Have you heard about the current Powerball Jackpot? It's pretty high, at an estimated $425 million for this Wednesday's drawing.
"I Wanna Be Rich" by Calloway and "If I Had a Million Dollars" by the Barenaked Ladies are just two examples of songs that encourage us to dream, and dream big...or small in the case of the Barenaked Ladies.
So...what would you do if you won? Let's not even talk about amounts, but what would you do if you suddenly had a large sum of extra money coming your way?
The first thing I would do is wait. That's right. I'd wait. All right, maybe I'd splurge with my family by going out for a celebratory dinner, but that's it. And I wouldn't spend a dime of the winnings for at least a month. We're doing okay financially. (No, that's not true. We're really not, but that's beside the point. We could afford to sink a little further while we take some time to think and plan.)
And then...
First I'd repay the people I owe.
Then I'd pay off our financial debts such as credit cards and financial aid.
And then...I'd insist that we wait some more. There are people I'd love to help, places I'd love to go, things I'd like to do...but more important that all of that is my dream of no longer needing to worry about money so that I can focus on what's really important to me: time with family and friends and time to write.
Would you keep your day job? I would, for now. Would you buy a new car? I wouldn't, but I would repair the one I have. Would you move? I wouldn't right away and then not to a place much bigger or more extravagant than where I live right now.
Now that you know what I would do, what would you do?
I would wait too. I would get a different phone number, then I would wait some more. I would pay off all my debt financial and the people that I owe. Just like you. I would not quit my day job. I enjoy the benefits way too much. I would donate a healthy chunk to my church. Then make a plan to give it all away over my lifetime. I don't really need anything, and things that I want aren't all that important or expensive.
ReplyDeleteWell our jackpots may not reach that level but the Euro jackpot has gone over £100m a few times.
ReplyDeleteIf I won I would look for a new place to live. Larger than where I am as I'd like to be able to entertain guests from the friends I've made abroad over the years. There would need to be enough ground to keep horses for my wife and to have a sanctuary. When she dies from the cancer that has her in it's grip we'll keep it going for her in her memory.
A couple of mill into a bank account with the interest going directly to charities- a different one each month, rolling over.
Buying houses for close family or paying off mortgages to take the strain out of life and enough money for family to take a holiday. Ju and I would take a cruise while the new house was being decorated.
If it came now, I'd sponsor a competition in a local paper for people over 70 to write in with memories of the area in their childhood saying a prize for the best one but really every one would win a gift voucher for £100 to help towards Christmas costs.
Time to low down then and make sure anyone in real need got a helping hand anonymously,. The more you get, the further it spreads.