• cosmicrookie@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      -of their local pastor who would elsewise have to sell both of his private jets to cover the costs of homeopathic treatment in Tibet

    • NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml
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      8 months ago

      Occasionally people win and immediately put it all in low-liquid assets so they can’t screw up their lives and others intentionally get rid of it fast enough because they don’t like trying to sustain that life, but I think both are in a minority compared to the fuck-ups

  • gibmiser@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    God, just in terms of local economy imagine having someone in your community suddenly throwing around millions of dollars like it’s nothing…

    • malloc@lemmy.world
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      8 months ago

      meh, my life probably wouldn’t change much. I would definitely keep it quiet. But there would be signs 😉

      Only items I would do:

      • setup a trust and put national lawyer firm on to claim money on behalf (senior partner only)
      • set aside one million dollars for each immediate family member. Use lawyer firm as buffer
      • pay off any unnecessary debts (ie, credit card bills)
      • move assets (car, home, …) into a shell corp (obfuscate as much as possible)
      • setup diversified investment portfolio of ETFs and other safe investment instruments. Live only on the earned income from passive investments
      • quit career once everything settles, investment income fully replaces corp drone salary (including benefits)
      • set aside half million for risky investments
      • travel/gallivant around the world for a few months
      • look into getting my own ideas off the ground with my own money. Hopefully setup my own sustainable business and treat those around me much better than what I have seen in various corp job settings
      • increase donos into non-profit orgs
      • above all, keep it as quiet as possible. Keep details on a need to know basis. Let immediate family know if they need financial help, to reach out to my lawyer firm

      My current life is gucci. I don’t care about fame, status (ie, buying midlife crisis cars like Porsches or insecurity compensators like trucks or SUVs), expensive clothes, or gigantic overpriced homes in the suburbs.

      At the end of the day, it’s just a number in the bank account(s).

      • NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        Half a million dollars for risky investments is 0.037% of the value.

        You sneeze, and your networth changes by millions in even the safest of investments.

      • brygphilomena@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        I’d do the basics of paying off my house and doing some renovations on it. Or buy and move into a slightly bigger one in the same area. Maybe buy/rent a condo right next to Wrigley Field. Nothing fancy, but I would like to be able to stay near the park.

        After I put most into safe investments I would have some fun.

        I’d find some financial advisors and give each of them a million to invest for me. Then fire the one who performs the worst after a period of time. Then put that money to a new investor and repeat.

        I’d buy a small warehouse to turn into an auto shop to house and work on the cars I buy. Which would be daily drivers, so things like a Miata and a classic mustang. The only fancy car I’d buy, and drive, is a Catterham. This would be my main hobby, so I don’t consider it a waste of money. Repairing/restoring cars and selling them.

        I’d set off on a road trip and love to be able to just see and experience everything without worrying about how much hotels, food, and gas cost. If it weren’t for girlfriend and her daughter I’d consider even just living in a van for a while. Spend a year and go to literally every Cubs game.

  • Dizzy Devil Ducky@lemm.ee
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    8 months ago

    Why can’t my family ever win at least a chunk of money from the lottery? I know it’s statistically highly unlikely to win, but the hope of a better future if you just spend a few bucks a month sounds pretty good right about now.

    • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works
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      8 months ago

      The lottery is really a ‘poor and stupid’ tax to put it harshly. You are literally more likely to be crushed by a meteorite, than to win the powerball. Your family would be better off if they took the money that they spend on the lottery every week and invest it in the stock market.

      ETF and Index funds are pretty safe and grow by about 7-10 percent every year. They could invest in more volatile stocks and still gamble a bit, too, but at least the odds are in your families’ favor that way.

      I worked in retail for many years selling lottery tickets to thousands of different people. Never once, did I ever hear of anyone winning anything significant in my whole city. It felt bad every time some obviously struggling person bought one.

      • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
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        8 months ago

        It is truly a tax on desperation for those who spend more than $10 at a time. But it’s harmless under that amount, even if someone plays every few days.

        Don’t lie to people and tell them “that money is better spent on investments”. $10 will not meaningfully affect your retirement quality. You may end up with $50 - $100 extra.

        If anything, these people should find a hobby that is cheap and healthy. $10 spent on sports equipment or clothing can actually affect someone’s life for the better. You can get a basketball for $10 or save up for a tennis racket ($30). The key to a good retirement is cheap healthy hobbies like cooking or gardening.

        • TopRamenBinLaden@sh.itjust.works
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          8 months ago

          You know what, that’s fair, I was more generalizing about the people who spend a bit more money on it. Still, anyone buying a lottery ticket would have better results spending the money on pretty much any other form of gambling.

          I just have a particular hate for the lottery, because from my experience, it seems to target those who need to save their money the most. Its literally a system that robs poor people by selling them false hope.

      • NauticalNoodle@lemmy.ml
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        8 months ago

        I’ve heard the “stupid-tax” metaphor many times before but I’d always argue that buying a $2-3 quick-picks ticket just to give yourself a few hours to indulge a fantasy every now and then doesn’t hurt.

        The people that have gambling problems are addicted to that dopamine fix, win or lose.

        —I never felt a hit of dopamine when I saw the growth of my Retirement Investment fund during tax season, as real as it may be.

        • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.world
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          8 months ago

          I’ve heard the “stupid-tax” metaphor many times before but I’d always argue that buying a $2-3 quick-picks ticket just to give yourself a few hours to indulge a fantasy every now and then doesn’t hurt.

          Some would even call it a form of entertainment.

      • june@lemmy.world
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        8 months ago

        It’s a good sign tho. It’s getting closer to me.

        I’ll spend my whole paycheck on tickets this week.

        (It’s funny because I’m unemployed and am not getting paychecks right now)

  • VerbFlow@lemmy.world
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    8 months ago

    Did you know that Oregon has its lottery funds go straight to the government? I guess having only eighth place is a good thing