August 26, 2001    
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If you won the Powerball Lottery (currently $280M), how would you spend it?

First things first - I'd go into my work, bend over, and show upper management exactly which portion of my butt they could kiss. Then I'd pay off all of my and my fiance's bills first, dump some of it into a fund for my  daughter's education, new vehicles for all three of us and my future stepdaughters, a cottage in the country, a house right on the  seashore somewhere...where I would begin seriously writing my book, an apartment in NYC, I may go back to college myself, then do a little traveling in later years. I know one thing for sure, neither myself nor any of my immediate

Fisch, 45
Preston
, CT   USA

Distribute it among my family, retire from work, have money for my kids for college, move down to the shore and then do some good deeds!

Janet, 44
E. Brunswick
, NJ  USA

Carefully.

Karen, 21
Marshalltown/Ames
, IA  USA

I'd take the upfront money and find some good investment managers to handle it. I'd set up investments and trusts to ensure the financial well-being of my family through future generations. I'd create a charitable foundation through which I could channel support to my favorite causes and would endow some scholarships at the college that provided me with one. After all that, I'd indulge myself with a beach house and some extensive travel.

Jane, r60
West Linn
, OR   USA

At this point, I'd probably invest a lot of it for future school endeavors, give some to charity, buy me a new car, get an apartment, and use some of it to go see my boyfriend who I miss terribly.

Angela, 16
Bella Vista
, AR  USA

I'd invest some, give a lot away and never ever work again. Oh, well maybe I would work...I'd probably bank roll a film or two of my own...

Jaden, 21
Brampton, Ontario  CANADA

After paying off the debt of family and setting up trusts for them all, I would create a foundation that would award funds to those working on the causes I believe in: democractic free speech, media arts, youth, and getting people out of poverty.

Felicia, 35
Lowell
, MA   USA

well, assuming I was alowed to play (not being in the US), I would buy a big huge house for me and my friends to live in, and a few more houses to rent out, then live off the rent from the other houses ... :)

Alice, 21
Winchester  UK

I'd pay off everyone's debt in my family, buy each one of them a house, and travel with them for the rest of my life (what was the reason for buying the homes if we're going to travel for the rest of our lives?! Just sounded good )

Melodi, 19
Gahanna
, OH   USA

The first thing I would do is pay off all my debts, debts of my fiance and my parents. I would buy my parents a house and put a little in their savings for the future and do the same for me. I'd put whatever is left over after cars and misc, in a interest baring account and live off that for the rest of my life and my children and grandchildren.

Stephanie, 25
TX  USA

IF I WON THE POWERBALL I WOULD HELP MY CHILDREN AND FAMILY AND FRIENDS THAT REALLY NEED SOME HELP TO GET ON THEIR FEET AND GET A NEW START. I WOULD GIVE MONEY TO MY CHURCH AND I WOULD BUILD A NEW HOME AND BUY REAL ESTATE AND I WOULD TRAVEL EVERYWHERE I EVER WANTED TO GO AND I WOULD FLY NOT DRIVE SO I COULD GET THERE SOONER AND ENJOY. I WOULD GIVE MONEY TO THE RESEARCH GROUPS FOR CANCER ETC. I WOULD LOVE THE SATISFACTION OF BEING ABLE TO HELP OTHERS AND NOT WORRY WHERE I WOULD GET THE MONEY FOR BILLS. MAY GOD BLESS WHO EVER WINS THE POWERBALL AND MAY THEY USE IT WISELY

Marci, 56
Diamond
, OH   USA

I've thought about this for years because I'm always sure I'm going to win. I'd quit my job, buy a small diesel motorhome to live in, give my church a lot of money, and invest the rest.

Reba, 50+
Silver Spring
, MD  USA

haha. i would never win something like that. but if i did, i have no idea, that's too much money to even imagine!

Dianne, 16
Ontario  CANADA

heh, I was thinking about that yesterday. I really don't know how I would spend that much money. College first... then a shopping spree, heh... then I  don't know. That's too much money for any individual to have. I might give a  great deal of it to charity, not out of kindness, rather, out of not   knowing what to do with all of it...

Johanna, 18
OK  USA

IF I lived in a state that participated Powerball and IF I were willing to risk a real, tangible dollar on a chance for pie in the sky and IF I appened to win.....I think I'd have a great deal of fun with home improvements and charitable donations--but I can dream without spending that real, tangible dollar

Jill, 60
Saylorsburg
, PA  USA

If I had won the Powerball lottery: I would have been generous to my folks, my brother, and given some to a couple people at work...so they could be taken care of and, in one's case, get their motor home...of course, I would move to Alaska....I would buy stock in the World Wrestling Federation...I would probably have gotten a new computer when I moved to Alaska. Of course, I would still work...Even though I lost, it is worth a couple bucks to buy a fantasy for a while...

Frodo
age unknown, parts unknown

i've always wanted to get a painted portrait of my dog, so i would get that first. then i would do the usual thing car, house, charity etc.

Becky, 16
AUSTRALIA

Ohhh.. hehe... totally conservative... House, car, clothes, electronical gimmicks.....yeah, and I'd make a trip over to the US to see my sweetheart, and would make sure she visits me often throughout the year... :-)

Holger, 21
Linden  GERMANY

I'd pay off the mortgage and other loans. I'd set up trust funds for my nieces and nephews, help out some other family members and then give therest away to nonprofits.

Laura, 36
Lowell
, MA   USA

Pay off my credit cards, buy a car, make sure my grandparents had absolutely everything they ever wanted, buy my mom and step-dad a new home out in the  country where my mom has always wanted to live, buy my brothers what they wanted and most importantly save the rest for my future.

Jennifer, 19
Wilkes-Barre
, PA  USA

I'd pay for my close friends to go to college, buy a huge boat and take them on a vacation, buy a house and a car, and put what's left of the money in the bank and live of the interest. Damn, that sounds nice.

A-Dog, 18
McMinnville
, OR  USA

buy my parents a new house. Buy a house for myself. Pay off my debts. Pay off my brother's college debts. Give some money to PETA. Put tons of it in savings. Quit my )(*#()$# job.

Talia, 24
Wilton
, CT  USA

Firstly, I'd buy a car. Then I'd pay off all of my college tuition for like 8 yrs. then the rest would be divided into materialistic stuff and neccessities, my parents, my sisters and brother, and organizations that help find cures for diseases as well as an amount for the homeless.

Patty

I would buy a car, give my parents loads of cash, maybe buy them a house in California where they'd rather be, put some in stocks just cause, put some in savings, and rent myself a sweet apartment.

Ry, 23

This is not to answer the daily ?, but to put out my thoughts-for-the-day. For those of you whom are about to read this, go grab a glass of your favorite drink, sit back , relax and contemplate my thoughts. The names have changed not to protect the innocent, but in order for me to write openly and freely. Carlene. I wish I could get you out of my mind. Not that I really want to, but that I really need to because you're not available, which is no surprized to me, for I'm always running into and clicing with women who aren't available--you know, either they are married, boyfriended or if they are single, just don't want a relationship, just a good time, a "roll-in-the-hey." Women have come a long way. I'm old enough to remember a time when women went to college to get an MRS degree, to hook up with a "good man." They started scoping out the Juniors and Seniors while in their Freshman year. Nowadays its like, well, I think Madonna put it best, "Girls just wanna have fun." But Carlene, I don't know what it was I said or did to spark a change in the direction of our relationship, but whatever it was it had it's beginnings in the late Spring, when some of our lunch group went on TDY and the others went on leave, leaving just you and myself to have lunch together alone for a whole two weeks. Whatever magical thing that happened in that time has put me on a roller coaster ride I need to get off of. I thought we were just friends, co-workers, co-workers who knew where the lines were--you married and I single, two people who worked in the same section and had lunch together with others who also worked  in the same section. I didn't go to work there to find a romance, but It would seem that I have with that thing with Karen and then Jacci and then Joann and Marletta. And now you. What made me so attractve to you married women? Why does it not work with single women? I know both Joann and  Marletta are not married, but each has indicated that they are not interested in a relationship--just wanted a good time. Well, fine, then, but why were you calling me almost every night, Joann? And you, Marletta. Why did you let me around your kids all that time after you told me that you let no man around your kids? Why did you lead me on, making me believe that if I just stuck around that I would be richly rewarded when, in fact you told a mutal friend who ended up letting me know that you had no intention of having a relationship with me? That all you wanted was for "someone to satisfy me," that your kids were your focus so you had no time for a man in your ife Anyway...back to Carlene. Although your behavior has cooled tremendously (I think because Nancy or somebody talked to you about it, perhaps, since you and Nancy are friends and go way back) you seemed smitten by me in some way--the look in your eyes when our eyes met, that sparkling smile they had. And your face always seemed to "light up" each time you looked at me, and lets not forget those tender touches you gave me (those touches drove me wild, Carlene. I love it when a woman touches me tenderly.), the teasing around we did, the talks we had...the way that you loved having me sit beside you or directly across from you at lunch so our eyes could meet...the way you would hang on to every word I said and sometimes when we talked at lunch, it was as though you and I were in our own conversation, even though the rest of the gang shared the subject...that funny face you would make when you were pleading with me to buy a certain something for lunch. This went on for a long time, Carlene. I both loved it and hated it at the same time. I loved it because it was so beautiful--two people who work together and  have lunch together, finally, one day discover one another and a romance blooms and blossoms. I hated it because I knew what was going to happen--I was going to fall in love with someone who was never going to leave her husband. Well, he had been good to you so why would you. According to you, he even does the cooking in the family so you don't have to. I guess I should have talked to you about it all before it all got out of hand for me and I ended up getting emotionally involved and all. Well, I can't help getting emotionallyinvoled, you know I have no one in my life right now, I have nothing going on. I would like to but..................you know. I said it earlier. Saturday, after we finished working overtime, I took some time to go  to the "Unofficial Bulletin Board" and read the haps. Did you know that Sally and Frederick are getting married? The wedding   anouncement was on the board. I heard of Sally, but I don't know who she is and I definately don't know who is frederick. I looked in the diectory to see if Frederick was an employee here. He is. They both work in the same section down on the first floor. That made me think about us, if you were wondering why I brought them up. It really bummed me out.  You and I also work in the same section. Do you see where I'm going with this? If only you were a single woman, Carlene...If only you were a single woman and you behaved the way you did, my heart wouldn't now be broken.

I missing you now, Carlene. I want to be with you, now, here cuddled up with you on this rainny day, sharing a CD of Yanni (your favorite) a glass of rum (also your favorite) and some tender kisses. But, I promised my mother I wouldn't, again, get mixed up with married women. She didn't enjoy putting the pieces back together in my puzzle the first time I did. Yes! These really were my thoughts for today.

Skuby, over 21
and somewhere over the rainbow...in Ohio

If I won the lottery then my parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles would never have to work again. I would buy a car for myself and 1 for each of my parents. Then me and my parents would move to southern California and live on the beach. I would also save some of it for college. I would also invest a lot of it to make even more. Next I would donate money to homeless shelters and maybe an AIDS  foundation. What was left I would travel all over with and take my parents.

Heather, 15
TX  USA

I know exactly what I would do with it. I would buy a very very large piece of land, and I would open a no-kill animal shelter in my home town. With as much money as 280 million, I don't think I would even need sponsors so I think it would be very successful. I would also have houses built for my entire family on this piece of land so I could live next to my family for the rest of my life. I would also give a big chunk of that money to PETA. They have done so much, and they are still doing so much. I would definetly want to support them. I  would probably ask if I could open a PETA headquarters in my home town as well. I would put all the animal shelters out of work because our animal companions do not deserve to die just because there are so many of them. If this were the case with humans, we would have to put alot of us down too. There are alot of homeless people running the streets, the classrooms are way too full, alot of people are sick, we are spreading diseases all around,.....hhhmmmmmmmmm.

Lisa J., 22
TN  USA

Give some money to all my friends and family that I love and get a little something for myself and my husband. A chunk would be set aside for our future children. Then I would take some of that money and donate it to research on Autism. Finally I would have to see what was left over before I made any more decisions.

Tracy, 24
Ocean City
, NJ  USA

i think i'd like to blow it pretty quickly, so i could move on with the main work of my life, free of that kind of silly distraction. ..

mothmc, 36
Los Angeles
, CA  USA

I'd pay my parents back for every dime they ever spent on me and I'd save enough to finish my education and buy my first car and home. I'd help any close friends that need financial assistance, and the rest would be distributed among the charities of my choice.

Eric, 19
Beverly Hills
, CA  USA

If I won the Powerball lottery, I'd definetly get my car repaired with some of the money, move out into my own apartment, buy my brother a car, keep some money on the side for myself for expenses, and sent some to charity; in particular for the September 11th relief fund.

Ivan, 20
Spotsylvania
,
VA  USA

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