What would you do if you were rich enough that you didn’t have to work?

[Fearlesssloth]

Say a mystery long-lost aunt left you a few million in her will. Would you give up your job, go part-time, be a SAHM if you have kids? If you chose not to work what would you do with your time?

Because I love my job and it’s for a charity anyway? No interest in house/garden stuff. Love a fancy holiday but can’t just ‘go travelling’ due to elderly parents and pets. Already read plenty of books.

Don’t have to work but don’t see me stopping for a bit yet. I was at home for a while after DS started school and before going back to study/work and didn’t like it. I will gradually cut back days at some point though.

Ideally a mix of:
Something to learn / cognitive development - courses ?
Something to enjoy - entertainment (theatre, cinema, art shows, music)
Something with friends - social events
Something outdoors - walks, gardening, bird watching
Something indoors - hobby for times when the weather is bad and the outdoors is unattractive! Playing an instrument, sewing, reading
Something with a purpose - connecting to a charity or organisation that I support
Something physical - gym, movement, yoga
Something practical - household, cleaning, finances up to date, etc

But wouldn’t you get incredibly lonely? I don’t know about anyone else but all my friends and family work during the day on weekdays. All these people saying they’d spend time with friends & family..they’re not gonna be around! You’d have to do all the things you describe by yourself, you’d spend every day alone. Some people may say that’d be wonderful and it might be at first, but after a while I think it’d get pretty lonely

In this example the poster would see people in their voluntary role and could make friends or hang out with people from yoga/gym. They could to the theatre etc with new friends, old friends or go in a date with the best person in the world, themself.
Do you have no interest in meeting new people, there’s a whole world of possibilities between doing things with your current friends and your family and being on your own all day?

Be able to get to and help my mum a lot more, visit friends, clean, look after the kids, help anyone I knew who needed help- do all the stuff that money stops me from doing. People say I’d be bored if I retired, no way I would!!!!

A decent number of my friends work very flexibly or are self employed and would start a day with a coffee out, so whilst I might have to do substantive things alone, I would still see people day to day, including my retired parents who I would like to just see for seeing them's sake rather than because they need me for something.

I'd also still do dinners and drinks like I do with working friends now, which might mean more of a pottering/tidying day the next day.

I do think I would require some routine though, up by a certain time most days etc.

I;d be very keen on volunteering as a befriender, or if I really had a lot of money I would consider starting a charity in my brother's name.

Not sure why you feel sorry for me. I wouldn't tell you I felt sorry for you because you 'wouldn't travel' - it's inexplicable to me, but you're presumably happy with it. Each to their own.

My job also includes creativity and learning. It's still the least important thing in my life, though. I don't feel 'unfulfilled' by it - I have a very pleasant job and I work with really nice, interesting people and earn a decent enough salary for what I do.

I'm just infinitely more interested and more fulfilled by the kinds of activities that people don't get paid for.

I also wouldn't ever want to 'make my hobby into my job' because for me, the pleasure of a hobby is doing exactly what I want and when I want. I wouldn't enjoy my hobbies anywhere near as much if I had an obligation to do them. Doing things to order isn't ever my goal.