Saturday, February 6, 2010

if i had more money than sense

Whenever the Powerball gets up into the hundreds of millions, the Popster always buys a ticket.  He doesn't bother when it's any less than that, apparently tens of millions of dollars aren't worth his time, but hundreds he'll trouble himself for.  And when he buys a ticket, and sometimes when he doesn't, he and my moma decide what they'd do with hundreds of millions of dollars.  The nice part is that I usually end up getting a few million out of the deal.  In fact, the first things my moma usually lists off when she's playing this little game is who all she'd give money away to:  her kids, her sisters, the church, and so on down the line.  I  think most people probably say that they'd give money away whether they actually would or not, but when my moma and the Popster say it, I believe it.  They are generous folks, and I don't imagine the addition of eight zeros to their bank balance would change that.

So when the Powerball gets high, I root for them rather than buying a ticket of my own.  I'm not sure my heart is as generous as my moma's, and hundreds of millions of dollars is a big responsibility.  I hope I'd be generous, but what got me to thinking about the Popster and his Powerball tickets was because I was feeling full of wants today, wanting things that are far from necessities.

So if my olds ever win their hundreds of millions and I end up with a windfall as a result, I'd first try to spread some of that around to causes and efforts that help the hungry and hurting.  And I'd buy the last quarter of the college education I'm not using.  I'd pay off Al, but maybe not get a new car right away.  Al and I are getting along splendidly.  And I'd settle up some credit card debt and make myself a promise never to get mixed up in that again.  I'd stop throwing money away on rent, and make sure there was some money tucked away for a rainy day.  Those are just the smart responsible things one does when one can afford it.

But then, I'd do fun stuff.  The stuff you don't do or buy when you're trying to be a reasonably responsible, frugal adult.
Today, first on my list is a DSLR camera.  I know I just got a new camera, and we're getting along just fine, but the more I see what my little $80 camera can do compared to my sister-in-law's or any of the photographer/bloggers whose photos I drool over, the more I want an expensive big-girl camera of my own.
I'd buy a new couch, one that had never belonged to anyone but me.  I am to the point in my life where hand-me-down furniture is just no fun.  It would also be a color, not tan or beige or any other code word for bland.

I'd buy too many pairs of shoes.  I'd try not to, but it would happen anyway.

And I'd buy at least two more pairs of jeans and at least three more pairs of khakis.  I'm down to only one pair each that I actually like to wear.  And a new shower curtain.  And maybe dishes.  And chocolate-covered pretzels.

So those are the things I'm feeling greedy for right now.  What, imaginary reader, will you do when my moma and the Popster hit the Powerball?

6 comments:

  1. I'm running out the door to moderate a quiz bowl tourney so I can't respond now, but I will be making a list all day and will post up a real response tonight (or perhaps later 'cause I might forget, 'cause I'm kinda easily distracted). Just wanted to say that this is exactly the kind of thing that I love reading on a blog!!

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  2. If you had a million dollars you would buy a couch? Don't you mean a Chesterfield?

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  3. How did I miss the opportunity to make the Barenaked Ladies reference? Epic fail.

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  4. I guess if your olds won the powerball jackpot, I'd start hoping they'd share the wealth with nieces. I guess nephews too, but that part doesn't really matter to me much. I'd go to London. And Paris. And Rome. Of course, I'd do all that responsible stuff first, but...

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  5. 1. I'd put 100k aside for good works/church
    2. I'd pay off the roughly 14.5k that Jenni and I still owe in Student loans.
    2. I'd set aside about 100k to live on while I do PhD work.
    3. I'd buy a piece of land someplace between Beebe and Antioch big enough for a compound. Probably that'd cost about 100k.
    4. I'd set aside 250k for a house to build on that land when I'm finished with my PhD work.
    5. I'd build a place for Connie on the land, and set aside 100k to take care of her when she's old.
    6. I'd pay off Robyn & Tracy's debt (not counting their mortgage).
    7. I'd pay off Mom and Dad's house expansion and landscaping debt.
    8. I'd buy my dad a new truck. 35k
    9. I'd buy the stuff so that my friend Jeff could build me an awesome new computer.
    10. I'd buy an iphone.
    11. I'd buy every Bruce Springsteen CD that I don't already own.
    12. I'd buy a home theater system and a LOT of movies
    13. I think that I'd have a custom-made desk built for me. Every desk I've ever had is built for someone who's shorter than me, and my knees never fit like I want them to.
    14. I'd buy myself about 5 really nice suits.
    15. I'm sure that I'd buy Jenni a ton of stuff that she wants, but I don't know what it all is.
    That's all that strikes me right now. I guess I'd be forced to save the rest of it.

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  6. Mac, you would have millions and not pay off Robyn & Tracy's mortgage? Are you trying to help them build character? I hope you are able to enjoy your movies and Bruce Springsteen sitting in the home theater, while Robyn and Tracy have to pay twice as much in interest than principal. That is much worse than a brother who doesn't comment on a sister's blog.

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what do you think?