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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:
CousinArnold · 08/08/2013 16:29

The boring stuff first - paying off debts and putting some into long-term savings. Then a massive shopping spree and a fab family holiday to Hawaii!

JemimaMuddledUp · 08/08/2013 16:38

Pay £15k off my mortgage
Put £1k away into each of my DC's accounts
Spend £1k on a holiday
Put £1k away for a rainy day.

AllSWornOut · 08/08/2013 16:50

Boring, but would spend it on the house extension we're currently having designed.

bamblolo · 08/08/2013 16:50

I would take my daughters to New York and shopped
Till we dropped! I would also have a top to toe pamper session. I would get my daughters bedroom a complete makeover. I'm getting excited even thinking about it and have only ever won a few pound on the lottery lol!!!

expatinscotland · 08/08/2013 16:56

We live in a rural area of deprivation, but find it nigh on impossible to move due to costs and low-income. As a result, our young children have been unable to access basic services to address their bereavement of their elder sister, who died last year of cancer.

So, with £20,000, we would find a private let willing to take on a family and pay the rent up front in the nearest city to here, get new jobs and hopefully get a fresh start in life, particularly for our children.

bamblolo · 08/08/2013 16:57

I would take my daughters to New York we would see all the sights and shopped till we dropped. I would also treat us to a top to toe pamper session. I would give my daughters bedroom a complete makeover. I am getting excited even talking about it and have only ever won a couple of pounds on the lottery but I always think I am going to win!

InvaderZim · 08/08/2013 17:05

This is really boring, but I'd pay off a huge chunk of the mortgage. Having the monthly payments go down dramatically would pay off over the long term!

I would also probably funnel a bit into the business I'm starting, though a small amount would make a huge difference.

JeanBodel · 08/08/2013 17:09

I would pay off debt.

But not all our debt, because I would also need to buy a new kitchen and re-decorate the sitting room.

kilcrea · 08/08/2013 17:14

Pay off a bit of the mortgage, go on a nice holiday and start up that new business I've been thinking about recently!

choccyp1g · 08/08/2013 17:14

Some for a serious holiday; think Australia or China..
If anything left save for college funds for DS.

sunnyshine · 08/08/2013 17:18

With the cost of holidays going up I would put the money towards buying a motor caravan so we can drive off at a moments notice and see the rest of the uk and Europe Smile

Suddengeekgirl · 08/08/2013 17:23

I think we'd split it 4 ways.
£8-10k on the mortgage.
£3-4k each for the dc's for uni/ whatever when they're big enough
£2-3k for fun money! Grin Probably a few toys at home, a couple of purchases around the house like a new bed/ carpets and a mega holiday to Australia. During term time (!) as we could afford the fine then! Wink

mawbroon · 08/08/2013 17:25

We would into the school catchment area so that we don't have to stress about whether ds2 will get in or not!

mawbroon · 08/08/2013 17:28

move into the catchment area I mean!

themonsteratemyspacebar · 08/08/2013 17:32

I have just managed to get a place at uni to do a degree, Grin so would use the money to live on and go onto a higher level degree when ive finished, with no money worries.
Buy a new car (2nd hand) and go on holiday to Disney in Florida as it is the place of dreams!

brightermornings · 08/08/2013 17:33

So many things!! Get a new kitchen mine has holes in the ceiling, missing drawer fronts, a non working oven to name but a few. Finally decorate my room I've lived in my house since 1998 both kids have had there room done numerous times mine has never been touched.
Then a 2 week holiday somewhere hot and sunny all inclusive for me and the kids.
If there is anything left I'd spend it on my garden.

TerraNotSoFirma · 08/08/2013 17:34

I would use it towards having the attic turned into a bedroom, do DC could have a room each.

MrsKwazii · 08/08/2013 17:36

We'd probably spend some on a classic VW campervan, give some to charity, put some in the childrens' bank accounts and buy a few bits and pieces for the house.

KnittedWaffle · 08/08/2013 17:37

I'd use some of the money to finish off the works at my Mum's house.
Finish off the garden here so it's safe for the DC and so DS2 can go outside with the other two.
The rest of the money I'd use to hire a car and book hotels so I could take my DC around the country to see all the friends and relatives we haven't been able to afford to visit.

(Some of them haven't even met DS2!)

Panzee · 08/08/2013 17:38

Buy 10,000 Euromillions tickets. Oh yes. :o

starlight36 · 08/08/2013 17:40

We'd save 1/2 of it for children's future. The rest would be used as a holiday treat fund so that we could have a few years worth of nice holidays without having to stress about saving /budgeting.

nextphase · 08/08/2013 17:43

Sensible hat: savings account, give up work, and be a SAHM.

Luxury hat - find an interior designer to help me pull the inside of the house from white walls and furniture that pre-dates my marriage to something lovely looking but still practicable.

TiredFeet · 08/08/2013 17:45

I'd splash out a little on a holiday somewhere hot and sunny but the rest would definitely go in our house deposit fund!

RVPisnomore · 08/08/2013 17:48

We'd have a weekend away somewhere as we've not had a holiday this year. The bulk of it would go on buying blinds and/or curtains for the house as some windows don't have anything just now.
Would also look to buy some dining room furniture and if there was anything left I'd look at buying myself a Mulberry handbag!

LucyWildelovesGru · 08/08/2013 17:49

I'd put the maximum I could into my ISA, pay off a chunk of the mortgage and set aside £5k for fun. New bikes for me and the DCs, a weekend away somewhere lovely with them, and a trip to NZ next year to visit the relatives. Plus a shopping trip for me - books, perfume, jewellery, a new stereo. Save 3/4, spend 1/4 is my rule with unexpected money.