[Vulcan F-40]

Dear Comrades,

If your lottery numbers came up what would you do? For example, what car or cars would you acquire, or boat, plane . . . . . . . I am thinking that the win would be circa five million pounds.

With kind regards,

Vulcan

[t1fosI]

Dear Comrade Vulcan,

I feel compelled to answer this question having just had this Saturday last in my possession a prized token from Camelot in the form of an allegedly 'Lucky' Lotto 'Lucky Dip' with a non-tradable market value of GBP1.

Unfortunately said token was not 'Lucky' as alleged and I am therefore currently not in possession of the exchange value of the allegedly 'Lucky Dip' token which should at the very least have been 5 million smack-a-roonies! As a gentle aside - it is fair to conjecture at this point that one would just love to smack-a-wayne-rooney, but that is another discussion.

So, should I today be in the possession of this colossal amount of wonga than I would almost certainly buy a barn, yes, a very big barn. This barn would be used to house my collection of thorougbred horses and as I am not accustomed to being surrounded by horses of an equine nature, unlike your good self, I should almost certainly ensure that these horses be of the prancing variety AND most used to a diet of liquid petroleum.

Like Santa Claus and his reindeer, these thoroughbreds being so dear to me would also have charming names. I have nominated to call them as follows

Effifty
TOO 88
Toof Ifty Geetee (affectionately known as 'California')

I would also endeavour to provide homes for other members of the family as and when it was permissable.

To ensure an "International flavour' one would also seek to include some German breeds from stables such as Mercedes - the SL55, from the Porsche fold it would be the 997 Targa 4S and from Volkswagen, the Touareg V10, the latter to be used as an every day 'work' horse. From England a Bentley Azure and from the Ford Stables is Detroit, Michigan USA a 'Shelby' GT500 Mustang, and perhaps a GT40 to enjoy the races at Le Mans.

There would of course be others, but these would form the basis of my modest adventure. Should finances permit I would locate my modest barn in a position with an agreeable climate and to ensure the horses are exercised regularly there would also be a small, but challenging circuit around the perimeter.

Live Long And Prosper.
.

[Basosz]

Several Fiat 500's !!

The rest would go into a house with a GIGANTINORMOUS book case to put in all my newly aquired Star Trek books

[the head]

Spyker C8 Spyder
288GTO or 250SWB
Maserati Ghibli SS
Lambo Muria SV

I think that would do it for now maybe a new boat...no planes yet as I don't even start my pilots Lic until summer

[Louis355]

360 Challenge Stradale for the racing moods
550M for trans european travel
250 GTE for the classic expercience & good taste

F40 / F50 will be on the shopping list too but with 1.92 cm fitting can be a problem (probebly I'll spend the rest on getting shorter )

[JazzyO]

5 million pounds? What a paltry winnings!

OK, if we must.

1. An awesome classical house (old, mediterranean) in the sun with a large garage. (1 mil for a 50% downpayment)
2. Fill the garage with a Bugatti T-35, my 550, a 250 GT Lusso, a new F430 Spider, a 365 Berlinetta Boxer, and a 275 GTS spider. (1 - 1.5 mil)
3. Use the rest to become the next Warren Buffet (but younger!).

I would spend most of my year being a wildlife photographer, interspersed with Bacchanals and historic racing.


Onno

[archiegibbs]

Give it all to charity.

[Basosz]

I forgot something. I would participate in what is left of the Dakar Rally !

Or start my own rally. I want to drive through the unmeasurable desert with a 4x4

[stile - alpine]

I wouldn't dare to do anything for at least a year, I'm aware that I'm imature and I'd probably regret if I spent that money with something stupid.

Yes, I'm ZERO fun! hehehehehe

[Night Life]

Originally Posted by stile - alpine

I wouldn't dare to do anything for at least a year, I'm aware that I'm imature and I'd probably regret if I spent that money with something stupid.

Yes, I'm ZERO fun! hehehehehe

Funny you said that , Of course we all at one time or another imagine winning the lotto and it's funny on how the things I would have done years ago I would not do know the funny thing is that I was probably more mature and centered in my 20 than I am now and I would have done like Alpine said put it away for a year, NOW

After I have seen many people not enjoying life and being discouraged with there jobs and such I would say F that and go nuts...

Not that I don't do that now.. how does that saying go 40's is the new teens

[Pete04222]

5 million pounds probably wouldn't change my life all that much. Not enough to retire on at my age. I'd pay off the house, new truck for me, new Mercedes for the wife, maybe a new Ferrari and then invest the rest. We have talked about this before and I think $20 million is the amount that would be a life altering event for me.

[Vulcan F-40]

Dear Comrades,

Most interesting and varied responses. I particulalry capped the amount of the win at five million pounds as I believed this would be sufficient to really change the recipients way of life. However, it would seem that this may not be the case. This does actually surprise me. Some say that it would even be insufficent to retire on. I am actually disappointed that five million pounds (ten million dollars) is no longer perceived by some as not only insufficient to be life-changing, but not nearly enough to retire on. Surely it cannot be so that ten million dollars judiciously invested would not provide an income that would cater for a very satisfactory way of life?

With kind regards,

Vulcan F-40

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by Pete04222

5 million pounds probably wouldn't change my life all that much. Not enough to retire on at my age. I'd pay off the house, new truck for me, new Mercedes for the wife, maybe a new Ferrari and then invest the rest. We have talked about this before and I think $20 million is the amount that would be a life altering event for me.

I am in the same boat with Pete. Not much would change. When I did the math not to long ago, $25 mil was the base`"safe" amount needed to retire at my age without any worries about lifestyle etc. This was based on a 2.5% aftertax income stream, land taking into account the need to continuing to grow the principle at the same rate as inflation.

The numbers are quite shocking when you sit down and run them.

[Basosz]

Originally Posted by Boxer

I am in the same boat with Pete. Not much would change. When I did the math not to long ago, $25 mil was the base`"safe" amount needed to retire at my age without any worries about lifestyle etc. This was based on a 2.5% aftertax income stream, land taking into account the need to continuing to grow the principle at the same rate as inflation.

The numbers are quite shocking when you sit down and run them.

That is just weird. When I do the math, and assuming I keep the lifestyle I have today, I wiould be very much more that OK with 5 mil. Then again... I spend very little money on things that are imortant like food and housing.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by Basosz

That is just weird. When I do the math, and assuming I keep the lifestyle I have today, I wiould be very much more that OK with 5 mil. Then again... I spend very little money on things that are imortant like food and housing.

Two key words:

- lifestyle
- obligations

[archiegibbs]

5 million GBP would change my life, but not enough to give up work. Although I would work for myself rather than lining someone elses bank account.
I've spent the last 24 years working in the property and finance industry - it's pretty crap at the moment and unlikely to improve in the next 12 months, so I guess I'd do something completely different. At least if I had 5 million behind me, the pressure to make a good income would be off, and I could do something I enjoyed and got real satisfaction out of instead of something that pays the bills.

..oh and yeah, I'd buy an F40 too, possibly a 360 CS and a couple of quality daily drivers/SUV's, and a bigger house with a garage big enough for the cars. About 1.5 - 2.0 mill would be spent, I'd try to save the rest and live of the interest.

[Andrew]

Originally Posted by Vulcan F-40

Dear Comrades,

If your lottery numbers came up what would you do? For example, what car or cars would you acquire, or boat, plane . . . . . . . I am thinking that the win would be circa five million pounds.

With kind regards,

Vulcan

With $10 million it would be easy:

1. $4 million gone to taxes (Uncle Sam sucks), that leaves $6 million

2. $3 million would go to a friend at Merrill Lynch with strict instructions to never lose it and to grow it to $6 - $8 million in 5 years. (a bit aggressive perhaps).

3. Another $1 million would go to the same guy and I'd try to spend only the interest from each month for living.

4. Another $1 million would be used for entrepreneurial ventures, I'd pour several hundred thousand into this site etc.

5. The remaining million would be fun money, I'd put a 40% down payment on a house in SF, probably North Beach or Cow Hollow. Let's say $500k. Then I'd buy at least 3 cars, an F355, Z4 or similar and a 308.

[t1fosI]

I have to say guys GBP5 Million would change my life, I mean cars and barns aside I think one thing is that in the UK what you win is tax free (about the only thing that is) so you would get your $10m in full and in one shot. Then you need to find your tax haven and manage your investments and I think that you would get a reasonable return, but also what one considers reasonable obviously depends on, as Boxer notes, lifestyle and obligations. I agree that it is not necessarily enough to retire on (especially at 36!).

I think in reality I would take a page out of Stiles book, pay off the loans on the family business and then take a few months holiday to think about it. I would not stop working as I enjoy it, but I would do something different - use my education more. I know above all else it would give me the freedom to help those close to me and to ease their burdens in life and for that alone it would be enough

However I have to say I am not holding my breath! I am sure there are easier ways to earn 5 million quid - I just haven't figured it out yet!!

But you know what, it is amazing how many people do hold their breath - standing in the queue on a Sat afternoon to spend the occassional quid (aka GBP1) on a lucky dip witness the people who come in and religiously part with 20 or 30 pounds (and more) on lottery tickets and I am amazed - for some it is a serious addiction

Now! where am I going to put that barn - I suppose Monaco is out of the question? too poor hahaha! What about the Bahamas? Do they have hurricanes? You would think it was easy!!

[Magnum6464]

At 5 million, the same as Pete, but 10 million…I would still work because it’s easy to go broke in 10 years and by then you’re out of the loop in the job you do.

If I won 10 million, I would invest 5M; if it was 20M I would invest 15M and lock another 2M for my daughters. Spend 2.5 million on the house, furniture, land, garage and cars. The last half million and my regular paycheck would be for regular bills, food, taxes, hydro, cable, phone, insurance, trips, gas etc…

5M in the bank in an ING account at 3% is 150K per year and 15M at 3% is 450K in interest. Not too bad, but with that kind of money I wouldn’t want to gamble too much on investments so to me an ING account would be good enough for me.

I would buy a house on a 40-50 acres lot 30 mins away from town (here after 5 mins out of town, your in rural areas). In rural areas, land is pretty cheap when it’s non commercial, and not attached to any neighborhood so basically all those acres are about twice the price as one lot in town. I would build a nice 7000-8000 sq foot bungalow. The entire rear of the house, I would lower the land to the basement level and attached to the house in the yard would be an in ground indoor pool and an outside hot tub. The driveway would also be at the level of the basement on the right of the house and lead to a 10 car garage (4 doors, 2 cars deep, 2 others explained later). So you would drive up and turn left towards the house entering the garage. As well, 2 of those doors would lead directly into the basement (2 extra for total of 10) and the tail pipes would connect to vacuum exhaust hoses that would lead car fumes outside. This is where I would park my F40 and 93 512 to look at during the winter….lol. My entire basement would be a play area. I would have a pool table, air hockey table, golf and shooting simulator, bar, dance floor (for parties), a kitchen, a movie room to watch obviously movies, satellite or video games (im an Xbox 360 freak) on a projector with multi-level sofas. In the bar I would have a few non-money slot machines, arcade games and pinball machines. I would have big poker table and on one entire length of the house two 10 pin bowling alleys.

For me my cars would be, F40, 93 512 TR, 348 (daily driver in the summer), Lamborghini Jalpa and a Yukon for the winter. My wife would want an H3, and her two Mercedes, S550 4MATIC and a SL550 Coupe/Roadster because she loves convertibles. Now all these cars would not be all bought at the same time but in the span of a year or two because it would take that time to build the house and furnish it etc…

But obviously, this is all wishful thinking and we live in the real world. I have better chances of getting hit by a bus than winning the lottery.



~

[Vulcan F-40]

Originally Posted by Magnum6464

At 5 million, the same as Pete, but 10 million…I would still work because it’s easy to go broke in 10 years and by then you’re out of the loop in the job you do.

If I won 10 million, I would invest 5M; if it was 20M I would invest 15M and lock another 2M for my daughters. Spend 2.5 million on the house, furniture, land, garage and cars. The last half million and my regular paycheck would be for regular bills, food, taxes, hydro, cable, phone, insurance, trips, gas etc…

5M in the bank in an ING account at 3% is 150K per year and 15M at 3% is 450K in interest. Not too bad, but with that kind of money I wouldn’t want to gamble too much on investments so to me an ING account would be good enough for me.

I would buy a house on a 40-50 acres lot 30 mins away from town (here after 5 mins out of town, your in rural areas). In rural areas, land is pretty cheap when it’s non commercial, and not attached to any neighborhood so basically all those acres are about twice the price as one lot in town. I would build a nice 7000-8000 sq foot bungalow. The entire rear of the house, I would lower the land to the basement level and attached to the house in the yard would be an in ground indoor pool and an outside hot tub. The driveway would also be at the level of the basement on the right of the house and lead to a 10 car garage (4 doors, 2 cars deep, 2 others explained later). So you would drive up and turn left towards the house entering the garage. As well, 2 of those doors would lead directly into the basement (2 extra for total of 10) and the tail pipes would connect to vacuum exhaust hoses that would lead car fumes outside. This is where I would park my F40 and 93 512 to look at during the winter….lol. My entire basement would be a play area. I would have a pool table, air hockey table, golf and shooting simulator, bar, dance floor (for parties), a kitchen, a movie room to watch obviously movies, satellite or video games (im an Xbox 360 freak) on a projector with multi-level sofas. In the bar I would have a few non-money slot machines, arcade games and pinball machines. I would have big poker table and on one entire length of the house two 10 pin bowling alleys.

For me my cars would be, F40, 93 512 TR, 348 (daily driver in the summer), Lamborghini Jalpa and a Yukon for the winter. My wife would want an H3, and her two Mercedes, S550 4MATIC and a SL550 Coupe/Roadster because she loves convertibles. Now all these cars would not be all bought at the same time but in the span of a year or two because it would take that time to build the house and furnish it etc…

But obviously, this is all wishful thinking and we live in the real world. I have better chances of getting hit by a bus than winning the lottery.



~

Dear Comrade Magnum6464,

An excellent and very well detailed post and far better than many of the other respondents some of whom perceive £5,000,000 ($10,000,000) dollars as almost derisory! I hope your numbers come up as it would certainly materially change your life and in a hugely positive fashion and in a manner that would provide great fun, relaxation and wonderful entertainment - great!

With kind regards,

Vulcan