Molly of Return of the White Robin is our Fun Monday hostess for this month! She asks: In the spirit of an early television show, The Millionaire, in which a fabulously wealthy man gave away a million dollars anonymously in every episode, imagine that you are the recipient of a large sum of money, say 10 million dollars (to account for inflation). Tell us what you would do with the gift and how would your lifestyle change.
Well, first I’d be singing this at the top of my lungs. Sorry I can’t really post the video, but I’m hoping the link will work anyway (if not, search Bare Naked Ladies ‘If I had a million dollars’ on youtube)–it’s a very catchy tune!
Okay as to the money: not surprisingly, the first thing I’d do would be to faint, most likely. I’d consult a financial planner and invest most of it in something extremely safe that gives me the interest to either A. live on or B. donate to worthy causes. Our will would be written immediately. Then I’d find out the payoff on my house and pay it off. Then I’d have my husband call the construction company we used and have them rip the entire upstairs out, get good insulation sprayed in there, and have them fix it back up to how it is now. Paint and all. I’d have the driveway paved, too. In the meantime I’d find out how to pay off my mom’s mortgage and do that, pay off our car, and give my husband freedom to pick whichever vehicle he wants, but he only gets one, that’s the catch. I’d probably put in a wall oven, too. Oh and a stupid tractor so my hubby could mow and push snow, because that’s definitely on the list!
We’d go ahead and set up college funds and trust for our kids’ future.
To be honest, my needs are really pretty simple: happy, healthy, content family. I don’t think I’d really want my offspring knowing that we were ‘rich’ so to speak. I really don’t. I’d prefer to hide that as much as possible. There’s something to having ‘enough’ versus struggling. Having ‘plenty’ is something different altogether. I went to school with plenty of kids who had ‘plenty’ and it didn’t do much for their behavior.
Our gifts at Christmas and birthdays would probably be a little richer for family and friends, but not extreme. I wouldn’t loan anyone money or do anything like that. If it wasn’t my idea, forget it. That’s not to say we wouldn’t give to causes and so forth, but like now, I’d have to feel moved in order to hand out money, no matter how much I have. So for instance, I have a few causes that I believe in, churches that I give money to, and they’d probably get ‘more’ but I wouldn’t go giving money to people I don’t know, strangers who come out of the woodwork, long lost cousins, or relatives I don’t get along with. If I saw a need in my nuclear family, would I fill it? Probably–but not excessively. But again, I’d have a really hard time giving money to people who treated me badly when I was poor, if that makes any sense. Is that wrong? Maybe. I don’t know. What do you think?
Your use of the money sounds reasonable to me. I would also turn down anyone who approached me with hands out, be they friends, family or organizations. I would give where I saw a need and it would be my choice. Try to browbeat me and you are OUT.
I’m sorry you’re still having so much trouble with your insulation! Does it make your second story unuseable?
Common instincts with most people who receive a windfall of unexpected cash–want to see that your home is secure and comfortable and then think about future of loved ones. It is luxurious to think that you could just pick up the phone and settle some of the nagging problems you have–like new appliances, faulty construction.
I feel as you do… not to be so extravagant that it effects the growing characters of the people I love.
HEY! I happened to read an old post from a fun Monday before your baby arrived — and you commented about wondering if you would feel suddenly like a mother with all the motherly instincts etc. I smiled.
(My cataracts made it difficult to see your comment click spot. I forgot to put in my list that I would get caratact surgery now – instead of when the insurance company decides they can pay for it.)
Jill, Thanks for playing this Big Money Fun Monday. I am sorry that I messed up Mister Linky.
I like your approach to handling the large amount of cash with an emphasis on a happy, healthy family. I think that you may be right that some struggle is worthwhile for growing kids.
I love this. I think my actual money dream is not millions but “enough”. Enough to do what I want when I want but not so much that it makes me not me, if you know what I mean. Thanks for playing.