I can’t spend a Billion dollars. But I certainly would enjoy giving most of it away. And yes, I am serious.
The money would not relieve life’s stress and anxiety, it would only change it. But I would embrace the change for sure. I could get a window fixed on my house. I have some plumbing work that is over due and my truck has over 221K miles on it. Part of my front walk and driveway needs to be replaced. I could afford to get that done. The spring on my garage door broke yesterday. I need to get some drywall repaired in my garage too. This pesky job thing every day creates scheduling challenges for my charity work and child involvement. That would change. I’d like to buy my elderly neighbor (WWII Vet) a new handicap van for him and his wife. I’d get the damn street light fixed at the corner of our neighborhood. There is some landscaping in my yard and a couple of neighbors that needs to be done.
I’d also upgrade the stone in my wife’s wedding ring. I’d set my family up and do a plan for future stipen to my children. I’d set up some endowments. I’d tip no less than $100 when dining out. We’d give the rest away (discreetly). There are a couple of people that I would love to just pay off their house anonomously (good people).
Fantasy over.... back to work.
With very slight modification you’ve said it for me.
You are a great person.
I completely agree with you. All I really want in life is to buy an acreage, of about 5 acres in size, and have a garden that is big enough that I have to work for about 4 hours on it every day, probably a half acre in size or so.
Just like my grandfather.
The one thing I have learned in life is that free money makes things worse. Giving money to people changes the relationship if you expect anything in return. Suddenly, they are in debt to you.
One of my friends paid off her son and DIL’s house for them, leaving them debt-free. A few years later, they sold it and bought a bigger house, borrowing money in the process. My friend was furious because she had to also pay the gift tax. It wrecked their relationship because the gift was actually a debt.
Yes, giving most of it away would be fun and the right thing to do.
If you’re sitting on 500 Million and give away 400 Million, that still leaves a paltry 100 Million to get by on.
You could accomplish those realistic goals with a lot less money than one billion. $100,000 or so, maybe.
I’ve always thought the lottery could actually benefit society if there were multiple winners of smaller jackpots.
Instead of one person winning $100,000,000, what if a thousand bettors each won $100,000? That’s an amount with which most people could realistically improve their lives.
But....lottery bettors aren’t realists, are they? My bad.
About the same for me. I was in a discussion with some of my friends last weekend about what to do with a billion $$$.
Here is what I decided:
1. Payoff all my family’s bills/debt and setup trusts for the offspring(of course).
2. Fund a local veterans assistance center. Mostly to help dealing with the VA.
3. Give enough to the local Shriners hospital to insure no local kid EVER has to suffer because necessary medicinal services aren’t affordable.
4. Fund a legal foundation to fight the BLM/USFS.
5. Fund a foundation like the Heritage Foundation with a focus on school outreach.
I have a few more but that is my top 5.
I've been saying this for years. I'd have tons of fun giving it away to people who need a helping hand. People of my choosing.
Plus, I'd invent games. Like sitting at card table near the post office with a sign, "Win your $1000 now by answering one question correctly."
I'd ask, "What are the first seven words of the Declaration of Independence?"
What are the first three words in the preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America?"
"If it takes 7 men a total of 7 days to dig a hole, how many men and how many days does it take to dig half a hole?"
Ya know, easy ones...if you have half a brain.
This is for the big one. If I were to win a couple of million I would pay of my house, put some in a charity and put the rest in my retirement fund.
If I won the big one, I would buy a lake house, maybe double the value of my current dwelling.
Quit my job. I don’t want to be open to being sued, which is always a concern in my line of work.
Start a foundation to provide funding to a variety of charities that are close to my heart. Fund scholarships for children of veterans. Money to a variety of religious based organizations.
Take a nice vacation once a year.
Certainly no cocaine fueled visits to strip clubs, like many in the article did.
Likewise. I don't need it. I'd pay off the mortgage, put away money for college for the kids, invest in my IRA, then donate the rest to various charities. Maybe take a few trips. Would NOT quit my job.