To ask..if you won the lottery..

[gentlyscented]

..after the new home,cars, holiday. What would you buy that would make your life easier, or maybe it would be something you've always wanted but is not possible to buy now?

Mine would be a live in chef, to cook me breakfast, lunch and dinner ahhhhh ☺️ I hate cooking. It gives me rage 😠

I echo the shoes thing. I have completely average length feet but they are very narrow - so size 6 are like whaleboats but size 5 are just a shade too small. Add in that my feet are flat as pancakes and attractive women's shoes don't tend to come with proper arch/ heel support and ... I'm a martyr to my feet So definitely bespoke beautiful shoes that are designed specifically for my ungainly hooves feet.

But I'd get matching/ contrasting handbags designed to go with said shoes. Strap across the body, zip across the top - pockets big enough to actually hold my purse and phone plus a zip pocket for my keys. Large enough to carry a book/ small bottle of water/ light jumper/ sun cream but not a massive school bag sort of thing. Made from a durable (and preferably waterproof) material.

Wouldn't currently bother buying a house in Britain. If I win the lottery between now and March 29th I am fleeing the country and not looking back. If I won a really good amount I would probably buy my flat off my landlady, so it was one less thing for her to think about, and then hand it over to a homeless/ women's shelter so they could house someone whilst I was abroad.

I'm going to attest somewhat to *SushiMOnsters" assertion of a baseline of happiness.

I have many of the things that previous posters' have stated they would have if they won the lottery. I have a well equipped gym on my complex and a 50m pool outside my back door. I also have a cleaner and previously had a housekeeper.

Yes they are wonderful, wonderful things that I generally don't take for granted, but thats because I practice gratitude and make sure I remain very aware of the things that I have that other people can only dream of.

But my baseline of happiness is really no different to how it was 10 years ago. You get accustomed to a certain standard of living and if its something you see every day, you end up taking it for granted because its not a sustainable joy for many.

Which is why so many people, when they win obscene amounts of lottery money feel they lose their sense of purpose. Because they're not striving for something worthwhile, they're buying material things that give a brief (in the grand scheme of things) uptick in happiness, but as that "thing" becomes the norm, you return to your previous level of happiness.

So I get what SushiMonster is saying...

I'd have a gardener to sort out the jungle out back.

I'd have a chauffeur (or at least signed up to some sort of VIP instant access taxi service) so I could get out to all those courses and events that usually run from someone's converted barn studio in the countryside.

Dogsitter on speed dial for ad hoc days out.

Tutors to come in and teach me an instrument, how to draw and paint and a foreign language.

I’d like a laundry room. And a tumble drier. Maybe even someone to come and wash it, iron it, and put it all away for me.

And a garden. And then have a big dog to go in the garden.

I’d happily exchange my sense of purpose for money any day of the week.

I wouldn’t move house, buy an expensive car or any of that. I would however leave my job, go back to study a masters in psychology, send my kids to a great private school and possibly have a third child which we currently can afford. Those things I think would bring me happiness!

*cant afford

I would do all my shopping in Waitrose and find an amazing dentist who I trust which would relieve my anxiety about dentists/treatment/cost.

A divorce.

Servants - a whole army of servants, housekeeper, cook, nanny...

I think there's maybe two kinds of "happiness" at stake.

Absolutely, wealth doesn't guarantee you'll never be sick or bereaved, never have relationship breakdowns etc. But much of the day-to-day "happiness" can be improved by not having the worry of household bills, saving for the future etc

I'd have a resistance pool. No idea if they're better than a normal one or not.

If we're being serious, I'd got for "sustainable" too - I'd want it to last.
Frivolous, then like David Beckham, new pants everyday!

Bras. Loads and loads with their own well organised space, so no matter where I am on my cycle, or if I'm nursing, there will be one that fits.

My SIL had a housekeeper and a driver. Well, they were a Couple and he did bits of gardening as well. I think I'd like the same arrangement. Mind you having to drive would stop me drinking too much.

I'd buy them a house close by, I wouldn't want them to completely live in, but they'd have their own rooms.

I wouldn't be home much. It would be for my youngest Autistic DD, mainly. If she didn't want to come with me.

If I was rich, I wouldn't give a shit what I looked like. I'd pay out for a hair colourist every two weeks (Grey roots), but the rest I'd do myself.

I'd pick a cause to oversee myself, which is very important in the more corrupt places, so that would be my grounding activity.

I do want a complete set of new teeth, though.

If your talking the big euro millions style win I'd fly private for the rest of my life it's the only out there extravagant thing that I'd want to do. Also if I had over £100M I'd set up a charity because I don't need that much.

I think winning the lottery would relieve a lot of stress for me, rather than making me happy in itself. No more worrying about how we're going to meet the bills or manage the 500 activities/sports the kids want to do. No more scrimping and saving for a 3 day weekend at Butlins but the option to go on an amazing holiday every year, or more, without worrying about not being able to meet the mortgage as ar result. More help at home so that I don't have think about the endless chores like cleaning the bathroom or changing the bedding. That kind of stuff.

And less stress WOULD help me to be happier. But I'm not unhappy now at all, in fact, I'mp pretty happy with my life. Just stressed. So from that perspective, I can see the point about baseline happiness reverting. But if I can have the same happiness levels without the stress and worry, I'd take it.

I'd have a cleaner for 2 hours three times a week to keep on top of things (not a housekeeper as I wouldn't want someone in my house that much). I'd also get a personal trainer who would come to my house and/or meet me at gym/park 3 times a week as without that I don't think I'll ever develop the right motivation for exercise, even though when I do it I feel so much better and healthier.

I'd also buy and/or refurb my new house to be as environmentally friendly as possible, even though the initial cost of that would probably be astronomical. Solar panels, built in composting, whatever the most sophisticated and emissions friendly heating/ lightly etc options are. Ditto, I'd be able to shop in a far more environmentally friendly way, which I'd love.

@brieislife I would have thought so too, but the jist of this was that good events like lottery wins don’t especially change long term happiness.

Totally agree that if you are super struggling it probably would as your life would have totally changed. But if you’re just a normal middle earner going to work and not especially worried about money (house with mortgage in an ok area, can go on holiday as a family once or twice a year etc) then it doesn’t improve your long term happiness.

Cleaner!
Being able to go on a food shop and not even look at the prices of the things I was putting in the trolley.
I'd buy a piano.
I'd buy a house with a garden and beautiful views near my sons school. Theres one for sale there right now and it looks like one of the houses out of Peter pan.
Id have another baby.
Buy a big car to fit the children in.

If I won absolutely loads on euromillions I'd buy all my friends with children houses. Id take all my friends on holiday. Give a grand to everyone I know.

Yes defo a chef to cook healthy but tasty meals and a full body and head massage on a daily basis. Cleaner and gardener also a must

Oooh yeah a laundry room... I really want one of those.
It's sad when I was younger it would've been all trips to Bora Bora and penthouse apartments in NYC.
Now I just want a car to fit the kids in, a laundry room, a state of the art vacuum cleaner and to be able to afford to have another baby.

Housekeeper and gardener.
Music tutor for my children.
Bespoke underwear for me and my daughter.

Housekeeper and nanny.

I’d like my own “ Mrs Doubtfire” or failing that a housekeeper / cleaner /chef .
I’d spend the bulk of my winnings on buying a large estate of at least 1000 acres with a lake .

Actually, I would blow $150k on a baby grand piano. And a wonderful music teacher to come and teach me again.

A housekeeper. Private healthcare so I could get well. Would also foster or adopt.

And a uv filtration swimming pool!

And a gardener.