What would you do if you had no bills to pay?

[michaelskis]

We have had threads on winning the lottery and what would you buy... this is not that thread. Let’s say you had more than enough money to live off of, had absolutely no bills, owned your house, car, and had enough in investments that you would never HAVE to work again. Keep in mind that your income for the most part is fixed so you would not have money to burn, but you would have more than enough that you could do anything, or nothing.

What would you do? Would you sit at home? Would you travel the world? Would you learn to play the harpsichord? Would you start your own company doing your dream job?

Knowing that you never had to work ever again, what would your life be like?

[Chet]

I have no debt expect the mortage, so bills are limites to utilities. I still sit at home in a dark room and surf the internet.

[tsc]

I would buy a farm in Vermont and tap maple trees during mud season and raise and train labs for the blind and disabled.

Am I 55 yet??? I need to retire before I am too old to chop wood.

[otterpop]

Funny I was thinking about this last night.

What I would do is rent a small office downtown. In the mornings I would take my son to school, then go to my office. At the office I would read and especially write. Wouldn't matter if I ever got anything published. I would write the fiction I want to write. In the afternoon, I would go home and see what the wife was up to. . Hit the health club for a swim or workout. Then pick my son up after school and settle in at home for the day.

The next day, repeat.

Weekends, we would take the camp trailer to a nice lake or riverside campground and chill out.

[Jeff]

I probably do alot of drugs. Those things are really expensive.

[Fat Cat]

Like others I have thought about this and while I do like my job, I would do more volunteer work and spend more time with Mrs Katt and our grandchildren.

[btrage]

I'd probably spend as much time with the family as possible. That would include traveling as much as the "fixed-income" allowed for.

Away from the family, I would most definitely write. I'd probably become internet/website literate and create my own website from which I would launch my wonderful ideas and thoughts upon the world.

[cch]

I would keep working as a Planner long enough to afford to open my own little shop of hand-made goods, preferable in a cute downtown location.

I've mentioned before how the website www.etsy.com has really opened my eyes to all the talented people making things by hand. And some of the sellers on Etsy have brick & morter shops where they sell their stuff and also retail their favorite stuff from other Etsy sellers. My shop would offer classes in knitting, quilting, screenprinting, beading and all that wonderful stuff, for kids through all ages, and I would love for the upstairs to be a studio space where people can rent space to make their own things, that then get sold downstairs in the store.

[craines]

Start roadracing again!

[zman]

Become a "Dave-Head" and follow Mr. Ramsey on his next tour!!!


Actually, I would probably take a wok cooking class and maybe learn to knit. Who knows, I may even take a job as a greeter at Wal-Mart. I love saying "Hi" to frugal geriatrics.

[the north omaha star]

If I had the money ready for Baby Star's education, then I would travel as much as possible. I would be human version of Uncle Travelling Matt from Fraggle Rock.

[michaelskis]

I would become a historian, offer urban design services for free to older urban neighborhoods, run for president of my neighborhood association, and build furniture.

I would also buy an old historic mansion that is structurally sound, but in need of complete gutting and reconstruction of the interior... and do just that.

Become a "Dave-Head" and follow Mr. Ramsey on his next tour!!!

Now that... is living like no one else!

[WSU MUP Student]

I would say that I would begin following Phish around the country, but they don't play together anymore

So I would just spend my time fixing up a 1980's Jeep Grand Wagoneer and driving around for various music festivals.

[Planit]

Take Wee P to school
Play a round of golf (mornings)
Free design assistance from a small downtown office (afternoon(
Enjoy a great dinner with family & friends

and every three months...the travel schedule would kick in

Play a round of golf (mornings)
Wander around the town where I'd be staying (afternoon)
Enjoy a few pints and dinner in a pub or local eatery (and if in US or Japan, go to a baseball game) (and if Europe, a soccer match)

[Mud Princess]

Travel... but not all the time; I like to have a home base
Read a lot. Maybe audit some college courses for the fun of it... I am definitely a "learner" and need to keep my mind stimulated
Do some kind of work on a voluntary basis, whether it's writing a grant for an organization, working at one of the local environmental centers, or simply assisting other people.

I would also buy an old historic mansion that is structurally sound, but in need of complete gutting and reconstruction of the interior... and do just that.

I like that idea, too. Actually, if I had enough money to invest, I would spent some of it on stabilizing and partially rehabilitating historic buildings that might not otherwise have a chance. Hopefully that would provide an incentive for someone to take the rehab work to the next level for a specific use. Or, this could be part of my "If I Won the Lottery" answer.

[Downtown]

I like that idea, too. Actually, if I had enough money to invest, I would spent some of it on stabilizing and partially rehabilitating historic buildings that might not otherwise have a chance. Hopefully that would provide an incentive for someone to take the rehab work to the next level for a specific use. Or, this could be part of my "If I Won the Lottery" answer.

DH and I were pondering with what we're going to do with our $201m in lotto winnings, and we decided to cough up the $2m to demo and clean up a former meat packing plant on a brownfield near our neighborhood, for the same purpose of MP's partially rehabbing historic buildings. But I guess that's my If I Won The Lottery answer.


So - I'd definitely travel - maybe two big vacations a year. One for relaxation (read: long cruise to South America), and one for adventure (read: hiking the Alps, or diving the Great Barrier Reef, etc)

But the majority of my days would be spent hauling my kids around the Northeast for day trips to museums, hiking trails, pumpkin festivals - all the fun stuff we never get around to doing becasue our weekends are so busy.

[rcgplanner]

I would alternate between golfing, biking or fishing in the mornings. Followed by some fun audited college classes after lunch. At night I would enjoy going to pubs and listening to music and drinks, follwed by a late night with my lady (Since I wouldn't have to be at work at 8am).

I would also like to travel to all 50 states and their capitals, thats a bit of my politcal nerd coming out, haha!

[ofos]

We live in a 'transitional' neighborhood with a small concentration of mid-century modern houses designed by Cliff May. My lotto induced dementia is to 1) hire a lawncare firm to care for the alleys, 2) hire 24 hour security for the neighborhood, and 3) acquire & renovate the rental houses that are downers for the neighborhood.

Summer in cooler climes and winter in the warm ones.

All the other options for travel and indulging in the arts are up there on the list too.

[rcgplanner]

Excellent plan ofos, can I move in!?

[ruralplanner]

Start an organic vegetable farm and later on add animals (goats, chickens, cows). I suppose I would market to the local coops but would also sell at one of the larger farmers markets in the “Big City”.

or

Become a peace corps volunteer or something similar to do good things in other countries.

or

Travel the US and stay at different eco villages and intentional communities along the way (although been there done that to some extent).

Honestly all of the above would probably get tedious after some years, so I suppose as life goes by and my interests change, so would the things I would want to do.

[TexanOkie]

I'd keep doing my job now for the experience (I'm entry-level) and see how far up I could go. If I like the higher-up positions and responsibilities, I'd keep it. If not, I'd do consulting.

Either way, I'd live in a much nicer place than my one-bedroom apartment in the suburbs. I'd probably buy a motorcycle, too.

[Bear Up North]

I would certainly travel. It would be a pleasure to move at a much slower pace on a trip.....5 days just to get 300 miles? WTF?

Yeah.....the first night there was this cool campground. Pitched the tent (or opened the pop-up camper). Nice bar in town. Drank with the locals and argued about the war, the cost of gas, and Farmer Wilson who just sold his "State Route Acreage" to a developer.

No time constraints......no such thing as a 3-week vacation....."Let's go back to the bar. We ain't in a hurry to go anywhere, anyhoo!"

Fishing would be involved. Hiking would be involved. I would love to visit Fairbanks.

When back home I would spend a ton of time on the fake city projects. So much to do, so little time.

The grandkids would be involved, too.

Volunteering? Gotta be honest....probably not. Selfish bearstard.

I am not a big spender, so this wouldn't need a lotto winner.

Bear

[Rumpy Tunanator]

I'd stay home and hoot and howl off my front porch at 12AM during the work week like some of the welfare recipients in this neighborhood.

[ofos]

Excellent plan ofos, can I move in!?

Well, I'd definitely consider Minnesota for a summer residence so there might be reciprocity here. It's been a long time but I recall favoring Lienenkugel from your neighbor state over Grain Belt by a long shot. No matter, I can always find a local beer that's to my taste.

[Richmond Jake]

I'd stay home and hoot and howl off my front porch at 12AM during the work week like some of the welfare recipients in this neighborhood.

See, things really aren't that much different between the Florida panhandle and upstate NY.