What would you do if you won big on the lottery?

[bobthehobbyguy]

Went to the store today and saw that the powerball was 700 million. I bought one ticket. Now I get to think about all the things I could do with that money. I would help family and friends. In addition I would set up a workshop that would allow to make lots of modeling projects, and electronic projects.

[stitchdup]

Apart from many things that would probably lower peoples opinion of me (hey, i'm going to celebrate, lol) i'd take cars you wouldn't expect to my fav designers, some you've all heard of and some from entirely different styles. Maybe take liberty walk a 33 coupe and challenge them, or take a golf to kindig, the oportunities are endless and i have lots of ideas. i'd be there to support my friends too because with that kind of money why not? one thing i'd do for my local area is open a shed for the kids that enjoy cars. theres nowhere for most of them to go to work on their cars like when i was young. i already managed to get them invited to show their cars at our vintage show and its gone down well and many want old cars. the issue isn't really money, its space to work on them

[1930fordpickup]

Tell no one except the accountant and lawyer that sets up the accounts and trusts for me and my family. 

After that there would be some life changes for me. 

 

[1972coronet]

Step 1 : Leave California.

[Ace-Garageguy]

1 hour ago, stitchdup said:

...the issue isn't really money, its space to work on them

Yeah, that's where I am right now.

I'd build a nice little shop, maybe 6000 square feet clear, with an attached machine shop, maybe another 2000 square feet, with a separate paint booth and a big covered shed to store resting projects.

A smallish house with a big art studio, a great kitchen with a fireplace, a decent sized model shop, and space for an HO train layout.

Then I'd start to build everything I've been putting off for the last 5+ decades.

Edited Saturday at 11:17 PM by Ace-Garageguy

[HomerS]

Witness relocation program.....off the grid!!  

Go home and grab my two dogs (the dachshund is the wife's problem child) and out faster than the fat kid in dodgeball!!!

[Engine 51]

Buy a 1940 Ford Deluxe.

[KMcc]

I'm with Andy on this one: Sign the ticket and put ticket it in a safety deposit box. Then get a good lawyer and accountant and sit down and figure out who -what - when - where. I think you get a year to turn it in. Plenty of time to calmly and logically figure out what you want to do. People from everywhere will plead for money with their sob stories, so 'mums' the word.

I personally have no big dreams. I would just be happy to not have to worry about anything financial for the rest of my life.

[bobss396]

Definitely go wit-pro. I'd sell or give away everything I have... less the cat and model stuff.

Take care of family and my good friends forever.

Double down on a big garage, obscenely big. It should have lots of lifts and tools galore. And a big CNC machine shop to play in. Hire some really good help. Restore a few old cars.

I'd have a couple of houses in the area, possibly one with an ocean view in Montauk.

[stitchdup]

can i just add i'd have real versions of my models. theres a reason i built them how i did. now on the very slim chance i win, where can i get a 12 story glass cabinet?

[Mike 1017]

Move to Hawaii. Open a Gentlemans Club. Build a Car Museum. Give my wife 1/2 of the money and tell her C-YA have a Nice Life!!!

[iamsuperdan]

$700 million US?

Man, people would never hear from me again. Forgot the whole "living the lifestyle" nonsense. Cars and trips and living rich and hanging with celebrities and all that. Screw that. 

We'd pack up and move. I'll just have my estate in the south of England, my other house on the west coast of Vancouver Island, and a handful of old Porsches and Land Rovers in each garage. 

And healthy donations to a local children's hospital and an animal shelter. 

[JollySipper]

4 hours ago, KMcc said:

I personally have no big dreams. I would just be happy to not have to worry about anything financial for the rest of my life.

That's me, man........  

[LDO]

Buy a lot of land. Build a super efficient house. Build a Hobbit house for my brother (he would love that). Build a greenhouse the size of a football field. The middle would have a sunken area with a Koi pond and waterfall, surrounded by fruit trees. Not just a place to grow veggies and fruit; a place to get away from the real world and just relax. Some cool cars, too. Live the rest of my days in my little slice of paradise. 

[thatz4u]

I'd tell you, but then I'd have to....well you know..

[stavanzer]

Purchase Round2 Models...

That's First.

Other stuff after that.

One Hobby Car. No more.

[Jim B]

I wouldn't tell anyone, but there'd be signs.

[Rodent]

2 hours ago, Jim B said:

I wouldn't tell anyone, but there'd be signs.

"For Sale" in front of your house? LOL

[bobss396]

Imagine this... start a model company that builds what you are into. No 3D stuff. Good old styrene.

I'd have a couple of lines of stock cars, old school modifieds, Saturday night special street stocks and late models.

[bamadon]

First get dependable financial advice. Second make sure family is cared for and then my wife and I are gone to where ever we want. Being 80 and 76 we don't have a lot of time to enjoy it but we sure would try.

[vamach1]

Interesting no one has mentioned health.  Starting to see a lot of people my age (66) pass away.  Not much sense in having millions if you an are not around to enjoy it for a decade or two.  Along those lines get a trust/will.  Relatives can ge nasty over money.  As for cars, I would like to have maybe ten as maintaining them would start to feel like a chore.  I’d knock out my bucket list by age 70 if possible of places to visit.  Have a nice room for displaying model and diecast cars and of course a nice house with a separate garage and man cave.  Get a second place because my wife would not want to take care of all the cars but my two children would take over that responsibility with enthusiasm.  I meet a lot or people that like older cars and performance cars and their children could care less about them.

[1930fordpickup]

One thing I have noticed about Lottery winners that go broke. They don't look past today with spending. Just like professional athletes, they forget the money runs out. Even 750 million after taxes. 

Now a nice injection mold shop to cut new tools ran in my home country ( yours may be different) is a good thought. 

[Xingu]

Well first off, the government will take half. I will take half of my half and put in a savings account. I would take half of the remaining half of my original half and put in a checking account. The last bit would get divided between friends and family. The money in savings should generate enough interest to live on. The money in checking is enough for me to do just about whatever I would want to do. I do not need a mansion or a bunch of luxury cars. A few “driver” muscle cars and a place to put them would be just fine.

[webestang]

Pay off my house and quit my job to spend the rest of my life doing my countless hobby's. Model kit building, playing with Lego, working on my 2 current Mustang's (buy a 68 coupe and rebuild her in my way), darkroom BW photography and not have to worry about money buying stuff for my collections. 

[John M.]

I would buy a house and my all time American muscle car (A 68-69 Dodge Charger) for daily driving and weekend cruising during the summer and fall. The trusty Corolla I'll keep for the winter driving. I'd also donate a generous amount to reputable charities that help out people such as military vets and kids. The rest I'd live off of.