I am sure by now that most of you have heard that the PowerBall Lottery jackpot is up to an unbelievable 1.3 billion dollars. Let’s all say that out loud, 1.3 billion dollars. Can you believe it? I know, it’s hard to comprehend.
So let’s see, they say the cash option is a little over $800 million dollars. Uncle Sam has to get his, so that is about half in most cases. That is still a staggering $400 million dollars. Pocket change right?
How would that impact your life? In a big way, right? You would have people you haven’t heard from in 10 or 20 years saying “hey, remember me? can I have some money?”. Obviously, you would want to take care of your immediate family, maybe a couple of very close friends, but what would you really do with the rest?
Just a few of the items that I would secure if I won are below:
- A 1970 Dodge Challenger 440 Six Pack in Plum Crazy Purple and a 2016 Dodge Challenger Hellcat Version in Plum Crazy Purple
- Decked out Motor Home so that my wife and I could travel the country.
- A piece of land to build a new house on, that I could have a custom lake built into.
- Dedicated Tour of Prince Edward Island for my wife Michelle.
- Vintage VW Van fully restored.
- Vintage Military Motorcycle with Sidecar
- I would start a scholarship fund, for my old high school Cleveland Central Catholic in Cleveland, Ohio to get scholarships to students who want to pursue careers as a Paramedic or Firefighter.
- I would want to sponsor a Blood Drive through the American Red Cross with my site A Medic’s World.
- Batman Arcade Driving Game
- And obviously a good lawyer, and financial planner.
So what would you do if you won? What crazy adventures could you see yourself taking? What would be the first thing that you would do. Have you bought any tickets, or plan to buy any by this Wednesday?
Good Luck to all of you, but I do hope I win. Don’t take that personally, I love and adore you all. But, you know I have to root for myself. 🙂
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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I would move back to Long Island & build three “Mega Hospitals” in Suffolk County, one in between Melville & East Farmingdale on Rt. 110, one in Ronkonkoma at the Rail/Air Transportation Center & one just west of Riverhead adjacent to the LIE (495) all replete with several hospital based ground medic units, fast response Dauphin choppers & corporate style air transport jets.
Minimum unit staffing: 2 ex military vet combat paramedics & 2 EMT/driver/pilots
4-10 hour shifts (Overtime to accrue after the 10th hour daily) to adequately cover shift overlaps during busy hours with 3 full 72 hours off
Pay, benefits & pension package well above the existing professional standard
With everything else historically overworked, underpaid & unappreciated EMS professionals could only dream of what they so rightly deserve & more.
Been there done that and to all thanks for reading & have a very happy & safe weekend.
I don’t mind taking a bullet in the chest from the very people who’s lives I’m committed to save….what I do mind is taking a bullet in the back from the very people who pay me to follow their orders.
I would buy a house with a huge fenced yard for my dogs 🙂
if I was going to win all the money, here’s what I would do with it
Take a part for me so I would not worry until my dying day
Give a part to my parents
Try to invest useful / wise and to try help other people that really need it
Hire a lawyer, an accountant, have the lawyer pick it up and try to remain anonymous and continue to live life as normal for another month or so. Put in bank.
Once the hype has settled, split the winnings between myself and my 2 coworkers (who all promised we wouldn’t fuck over one another by quitting. We’re going to all quit together.).
Pay off my car, pay off house, pay off student loans, any credit cards.
Take a vacation, buy a new laptop, begin writing and/or drawing as my “job”.
I’m sure I’d also make fun, frivolous purchases, too.
Maybe move to an island or somewhere more Southern, if i stay here, get a new house with secret passageways, a library and an indoor pool, Addams Family Pinball game, all the tv show box sets that I haven’t picked up, a ghost writer and an additional artist for when I’m lazy as balls, or maybe I would just disappear.
And I’d start a catch and release spay and neuter truck for area abandoned cats, give the current neuter truck a donation budget so that they can neuter and spay low income animals for free rather than the already cheap $40 they charge. And I do think it would be fun to leave one time ridiculous tips for people. Buy pancakes, give them $1000 tip.
I bought tickets before and will for a group of us at work this Wednesday. I would help my family first, and then setup a non profit foundation to help homeless families and battered women.
My splurge would be a trip to Italy and Sicily where my grandmother was from.
I would also like to visit the 10 or so states I have never been to here in the US.
I would take my hubby to Meecham(?) auctions to buy a vintage car (nothing stupid expensive though!)
I am honestly so tired of working hard and getting nowhere that I would love just not to work and spend my time helping other people.
That sounds awesome Debbie. And yes Mecam auctions has some nice cars, let him pick! Good Luck, and thanks for commenting. Have a great day! ~Tom
Hold myself ransom in my own home until I finally get over the shock and figure out how I am going to play with people’s heads
Sounds like a great idea! Good Luck, have a great day! Thanks for your comment. ~Tom
I would also love to travel the country in an RV. My boyfriend could quit working. I would pay for my kids college. I think the best thing would be to be able to buy pretty much any house we wanted. My boyfriend mentioned yesterday about wanting to start some type of no-kill animal shelter in our area as well. The possibilities make my head spin and if I think too much about it I get disappointed when I realize that it didn’t happen and likely never will. Lol.
I love the animal shelter, I too would want to save as many dogs as I could! Traveling is definitely on top of my list as well! Good Luck, and have a great day! ~Tom
Half would go to a good charity immediately; I’d research it, probably St. Jude’s Hospital for Children. I’d give 5 million to one of my friends who has a disabled child and needs all the help she can get. With the rest (which I’d take in a lump sum), I’d move us out of this shitty apartment, and buy a townhouse in Manhattan (where my brother has always wanted to live). I’d get the best medical care for my mom, with a live-in RN 24/7. I would also set up a program for women getting out of prison, so they can learn a decent skill, and not have to go back to selling meth…and themselves. I don’t want a car (we can’t drive, anyway), or fancy clothes, or jewelry. My current 19″ TV is just fine for me, too. I just want to feel safe and comfortable, with my mom and brother. You know what, Tom? It’s true, money can’t buy happiness….but it CAN buy OFF a lot of unhappiness.
That is true Sandy. Thanks so much for your comment, I love having you here, and it would be nice if you could accomplish some of those things. Have a great day! ~Tom
I’d do all I could to prevent myself from living the horror story that so many winners end up in! LOL
But really, I’d like to pay off our home, as well as the homes of our families. A trip to Disney World would be essential. 😉 And I’d love to just pay off things for random people anonymously. I think that would be my favorite part.
After I set my three daughters and I up for life and gifting my sister’s family, I’d work on starting up a new rescue. I had my own dog rescue for about a year – rehomed 36 dogs I pulled from kill shelters, vetted, and found loving homes for. However, between lack of funds and lack of help, I just wasn’t able to keep it going. If I win the lottery, I’d look into buying a huge farm that I could get zoned for rescue. I’d put in a number of buildings and even a house for me and something like some duplexes or quads that I’d let rescuers working for me to live. With the huge jackpot right now, I’d be able to make nice donations to a lot of other rescues and other charitable organizations. I can’t even imagine how many animals and people I could help.
Sounds like a great plan Linda, thanks so much for your comment, and if you win, I hope you get to do all of those things. Don’t forget about me? k? 🙂 ~Tom
Buy my children all a home
Buy a decent family house
Pay off my parents’ and siblings’ mortgages to help them get financially stable
But a couple of investment homes in the area for passive income.
Get a financial planner to help us work out a good investment plan for the rest.
There may be a few extras between 3&4 (such as a second car, possibly choosing the community we want instead of staying where the jobs are, etc.
That being said, we didn’t buy a ticket 😉
Thanks for the wonderful comment. Love having you stop by. Sounds like a great plan. Well, Wednesday is the next drawing. $2 for one chance. Have a great day! ~Tom
If I won the lottery:
I’d buy property and build a new church on it.
I’d buy property and build some retail property shops with profits to go to the church.
I’d buy some real estate to build our own house on for our family.
I’d set up some women’s shelters to give a helping hand to women and children going through tough times.
I’d set up a way for these women to get training so they can support themselves.
I’d set up a fund for the women and children to move on into their own places.
I’m sure there are other things I would do, but these are the things I dream about.
These are all awesome things Gina. A very nice list indeed. Hope you get the chance. Thanks so much for your comment, and have a great day! ~Tom
Pay off depts, cancer society, other catastrophic illnesses
That sounds wonderful. I so hope you get a chance. Good luck! ~Tom
Ok, I really like the purple challenger! lol I want a July 64 Mustang and then I want to wrench on it and boar + blueprint the engine, roller rocker everything 😛 I love the sound! lol The lawyer and financial planner are a must, give me just a little a month to live on and that is that! Giving anonymously would be big for me too 🙂 Tell ya what, I hope we both win, that amount, I will gladly share!
Thank you! I love it too. Just hope to own one again one day! I had a blue 74 Challenger (it was cursed) while I was in the Army. I still miss that one too. I actually like the 64 Mustang. I am really a Mopar Person, so hard to switch sides, but that sounds pretty good. Sharing is okay! Good Luck, thanks for the comment. ~Tom
I’d spend a good portion of it making my fiancé, kids and our immediate families comfortable and secure. Then, I’d invest in a couple of businesses (including the private service that I work for). Then take a long, much deserved vacation. The rest would go to a few little pleasures, living out my days comfortably and put up for the kids.
That sounds like a great plan Glenn. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts and being part of A Medic’s World. Have a great day! ~Tom