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Tell The National Lottery what you’d do with a fantasy £20,000 - £250 voucher prize draw! NOW CLOSED

463 replies

MichelleMumsnet · 08/08/2013 10:20

You may have heard recently that The National Lottery's Lotto game is changing this autumn and is introducing a new Raffle where 50 players will win £20,000 in each draw. To celebrate this, The National Lottery have asked us to find out what Mumsnetters would do with (a fantasy) £20,000.

Here's what The National Lottery say: "As of 5th October, Lotto is changing, offering more ways to win more money. The prize for matching three numbers will be increased from £10 to £25, the jackpots will be bigger (£2.5million on Wednesday and £5million on Saturdays) and there's a new raffle where 50 players will win a guaranteed £20,000 each draw. Tickets for the new game go on sale on 3rd October and cost £2 per line. We would love to hear about how Mumsnetters would spend £20,000 if they were to win the raffle prize!"

So what would you do if you were to win £20,000? Would you go on a huge spending spree, or would you be more careful with your winnings and put it aside for a rainy day?

What have you always wanted to do, but have never managed to justify the cost of? Dine at a Michelin-starred restaurant? Buy a piece of designer jewellery? Maybe you'd splash it all on a round the world holiday? Or perhaps you'd save it to make life easier for you and your DCs if they decide to go to university? Or would you take the opportunity to clear (some) debts or pay off a chunk of the mortgage?

Whatever it is, The National Lottery would love to hear about it.

Everyone who shares their thoughts on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £250 Love2Shop voucher.

Thanks and good luck,

MNHQ

OP posts:
TheHuffAndPuffALot · 13/08/2013 10:08

The first thing I would do is pay off some debts, then pay for a holiday. I would like to celebrate my 40th birthday with all my family and friends and then save whatever's left over to make life a little easier.

Giddypants · 13/08/2013 10:13

I'd use it to put towards some house adaptations, so DS can access the whole of the house

daimbardiva · 13/08/2013 10:14

I'd use it to finish our house extension so DH can have some time to spend with us, and we can all stop living on a building site!

MissElodie · 13/08/2013 12:31

This is what I think I would do....

4k second hand family car that can actually fit us all in, 5k for us to finally get married, 1k things that need doing around house (that probably won't go too far), 2k for a family holiday, 1k for family treats, 7k debts and savings.

hawkeye21 · 13/08/2013 12:32

Not very imaginative, but it would go towards moving house. Dc2 has arrived and the current one is suddenly a bit too small.

Neena28 · 13/08/2013 15:20

Not exciting either really...would be a new car (well a year or so old one, new to me) a holiday and a bit to charity, I think however much I won I'd have to donate some to a better cause than my wallet for my consciences sake.

Bonkerz · 13/08/2013 15:34

I would replace my windows, have my electrics re done (very old and dodgy) and re carpet upstairs and down and treat us all to a lovely holiday and an 8 sweater car!

yourcruisedirector · 13/08/2013 15:42

I would spend around £12K decorating and improving our new forever-home, which hasn't been decorated since 1982! My toddler would have a beautifully decorated circus-bedroom with a circus canopy bed. And it would be brilliant to be able to install a new kitchen and bathroom to make it all whizzy and light.

I'd put some aside to ensure that we can take our child on loads of fun UK trips over the next few years (money will be tight because of the house) to museums and farm parks and the beach.

And finally, I'd love to take a family break together with the last £5K and we'd take our child to New Zealand to show her all of our favourite places and do some hiking and travelling.

RabbitsarenotHares · 13/08/2013 15:48

If I had 20k I could use it as a hosue deposit and then I'd be able to apply for a small mortgage to buy the house we're currently renting. We've done so much to the place, been there 7 years and totally remodelled the garden (with LL's permision), redecorated etc and it is my home. I'd love to be able to buy it for myself, and for DP who has done most of the work on it. I live with the constant fear at the back of my mind that our LL will ring up one day and say he's selling up, and there'll be nothing we can do about it.

SilverOldie · 13/08/2013 16:34

I would buy a new super duper computer; I'm disabled and retired and the computer keeps me in touch with the world.

Update my kitchen which desperately needs it and pay for a chauffeur driven car to take me to visit my best friend who I haven't seen for several years as neither of us now has a car. I would also buy a mobility scooter so I can zoom to places where I currently have to take a taxi.

If there's any left over I would save it for a rainy day and who doesn't have those.

EricNorthmansFangbanger · 13/08/2013 17:07

We need a good second hand car, have my test coming up soon, so we'd spend some on that. That would be a life changer in itself - a car would do so much for us. We need some external doors replacing and the porch roof repairing. We also need a fence in the front and back gardens. We have a few debts to pay and would probably use some to make our back garden habitable, as it's a jungle at the moment. If we had any left then we'd put the remainder into savings, but I doubt we would have much left after all that.

mumofboyo · 13/08/2013 17:33

Pay off our debts
Get someone in to decorate the house top to bottom
Get someone in to do something with the garden
Get 2 cars that actually work
Have a child free weekend away
Save some for a rainy day

DoubleMum · 13/08/2013 17:48

Use half to put toward the mortgage, and the other half to take my sister and parents on a cruise to the Fjords. Heaven.

LauraChant · 13/08/2013 18:06

I wouldn't work for a year (I am freelance so I wouldn't lose my job!) and spend the time attempting to write a book. Or, more likely, would do something to the house. Get the weird back room converted into a downstairs shower or something.

Tyranasaurus · 13/08/2013 19:21

Use it to do the house up

Turnipvontrapp · 13/08/2013 22:09

Round the world adventure for my family, stopping at Vancouver, Australia, New Zealand, Mount Everest base camp, Alderney and Rome.

lagoonhaze · 13/08/2013 23:23

Road trip and see how long it lasted

lovestogarden · 14/08/2013 10:30

I would go to China. Always wanted to go there! Or buy a new car as ours is on its last legs/wheels.

jenni75 · 14/08/2013 11:00

I would clear any outstanding debts, buy a small run a round, and upgrade things round the house, like telly, cooker and washer!

IsItWishfulThinking · 14/08/2013 11:09

I would fill an isa, buy a wardrobe of clothes for myself (instead of dd and dp, have about 3 things for myselfConfused) and finish all the jobs that need doing on the house.
The rest I'd put in a second account and use to support us a I'm a SAHM and this could be my 'wage' for a bit.

LittleAbruzzenBear · 14/08/2013 12:34

We would move to Abruzzo finally.

workingmumto1 · 14/08/2013 13:41

I would spend it paying off the loan that DH and I got to pay for our wedding, so we can relax a bit more as we try for our second DC. I'd also take DH and DD for a weekend away :)

Sparklesandglitter · 14/08/2013 13:41

I would use the money to finish our house as it has been a work in progress for 2 years!! I would also have a holiday if there was any money left over Smile practical rather than frivolous Grin

Pink01 · 14/08/2013 13:42

I would definitely get our laundry room made into a downstairs bathroom, this would finally stop the game of musical toilet we all play every morning!!

Then I would get the house painted, buy the children a playhouse and save anything left over Smile

BellaVida · 14/08/2013 13:48

I would replace the living room carpet and buy some drawers and storage for the children's rooms. We haven't decorated since we moved in, so that would be good. Then I would pay off the loan and put the rest in the bank for the future.

Not terribly exciting I know, but it would make a big difference!