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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to wonder why lottery winners want publicity?

81 replies

BigMomma3 · 16/02/2010 11:23

Friday's Euromillions winners - names and photos all over the papers and news. Now everyone will know who they are and what they have. DCs schoolfriends will all know.

Just don't understand why they would want people to know. Opens up a whole can of worms wrt jealousy, people trying to get money out of them, potential kidnappings etc. Same with the woman who won 36 mill a few years ago. She said her DS would not move schools so why would she publicise the fact she now has loads of money and therefore create potential problems for her DS??

It would be wonderful to win but I think all the publicity about it will not create happiness for them in the long run. Why not keep it quiet - just don't get it. AIBU??

OP posts:
MiladyDeWinter · 16/02/2010 12:19

Oh - I like the sound of anonymous house purchases!

Pity you miss it though. People can really make all the difference can't they?

I have an excellent cover story of my own. I'm adopted (on the contact register but no joy) so should I win the lottery I'm going to say that I've had an inheritance from the bio family.

MaggieMaeve · 16/02/2010 12:20

Maybe she has Now... and I'm glad she has. The people she was so determined to stay close to and in with were the ones who wouldn't let her be her old self

MaggieMaeve · 16/02/2010 12:22

yeah, cover story, i have one of those too! lol at patenting the computer code! that's good.
people would just say 'ah?!' and leave it there. perfect.

PavlovtheCat · 16/02/2010 12:22

I would not have a HUGE house, but only because i like cosy. I really don't like the idea of rattling around in a big house. Although, if i was rich i would not be adverse to filling it with patters of a few more feet . I would want outhouses though, to put the relatives in when they come to visit. I am not sure i would want a pool as I would be afraid of the kids drowning in it when i was not looking, or some drunken party guest drowning themselves.

But i would have a nice car. I would have two or ^three nice ones. And i would probably move to california, where we would not be seen as such freaks for being new money people and so bloody loaded. I have family there so would be a reasonable decision

Clumsymum · 16/02/2010 12:24

Pavlov

I believe in the power of positive thinking

I seem to remember a few years back dh and I spent a child-free afternoon, and over a bottle of wine, we discussed this whole plan of how we would handle a big lottery win.

Rockbird · 16/02/2010 12:26

Why would you want to leave the country though? I wouldn't leave the UK and if I did, it would only be to Ireland anyway. Would you really all up sticks and go and live in Acapulco? What would you do with yourselves? Sunbathing and drinking cocktails gets old quickly I would think!

chickbean · 16/02/2010 12:34

I often wonder about when people are fabulously wealthy and can afford whatever they like, because they miss out on the excitement of finally getting something you've saved for or of finding a great bargain. Maybe I'd be like one of those recluses who live frugally but have millions under the bed.

Doodleydoo · 16/02/2010 12:48

Wouldn't want people to know, but am not sure apart from not having a mortgage and not having to worry that I would actually WANT to win the lottery - it doesn't seem to have worked out that well for a lot of those who have won substantial amounts - think of :

Him (ok so in the dm but don't kill me for that one!)
this one

Am sure there are more, but I think it just proves that sometimes money doesn't buy you happiness - although a couple of million wouldn't go amiss.....

Morloth · 16/02/2010 12:48

I think I would also have a third child. I would love a biggish family but it just isn't something we feel we can afford.

5Foot5 · 16/02/2010 12:58

I seem to remember years ago when my parents did the Littlewoods pools coupon there was a box you could tick for "No publicity" if you won. Mind you I suppose it wasn't foolproof because I am sure I read somewhere that the woman who famously said she would "Spend, spend, spend" had ticked that box too!

I have seen todays papers and also wondered why on earth you would want such publicity for all the reasons already stated.

In the unlikely event I was ever in that position (and since I don't buy oot ticketes that is highly unlikely) I think I would make no big changes immediately but just change my lifestyle gradually after that. If we then told people we had come in to a bit of money they may not immediately assume it was the big one.

I can't understand people though who say "It won't change my life" WTF do you enter for?

MaggieMaeve · 16/02/2010 13:02

I wouldn't emigrate. I like the feeling of belonging now after years of living abroad. I would of course buy a lovely house with a beautiful view though. no point slumming it with a view of a wall and somebody else's washing line!

Ivykaty44 · 16/02/2010 13:05

becuase then the publisisty is to some extent controled - if you keep it secret, well it will come out and then it will all be out of control and odd.

Either way good luck to them

mii · 16/02/2010 13:06

i hate it when people say "oh i'd just put it away and maybe buy a new car"

or that bloke who won and carried on working in mcdonalds

if your not going to use it give it away and don't take up a job you don't need that someone else could use

expatinscotland · 16/02/2010 13:06

I would! I'd go some place warm. And sunny.

Ivykaty44 · 16/02/2010 13:11

I never realised a normal high stree bank will not take more than 2 million....

Morloth · 16/02/2010 13:12

I am one of those people who say they would (mostly) put it away. It would still be life changing, because you know whenever you need it it is there.

To never ever have to worry about a mortgage? or keeping kids looked after? or paying bills? never have to think whether there is enough in the bank to pay for groceries?

That would be awesome.

GetOrfMoiLand · 16/02/2010 13:13

Oh I so would go to Acapulco.

God knows why Acapulco actually. Have never been to Mexico. It just sounds nice.

But definitely would be somewhere warm and relaxing. Inb reality somewhere like southern Italy. Or Charleston. Or Barbados. With a winter home in Switzerland. With a bolt hole in Paris.

Who cares. Just emphatically not Gloucesterhire!

FioFio · 16/02/2010 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

Rockbird · 16/02/2010 13:14

Because people really just want stability, it's scary to think you'd completely change your life. I'd like my life to be more or less the same but with no money worries. Ideally I'd like a £1m max win, enough for nice house, car, same for family, bit in the bank, lovely jubbly. Maybe that bloke adored his job in McD's, why should he give it up?

Ivykaty44 · 16/02/2010 13:14

most people that win go up one level in lifestyle - few move up futher than that, so semi goes to detached 4 bedroom to 6.

there was a chap that did some research and the results came out last year

DuelingFanjo · 16/02/2010 13:14

See - I would buy houses for everyone I know. I am not sure how I would be able to keep that a secret.

GetOrfMoiLand · 16/02/2010 13:14

I would NOT work.

I would like to say I would go to university and get an education, but I know that I would be tempted away by the bright lights of the shops, and leave after 3 days

emsyj · 16/02/2010 13:17

There's a really interesting book by Hunter Davies called 'Living on the Lottery' and it's the story of a selection of real lottery winners and what they chose to do with the money. Overall, those who made the fewest changes to their lifestyle after winning (e.g. bought a modestly nicer house in the same area, kept the same friends etc) reported being happier than those who made drastic changes. It's a really good read!

mii · 16/02/2010 13:17

is that true about high st banks?

i'd buy a big old house with loads of land, do a ton of charity stuff, do proper travelling/exploring/climbing.

I have always thought that there would be so many people you could help individually. Like a woman at school whos DH is in a wheelchair and they could do so much more stuff if he had a better one but they can't afford it, imagine being able to help somebody like that out.

Or someone who needs more respite care or a bigger house or pay for someone to get the best medical doctors in the world.

That would be my favourite thing

Ivykaty44 · 16/02/2010 13:17

you can learn in other ways - taking a uni place would be so wrong best to hit the tour trail you can learn a lot travlelling