If I was a millionaire.

This morning after dropping the kids to school I was stuck in traffic when a millionaire passed  by on his bicycle. When I say millionaire, I really mean multi millionaire. Heck, millionaires are ten a penny these days, my sister and her husband are millionaires and I have several friends and acquaintances who are well into seven figure bank accounts and assets. Not me though. My bank account balance was 53 Euro on last looking and that neatly summarises my income year to date. There's nothing quite as bizarre as getting in a round of drinks for someone who could buy the entire bar and the rest of the street it's situated on.

No this man was featured along with his brothers in the Sunday Times UK rich list last weekend. But there he is in a town in Ireland cycling along on his way to the office cutting a rather unprepossessing figure. Not that he doesn't have a nice car nor does his wife who drives a rather nice Mercedes mini bus with all the gadgets. One of his sons is in the same year as my son.

But he doesn't wear his wealth in a very obvious way. Which makes me wonder what I would do if I came into a lot of money. I say that as I remember I have a Euro lotto ticket pinned to the fridge unchecked. Could it be me?

So what would I do with all the money. I would definitely check a few items off my bucket list, fly a Spitfire (a not in), buy a nice but not flashy car and obviously a nice house. Maybe a holiday home somewhere. But after that I'm stuck really. Definitely nice holidays somewhere.

Any ideas? What would you do?

If today, I woke to 1 million Canadian in my bank account.

Well, I get married next month, not in October. I bring everyone here that is distant. My cost.

Then after a modest honeymoon seeing dad's world in England, I build a Tiny home to live in, buy a nice vehicle to tow it, buy a nice spot of unimportant land up north to call home base, small, with trees, a house that is more a storage box and cozy winter hangout. Which would likely all not cost as much as buying the current routine house cost of 500k.

And I'd wave goodbye to most of the routine shit of daily life.

I wouldn't have most of the usual services.
I wouldn't have expensive clothes. I'd likely just wear thrift, and discard/change for new ones rather than launder them.
I'd eat at small cafes, and enjoy modest average food.
I'd enjoy reading my books in nice spots.

A few things come to mind. Of course the fact that I seldom buy lotto tickets severely decreases the already minuscule odds that I'd win such a thing, but playing the imagination game:

First thing would be to have a nice sit-down with a good accountant and good tax attorney, and make sure things are set up so that there are no surprises, tax or otherwise, and so that I don't unintentionally blow it all in a couple of months. Intentionally blowing it is another thing entirely.

Next would be to eliminate all current debts, and get back-logged maintenance on house and car up-to-date.

Then would be taking a hard look at the full ongoing costs of transition, and optimizing that. For instance, instead of one hour of electrolysis every month, perhaps accelerating that to weekly, both facial and down south.


Other things, in no particular order:

Look at worthy people and organizations I would want to make either a one time or ongoing donation to.

Travel.

Upgrade the contents of my wardrobe, maybe with the help of a fashion consultant. I have no need or desire to be ready for the red carpet, and don't need a one-of-a-kind dress from a top designer, but it would be nice to be a bit more polished.

Decide what to do when I grow up. I really do enjoy the job I have now, but it would be nice to do it because I like it, without worrying about needing the money. Perhaps it would make sense to do free-lance consultancy, or to work on an open source software project.

Decide on whether to maintain my current home, or to move elsewhere.

I would keep running, though perhaps I'd maintain a home gym for workouts on those cold, snowy winter mornings.

Some of your list is interesting Tara

Me, I have no debt, at all.

No house to pay off/improve.

I actually have a massive wardrobe already.

Grow up? Not a chance

I wouldn't need to work, I sure wouldn't start.

Travel? actually, I would never be anywhere 3 days in a row aside from November to April when I'd be hiding at home base.

I wouldn't likely need to fret over D'arcy's GRS.

I've been living on an income that is seemingly impossible for more than 20 years. Something like 15k a year. With the remaining fund of more than 500k, I'd likely end up with more than a million soon enough. I wouldn't be able to spend it fast enough.

Gas and the cost of a couple of visits to a restaurant a day is simply not going to use up the money. I'd probably have my son move into my home and be the ones to maintain it in the warm season why I and D'arcy were out wandering around.

I'd probably help out my friends with minor financial aid.
The sad truth of a million though, is I wouldn't waste time pretending it was enough to become a charity.
My friends and family would get help when it was there turn.

I'd likely sit on my spare cash for a year while the interest showed up.
I wouldn't need an accountant though. I'm inherently cheap.

Lesley Niyori wrote:Me, I have no debt, at all. No house to pay off/improve.

I don't have much. Less than 30% of the value of my house, and a couple of cars. I have not bought a new car in 20 years, and was able to get interest rates so low on the used ones we have now that it makes no sense to pay them off early. Unless I had a million dollars sitting around.

Lesley Niyori wrote:I actually have a massive wardrobe already.

Me too. It would be more a matter of refreshing it.

Lesley Niyori wrote:Grow up? Not a chance

Perhaps I should have said if I grow up.  

Lesley Niyori wrote:I wouldn't need to work, I sure wouldn't start.

I know myself well enough to know that I need something to focus on. If I didn't need it for money as well, I'd have a lot more flexibility in the work I did, but I'd still need to do something.

Lesley Niyori wrote:The sad truth of a million though, is I wouldn't waste time pretending it was enough to become a charity.

Truth. A million dollars/pounds/euros won't go as far as most people think. But not having enough to be a charity is not the same as not having enough for charity. Anyway, Marie did say the bloke was actually a multi-millionaire.

Lesley Niyori wrote:I'm inherently cheap.

Ha! Me too! I often blame it on my Scottish ancestry, but really that tired stereotype has less to do with it than the fact that my parents grew up in the Depression, and passed their tight ways on to me.

in 1989, my merchant homebuilding business failed and I lost a little more than $4 million. It wasn't $4 mil in cash but property equity so I didn't really get a chance to spend it.

I didn't win the Tuesday lottery so I will have to wait and see if the Wednesday lottery brings me any more luck.

If I won a lot of millions, my first big spend would be to fund the Transgender Law Center in San Francisco with a million or so. I would also want a seat on their board so I could become very active and a very good level in trans politics and law.

I would be quite sensible about it, I would ensure that every last penny was spent before I died.

Celia Eriksson wrote:I would be quite sensible about it, I would ensure that every last penny was spent before I died.

You mean you'd spend most of it on drink, drugs and rock and roll. Then waste the rest!

Thinking about it I might buy a racehorse or two. I once had a share in one. It could run at my local racetrack during the annual week long festival. How much I'd love to dress up for Ladies Day.

Of course you can't be a racehorse owner without a helicopter although renting on the day might be sufficient. On that note there's something called a 'Jet card'. You call the number on it and a jet awaits you at the local airport. I like that idea. In fact I might buy the local airport. Same with yachts. I wouldn't buy just rent. Maybe in Cap d'Antibe. San Tropez is so overrated.

I might buy a holiday home abroad. This weekend I was invited to stay at my friend's house in Malaga, Spain. Sadly I had another appointment. Oh well another time. Besides once my sister has finished her beach house I'll be there helping her with her new novel. Hopefully it'll be a worldwide best seller and she'll throw some cash my way. Well I can dream.

I do like champagne too. I'd stock up on a few magnums.

D'arcy claims she'd be wearing fancy clothes, eating at fancy eateries.

She's mistaken

mariehart1 wrote:

Celia Eriksson wrote:I would be quite sensible about it, I would ensure that every last penny was spent before I died.

You mean you'd spend most of it on drink, drugs and rock and roll. Then waste the rest!

Oh Marie!

No, no, no, no, no!!!! I don't do drugs, I don't do Rock 'N Roll and I don't overdo the drink either...…. but I'll still spend, spend, spend!!!!!

My dirty little habit is shopping sooooo.....

~ Liz

Celia Eriksson wrote:

mariehart1 wrote:

Celia Eriksson wrote:I would be quite sensible about it, I would ensure that every last penny was spent before I died.

You mean you'd spend most of it on drink, drugs and rock and roll. Then waste the rest!

Oh Marie!

No, no, no, no, no!!!! I don't do drugs, I don't do Rock 'N Roll and I don't overdo the drink either...…. but I'll still spend, spend, spend!!!!!

Ha ha I'm quoting someone, much more amusing than me.

I was just watching Eurovision and it occurs to me that I've only visited nine US States. No I've no idea what that made that a connection is. But I've only been to Massachusetts, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, Vermont and Missisippi. So I need to expand on that. Vegas, so Nevada, California, Florida, Texas. I'll rent a car and drive them all. Or in my case rent a plane. Of course Hawaii is on the bucket list.

Plus Lesley I've been to Montreal, loved it. With all my money I'll tour Canada.

Then there's Europe. My wife's been everywhere in Europe. Lived in London for years and been around nearly all the countries. I've only been to France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy and of course Britain which I don't count as foreign.

Definitely travel more. Been to Vietnam and Cambodia and would go back in a minute.

That's where the money would go.

if I am still here, let me know when you get close to The Bay Area. Born and lived here for over 70 years. Don't need GPS to get around.

MichaelaSJ wrote:if I am still here, let me know when you get close to The Bay Area. Born and lived here for over 70 years. Don't need GPS to get around.

Millionaire or not the Bay area is one place I'll be visiting maybe as soon as next year or even this year. That's a definite.

mariehart1 wrote:I was just watching Eurovision and it occurs to me that I've only visited nine US States.

Travel is definitely a big part of my plans.

I've been to 45 of the 50 US states, and expect to get two more this summer. I've only been to two of the ten Canadian provinces, but I hope to improve that number soon, assuming our idiot president doesn't end up declaring war on Canada.

I've also been to at least eight European countries, and four African countries (not counting airport connections in a few others).

I've not been anywhere in South America or Asia, nor any oceanic islands, aside from Hawai'i.

I've not really seen the US. Been to NY state as a child and Florida long enough to bury grandfather. Saw Ohio long enough to shop on Black Friday once.

If you want the opinion of a Canadian, as a tourist, see Quebec first, maybe Ottawa area next, possibly the East Coast. There's nothing to see in Saskatchewan and Alberta is our redneck province. You might not like it any more than Texas. BC is likely too expensive. Manitoba is probably just as boring as Northern Ontario.

Avoid our major cities, that ain't real Canada. Our cities are just every other place brought into Canada. If you want to meet a Canadian, you have to stick to the towns. Otherwise, all you meet are Americans with odd accents and colourful money

I was in Montreal for a day. It looked like any North American city except everyone spoke French and the signage was in French. The money had portraits of the Queen which though expected seemed odd. It also seemed more European than I expected.
I really liked Montreal though.

The following is my personal observation and does not require or deserve a response. I have worked with more than a handful of Canadians who sought better work or education in the US.

• If you want to see Canadian independence, visit the Prairie Provinces.
  
• If you want to see a xenophobic Canadian visit British Columbia.
  
• If you want to have a sophisticated friendship visit the Ontario Province where Lesley lives. I also have a nephew who lives in Hamilton, a suburb of Toronto.
  
• If you want to get shit on because you don't speak French, visit Quebec Province.
  
• If you want to have a hearty and salty friendship, visit the Atlantic Provinces.
  

I once spent a very cold February in Waltham, MA trying to get certified in SAP R3 (a very involved and expensive enterprise operating system). One of my classmates was from Toronto and she was a delight to spend a lunchtime with. Another student was a guy from Quebec City who had a limited English vocabulary.

To get certified in SAP is a long intense and tedious task. I don't know how I passed the final exam but I did (I would have been out the $20,000 tuition if I didn't). The woman from Toronto also passed and the guy from Quebec City failed. He was inconsolable because he would lose his job and very angry because they wouldn't give him a do-over in French.

Yes, YMMV!

Lesley Niyori wrote:If you want the opinion of a Canadian, as a tourist, see Quebec first, maybe Ottawa area next, possibly the East Coast. There's nothing to see in Saskatchewan and Alberta is our redneck province. You might not like it any more than Texas. BC is likely too expensive. Manitoba is probably just as boring as Northern Ontario.

Avoid our major cities, that ain't real Canada. Our cities are just every other place brought into Canada. If you want to meet a Canadian, you have to stick to the towns. Otherwise, all you meet are Americans with odd accents and colourful money

What I'd really like to do is take the train across Canada. Some day.

I've driven through Québec, and visited Montréal, and got to test my school Parisian French against Québecois. A bit confusing, that.

I've been to Toronto several times, on business and pleasure. I drove there the last time, so I got to see quite a bit of southern Ontario, including Niagra Falls. I even cheered for the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, at least until I got sunscreen in my eyes and couldn't see anything. I've never made it to Ottawa, though.

I have good reason to visit Alberta and BC, as I one of my mother's sisters and her descendants live there.

I'd also like to see some of the Viking stuff in Nova Scotia.

MichaelaSJ wrote:
[*]If you want to get shit on because you don't speak French, visit Quebec Province.

Well, I do speak French. But Québecois French is rather different from the official language of the Academy as taught in high school and university. Very nasal, a lot of different vocabulary, different turns of phrase.

Still, compared to Cajun French from Louisiana, it's not that hard!

I'll support Miki's observations.

Montreal is sort of anglo Quebec. But even there, the language is a hassle.

I've done the train across Canada. Not sure it is worth it. Entirely.

From Oshawa going north, it is pretty until you pass Sudbury, then it is trees, nothing but trees, hope you like trees because there is nothing but trees. That's Manitoba as well. The train usually crosses Saskatchewan while you sleep. For good reason. Alberta and BC is why you took the train.

In the other direction, unsure, haven't done it. I'd rather drive a car to the East Coast. Not sure I'd take the train again, but the Alberta BC portions are worth it.

The thing is, dad got to go free with the family. So I went three times as a kid. It's not the same as 'baggage' I'm sure

Tara wrote:

MichaelaSJ wrote:
[*]If you want to get shit on because you don't speak French, visit Quebec Province.

[*]

Well, I do speak French. But Québecois French is rather different from the official language of the Academy as taught in high school and university. Very nasal, a lot of different vocabulary, different turns of phrase.

Still, compared to Cajun French from Louisiana, it's not that hard!

I read once that when French journalists interviewed the French Canadian Formula 1 driver Gilles Villeneuve they did it in English because they simply didn't understand his Quebecois.
I have to say the same problem with certain Irish accents not to say Scots accents which are nearly impenetrable.

mariehart1 wrote:
I have to say the same problem with certain Irish accents not to say Scots accents which are nearly impenetrable.

Truth! I once ordered a sandwich in a restaurant in Edinburgh. What was given me was not what I thought I ordered, and yet the young man asserted that it was, even though we were using what sounded to me like completely different words. I finally gave up, and ate it. It was fine.

And that wasn't even deep in the Highlands!