We all get spam emails telling us we've won money. So far so meh. But today I think the spammers overreached themselves a tad - my email address, picked at random from the Internet, means that I have won six and a half BILLION dollars.
Wow.
But of course, then you think, actually there are such things as billionaires. What would you DO with that money? It's so far beyond material things like houses and cars I'd be still a loss, other than just give it all away - but to who? A pound each to everyone on the planet? Boring.
So, come on imaginative people. You've got six and a half billion. What are you going to do with it?
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Proper beer, half decent curries & real classy hookers
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>> Proper beer, half decent curries & real classy hookers
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Only half decent? I'm sure you'll be able to afford full decent ones. Infact get your own live curry chef, the right one might be able to sort out your third requirement as well ;)
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...get your own live curry chef, the right one might be able to sort out your third requirement as well.
What, get him off the pot to buy a new car? He'd have to be a magician as well as a chef.
};---)
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>> ...get your own live curry chef, the right one might be able to sort out
>> your third requirement as well.
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>> What, get him off the pot to buy a new car? He'd have to be
>> a magician as well as a chef.
>> };---)
>>
Que?
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Live like a billionaire i suppose, mega yachts, homes all over the place. I would imagine most are very canny with their money though. make sure that they pass it on to their kids that sort of thing.
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If you stuck that cash in a Santander 123, not that you'd be able to, and they paid, that's over half a million pounds interest a DAY. Yachts don't cut it.
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>> If you stuck that cash in a Santander 123
No they'd pay about £40 a month and take a £5 fee too.
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Seen the price of mega yachts? ;)
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Have you seen the running costs of a mega yacht? Even just to park it. :-)
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Yeah I saw some numbers about the running costs. They'll eat through money quicker than most could burn it.
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I've had that fantasy, or a version of it many times.
I'd like to think ( well it would be my intention anyway ) that I'd stay below the radar. I'd have a nice car of course but not one that drew too much attention, something like a debadged E63 estate maybe. I'd have a nice house, or several in diverse locations perhaps, but again none that would especially announce great wealth.
I'd want to be able to move about in the world without worrying about being targeted by criminals or whatever, or have to live in a property with excess security.
I'd travel a lot, see the parts of the world worth seeing, I'd also like to think I'd try to help some of those who needed it, but without necessarily announcing where that help had come from.
Those I chose to help would just find that their luck had changed for the better but I'd want to remain anonymous.
I'd learn to fly a light aircraft maybe, or a helicopter, one of those. That would be something I think I'd enjoy.
Don't think I'd have a mega yacht, but I might have some nice kind of boat I could sleep on, but again nothing too fancy, something that wouldn't shout too loud.
I'd eat well, trying the best of restaurants wherever I was.
I'd be really rather private about it.
I think.
I hope anyway. Who knows.
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No, really no, I'd want to walk softly through the world.
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How about running a F1 team? That'd get through a few billion fairly quickly.
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You could do Mr Osborne a favour and plug the hole in the budget.
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>> How about running a F1 team? That'd get through a few billion fairly quickly.
NO WAY, who'd want to be any where that odious little dwarf Ecclestone.
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>> NO WAY, who'd want to be any where that odious little dwarf Ecclestone.
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How come you lambast Roger for being a racist but you think it's all right to make personal comments about Ecclestone's lack of height?
No wonder we never get new members on here - apart from fluffy, who makes things worse?
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>> How come you lambast Roger for being a racist but you think it's all right
>> to make personal comments about Ecclestone's lack of height?
>> No wonder we never get new members on here - apart from fluffy, who makes
>> things worse?
Ok, fair point
Ecclestone, that odious little white dwarf. I'm sorry, if that means very short little F1 media rights holders wont be joining the forum, thats the risk I will have to take.
Last edited by: Zero on Thu 24 Mar 16 at 09:25
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>> >> How about running a F1 team? That'd get through a few billion fairly quickly.
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>> NO WAY, who'd want to be any where that odious little dwarf Ecclestone.
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Aye true there is that.
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Bernie is a clever, rich, used car/bike salesman who does very well for Bernie.
Nothing else matters to him, so he'll follow the money.
I don't know if he's obnoxious or not: he's a strong personality it's true, but a hell of a lot of folks are just jealous of his millions.
The GPDA have written an open letter about the way the sport is going and it has been judged as critical of Bernie.
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"NO WAY, who'd want to be any where that odious little dwarf Ecclestone."
Nice wife, though, who must have got fed up with her husband ages ago. BBD might seize his chances there...
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I would give the vast majority of it away.
Some to my two children, some to charities I already support and ?
A few cars and that is really it for the foreseeable future.
No holidays, no houses, no travel, dining out.
We could easily travel the world now, as we have regularly in the past, but due to SWMO's health we have been no further than a very few two hour car trips to friends/relatives and just one night away in five years.
The billions cannot solve our situation.
Do travel while you can as you never know when poor health might curtail it.
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None of my/our business Henry, and I'm genuinely shocked and sorry to hear of your difficulties, but ( and this may well not apply as a potential solution in your case ) we have friends with a teenage son with severe problems.
They felt trapped at home due to his needs until they worked out that they could care for him in a large and specially equipped motor home.
It's changed their lives.
Like I say, that might not work for you of course.
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Runfer D'Hills, thanks for your thoughts. It is appreciated.
SWMBO has short term memory problems ( not Alzheimers) and fatigue ( not ME/MS ) but both seem stable.
The situation appears to have been caused by two otherwise successful operations.
She can look after herself personally and also does the laundry and has normal mobility.
I do the shopping, cooking, organising but have to monitor things.
I can repeat things many times and it just does not register which I am adapting to.
We are fortunate that we can fund consultants etc to explore any options.
We are thankful that to date we do not worry about money and still have our sense of humour.
Now where are my Lotto tickets ?
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>> I've had that fantasy, or a version of it many times.
Likewise. I don't suppose many haven't.
There are some though. I can't help wondering what those smothered in gold from birth fantasize about.
Being poor but honest? Being a bandit? I can't imagine.
Agreeable if cautious cats, the stone-rich. Very good at doing runners and suddenly disappearing.
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Ha. A conundrum of a pleasant kind. I'd want to give close family some dosh but wary of too much. Elder brother syndrome? Daughter is already in higher tax band, so probably only wants some minor amount (500k?) to get a better property, until we cark it. So, my tentative plan would be to arrange for a solicitor to hand out windfalls to the clan, anonymously, with a clause re disclosure. On the solicitor.
Not sure what would be sufficient or too much - but say enough for a decent house free of mortgage, not onerous to maintain.
Travel fest, by boat, not plane. I've spent many years abroad anyway, and have had quite enough of airports. Japan - might take some arranging by boat. Southern hemisphere unexplored though - OZ, NZ and Hawaii on the list. Residence. West of Ireland. "The light of evening, Lissadell,
Great windows open to the south"
Money allows pretentious poetical allusions without shame:)
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There is a story about superyacht fires in the Mail today. The American Superyacht Association recons the running cost of a 180' yacht is $4.75 million per anum.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 12 Apr 16 at 20:47
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Tell that to Roman Abronomovich.
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>> Tell that to Roman Abronomovich.
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Why? Besides his super yacht is 533 feet and cost about €340m. I doubt his is that cheap to run.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eclipse_(yacht)
Even has a mini submarine. Old Navy might like that :-)
Last edited by: rtj70 on Tue 12 Apr 16 at 21:42
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>> Even has a mini submarine. Old Navy might like that :-)
He might also like Coast Australia, 3.55 BBC 2. If he's not already seen it.
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>> >> Even has a mini submarine. Old Navy might like that :-)
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>> He might also like Coast Australia, 3.55 BBC 2. If he's not already seen it.
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Thaks Clk, I have seen it. I have done much of the the East and West coasts, the South around Melbourne and Tasmania but none of the North coast. Toy submarines are too risky for me, I know what can go wrong. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Wed 13 Apr 16 at 12:44
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I'd give most of it away to folk who *really* need it. Even the 'odd' £500m would be too much for me.
I'd be like the secret millionaire giving money (anonymously) to good causes and small charities.
The British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research etc. etc. wouldn't get a brass farthing.
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I would never become the family banker no matter how much I had (No kids, mind). Half of them we don't talk to anyway and the other half are comfortable enough. If you want people to resent you in the long term give them money, it changes the balance of the relationship and things are never the same again.
I'd donate most of the money to charity and keep enough so I could live in comfort with no future worries. Neither of us have extravagant tastes and I doubt if whatever cars we bought would even be brand new.
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I've sometimes fantasised about running an anonymous charity, which it's imposible to apply to, but which discreetly intervenes whenever an achingly good cause comes to my notice.
I think there is something a bit like that for struggling musicians - no one knows who runs it or how to contact it, but sometimes someone in need finds a fairy godmother has mysteriously awarded them a scholorship or helped out in some way.
Another fantasy is to offer someone begging or busking a job. When someone begs for a cup of tea or help for the homeless I'd say,"Do you really want to escape from this life? If you do, here's my card. Turn up at nine oclock here on Monday, clean, sober and ready to work, and you can have a full time job at the national minimum wage. Here's £50 to see you until then. Get some clothes, food, etc, and if you want it, get a new life. If you don't turn up or you don't want to work, then never ever expect this offer to be repeated. It's your choice."
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I might get a new drill....I think the batteries on my Ryobi are on the way out !
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My dreams would all be around unwanted animals, nature and wildlife.
I'd want to provide for them, look after them all and more than anything educate the young about how important a part of this world nature is.
.....and I'd buy a statue for my garden that I've been wanting for ages but can't justify the cost:)
Pat
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"and I'd buy a statue for my garden"
How about a statue of me with a ten-inch perch for the birds?
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>> "and I'd buy a statue for my garden"
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>> How about a statue of me with a ten-inch perch for the birds?
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Do you mean the feathered variety ?
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There are a lot of people who I would like to help out, but don't think they would necessarily accept money from me. If it could be done anonymously, on condition that donor would remain anonymous, and they would never find out, it would be better. You'd have to "give" yourself money too, so as to avoid suspicion..
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>> There are a lot of people who I would like to help out, but don't
>> think they would necessarily accept money from me. If it could be done anonymously, on
>> condition that donor would remain anonymous, and they would never find out, it would be
>> better. You'd have to "give" yourself money too, so as to avoid suspicion..
I think there is a tax dodge in there somewhere.
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A million at least to all units of our immediate family!
A chunk to SSAFA & a couple of Forces charities.
Yes - I'd also donate a big chunk to UKIP, but I'd want a say on how it's spent.
Then - a nice bungalow, not too big, with a manageable garden. A holiday home in Spain (!) . Perhaps we could buy back our old apartment!
Travel, especially the Far East.
Someone to to all the b***** ironing!
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>> Someone to to all the b***** ironing!
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I wouldn't have ironing. I'd have new clothes every day.
The biggest luxury would be new bed linen daily, made by someone else of course.
That gorgeous feeling of sinking into a freshly made bed with freshly plumped-up proper eider feather pillows is perfect bliss.
If I had Lud's money, of course. :)
Last edited by: Cliff Pope on Thu 24 Mar 16 at 10:46
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>>If I had Lud's money, of course. :)
And some! www.downheaven.com/eiderdown-pillows-detail.aspx
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>> You've got six and a half billion. What are you going to do with it?
I once did a similar analysis.
Then I realized that lot of those wishes can be fulfilled even if I don't win a lottery!
Often money is not the problem but not having time to do certain things is the problem.
Of course, winning a lottery would allow me to take me more risks. I would have invested at least half of lottery winning in stocks/shares/businesses etc.
Most of newspaper articles about lottery winners is all about how they spent money by purchasing material products and never about how they invest or take entrepreneurial steps.
In my childhood I dreamed of owning Porsches/Ferraris etc. Now I can afford a Porsche but no longer willing to buy one (because I want to spend that money in other priorities in life e.g. children's education etc.)
I spoke with my (not so rich) friends who owned Porsches and admitted it was not that special as they thought it would be (and thus sold the cars).
You can do lots of things without additional money but simply by changing your attitude to life.
Last edited by: movilogo on Thu 24 Mar 16 at 11:10
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>>You can do lots of things without additional money but simply by changing your attitude to life.
Wise words sahib.
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I'd fund a series of small businesses - I would consider going into the the care-home industry, some sort of not for profit organisation whose primary purpose would be to provide proper conditions for staff and residents.
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Not a bad idea Rob, you could have specialist ones for people who think they want old Fiats and so on.
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>> Not a bad idea Rob, you could have specialist ones for people who think they
>> want old Fiats and so on.
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I think they call them asylums ! :-)
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How about the car4play retirement home Rob?
You could have a wing for the Right, a wing for the lefties and a wing for UKIP.
A wing for the stroppy, a wing for the arrogant and a wing for the pompous.
Then on the sunny west side you can have a wing for all those really nice ones:)
Pat
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>> Then on the sunny west side you can have a wing for all those really
>> nice ones:)
It would be empty.
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Can a building have seven wings?
Discuss
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Could we have wing mirrors on the doors...?
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>> Could we have wing mirrors on the doors...?
Don't start !
;-)
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Book your spot the Pat ! I'm surprised that BBD's suggestion stunned you into silence...
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>>BBD's suggestion stunned you into silence...<<
He only does it for a reaction and he'll wait a long time to get what he wants from me:)
Pat
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"Then on the sunny west side you can have a wing for all those really nice ones:)"
You must be referring to Leicestershire people ;-)
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....I can just see the trade name now: .......Caregata......
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10" Perch. You must be some ugly MF to have a Nose like that. :-0)
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I assumed it was something to do with fish.
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I would set up a chocolate factory, to replace Cadbury's.
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I liked Humph's response, because it pretty much echoes what I'd do.
The honest answer is I really don't know; there are a few material things I suppose which only that sort of money could enable me to purchase.
Starting with the blatantly obvious for those of you who know my tastes, a Crocker (very rare American motorcycle) a Brough Superior SS100 and an MV Agusta 750S, the latter considered by me, despite my predilection for American iron, to be the world's most beautiful motorcycle both to look at and listen to. A Mack B61 as a big boy's toy (well I've got the licence, might as well use it) and a few cars, including a Facel Vega and a 1920's racing Bentley. I'd have an old American pick-up for kicking about cos I just love them.
A nice house; preferably an old railway station. Should said station be on a disused line, I'd be tempted to re-install a length of track and have my own private railway; one assumes of course that I can afford staff!
I'd like to travel a bit; first class of course more for the lack of delays than the comfort or company I'd find. Never done America or Australia so they'd do for starters.
Tickets for all five days of an Ashes Test at Lords. Whilst we're on the subject of tickets, might even consider going to see ELO if I've got that kind of money! ;-)
The one thing I cannot buy, of course, is time. I suppose the trick is, if you've got that kind of money, to make sure that you have quality time.
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I'd move up to Cumbria to be nearer the wife's family.
I'd buy a decent plot of land and build a house on it. Oh, and I'd buy Blencathra if it came up for sale again. I would also like to buy any holiday lets in the area and give them away to local families who would otherwise be forced to leave their villages because there was no affordable housing.
Having such a vast amount of money would be impossible to spend sensibly so I'd give it away and surprise people - i.e. buy a few minibuses for the local scouts or pay for the complete renovation of the church roof.
I'd spend in such a way as to create local employment. The possibilities are endless.
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What about the begging letters?
I'd keep sending them.
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Ludicrous money - legacylad
