After sorting out friends and family, travelling around until I run out of places and partying until my pancreas is about to explode, I'd set up a record label / media production company. A lot of my friends are very talented and creative people, some make great music, some great art, some aspiring film makers and writers but apart from a few, are unable to fully devote their lives to their dreams. The idea that I'd be able to allow them to give their ambitions a legitimate shot and give them the opportunity to live their dream would be too good to pass up. After all, what is the point of having a life changing amount of money if you only change your own life? No matter how much you fill your time with ridiculous activities, there will come a point where it before habituation sets in and just seems so mundane to the point where you're going Narwhal jousting just to raise a smile. That and being at the center of all that pretty much guarantees a life of constant partying and the chance to meet all of my pop culture heroes on a more equal footing, having 'earned' the privilege more so than paying for it.
I'm not sure. I really haven't thought about it. I would get a house and fill it top to bottom with books, making a library of nothing but stuff I like. I would get my own access to the Internet. A whole trunk line (or whatever the fuck it's called) just for me. Other than that, I'd probably spend my time learning. I would hire professors to tutor me privately. I don't need college credit; just the person's wisdom is enough. I'd spend a few years on each subject, becoming well-versed in as many subjects as I can wrap my mind around. Even subjects I find strange or fluffy, like sociology and abstract art. Maybe a few years of study will change my ideas on them. After thinking about what would change about my life, I'm more occupied thinking about the things that would remain the same.
I'd gift a very meaningful amount to each of my siblings. I'd then gift an even larger amount to my parents. They don't need the money but hell, after raising us 6 heathens, putting us all through college and private schools, and maintaining a good existence for all of us, it is the least I could do. Then I'd set up trust funds for all of my nieces and nephews to pay for them to get through college and graduate school if they wanted. As for the rest? I'd like to have a nice cabin in the Appalachians as a vacation home, open to my family. I'd like to have a comfortable house and perhaps travel a bit. Once things got back to normal, I'd like to have a few children of my own. You can sure as shit bet I wouldn't tell my kids about the money, though. I have never met a spoiled rich kid that I liked.
This is corny and small timely, but if I was set for life I'd build my dream hockey rink, hire people who know how to make and maintain good ice, then open it to the public. I'd get my dream rink and be able to skate whenever I wanted, while also allowing a hockey community to develop. Once I got bored with that, which I'm sure I would, I'd travel the world in first class.
Take 1/4 of the winnings as spending money (with rest invested in low risk options) and move to America (or at least get me a holiday home there) and buy every type of firearm i can legally own. Think that crazy gun vault that was emailed around a few years ago purporting to be Charlton Hestons: http://www.hoax-slayer.com/gun-collection.shtml Stupid Australian gun laws... Id also like to become a gunsmith, im fascinated by firearms and if money wasnt an issue i think this would be my ideal hobby to keep my mind busy when i get bored rolling around in giant piles of money. Id have to do that in the states as well, pretty sure we don't have gunsmithing courses in Australia. You yanks get all the cool shit.
My friends and family would be extremely happy. I'd also want some of them to put their life on hold to do some travelling with me. Only a year or two. I'd also look after them and make sure they can all do what they've wanted to do without money being a major issue. I'd like to own my own pub/bar. That would be pretty fun I think. I'd probably also start up my own gym, and make it extremely cheaper than any other gym that would be competition. Good way to constantly meet some nice hot girls. I'd probably avoid the excess amounts of cars, but houses/apartments in various cities would be great so the travel could continue. And I'd have to get a big fuck-off boat. Totally necessary.
Isnt this the main reason many lotto winners go bankrupt very quickly? Don't get me wrong, id help out my immediate family (clear debts, mortgages etc) but friends? Might take a few traveling with me, all expenses paid, but im not running a fucking charity. Ill let them off the hook just once if they ask for money, do it again and the friendships burned. As soon as you start handing out cash willy nilly the handouts will never stop, they will feel entitled to it and probably get all pissy when you do finally refuse, that kind of money does fucked up things to people. Just like this guy: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1197081/It-happened-I-won-lottery--ruined-life.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/artic ... -life.html</a>
I've read a little about these lottery winners. It is strange what that much money does to someone. It is almost a curse, in a way. These people tend to spend it all on crazy and pointless stuff, buy huge houses, and somehow, even when they know the end of the money is coming, they can't stop their purchasing behavior. They can't scale back. So then they get stuck with a huge mortgage and car loans and go bankrupt very quickly. It boggles my mind. Everyone always has a plan but I'm sure these lottery winners did, too. That much money gotten that quickly really fucks a person up mentally. It is similar with child stars in Hollywood. Maybe slightly better, because they are working for the money in some capacity and have parents and managers, but even with that a lot of them tend to screw up their lives pretty well.
The biggest mistake is going public with it, once that happens any man and his dog can dream up some spurious claim to your money and make your life hell trying to prove them wrong, fuck that noise. The only people i would tell would be my GF of almost 10 years, my mother and my father. Even then i dont think id disclose the entire sum to anyone but the GF. No-one else needs to know how much i won, theres nothing to be gained from it except aggravation. I have a very large family on my dads side (16 aunties and uncles with countless cousins, second cousins, third cousins etc). Many of them are scumbags and my father barely speaks to any of them (hes the only one that made something of himself... he is by no means rich but hes well off and he gets asked for handouts all the time from his dropkick brothers and sisters and their hellspawn children). I dont even consider these people family, but you can bet they'd come crawling out of the woodwork at the merest whiff of a cash handout. Friends would be told i got an inheritance. End of conversation. Dont ask me for money or we are done. I have zero problem burning a friendship if that person is going to see me as some kind of ATM.
I recommend you all watch a documentary from two years ago called Lucky. It's about the effect winning a lottery has on assorted people. For some, it's brought them happiness. Others, it dropped them into a pit of hell. People address the camera directly and discuss how "angry and jealous" they are of their best friends winning with the tired "It should have been me" shticks, some use their money tirelessly to help their family, friends and community, and some piss it away and have their own flesh and blood try to kill them. Scary, eye-opening stuff. The give some crazy fun facts during the film too, like there was once an unclaimed winning ticket of I think $54 million. Yeeeeeeeeeesh.
Not that I've ever given this much thought... The first thing I'd buy is 1000+ acres that includes at least one 30 acre lake. Then I'd build a big fucking fence, electrified, and fortified with some sort of mind numbing, bowel evacuating hum to discourage intruders. And a moat. I'm not real fond of the general public. Howitzers. Yeah, I'd need a few of them, because why the fuck not? I've got a 30 acre lake and stupid money. I believe that we need to test history. What if the Spanish Armada faced the Nazis? I forgot to mention the sailing ships on my lake. I'd sit on a hill and watch a whole fucking war only Harry Turtledove could dream up. Heavy equipment? Oh hell yes. If it takes faith the size of a mustard seed to tell one mountain to move from here to yonder, that's cool. I'd rather have a big yellow track hoe because I know I can fuck some shit up better with a track hoe then hopes and wishes. My house? It'd be simple, tile floors with a drain in the middle of every room so I can pee wherever I damn well feel like it. I guess I'd also need a hose bib in every room to flush the floor. Guns? Nah, there wouldn't be any firearms or a big, fucking cement building full of ammo just waiting to be shot. Nope, I'd never have that.
I'm already pursuing the low paying career that I want. Money isn't really that big of a thing to me as long as I've got enough to support myself and my (future) family to live a reasonably comfortable life. Three things I'd do immediately with the cash are pay my parents back the money that they straight up gave me no strings attached to get a new car a few years ago, set aside enough money to buy a house on a good chunk of land (at least 10 acres) and then buy some new gear for fishing, hunting and skiing. I would also divvy up some cash to my closest friends, fortunately everyone in my family is well off to where they have no financial burden so I don't have to worry about them. I'd set up some accounts or investments so that I could pay for college for any potential children and one for my nephew as well. I don't think I would set aside enough money so that they could be set for life, what the fuck kind of father would I be if I taught my children everything would be handed to them by guaranteeing their financial security for their entire life? I'd give them a solid leg up as far as procuring an education goes and maybe a little extra, but that is it. I'd put away a few million that I wouldn't touch until I retire (admittedly an early retirement) and just give the rest away to various charities.
Instead of just giving money to friends, I'd run a small time venture capital setup. I would give them the opportunity to pitch the businesses of their dreams and I could choose to fund their startups for say a 50% ownership stake. Just because they are friends, doesn't mean I wouldn't turn down shitty ideas. I would expect well thought out projects that would hopefully produce some return on my investment, but if not at least my friends had the opportunity to pursue their own passions and give it a shot.
I quite agree, but I don't think any of my friends would be hitting me up for a handout. Former drinking buddies? Yeah, I imagine I'd be right popular again and suddenly start getting invitations to play golf again, go fishing and hunting, etc. As for siblings, I would definitely take care of my brother's family. He left a wife and 8 kids when he died 2 years ago. Even though my sister and I aren't speaking and I've never met my nephew, I'd set up a college trust for him. All of my wife's neices and nephews are finished with school except for one. I'd pick up the tab on his education and I'm sure both his sisters have massive debt from medical school, which I would wipe out. And I think it would be fun to bring all of our siblings, their kids & spouses, our parents, and my wife's two aunts and uncles that she's really close to on a trip. Like, charter a cruise ship just for us and sail the Mediterranean for 3-4 weeks with lots of land excursions. For those who can't get that much time off, join us when and where you want.
I'm pretty sure Skyello would be found floating face down in a river somewhere while Shegirl lamented about what a shame that he couldn't make it.
I spend more time than I'd like to admit thinking about this. So say it's 50 million. First thing would be to pay off my house, and the mortgage/debts of my immediate family/close cousins. Then it's travel time. First, a couple weeks in Vegas with whoever could come with, and two high-class escorts who have been tested twice. Then it's real travelling to all the places I've ever even kinda sorta wanted to go in the world. Again, with whoever could come. I would still do the back pack/hostel thing, except for when I was about to leave whichever city/country I'm in. On the last night, I would let my fellow travellers know I am actually rich, and go out with a bang, so they all have a story about that crazy rich dude who bought coke for everyone. Figure that'll go on for a couple years. I'd come back and, between more local trips, write until I got published (for something creative). As this went along I'd work with my dad to make investments/property purchases to make sure the money keeps growing. But mostly I'd write, all day everyday. Then I'd start paying off mortgages/debts for my close friends, set up trusts for their kids, and every now and then surprise one of them with a new car or pet turtle or something. Eventually, like, after a decade or more, my travels would become more about searches for property in the mountains. A good 20 acres at least of secluded mountain land, where I would start designing and building the most awesome-est house to ever exist. I would then tell my close family and friends that, if they want, they can claim a piece and build their own Fort Awesome. My dream for when I'm 45+ would be to just build more on the property with friends: spend one summer making a 9 hole golf course, another making a paintball/mountian bike course, and another doing that crane/giant liquid-filled balloon stunt like on that Mountain Dew commercial every fucking day. Beyond then, I'd create a charity and spend my 60's and up running it. Oh, and I'll probably have kids by then, so I'd buy them ice cream or something too.