So, you've won the Euromillions. But, covid. What do you do?

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

You can't go out and celebrate. You can't immediately run off on holidays to have a relaxing think about it all, which was always my plan. You can't throw a big party, you can't even invite close family members over to tell them in person. What do you do?

(for the purposes of the exercise, you're high risk and therefore can't just throw caution to the wind, break all the rules and not care about the fines)

You can still move house, so I'd do that. I'd choose one with a swimming pool!

I've chosen it already, and yes, it has a pool

It seems possible to travel anywhere if you have enough money.

The same thing i would have done pre-covid to be honest - panic, then spend a few days in denial dithering between looking at hyooge houses on Rightmove, and panicking about picking the right financial adviser

Oh, and having endless arguments with DS (8) about why he can't have and drive his own Ferrari now.

Definitely buy a house, pay off debts, buy a new car. Apart from that maybe lol at holidays for next year

Ive won enough that the rules dont apply to me.

Bye bitches im buying an island and fucking off

If we’re talking the £130m megabucks I wouldn’t tell anyone anyway. People get weird about money so I’d lie about the amount, admitting to just enough to explain the sudden upgrading of my house and car.

I guess I’d order a pizza from Papa Johns and sit on the cash until restrictions are lifted

Buy a massive house / land to build my own house. Buy new cars. Register my daughter at private school (she’s only 2.5 right now). Send my family elaborate presents. Start planning incredible travel. I would manage 😂

Pay off my mortgage. Look at my bank balance daily to check I wasn't dreaming. Think about what I might spend it on.

It would probably not be bad timing as it would mean I'd be less impulsive!

Yeah, the planning holidays could fill months, it's my favourite hobby anyway, and I've never tried it with a virtually unlimited budget. I've just been pricing up private jets - I'd never travel economy again, that's for sure!

Weirdly, we were just talking about this at dinner! We'd give parents and siblings a big cash handout, so they could pay off their mortgages and all their debt and still have some left. We'd get builders in to renovate our house, then we'd rent it out, we'd buy a new, bigger house, new cars, hire a housekeeper, give to charities... we'd be sooooo good at being filthy rich 😂😂 We'd book Disneyland for all our families and close friends for next year too.

Buy a lovely 4 bed Georgian detached house with large south facing garden and orangerie

Buy some land nearby

I'd tell my family to make them jealous but wouldn't give them any money

Lockdown gives the perfect excuse to not tell anyone yet so lots of planning. Find a decent house, we can't fly so wouldn't be a big grand holiday anyway - one house in England and one in Wales would be fine

I have a house with a pool in mind, too. I’d get a local family firm of workmen in to refit the kitchen and bathrooms to my taste before I moved in and feel happy I was supporting the local economy.

Dh and I would both give notice at work and buy a couple of lockdown puppies safe in the knowledge they wouldn’t be neglected when lockdown was over.

Private island somewhere until I get bored - then throw a load of money at Claridges/Ritz so they'd let me rent a whole floor with a Covid -tested butler while I fret over the unavailability of Georgian rectories in central London/Paris/New York #1stworldproblems.
Deliveries from Michelin * restaurants instead of takeaway curry.
I'm sure I could find ways of amusing myself.

My DH and I had this chat a few days ago.

Plan, plan and plan even more!

But the very first thing would be to contact every single vet in the county and pay off all the outstanding vets bills for animal charities. They have had a huge drop in income due to Covid restrictions hampering normal fund raising efforts, and they are still doing their best to help animals and their owners in need.

It's too much money to comprehend. I'd buy a nice house, a nutritionist, a nice new car, I'd start an animal charity or refuge of some sort. I'd also have a farm where I had to do nothing except play with the cute farm animals.

I think I'd also make a lot of people millionaires. Obvs family and close friends, but then also people who've made a difference to our lives even if they don't know it.

e.g. our HV did a paediatric referral for my DD when I was concerned re autism at 12 mo. She said it was too early but would do it anyway because of how worried I was. I will always be grateful.

We're acquainted with two ladies who have had incredibly bad hands delt to them but they run a charity together and are so impressive despite what they have to deal with.

I'd also have an apartment in new york, a beach house in north carolina, a place in the Caribbean, a trip to macchu pichu, an antartic cruise, a northern lights expedition, lapland for the kids.. I could go on.

I'd also buy a massive RV for each continent so I could explore. I might like travelling :)

Buy a beautiful big house with garden and swimming pool.

Quit work.

Eat take-aways every day with plenty of bubbly.

Plan plenty of holidays and trips for post-Covid.

I'd also employ Gary Barlow to sit at a piano all day, and maybe Sam Heughan to just talk Scottish to me ha

Make a list of family and friends, then call them up and tell them I'm giving them a million each. Then we can all be excited and make fun plans together, even if we can't actually do anything right now.

Then buy a nice house, book a bunch of holidays even if I'm not sure they will happen (who cares - we're rich now!). Then tell work I have to leave, because we're finally getting a cat and a dog. Then buy some Helen Frankenthaler paintings that I can't find prints of.

The only thing it would occur to me to do is buy a huge house, preferably with an outdoor pool. I've never had parties anyway.

After the day week, month I've just had, I'm hiring a chef and housekeepers first thing. Dh and I have already discussed the house we're buying so that's sorted. I'm in a family syndicate so we're sorted for my family. Chuck the inlaws a million each to keep them happy. I have in the past worked in the non profit sector so I've a plan for my charitable foundation too.

How does a charitable foundation work?

I'd be on right move

I've started designing the walled garden that my georgian house doesn't have, but needs. I need somewhere to plant my hypothetical apricot and peach trees.