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Bloviating Zeppelin: If You Won The Lottery

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Sunday, December 03, 2006

If You Won The Lottery



In the comment section of my last post, Sues indicated that if she won the lottery she'd quit her job and leave Fornicalia, which she called Mexifornia. That got me to thinking:

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Let's say, perhaps, $20 million dollars?

With that figure in mind, I have a few questions:

  • Would you stay at your job for a period of time?
  • What would you immediately do with your money?
  • What would you do with the rest?
  • Would you stay in your current home or town?

BZ's ANSWERS:

Yes, for a period of time I would continue working my job; I would also do my level-headed best to ensure that my winning the lottery was not made public, nor would I mention it to family or friends until I was in a fiscal and mental position to handle the flak, hysteria and complications that would inevitably result.

What would I expect?

First, some amount of media coverage. My inclination, because I was the media years ago, would be to put them on Ignore Mode. However, they would publish and/or portray whatever they wished anyway and one must expect contacts from not only family but the outside world as well.

I would envision family members who'd never given me the proverbial "time of day" to come out of the woodwork, leaving tearful pleas on my home and cell phone. I'd have friends I'd not spoken to in years clogging my voicemail as well. Throw in total strangers with offers of "making more millions" and I'd have a thoroughly confusing conglomerate.

My reaction? I'd ignore everyone except those who are actually meaningful to me. And I'd take care of me and my immediate family first. First long-term move: begin to investigate the appointment of a professional and competent personal financial counselor/attorney, as I am not an Economics or Accounting major. I would do this sub rosa; making my own inquisitions and sending out my own feelers.

Second: I'd put a roof on my fiance's home, buy her a new vehicle, and make sure her mother was overseen and taken care of. I'd pay off a portion of my own home -- but not completely.

I would also spend a few dollars on my own one immediate whimsy purchase: I'd buy a brand new 2007 GMC Yukon Denali SUV with every feature and appointment imagineable. Why, you might ask? Because GMC is domestic, it would be one clearly conspicuous purchase, and I've always wanted to be amongst the few who could sit high, display their conspicuous consumption, and afford something of that order with leather, luxury, a huge engine and no worries about size or fuel. My vehicles have historically always, always been small, thrifty, inexpensive, and much less than luxurious. Screw that now. I'd splurge for this one purchase.

And that's where my immediate purchases would stop until I stood back and got a Global view and prognostication of where my funds would be in three years, five years, ten years, and so on. $20 million dollar sounds unlimited; in today's world I suspect it is quite not.

In a longer view, I would consider moving to the Pacific Northwest where the area combines three of my favorite venues: lower temperatures, pines and the ocean. I would leave my home town of Sacratomato behind and consider the Jenner, Mendocino, Ft. Bragg, Bandon or Astoria areas.

What would you do?

Answer these questions:

  • Would you stay at your job for a period of time?
  • What would you immediately do with your money?
  • What would you do with the rest?
  • Would you stay in your current home or town?

I'm going to leave this post up for a few days because I really want to hear what readers of this blog have to say about sudden and overwhelming fortunes. How would you handle it, and what would be your reaction to this newfound wealth?

BZ

7 Comments:

Blogger bigwhitehat said...

Eventually, I would quit my job and manage that money full time.

Sun Dec 03, 07:17:00 PM PST  
Blogger Fish-2 said...

Being retired the first question goes unanswered.

The only immediate thing I would do would be give a chunk of money to each of the four kids, maybe a hundred thou each to help them out.

I don't think I would move from here but I might do a few things I'd not otherwise allocate funds for (ride the American Orient Express, maybe a cruise ship across the Atlantic).

I'd probably put a good chunk of it in secure accounts but I'd probably do a little investing in stocks.

Sun Dec 03, 09:11:00 PM PST  
Blogger Gayle said...

Very good questions, BZ. They give people a lot of food for thought. I won't answer them lightly, I promise.

First question: My husband and I are retired, but we've never worked so hard in our lives. With 80 Acres, and running a Farm and Nursery, we would hire help. Which sort of answers the second question.

We would immediately hire help.

Next, we would set up trust funds for our children and grand-children, and donate a large portion to our church and favorite charities, and arrange for a very elderly friend to live in one of the best assisted living homes in Texas.

Would we stay in our current home town? It's not our home town; it's our chosen "home town." The answer is yes, but we'd have enough to hire a groundskeeper and rent a cabin up north somewhere during the winter so I could see snow again!

I agree that I wouldn't be advertising it. That would be too stupid!

Now, having said all of that, there's no chance we will ever win the lottery because we don't even play it. Neither of us believe that being rich makes for a happy life. Sometimes being rich can destroy happiness. We see it all the time with those who have more money than they know what to do with. People have a tendency to be jaded all to quickly. I think it's better to live off of the results of your efforts. It gives one so much more satisfaction than a sudden windfall.

Sun Dec 03, 10:01:00 PM PST  
Blogger Dionne said...

Wow, to dream!! I would probably continue homeschooling for the year. Then I would pay to put my kids in Christian school and use the money to pursue some interests to help me find a career in radio/politics.

I would invest a lot of the money to make sure it never ran out. I would give a fair share to some charities. And I wouldn't move to a luxurious home but a nicer one than the one I'm living in now.

Sun Dec 03, 11:02:00 PM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

BWH: but, would you stay where you are, or even stay in Texas? And if not, where would you consider moving? Would you even leave your new house?

Fish-2: I've taken 5 cruises and I'm addicted. I'd do some of that too!

Gayle: that's clearly my primary problem; ya gotta play to win and I seldom think of purchasing a ticket. In Fornicalia, the closest I've ever gotten to the 6 magic numbers was a mere 2 magic numbers.

LMC: heck, with the cash you could almost guarantee a slot of airtime at whichever local station you wished! With your talents you could become syndicated! But would you still stay in your town?

Thanks folks! Keep responding! Things like this are fun to read.

BZ

Mon Dec 04, 11:53:00 AM PST  
Blogger Dave said...

I'd be gone before the dust even settled! Me, the dogs, and maybe the wife. Nice little fishin' hole I'd be setting up on. I'd also be gone so fast that the parasites wouldn't have a chance to latch on.
Me, cynical? Never!

Mon Dec 04, 10:18:00 PM PST  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Thunderstick: ah, refreshing honesty!!

BZ

Tue Dec 05, 01:09:00 PM PST  

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