Would a lottery win massively improve/impact your life?
Discussion
Blib said:
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it. Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
I recall reading a study some years back. It suggested that aftet six months or so, a lottery winner's mood and outlook returns pretty much to how it was pre-win.It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
ETA..
I think this is the one.
https://medium.com/the-post-grad-survival-guide/wi...
Edited by Blib on Monday 14th June 13:50
The thing from my perspective is I'm in a very good place, and have been for some time now, so winning a pile (whilst it would, obviously, impact my lifestyle) wouldn't pile extra problems onto existing ones
DodgyGeezer said:
Blib said:
MikeM6 said:
You may laugh, but whether you drive a LADA or a Lamborghini, it will be much more enjoyable if you worked hard for it. Money and nice things will not make you happy for long.
It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
I recall reading a study some years back. It suggested that aftet six months or so, a lottery winner's mood and outlook returns pretty much to how it was pre-win.It's also not just PH, I think there is a well published link between winning the lottery and being unhappy.
ETA..
I think this is the one.
https://medium.com/the-post-grad-survival-guide/wi...
Edited by Blib on Monday 14th June 13:50
The thing from my perspective is I'm in a very good place, and have been for some time now, so winning a pile (whilst it would, obviously, impact my lifestyle) wouldn't pile extra problems onto existing ones
close relative had been drawing c£500k/pa for about 20 yrs and then had their real ‘wealth event’ when they sold up for c£30m.
Still a miserable git
I had a revelation last night, got dragged to the Trafford centre by my wife as a small issue with connectivity on her phone obviously meant she had to hasten to the Apple store to commune with the Geniuses.
I remember years ago when it opened how I would walk round and see so much shiny stuff I wanted to buy but had no money to buy it by and large.
So yesterday I found myself wandering round whilst she was in clothes' places looking for something that piqued my interest, there was literally nothing I wanted yet nowadays, though by no means rich I could buy myself pretty much anything I fancied.
I have a half hearted idea of getting the new Xbox, mainly to see what its like, you cant buy one anyway. The model shop has gone which was always good for a mooch and its just clothing, perfume, make up air fresheners, Millies cookies and even Selfridges have go rid of their techie stuff area.
Think you get to an age and you have most of what you want in reason, you have got a bit jaded with stuff and dont want more or particularly better, so if I can manage that with my relatively modest means, must be strange being actually, properly rich.
Did see a woman in some shiny red trousers, all dolled up but looked for all the world like "The Wrong Trousers" for the Wallace and Gromit aminated film, it does seem de rigueur as well to apply make up/tan that kind of reminds people of an Oompa Loompah to visit the Trafford Centre.
I remember years ago when it opened how I would walk round and see so much shiny stuff I wanted to buy but had no money to buy it by and large.
So yesterday I found myself wandering round whilst she was in clothes' places looking for something that piqued my interest, there was literally nothing I wanted yet nowadays, though by no means rich I could buy myself pretty much anything I fancied.
I have a half hearted idea of getting the new Xbox, mainly to see what its like, you cant buy one anyway. The model shop has gone which was always good for a mooch and its just clothing, perfume, make up air fresheners, Millies cookies and even Selfridges have go rid of their techie stuff area.
Think you get to an age and you have most of what you want in reason, you have got a bit jaded with stuff and dont want more or particularly better, so if I can manage that with my relatively modest means, must be strange being actually, properly rich.
Did see a woman in some shiny red trousers, all dolled up but looked for all the world like "The Wrong Trousers" for the Wallace and Gromit aminated film, it does seem de rigueur as well to apply make up/tan that kind of reminds people of an Oompa Loompah to visit the Trafford Centre.
I'd get more out of helping others than buying s
t I don't need. The only thing it would mean is my old Mk1 Mondeo could get the full on renovation treatment, how sad is that?! (it's sat in the garage awaiting a win! 2 years & counting).
What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
t I don't need. The only thing it would mean is my old Mk1 Mondeo could get the full on renovation treatment, how sad is that?! (it's sat in the garage awaiting a win! 2 years & counting).What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
Yes and no
Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
Dave_ST220 said:
I'd get more out of helping others than buying st I don't need. The only thing it would mean is my old Mk1 Mondeo could get the full on renovation treatment, how sad is that?! (it's sat in the garage awaiting a win! 2 years & counting).
What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
I am not sure folk like that are driven by money, its more the power and influence it brings, Elon Musk I really dont think is motivated by cash for the sake of it, he has a vision and wants to see his ideas come to fruition, I really dont think he is that materialistic as he could buy anything he wants.t I don't need. The only thing it would mean is my old Mk1 Mondeo could get the full on renovation treatment, how sad is that?! (it's sat in the garage awaiting a win! 2 years & counting).What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
Also, someone being worth x billion doesnt mean they have that much in the bank, if they sold off all their stock and assets then that is what they would have in the bank, potentially but then they wouldnt be in control.
I think sometimes when you get wealthy, you lose something, and that is the idea that your life will massively improve if you have loads of cash.
I know some fairly wealthy people and money certainly helps but one bloke I could think of had everything he ever wanted materially but was still a miserable bugger.
I think we are better if we have to strive a bit, but have possibilities and arent constantly struggling, there is a right amount of money I think, one that enables stuff at a pace at which you appreciate it and savour it. I think with too much money you can end up with loads of time to fill and get bored potentially.
I always reckon having vast amounts of cash is like playing a video game on a cheat mode, great fun being invincible and rattling through something but do you get as much out of it ? What do you do when something is completed in a 10th of the time ?
The most memorable purchases in my life were the ones I saved for, six months saving for a digital camera when I was skint and the kids were little, getting a PS2 after waiting ages and played it to death, now got too much stuff and feel guilty about not getting the use from it.
J4CKO said:
I am not sure folk like that are driven by money, its more the power and influence it brings, Elon Musk I really dont think is motivated by cash for the sake of it, he has a vision and wants to see his ideas come to fruition, I really dont think he is that materialistic as he could buy anything he wants.
Also, someone being worth x billion doesnt mean they have that much in the bank, if they sold off all their stock and assets then that is what they would have in the bank, potentially but then they wouldnt be in control.
I think sometimes when you get wealthy, you lose something, and that is the idea that your life will massively improve if you have loads of cash.
I know some fairly wealthy people and money certainly helps but one bloke I could think of had everything he ever wanted materially but was still a miserable bugger.
I think we are better if we have to strive a bit, but have possibilities and arent constantly struggling, there is a right amount of money I think, one that enables stuff at a pace at which you appreciate it and savour it. I think with too much money you can end up with loads of time to fill and get bored potentially.
I always reckon having vast amounts of cash is like playing a video game on a cheat mode, great fun being invincible and rattling through something but do you get as much out of it ? What do you do when something is completed in a 10th of the time ?
The most memorable purchases in my life were the ones I saved for, six months saving for a digital camera when I was skint and the kids were little, getting a PS2 after waiting ages and played it to death, now got too much stuff and feel guilty about not getting the use from it.
Some good points. But Bezos could easily afford to make working conditions the best on the planet. The opposite seems to be the case.Also, someone being worth x billion doesnt mean they have that much in the bank, if they sold off all their stock and assets then that is what they would have in the bank, potentially but then they wouldnt be in control.
I think sometimes when you get wealthy, you lose something, and that is the idea that your life will massively improve if you have loads of cash.
I know some fairly wealthy people and money certainly helps but one bloke I could think of had everything he ever wanted materially but was still a miserable bugger.
I think we are better if we have to strive a bit, but have possibilities and arent constantly struggling, there is a right amount of money I think, one that enables stuff at a pace at which you appreciate it and savour it. I think with too much money you can end up with loads of time to fill and get bored potentially.
I always reckon having vast amounts of cash is like playing a video game on a cheat mode, great fun being invincible and rattling through something but do you get as much out of it ? What do you do when something is completed in a 10th of the time ?
The most memorable purchases in my life were the ones I saved for, six months saving for a digital camera when I was skint and the kids were little, getting a PS2 after waiting ages and played it to death, now got too much stuff and feel guilty about not getting the use from it.
I really do think its time the super rich did more. His ex wife is giving her billions away!
Otispunkmeyer said:
Yes and no
Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. There's a lot of people in circle of family and friends. I'd like to look after them but then what I see as generous, they might see as "oh is that all, I'm your..." brother/nephew, etc. Then you have your friends. Do you spread an even share amongst them or ramp it up depending on how close you are? You get into the whole "oh you gave x the same as me, I thought we were closer than that." One of my best friends is on par with me in terms of salary but he gets very jealous if I have a big spend on something or get a pay rise or bonus. I think he would really struggle if I won big money. Then your natural mates conversations would turn to comments about how it's alright for me and oh it must be nice to be able to buy that, etc. I could see that side of things being very difficult to manage. Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
Dave_ST220 said:
What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
I see your point, to a degree, but it's also important to remember how Bezos got his money. He didn't win the lottery. He didn't inherit it. He wasn't given it.Pure greed IMO.
He could have raffled off a seat on his space project but no, it was an auction ($28 million).
He started Amazon with a small desk in the garage of his house. He took the risks to start it. He took the risks to grow it. He took it global, he took it public.
From his perspective, ignoring the obvious financial success, why should he give that away to people who didn't earn it and who didn't take the risks he did?
Take his space project. He started that with his own money, his own initiative. This is not a small undertaking. Why would you therefore give it away, just because you can?
Don't get me wrong, philanthropy is very important. But it seems to me that there's a lot of people who point at rich people and criticise them for having too much, seemingly on the pretense that there's some kind of ceiling as to what you need.
TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
toon10 said:
Otispunkmeyer said:
Yes and no
Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
I think you've hit the nail on the head. There's a lot of people in circle of family and friends. I'd like to look after them but then what I see as generous, they might see as "oh is that all, I'm your..." brother/nephew, etc. Then you have your friends. Do you spread an even share amongst them or ramp it up depending on how close you are? You get into the whole "oh you gave x the same as me, I thought we were closer than that." One of my best friends is on par with me in terms of salary but he gets very jealous if I have a big spend on something or get a pay rise or bonus. I think he would really struggle if I won big money. Then your natural mates conversations would turn to comments about how it's alright for me and oh it must be nice to be able to buy that, etc. I could see that side of things being very difficult to manage. Like the OP, I'd not have much want for the super-car scene. But I suspect I would go potty with houses, I'd be buying myself a slice of mid-century modern in Palm Springs before the money hit my account.
The big problem is just gonna be people isn't it. When they find out, and they will find out, I think it would be tricky to handle without causing problems. I'd like to give parents and close relatives some money, but where do you stop? happily my extended family is fairly small, but it would still be tricky.
Wouldn't know how friends would take it. You'd hope they'd be happy for you. But you never know.
It'd be pretty pants if you had to just move away and disown everyone in order to enjoy the money.
If one of my best friends (or any of my friends) was genuinely jealous that I had more than him, they wouldn't be my friend. That goes if I had £100 in the bank or £100m.
If one of my mates won big, I'd be delighted for them. Jealousy is toxic. I don't understand a mindset that means you can't handle a mate, or anyone, having a better life.
I guess everyone's different, but the biggest bonus of winning the lottery for me would be the removal of the need for money, which means I could claim back the 40 hours a week I spend doing something that I have to do, and re-allocate it to things I do want to do. That would be the massive plus point for me.
The money would be epic at the start, but once you've bought the gigantic houses, flash city apartments, umpteen Ferraris... it's going to start to feel like normality. Everything normalises in the end, even the most extreme of positive stimulation starts to feel normal, and you go looking for the next high. Continuously feeling on top of the world, purely because you're minted, every single day, is not how happiness works. The buzzy happiness is by definition short lived.
Personally, I want that lifestyle without the meal ticket. I don't want it for what it objectively is, I want it for what it represents. I want to have earned it. If I were to lower myself into that 488 GTB, look down at the prancing horse and know I only got there because of a lottery win, it's not going to feel the same. A lot of the positive feeling you get from being well off is that you worked your nuts off to get there. All that is taken away from you when you win the lottery. Most things in life are about the journey, followed by the (very short-lived) sweet feeling at the end. The lottery robs you of that journey.
You'd also need to maintain meaningful hobbies, relationships and find things to aim for. A person with lots of time and money on their hands, with no huge urgency to get up in the morning can be a recipe for disaster - especially if you're ill-disciplined.
Still, I digress. A win would be amazing, but primarily due to the freedom it would afford.
The money would be epic at the start, but once you've bought the gigantic houses, flash city apartments, umpteen Ferraris... it's going to start to feel like normality. Everything normalises in the end, even the most extreme of positive stimulation starts to feel normal, and you go looking for the next high. Continuously feeling on top of the world, purely because you're minted, every single day, is not how happiness works. The buzzy happiness is by definition short lived.
Personally, I want that lifestyle without the meal ticket. I don't want it for what it objectively is, I want it for what it represents. I want to have earned it. If I were to lower myself into that 488 GTB, look down at the prancing horse and know I only got there because of a lottery win, it's not going to feel the same. A lot of the positive feeling you get from being well off is that you worked your nuts off to get there. All that is taken away from you when you win the lottery. Most things in life are about the journey, followed by the (very short-lived) sweet feeling at the end. The lottery robs you of that journey.
You'd also need to maintain meaningful hobbies, relationships and find things to aim for. A person with lots of time and money on their hands, with no huge urgency to get up in the morning can be a recipe for disaster - especially if you're ill-disciplined.
Still, I digress. A win would be amazing, but primarily due to the freedom it would afford.
Muzzer79 said:
Dave_ST220 said:
What I don't get is people like Bezos, how much money does one person need?
Pure greed IMO.
..
I see your point, to a degree, but it's also important to remember how Bezos got his money. He didn't win the lottery. He didn't inherit it. He wasn't given it.Pure greed IMO.
..
He started Amazon with a small desk in the garage of his house. He took the risks to start it. He took the risks to grow it. He took it global, he took it public.
From his perspective, ignoring the obvious financial success, why should he give that away to people who didn't earn it and who didn't take the risks he did?
Take his space project. He started that with his own money, his own initiative. This is not a small undertaking. Why would you therefore give it away, just because you can?
Don't get me wrong, philanthropy is very important. But it seems to me that there's a lot of people who point at rich people and criticise them for having too much, seemingly on the pretense that there's some kind of ceiling as to what you need.
TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
Muzzer79 said:
Don't get me wrong, philanthropy is very important. But it seems to me that there's a lot of people who point at rich people and criticise them for having too much, seemingly on the pretense that there's some kind of ceiling as to what you need.
TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
Well, for a long time the workers he tries to silence have earned it for him TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
I'd like to think I'd me a much better boss to my staff in his position.
And yes, I do think there is a ceiling as to what you need, even 1 billion is more than enough in my books.
But, as you say, it's his money he can do what he pleases, I just hope he sleeps well at night after his flight into space looking back on the planet that is full of people in poverty living in mud huts without a pot to piss in.
Yes it would change my life massively. I'd invest most of it though, get a BTL empire started, & maybe buy a few businesses, plus some random stuff like a pub etc, & spend my time managing those
Not going immediately nuts with big spending gives you decent levels of deniability "oh, my bitcoin investments paid off" or similar.
Not going immediately nuts with big spending gives you decent levels of deniability "oh, my bitcoin investments paid off" or similar.
Muzzer79 said:
I see your point, to a degree, but it's also important to remember how Bezos got his money. He didn't win the lottery. He didn't inherit it. He wasn't given it.
He started Amazon with a small desk in the garage of his house. He took the risks to start it. He took the risks to grow it. He took it global, he took it public.
From his perspective, ignoring the obvious financial success, why should he give that away to people who didn't earn it and who didn't take the risks he did?
Take his space project. He started that with his own money, his own initiative. This is not a small undertaking. Why would you therefore give it away, just because you can?
Don't get me wrong, philanthropy is very important. But it seems to me that there's a lot of people who point at rich people and criticise them for having too much, seemingly on the pretense that there's some kind of ceiling as to what you need.
TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
100% this. Plus, I suspect the wealth is in buckets, so $28M will make a difference to the operating capital of his Space bucket, not go in his Personal Cash bucket. And, it generally needs to be said again and again, his wealth is NOT cash.He started Amazon with a small desk in the garage of his house. He took the risks to start it. He took the risks to grow it. He took it global, he took it public.
From his perspective, ignoring the obvious financial success, why should he give that away to people who didn't earn it and who didn't take the risks he did?
Take his space project. He started that with his own money, his own initiative. This is not a small undertaking. Why would you therefore give it away, just because you can?
Don't get me wrong, philanthropy is very important. But it seems to me that there's a lot of people who point at rich people and criticise them for having too much, seemingly on the pretense that there's some kind of ceiling as to what you need.
TLDR - it's his money, he earned it, he shouldn't be stigmatized in respect of what he does with it.
randlemarcus said:
100% this. Plus, I suspect the wealth is in buckets, so $28M will make a difference to the operating capital of his Space bucket, not go in his Personal Cash bucket. And, it generally needs to be said again and again, his wealth is NOT cash.
Correct, the majority of his wealth is Amazon stock (which is why he pays zero tax some years).Does that make it morally all OK?
(Anyway, gone way OT here.)
J4CKO said:
I had a revelation last night, got dragged to the Trafford centre by my wife as a small issue with connectivity on her phone obviously meant she had to hasten to the Apple store to commune with the Geniuses.
I remember years ago when it opened how I would walk round and see so much shiny stuff I wanted to buy but had no money to buy it by and large.
So yesterday I found myself wandering round whilst she was in clothes' places looking for something that piqued my interest, there was literally nothing I wanted yet nowadays, though by no means rich I could buy myself pretty much anything I fancied.
I have a half hearted idea of getting the new Xbox, mainly to see what its like, you cant buy one anyway. The model shop has gone which was always good for a mooch and its just clothing, perfume, make up air fresheners, Millies cookies and even Selfridges have go rid of their techie stuff area.
Think you get to an age and you have most of what you want in reason, you have got a bit jaded with stuff and dont want more or particularly better, so if I can manage that with my relatively modest means, must be strange being actually, properly rich.
Pretty much describes me, I remember when I was at Uni my friend and I would bunk off lectures and walk around town looking at the things we would buy if we had the money. Fast forward 25 years and I have the money, but there is nothing I actually want to buy.I remember years ago when it opened how I would walk round and see so much shiny stuff I wanted to buy but had no money to buy it by and large.
So yesterday I found myself wandering round whilst she was in clothes' places looking for something that piqued my interest, there was literally nothing I wanted yet nowadays, though by no means rich I could buy myself pretty much anything I fancied.
I have a half hearted idea of getting the new Xbox, mainly to see what its like, you cant buy one anyway. The model shop has gone which was always good for a mooch and its just clothing, perfume, make up air fresheners, Millies cookies and even Selfridges have go rid of their techie stuff area.
Think you get to an age and you have most of what you want in reason, you have got a bit jaded with stuff and dont want more or particularly better, so if I can manage that with my relatively modest means, must be strange being actually, properly rich.
Lockdown has actually made this worse as I am so bored I spend a lot of time looking for things to buy that might interest me. Recently I got excited about buying a gaming laptop, but eventually it dawned on me that it is £1K I don't really want to spend and it will no doubt sit unused after a week or so.
I also think the reality of owning things is never as good as the fantasy and doing all of the research. I used to get massively excited about CDs and DVDs, even going to Block Buster as a child to find a film on a Saturday was exciting. Now thanks to the internet I have pretty much instant access to every album and film that has ever been made, yet I still can't think of anything I actually want. How many times have we sat in front of Netflix for half an hour flicking through the titles before we decide we can't find anything we actually want to watch.
I think being rich must be like this, when you have the money to instantly get anything you want it must get boring after a while?
Like you I am happy with my lot, but I can see not having to work anymore as being a massive plus point to my overall happiness.
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