Poll | 06/13/2009 12:00 am

What is the first thing you would do if you won the lottery – and won big?

Read more about: Charity, Lottery, Money, Relationships

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I would pay off my childrens outstanding debts, invest a chunk, book a flight to Scotland and stay until i wanted to leave!!

By Ladyhawke .. on 06/12/2009 11:25 pm

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Where in Scotland would you go? I am planning a trip there in Sept. never been there before.

By Eileen Alannah on 06/14/2009 10:54 am

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Hi Eileen,

I would start in Edinburgh of course, go to Glasgow, Inverness, Skye and stay awhile at Mull. I have been researching cottages and crofts, my one worry would be driving, on the other side of the road, I am a bit of a nervous nelly about driving even here. However, if I can find a cottage near enough to town to walk, well, I may just take the leap. My roots are Scots and English with Swiss on my father’s side, and I would dearly love to spend some time in Scotland before I leave this mortal coil as the Bard said. Have a wonderful trip, and think of me whilst you are tripping thru the heath. There is a web site..www.myScotland.com, that has wonderful pictures of Scotland and environs…try that and get inspired.

By Ladyhawke .. on 06/14/2009 2:05 pm

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Thanks, Ladyhawke & Cheeky for the tips. We will definitely be going to Inverness and going around from there. My roots are all Irish so I am looking forward to meeting some Celtic ghosts. NOT!! haha Seriously, one time we were in Colorado in Ouray and we stayed at this Gold Rush hotel that had a notebook by the bed to record all the sightings of a female ghost who they said wandered around the place at night. I told my husband not to let my young daughter see that book she might be up all night but guess who read all the entries and could not get to sleep? ; ) I will also be new at this driving on the left, I will not do too much only if I have to, and will be saying over and over to myself left left left - when I first started to drive I used to confuse the brake with the gas pedal so this could be a problem! : D

: )

By Eileen Alannah on 06/15/2009 11:26 am

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Start in Edinburgh and up to Inverness, to see the statnding stones where Claire goes back in time and meets Jaime, in "The Outlander" of course. And to Culloden, to listen to the ghosts.

By Cheeky Wombat on 06/14/2009 5:53 pm

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oops, standing stones

By Cheeky Wombat on 06/14/2009 6:06 pm

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I am so sorry Eileen..that site is www. our scotland.com…not MY..selfish me!! Hope you will use it, I think you will enjoy all the photo contributions and the site owner is very appreciative of interest.

By Ladyhawke .. on 06/14/2009 11:35 pm

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I think I would probably do the same as you’d do, Ladyhawke. There is so much need in our family circle that I would first try to help them out of it…and then probably fix the things that need fixing in our house after which if there was anything left I’d sock it away for retirement.

By Chris Broersma on 06/14/2009 9:16 pm

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Build my dreamhouse which I have the design for already, help my kids, build a holistic center, all on a piece of land big enough to have lots of horses, and the help to take care of them! Do my own thing for the rest of my life.

By Linda Myers on 06/12/2009 11:47 pm

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First set up a self-supporting charity there’s a need for which I’d volunteer at (gotta give back) and pay off my kid’s houses (they still have to work). Then I’d make sure I was set for life by buying a small condo and living off the interest like my grandmother did.

By Laura Ward on 06/13/2009 1:04 am

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Hi Laura…….I’m with you, I would love to be able to set up my own charity — a shelter for abused women and children.

By MK P on 06/13/2009 6:33 am

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I just had a friend complete an 18-month rehab program in Houston so she knows the positive and negative of "charities" now that she’s back on her feet. Women need charity more than men because they get abused and abandoned along with the children and they still make less money than men when they work.

By Laura Ward on 06/13/2009 12:04 pm

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Laura………..

Living off the interest is not a very good income today……….I just had some of my Principle mature. Now instead of 5% they are paying between 0.95 to 1.95%…………..dropped my income to practically nothing.

By Dona Howlett on 06/13/2009 3:00 pm

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Are you a Discover Card holder? They’re promoting CDs and IRA accounts with Triple A membership at something like 5%. You are talking about rolling over money when CDs mature (that’s what I was talking about when I said live on that interest)? That’s what my mom invests in today taking after my grandmother. Maybe it won’t work by the time it’s my time like you imply.

Unfortunately, when I was employed and had money, I took a chance on an oil well. My ownership is .000375 or $3,000. This one will at least break even (but I won’t get paid back for five years) or pay $1,666 a month for 20 years (in about six months if it strikes). For this, you have to be out of the money for five years and be prepared for no interest. So I wouldn’t suggest this gamble for most people and I wouldn’t have gone for it had I know I’d be unemployed one year later.

But I’m mentioning the oil well because I’m sure there’s other options still available we don’t know about even in this bad economy. I say this despite hardly getting any interviews (actually, I get temporary work offers which is insulting after working permanent work for 30 years). I have to stay optimistic or I’ll lose my hope and drive.

By Laura Ward on 06/13/2009 6:22 pm

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Dona, QM has had similar problems. Fortunately for her the one investment she takes income from has not really changed. So I guess they would say she doesn’t look as good on paper, but our lifestyle hasn’t taken any major hits. I wish you well. CA

By C A Rose on 06/14/2009 1:15 am