussed tonight.
My number 1 is paying off my effing student loans. He said pay off all loans then we'd invest and live off of that.
I also want to do something about making clean water available in 3rd world countries. I find it absurd that it's 2016 and there are still people without access to safe water.

[carolyngrace]

Jan 11, 2016 14:33:07 GMT -5 carrots said:

I'm with you michyme123 . I'd love enough to give a cushion in our current lifestyle and allow me to stay home and help some people out but not dramatically change our lifestyle. DO YOU HEAR THAT LOTTERY GODS...I'M NOT EVEN ASKING FOR THAT MUCH!

Don't say stuff like that. I can start to convince myself that my odds are higher because I really deserve it and will do good things with it. LOL. I can't wait for wednesday night so I can stop thinking maybe I *might* win

[stinybean]

I would QUIT my job immediately! Later kids!

& then I'd get pregnant!

[wegrowsheep]

Ha, +2 to the brewery start up! DH wants to grow barley too. beersandweirs we should get together so our men can brew, lottery aside!

[dmoney]

Jan 11, 2016 19:39:33 GMT -5 budders said:

Jan 11, 2016 16:26:12 GMT -5 erbear said:

dmoney - from my understanding, you can't stay anonymous in every state if you win. PA is one of them.

New York is another.

Ahh I did not realize that.  I am in Maryland and we can stay anonymous.  I think its stupid to make people  declare that you won.