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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think a large sum of money would give you life long happiness we can't even imagine

242 replies

SillyBud · 05/02/2022 16:05

Just pondering on the person who win the 109 million last night and think that yesterday they were just like us-stressed about so many things that could be eased/abolished by money-mortgages, rent, work,health and fitness,appearance...

Can you actually imagine waking up today to discover you are 109 million richer and free from so much the rest of us are prisoner to?

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Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 20:22

I wonder who this person is and whether they know yet? I remember reading about a £33 million unclaimed ticket a few years ago. Just think, there’s someone out there, probably working a boring 9-5 job unaware of ‘what could have been’ had they just checked their ticket

I recall reading that 64 million was unclaimed in Stevenage which was the biggest in the UK. In Florida in 2020, 370 million dollars was unclaimed in a jackpot- it's just mad to think of it-you wonder who the people were.

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JaceLancs · 05/02/2022 20:33

Even a small win would massively improve my quality of life
A medium win would benefit all my friends and family
A big win would mainly go to charity including the one I work for
I would stay on as a volunteer because it’s a cause dear to my heart

ILoveHuskies · 05/02/2022 20:38

@RagzRebooted

When I win I'll give you first refusal on a Huskies Housing Association home 🏡 😅

Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 20:42

It would be FAR better in my opinion to create 22 prizes of just under £5million, or even 11 prizes of just under £10million.
Still massive, life changing amounts but far more manageable and would bring delight to so many more people

but then they don't sell as many tickets as the ticket sales increase is the big jackpots. That and if you make too many millionaires it causes inflation before its natural time.

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DockOTheBay · 05/02/2022 20:44

@MasterBeth

£109 million would be beyond life-changing for you or your family. Your personal prosperity would be guaranteed for generations, with money to spare.

So now you’d have tens of millions of pounds in a world where many people are in need. I couldn’t feel happy knowing that. So suddenly your “job” becomes using your wealth for good, or else you’re a pretty terrible person.

I’m sure it’s not nearly as stressful as being poor, but I don’t think you could spend the rest of your life sipping cocktails by your Caribbean pool without feeling like a total shit.

You could give 50 million to charity and still have enough to spend the rest of your life sipping cocktails guilt free!
Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 20:44

For those of you saying none of your problems can be solved by money, you are coming from a place of privilege

This. People say they have no desire for wealth or have plenty then have never struggled and don't understand poverty and its restrictions or just being in a very stressful career that they don't like.

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5128gap · 05/02/2022 20:53

I can't think of a single aspect of life that that sort of money couldn't impact positively if you stay focused and use it to achieve the goals that make you happy and fulfilled.

TeacupDrama · 05/02/2022 20:54

I don't think winning 109 million would make you any happier than 1 million, , winning 1 million would give you about 24,000 a year extra that is enough to stop worrying about having enough for food heat etc it is not enough to stop working unless you are in your mid 50's 60's with a pension set up. . To quote money can buy food but not appetite, medicine but not health, fun but not joy, acquaintances but not friends , servants but not faithfulness, knowledge but not intelligence, quiet days but not peace Arne Garborg

5128gap · 05/02/2022 20:54

@SillyBud

For those of you saying none of your problems can be solved by money, you are coming from a place of privilege

This. People say they have no desire for wealth or have plenty then have never struggled and don't understand poverty and its restrictions or just being in a very stressful career that they don't like.

Agree. There is no problem that can't be solved or at least eased if you throw enough money at it. Not one.
Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 20:57

winning 1 million would give you about 24,000 a year extra that is enough to stop worrying about having enough for food heat etc

With a million you'd want to incest it in something, to keep it in the bank it will lose its value and live off its interest which I assume you are alluding to would be a crazy idea.

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5128gap · 05/02/2022 20:59

@TeacupDrama

I don't think winning 109 million would make you any happier than 1 million, , winning 1 million would give you about 24,000 a year extra that is enough to stop worrying about having enough for food heat etc it is not enough to stop working unless you are in your mid 50's 60's with a pension set up. . To quote money can buy food but not appetite, medicine but not health, fun but not joy, acquaintances but not friends , servants but not faithfulness, knowledge but not intelligence, quiet days but not peace Arne Garborg
I would assume that if I won that money I would still have the qualities that give me faithful friends, and the ability I have to feel joy, as would most people. It wouldn't be either/or.
TeacupDrama · 05/02/2022 21:05

A million invested not just sitting in a bank would give an income of about 24,000 a year depending on how many years , so provided so it would for most people move them from worrying about choices between Aldi and Asda or picking up a prescription or their kid needing new shoes. I never said sitting in a bank account you would need financial advice but 1 million is life changing, it is not never have to work again money unless you are fairly close to retirement. For the vast vast majority of people an extra 2000 every month would make a substantial difference.

Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 21:06

I don't think winning 109 million would make you any happier than 1 million, , winning 1 million would give you about 24,000 a year extra that is enough to stop worrying about having enough for food heat etc

a million doesn't allow you to die in the knowledge that your children will be secure for life, it doesn't allow you to live in the knowledge that your kids are set for life and that your pension and older years will be secure. They offer very different options and much more security.

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Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 21:07

A million invested not just sitting in a bank would give an income of about 24,000 a year depending on how many years

so where exactly did you get this sum from?

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boymum88 · 05/02/2022 21:10

Hell yes that sort of money would bring me happiness, being able to fund private healthcare for my son with sen, getting him all the care he should get on the nhs in a timely manner, not having to wait over a year and a half for surgery that could help him walk. Setting him up for life, helping others like him, giving money to charity's that would give me great happiness

Royalbloo · 05/02/2022 21:11

All I would want is £500k to buy a house. "All" haha!

TeacupDrama · 05/02/2022 21:13

1 million invested at about 2.5% would give 25k, , using draw down even with 0 interest at 24k per year would last 41 years, have found with decent financial advice it is generally possible over the long term to make sure investments earn more than inflation, they may not in the very short term but in the long term, investments in a mixture of shares bonds unit trusts etc would keep pace with inflation.

YellowMonday · 05/02/2022 21:14

As crazy as it is, I think it's too much. Your entire life will change, including relationships.

Funnily enough my friends and I talk about this every so often. For me, my ideal win would be AUD $3M. Enough to pay off my mortgage, buy a forever home, and a little left over to invest. But not too much that I can stop work.

KittyTail · 05/02/2022 21:17

It’d be nice and eliminate some worry but I have never equated money with happiness. For me, those I love being safe, healthy and happy is what I value and appreciate most in life.

RitaJosephina · 05/02/2022 22:11

@SillyBud

For those of you saying none of your problems can be solved by money, you are coming from a place of privilege

This. People say they have no desire for wealth or have plenty then have never struggled and don't understand poverty and its restrictions or just being in a very stressful career that they don't like.

That's not necessarily true. My family struggled a lot when I was a child - I never had new clothes, went on holidays or ate expensive food . But my mum was very resourceful and never let us feel that we lacked something. I also have a big extended family so was surrounded by love and had many cousins to play with. I think that if you can afford rent/mortgage, have food on your table, loving family and good health then you are already in privileged position and winning millions won't increase your happiness massively. It's the fact that we compare ourselves to those that have more than us, when in reality most of the world lives in much worse conditions. Stop for a moment and think that for many people living YOUR life would be like winning the lottery.
Fuuuuuckit · 05/02/2022 22:28

My mum is currently undergoing chemo for inoperable and incurable cancer. No amount of money will make her well again

But it would make her last couple of years much more comfortable. Private healthcare. Personal chauffeur instead of unreliable taxis. Someone to live-in to care for her 24/7. Someone to take care of the endless washing - or buying new bedding. Good food instead of me batch-cooking and hoping she remembers to defrost, and then eat every day. Heating on when she likes. New clothes to fit her changing body. Heating on when she needs it. No every-other-day flying visits from me or my sibling, inbetween our own full-time jobs and families, if we didn't have to work. No guilt that we're not spending enough time with her because we have to pay our own bills. Quality time with her - trips out, maybe a few weeks in the sun with personal medics in case she takes a turn.

No, money would not make her well, but it would make her passing easier.

Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 22:54

But my mum was very resourceful and never let us feel that we lacked something

how did she do this though? Poverty can't be hidden by parents generally so if you felt you lacked nothing then you never lived in actual poverty.
As for holidays you say you never got as a kid; I don't know your age but I am 36 and generally like 1/2 of my friends went on foreign holidays as kids, it generally wasn't a big thing back in the day. Any holidays we got were far and few between and were a a few nights somewhere down the country.

I also never had designer clothes, very basic ones and hand downs but kids clothes at basic level are never that expensive. As for expensive food,again in my day this too was the norm. Every house I went into had the same styles of dinner, and breakfasts.

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felulageller · 05/02/2022 23:44

It doesnt make you happier.

Have you heard of the Kardashian??

Or the Rausings?

bloodywhitecat · 05/02/2022 23:51

I would still have a husband who has suffered a massive stroke and is dying from cancer, the money might buy us some things he needs but it wouldn't buy happiness. I would happily give it all away if it meant he didn't have to die in this way or if was able to tell me he loves me just one more time.

Original poster
SillyBud · 05/02/2022 23:55

Have you heard of the Kardashian

who says they are unhappy? That and they work for their money, I am no fan, never watched 1 ep but they do major blocks of filming and PR etc for the show.

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