What would you have done with $500 million?

[JerryS]

I bought five tickets for the Power Ball, fully knowing that mathematically they provided me almost identically the same chance of winning as if I had not bought them. Even so, for a few minutes I indulged myself in the fantasy of imagining that the money was mine. I tried to come up with just what I would do with it.

I decided that some of my relatives---the ones I care about---would get generous gifts. The church would get a nice donation, and probably my old college. I would probably selectively help some people who need and deserve it. I would get a new pickup, and probably a couple of new TRACTORS---or maybe even one for every implement. That would call for a new shed. I'd probably get a log house on a lake somewhere that it's cool in the summer. The wife of course would have a list of her own---lots of travel, I imagine, and a few baubles.

But after that initial splurge, what then? I have no idea. What do you do with that kind of money? I know I have no desire to live the life of the rich and famous jet-setters. What would you folks do?
 

[Dalet]

[Greg1959]

I would buy a new seat for my tractor. I don't like getting the seats of my pant wet from it.
 

[Cooney Minnie]

I too bought the five tickets.

And after having bought the neighboring farm and gotten the kids going, I don't know...

After all, a man can only drink 20 to 30 beers a day, no matter how rich he is!
 

[oldtanker]

That's easy. We have a town near us that wants the resort/lake shore people to be happy. They have had opportunities to have manufacturing come into town and run them off not caring about the people that need jobs.

So with that kinda money I'd open a small factory, just outside the city limits and build the ugliest building I could. Don't know what I'd make but I would figure something out.

Rick
 

[steve_in_mo]

Widgets. There's a lot of demand for them.
 

[Bruce from Can.]

I would just keep on farming untill it was all gone!
 

[steve_in_mo]

I'd have bought every imaginatively overpriced restored tractor in the photo ads. Then I'd hire a bunch of you-all to run for public office, and spend a lot of money advertising your campaign promises. I'd go broke but I would still have all those tractors.
 

[OH Boy]

Buy enough stock in my company that I would have enough influence to fire the fools that run it now.
 

[fixerupper]

Dalet's idea is something I entertained too. By the way, where's Old. He's from Missouri. Could he be.............? Jim
 

[wijim]

I would give most of it to people I dont like much. I think winning that kind of money would make everything a guy has worked for worthless! I did buy a ticket though. I think i would be much happier winning a couple hundred thousand.Jim
 

[PaGlenn]

I would probably buy 500 million scratch-off lottery tickets.
 

[tomtirediron]

Geeze Rick sounds like ALOT of Minnesota towns! Sell their soul for the tourist-development dollar and let other towns have good paying year-round manufacturing jobs.
 

[Wile E]

Here is what I would do, and you would do some of the same things.

1. Get your own security force, a dozen men watching your home, family all the time. I know I would. I would have 3 of these guys at the school my children go to......The threat of kidnapping and being held for ransom is very real.
Former co-workers wife worked at a bank where a large sum of money had to be taken by the FBI for a ransom drop. (just like in the movies) This really happened several years ago I am told.

2. Build the most incredible fortress I could imagine. Gorgeous home. I would still have a shop with a heated barn for storage of tractors and other toys. My home would have double brick on it for repelling attacks. And I would have Lexan polycarbonate windows for bullet resistance. Underground bomb shelter with living quarters too.

3. My own power plant. If and when the electric grid takes a dump.

4. Have a small community of close friends and family on a large parcel of land to look out for each other.

5. Destroy the political careers of some of the bums in DC.

6. Buy businesses that are good investments also land and raw materials. And I want a big new gas guzzling diesel truck too.
 

[tomtirediron]

Just came back from a parent teacher conference at a wonderful Christian school. We've managed to send the younger kids to for the last few years. I would love to write them and a few other similar programs nice big checks.