When you win lotto what will you do?

[xelasnave]

I often think that the value in a ticket is the time you spend thinking of how you will spend the money...so without even the price of a tickets lets..while the rain is still happening..speculate upon such an event..

As I am so happy if I win I would probably give it all away so who can be more imaginative and paint some real good dreams?
alex

[leon]

Alex I would put equal shares in accounts for children, spend a little on my self and give some to needy people.

Leon

[duncan]

G'day Alex,
Firstly i'd make sure i have no debts
Then i'd buy property (a house,some spare land for an observatory)
Maybe a good sized tinny for my other passion fishing.
Observatory with at least a 1metre scope ,full tracking capability ,some good camera gear for astro work ,Dongas out the back with power to them so you guys and gals could come and visit or stay a while.
Put the rest into some safe investment just to earn a bit of interest.
That about completes my dreams, i think
Cheers

[Ric]

Hi Alex, I've often think about this. It's usually every Saturday night before I check the numbers

A proportion goes to family to help them out and another share goes to my best mate as we always stand by each other through everything.

Buy a new motorbike

Pay off the major bills.

Buy a 20" RCOS and retire

the hard part is to win the blooming thing

Cheers and best of luck

[sheeny (Al)]

Since it's unclear just how much I've won at this stage I'll prioritise my list, with what I'd do with a small win upwards...

1. Celebrate ($10.00 or a fee ticket is a good enough excuse isn't it?)
2. By some small gifts for friends and family (that still includes me, OK?)
3. Buy a small property out of town away from the lights (Or put money towards it).
4. Buy Lyn a new car.
5. Set up a small obs for my scope on 3.
6. Buy some more significant gifts or distribute with friends and family and some worthwhile charities (yet to pass scrutiny).
7. Buy a new BMW tourer (bike, of course!)
8. Set up a rather more elaborate obs on 3 than 5 including a new scope, cameras, computers, etc... (this is a real dilemma... decisions, decisions...)
9. Semi retire and start part time consultancy to allow more time for enjoying life (i.e. astronomy + touring + beach, etc)
10. Retire early to seriously concentrate on wearing out said toys aforementioned.

Yeah, dreaming can be great fun, but sometimes the decisions just get too much and a dose of reality is required to straighten out the thoughts...

Al.

[duncan]

: rofl:
Good one Al.

[xelasnave]

Well the common thread is all look to taking care of others first... paying off debts and then helping out family and friends...that is good.

I have been thinking about it and realise I have it pretty dam good ... I dont seem to want much ... some folk have heaps and they still want more..10 lotto wins would still see them wanting I reckon.

I dont like giving money away only because I have seen so many folk not appreciate a gift.

Seen some win money and lose it within a year also.

I would not mind another sailing boat I suppose but they are more work.
I would rather rent one and give it back when I was sick of it..

Maybe an observatory on the top hill as I have been setting up for...and a 150mm astro physics refractor and 100mm triplet guide scope..and a fancy astronomy camera... but to be honest I cannot effectively use what I have to its potential so I would be only kidding myself...

Some stables and a horse for my daughter as where she got lessons have closed up... but I would rather rent a horse for the day approach.

Fix the muffler on my little car or get rid of it and get another 4wd subaru like the one that was trashed when stolen.. I liked that car it would be handy with this weather.. fix the house? ..probably not I dont mind it like it is as the dogs can live inside if it was decent they would have to stay outside...

Travell no way..
Clothes.. no ..only more to wash.

A flash microscope maybe but I can get my hands on one if I went after it that a mate has... he would trade my electric guitar and I dont use it only the accoustic these days.

Must be getting too old maybe to get excited about things.

Maybe a bigger dob but the 12 inch is good for me.

A new set of strings for my guitar but thats within reach even now

I know ...fix the drive it has been near washed away but if I had the 4wd subaru I would not worry about that.

alex

[dugnsuz (Doug)]

Plastic Surgery!!!!!!

[xelasnave]

I am already too beautiful plastic surgury would make me look like a girl

But another heart would be cool
alex

[Starkler (Geoff)]

A nice house on a property backing onto a trout stream at a dark sky location of course. The only reason im not already there is lack of work in my vocation away from capital cities.

[ispom]

Originally Posted by xelasnave

When you win lotto what will you do?

Hi Alex,
I will undertake a travel to Australia, will visit all my iceinspace friends,
and at first I will call on you

[netwolf]

Surely some to Charity, pay of any debts, early retirement, future kids fund, and i am sure that some portion will go to Astronomy. Ah who am i kidding all of it to Astronomy.

Build a TARDIS, or at least a means of Intergalactic Travel. Travel between the stars, seek out.. I think deep within us all there is some thing that turns us to the heavens and seek out.. a lottry ticket might not be enought though, but with a TARDIS you could make a few Stock Speculations Or Pehaps get Leonardo to paint a Few more Mona Lisa's and hide them.... Sorry i am presently going through the Tom Baker season so forgive me.

Oh but wait i have not bought a lotto ticket in ages.


Regards

[AJames]

Get two separate and decent financial advisers and lawyers to avoid paying taxes and to how to invest the money wisely (though at the moment the shares don't seem such a good investment), then I'd update my will before telling anyone.

If it was more than 5 mill, for the immediate family, I would offer them each 5% in cash with the understanding proviso that they would never be able to ask for financial requests from me ever again [presented by legal written contract.] Furthermore, if anyone then were to contest the Will, upon my demise or alleged sanity, they would be automatically be totally disqualified from anything from the estate.

(Apparently, 1 in 3 of families, especially with several million in winnings, do try to obtain monies from the winner - either legally or by stealth. In this case money really seems to be the root of all evil, and in these cases it has destroyed whole families through greed and jealousy. Another issue are spouses, who can contest the winnings immediately. Sometimes soon ending marriages and de facto relationships immediately to chase after the loot. After reading some of the court cases in the media, winning money in lotto is more often a curse than a real benefit. Sad. )

If it were more than 30 mill, I would also hire a food taster (just in case) and then hire a Secretary for six months to get all my astronomical things, writings edited, and all my observations into some reasonable semblance of order!!

[roccodm]

i would take care of my family and friends-then buy as much of meade as i could to find out who designed the blasted lxd55 so i could fire him -get out of this climate 8 inches of snow last night and now heading to the single digits and zub-zero windchills roccoWb9QPU

[Bobj]

Simple....Spend it!!

First, buy a 5 bedroom house in Howard Springs, or in Durack, Darwin, for my son. That way, I could get some good fishing in the harbour
Second, Donate to the local helicopter rescue and the local hospital.
Third, Buy a BIG 'scope with all the bells and whistles.

Actually, Won on Lotto last week....half paid the week's groceries

[middy]

I'd buy everyone on IceInSpace the telescope of their dreams.

[DJVege]

Sup Alex?

Firstly, I'd pay off my student loan (HECS/HELP). Then, I'd stick it in the bank, and live off the interest! =)

Or, I'd build a house, and with the leftover, buy the awesomest telescope, totally automatic!!! And an observatory for it...

[§AB]

I'd get a 30" SDM with Argonavis, a 4" NP101 Finder, several smaller finders, the best possible variation of the moonlight focuser and get all the Naglars, Ethos, both 1.25" and 2" OIII, UHC and H-beta filters.

For a planetary scope I'd get a 10" TMB Apo with a nice collection of TMB supermono Eyepieces, Plossls and Orthoscopics.

And have it all housed in a private observatory somewhere between Mildura and Broken Hill. Also must have a private airstrip, and a shmick looking plane to go with it

[xelasnave]

Well maybe we are close to the truth...money does not make you happy but thinking what you would do with it if you had it does.

Without struggle it is hard to get out of bed...

Having spent time in the Family Court (at Parramatta) one got to see all the strife over money...and the irrational things folk did so that the other half..seeking to be a whole... did not get any... One chap hired a buldozer and drove it thru the family home so the wife would not get it... shame he did not think of how that must have crushed his kids at the same time..

I dont know who deserved the most pity in that event..the wife , the kids or that poor man consumed with hate for someone he once no doubt loved.

AND one must think of Sir Paul and how even though he has been a success ..such that he has received such a high recognition once only given to controllers of lands for the Crown..now endures the realisation that many will see him as foolish that he thought money would not enter his love life.

I hope he can be happy with the little he has left.

When in Law (and also in real estate to a lesser degree) much of the work came from money disputes.. some from greed to have more and some like the above ..very sad...the work not that I got out

It was having to support greedy people and being their tool of exploitation that drove me out of the game at a shop front level... now if I like you I will help you and there are not many in that dept.

I like to keep as poor as I can really because in so many cases the money is indeed the root of the evil... no one will sue me for anything simply because the cupboard is rather bare er bear maybe the new word of the day...

Great posts from all

.... and one thing is for sure all the money in the world does not open the sky for you.... and if you can see what we all love to see being out there with just 7 x 50 binos is better than an appartment in New York or a boat in the Greek Islands I reckon.

So it is still wet here ...so if I won even without a ticket at present in my pocket I would get on the phone to the guy at Byron who has the helicopter service and fly out of here ...

alex

[xelasnave]

Originally Posted by ispom

Hi Alex,
I will undertake a travel to Australia, will visit all my iceinspace friends,
and at first I will call on you

Buy some tickets my friend that would be wonderful
alex