If you won the lottery, what would be the first thing you would do?

[babyboy520]

If I won the lottery... I'd finally find a balance between work and kids!
Okay, imagine this: I win the lottery today. What’s the first thing I’d do? No, it’s not splurging on a holiday or buying a mansion (although, sure, that sounds nice too). The first thing I’d do is hire help to take the pressure off balancing work and childcare.
Honestly, it's such a struggle trying to juggle both—working from home with a toddler (or even just having them around when you’re trying to focus) is impossible. I feel like I’m always half-trying to work and half-worried about whether they’re getting the attention they need. If I had the freedom to step back and really focus on one thing at a time, I’d be a much better worker and a much better mum.
I’d get a cleaner, a nanny, maybe even a personal assistant (why not dream big?). Then, I’d finally be able to enjoy both my work and my time with my kids without feeling guilty or overwhelmed.
Anyone else daydream about what they’d do with a little extra help or time? What’s your “first thing” if you won the lottery?

No I don’t think so either! And that’s living in the North.

Yes, you can, and very easily in certain circumstances such as having no dependent children, owning your home outright if you choose not to live in an expensive area, and shrewd investing.

@paranoidnamechanger I agree. We paid our mortgage off last month (hurrah!) and DH has a small pension from a previous job, about £16k pa. We would be able to live on the income from £1million although we wouldn't be able to splash out on luxury cars etc. not that we'd want to.

The first thing I would do is book a fabulous holiday and invite all my dc. Then I would pay off their mortgages/buy them a house of their own. If it was a lot, more than 10 million, I would have a huge party inviting my extended family, and each of them would receive a sizable cheque. Then I would start looking at properties while planning an around the world trip. I would like to think that I would make a donation to a charity, but to be honest some of my family are in quite difficult circumstances so I would definitely start with them.

Quit my job.

Buy outright the house I am trying to buy currently.

Buy my closest friends things they've always been wanting (family are wealthy).

Other than that, I'd travel around a bit, experience different parts of the UK. Pay for a dietician and get my hair and skin looked at my specialists.

I love these threads - dreaming is free LOL :)

Im one of those irritating people who would happily carry on working as I love my job. But oh man - what that money would do for my peace of mind, setting my children up for their futures, helping my sisters and my dad, and the absolute joy of not having to worry payday to payday PLUS being able to travel, eat out, go to shows and just generally live life to the fullest. I would have an absolute ball, without necessarily buying big standout purchases like new cars or a new house.

Relax

Very different if you are already on the road to being financially secure / own your house outright.

And probably possible with a very modest house and a low key lifestyle.

More for those that would quite work, buy a nice house, travel the world etc, put kids in private school etc. £1m wouldn’t last long in this circumstance.

If I won more than a few million (I'm playing eurojackpot which is 120m euros) the first thing I would do is call my boss and tell him I'm investing in the company as our financial backers have pulled out so everyone has been laid off but with a 5m or so investment I could save a lot of jobs and get an interesting project in the air. I'd then tell him I'd only be working part time from now on.

After that I'll think about a new house and a nice holiday and things like that.

Very first thing: pay off mortgage. I'd buy two new cars, get all the work done on the house we'd like to do and go part-time at work. Top up DDs savings. And book a holiday to Florida. That's probably most of it gone.

Probably go for a mountain day walk or bike ride to get some clear thinking time. I would plot what the heck I would do. 7

And let us be honest, a win of £1m is sooooo different from £50m.
Let us assume the latter :-)

I think my priority is that me and family are securely taken care of - but not in a way that encourages supercars and champagne. I am thinking buy my sons a nice house each and put as much in a pension for them as I can for a few years. I have a couple of family members for whom paying off a mortgage would be life changing enough, so that.

I feel like I would give up work and do a calculation on how much I need to live from now until no more. I would likely move house to somewhere 'nice' and go ride my bike, climb more hills and get stuck into a community somewhere beautiful. But I would not buy a mansion or a flashy car - just enough to be comfortable (so similar to what I have now, just in a nicer place). Keep body busy.

Then a calculation on how the surplus money could do good in the world. I have always worked for a charity and know the value of philanthropic giving, and how it can multiply, so I would likely look to quietly do something that secures a few charities for the future and draws in even more money. This would keep brain busy...

@HateThursdays yes because I'm in my mid 50's and contemplating retiring and have spent quite some time running numbers on how long pension pot and savings will last to keep us going to state pension age as then the pot will only be topping up state pension as opposed to being only income. It depends on lifestyle etc we own house outright now so we can maintain the same lifestyle with 8000 less in income just from saved house costs and commutes

Off topic slightly but can anyone ELI5 about how to do the lottery? I never have and wouldn't know where to start!

I did win the lotto a few years back, a lovely amount. The actual first thing I bought was a safari for us and the grandchildren. It was the grandchildren’s birthday numbers that I won on so felt right. We had the most wonderful time. Only got the ticket as was with son as a new baby had just arrived he was doing his so I got a ticket with all the kids birthdays including the new baby. Just a fluke.

Walk into a shop that sells lottery tickets, and ask for x number of lucky dips for x date.

Or if you want to choose your numbers you can fill in a ticket (they usually have little desks with slips and a pen) and put a little pen mark in the numbers you want. The slip will give you instructions. Then take it to the till.

OR (and this is the easiest) go on to the national lottery website, create an account and go from there. It’s pretty self explanatory.

The very first thing once I knew it was definite would be to drive to waitrose and buy the fanciest bottle of champagne they have 😁

Buy a house

Pay off my debts and get rid of my STBXH once and for all (with a solicitor, not a hitman, to be clear). I’d happily pay half my winnings if it meant he was out of my life forever.

Indeed

I’d celebrate with a nice meal at a fancy restaurant, book a week long spa where I get massaged and steamed for most of the day then, get a financial advisor and start investing. I wouldn’t tell friends or family just husband.

Thank you.
Might try doing it. You never know. 😂

I’d pay off my debts and stare at my bank account.

if I won 1mil I would purchase a 600k home for me, my kids, my parent and friend. Id house my other parent for about 300k then leave 10k spending money for me.

I definitely wouldn't be working, unless it was setting up my own business, writing, or volunteering. I wouldn't want to live in a mansion but I'd move to the coast. I'd set my daughter up with money for when she's older for college etc. I'd get a cleaner cos I loathe cleaning lol

The first thing would be paying off debts.
Second would be chucking in my job probably, depending on how much money it was.
Then book a holiday.