What would you do if you won the $370 million mega-millions?

[Herman Munster]

I would keep maybe $25 million for myself and immediate family. I figure if I invest it all in tax-free municipal bonds, I'll be able to live very very well on that the rest of my life without every touching the principal.

The rest I would probably give away to friends and family that need it. Maybe give $1 million each to the 100 people that mattered most in my life. old friends, co-workers, teachers, etc.

Maybe start up a bunch of foundationds and endowments for the rest.

$370 million is too much fucking money to spend.

[Midlodemocrat]

1. It has always been a dream of mine to start a foundation

so after making sure that everyone I loved was taken care of, that's what I would do.

Heck, I'm so sure of it becoming a reality, I've even got the business plan and all that jazz.

Can you imagine the joy of giving away that much money to people who truly need it? It would be stunning.

[medeak]

2. donate to Parkinson's research

and hopefully cure my husband

[wildbilln864]

16. PD is a terrible desease!

My wife has had it for 15 years now. It's devastating to watch and not be able to do much about it.
God bless you and your husband!

[medeak]

27. am so sorry

and believe it's just as difficult for the spouse. Sending good energy your way!

[uppityperson]

3. Is that after taxes?

Even before, even giving 1/2 to the gvt for taxes, I'd invest some somewhere somehow, give some to family, set up a foundation to distribute the rest for I don't know whom. Set it up so the interest pays for whatever it is for. Which would be a lot. Even after taxes.

I bought a lottery ticket once, figured if I were meant to win I would. I didn't.

[MurrayDelph]

8. No, that's before taxes

After taxes it would be about 9-10 million a year for the next 26 years.

And yeah, I would probably establish some sort of charitable trust, and would establish early on the ground
rules that individuals and organizations that solicit us, whether to ask for handouts, investments, or offer
advice, would be permanently and irrevocably proscribed from ever receiving (i.e, don't call us).

[TomInTib]

4. I would probably give it all away. Always have...

And I have the best everyday view of any poor man in America.

What is money?

A burden, that's what.

Weight makes for difficult flying.

[skipos]

5. I'd keep $1 million for myself and

buy hundreds of homes in Detroit, fix them up and sell them without any concern for profit. There are so many great houses in Detroit and they are going to shit. Why doesn't Dick DeVos bring his fat wallet over to this side of the state?

I have no interest in dying with a bunch of money in the bank.

[leftofthedial]

6. I'd pay my electric bill

[The Straight Story]

7. Donate 250k to DU for DU'ers that need help

and 250K directly to Du to help it grow.

Split money up with family and friends, buy a few houses probably and some cool shit, and help others.

[Colobo]

9. To be honest

I would live.... live...

[diane in sf]

10. Start a foundation to restore democracy and help with a variety

of other problems. Hire some people to help me with it. Also buy a modest house--which would cost $1M here.

[Horse with no Name]

11. Trusts for kids/grandkids

Buy myself and my mother a house, pay off debts, endow some scholarships in a couple of friend's names who have passed away, go as green as you can go, donate money to Planned Parenthood, find a few deserving kids and pay for their college, and then pursue my Nurse Practitioner license and open a free women's clinic.
That would about take care of it.

[JI7]

12. travel around the world

give some to family and friends.

try to figure out the life i want to live and what that money can sustain.

there are many stories of people who suddenly got rich and lost it all quickly. try to avoid that.

a lot will go to taxes of course.

[wildbilln864]

13. git new tars fer ma truck!

:hi:

[undergroundpanther]

14. Make a haven

An asshole free zone.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/undergroundpanther/37


In my place I would discriminate against narcissistic,psychopathic and authoritarian personalities (bullies) they would NOT be tolerated.
It would be a place where gentle creative, peaceful,freaky people could live free of all kinds of abusers, addicts, assholes, bullies, narcissists ,authoritarians, control freaks, evangelists(of any belief system) and manipulators. A place without psychopaths.

I'd buy some nice land and build a self sustaining community there and invite those who cannot cope with this fucked up psychopathic culture , but who can co exist with different people without feeling threatened and who will do their part to protect enhance and maintain the community well being, who care and who would like to live there with me and my kitties.
I'd also build a kick ass shrine/ritual area to Sekhmet there too near my house or in my backyard.To protect the area metaphysically.
Maybe have a cat rescue shelter , and art co-op there too.
And I'd have an area for outsiders to come for support groups , survival and other skills lessons that would be useful etc.All free.
And finish my FTM feline transformation.

[Kingshakabobo]

15. Turn republican, vote for the flat tax and tell you hippies to stay off my lawn!

Release the hounds!

[Warren DeMontague]

Dude, I would buy a big, bowl-shaped lawn... and a whole shitload of hippies.

Release the jam bands!

[Kingshakabobo]

21. Yeah, me too.

:hippie:

[fortyfeetunder]

17. Charity first

I know of a few non-profits that are hurting and they have helped me in the past. Currently I do a directed payroll deduction to aid these organizations. I think if I gave them 5 million a piece, they would have an endowmnent to keep them running.

As for me, remodel my humble abode, pay off bills and still keep on working....

[Warren DeMontague]

18. Move to the moon.

Ah, I'd probably do boring things with it, like battle childhood diseases, try to fight the right-wing media consolidation in this country by funding alternate voices, etc. etc. I'm sure I'd spend a little on myself.

But I have to say... as increasingly large swaths of humanity seem to turn into crazy control freaks, violent, rage-filled shitheads, and religious whack-a-doos, the moon keeps looking better and better.

[leftofthedial]

19. I'd spend most of it on broads, booze and rock 'n' roll

The rest of it I'd waste.

[FrenchieCat]

20. Buy myself a f*cking election.......

But the question is, would I have enough? :shrug:

[foreigncorrespondent]

22. GIve it to the...

...one person in this world who needs it more than me.

[roamer65]

23. Spend about 5 million having fun.

Then I'd wanna quit my job and start doing volunteer work.

[RB TexLa]

24. Drunk for a month in the Caribbean

Not much concerned with after that.

[TreasonousBastard]

25. Change my phone number.

[OneBlueSky]

26. actually, I don't even think I could consider an amount like that "my money" . . .

rather, I'd try to look at it as my being selected by the universe to manage a large amount of "financial energy" -- and to use it to help others in thoughtful ways . . .

I'd set aside a small portion to support myself for my remaining years, and probably annuities for family members and a few close friends . . . then I'd look for ways to give the rest away to organizations and individuals creatively addressing things like real human needs, environmental protection, animal welfare, and world peace . . . I'd also set up some kind of emergency fund to help people in my community who may need it . . . I'd spend my time managing the money and its distribution, but I wouldn't consider it mine -- I'd just be the caretaker . . .

[walldude]

28. Buy a radio station or a newspaper. n/t

[SmokingJacket]

29. I'd hire some people to run a school in New Orleans.

It's always been my dream to start a school... but I'd be overwhelmed by detail. I'd rather be the Big Funder.

Then I'd use a few million to start scholarships in my alma maters.

I'd buy up a shitload of endangered land, too.

That kind of money could do a hell of a lot.

Yeah, I'd keep some for myself and my families so we wouldn't have to worry about our old age.

[Beelzebud]

30. I'd buy some politicians and make them do the right thing! :D

[B Calm]

31. I would have my bare butt swatted with palm leaves by 4 half naked hula girls...

[Greyhound]

32. 1. Get the hell out of the U.S.

2. Establish a fund to facilitate the escape of others that would rather be elsewhere, but can't afford to escape. Once that is underway...

3. Spend the rest of my life in personal philanthropy, meeting people and anonymously making it possible for them to pursue their dreams.

[KansDem]

33. Establish foundations and other personal endeavors

I'd like to:

1) Establish a foundation that will provide corrective surgery for children born with birth defects;

2) Establish a foundation that will provide college assistance for children of US vets killed in Iraq War;

3) Restore my 1965 Chevy;

4) Buy a bottle of 25-year-old scotch.

5) Other considerations as the need arises...

[B Calm]

35. I use to own a 65 Chevy Malibu SS Convertible. Sold it for $100 in 1973

[KansDem]

36. Bet you wish you still had it...!

I've got a '65 Chevelle "300 Deluxe." I'd like to restore it some day but I'm afraid the rust will take care of it before I do.

I thought about having a custom bumper sticker made up that reads:

My other car was built in this century

[mentalsolstice]

34. What a wonderful fantasy

I'd keep enough so that my family and myself could live comfortably. I'm not talking about mansions, yachts, etc., just enough that house payments, utilities, food, medicine were never a worry. I'd also keep enough so that my husband and I could travel, which we love to do. I figure this would still only be a drop in the bucket. The rest of it would go into a foundation that would enable persons with mental disabilities to live as independently as possible. While giving money to find cures for certain diseases is admirable and very necessary, sometimes quality of life and independence for those suffering gets ignored. So that's where my money would be focused.

[tammywammy]

37. Ohh

I'd pay off my car and buy a house, not like a giant McMansion, but something sensible for myself. Pay off my mom's mortage. I'd give money to my cousins, aunts & uncles and set up college funds for all the little ones. Pay off my brother's mortage or if they wanted to move, buy them a house. I'd pay off all of my friend's medical school loans. I'd also give a lot away to my co-workers. I'd buy my friend Mike that fridge with the tv in it, because he thinks it's awesome.

I'd donate a lot to various charities.

I set aside a chunk of it and invest it, so I could live off interest for the rest of my life.

And finally, but probably most importantly, I'd buy my cats one of those huge carpet cat climbing things. I know they'd just love it.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

38. Buy A Big Ass House, Anything I've Ever Wanted, And Use A Bunch To Help People.

That includes ensuring future security for my children.

[B Calm]

39. Build a low-rent housing complex in my republican neighborhood.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

40. Resign from human life for six months, more or less, and then,...

,...get back to work advancing human rights every way possible.

[northzax]

41. porn, lots and lots of porn

and then when I got sick of that, more porn.

[Cobalt Violet]

42. Start a charity.

My idea would be a charity to help pay for living expenses not medical expenses.
A charity for people with hepatitis c who are too sick while on treatment to work. They don't quailify for disablitiy yet 1/2 the people undergoing treatment are to sick from it to work. Not many of us can afford not to work for a year. There is a huge hole in the saftey net. HCV is much more common than HIV but there will never be a Ryan White. Children certainly get it but don't get sick for few decade later. By then they are adults.