Today’s Bloganuary prompt is:

If you had a billion US dollars, how would you spend it?

To answer that question, I’ll just assume I’ve won the lottery, opted for the cash payout, and after taxes, I have a billion dollars left to do whatever I choose with it. 

I actually already have some of this planned out. Keep in mind that I only play the lottery once every 5 or so years, so this is all just fantasy (well, it would still be a fantasy if I played every day as well), but here’s the plan I have if that ever occurs.

I’ll take the money and split it into thirds.

• One-third will go into a shared bank account.
• I’ll hand one-third to my wife, Gail.
• I’ll keep one-third for myself.

Okay, let’s talk about that shared third. I mentioned it would be in a bank account. It might actually be somewhere else, where it’s invested in this or that, but then again, we’re not into investing, so it may very well just sit in a bank account. Regardless of its actual physical location, it would serve the purpose of paying off all the bills, and then be used for our day-to-day living for the rest of our lives. We’d use it for things like trips, medical bills, goods we need to purchase, and so on. 

Now, the money I’ll give to Gail is hers to use in whatever way she wants. She can spend it all on chocolate-covered cherries if she chooses. She can give it all away to the local dog shelter if she chooses. She can give it to her friends and family. She can burn it. And I won’t have any say over it at all. It would be hers. Her money. Her choices.

Likewise, the money I’d keep would have the same rule. It’s mine. To do with as I please. No one gets to have any say over what I decide.

So, what would I do with my third? I only have the very basic outline of a plan for this.

• I’d give piles of money to family and friends, and I’d give piles of money to charities.
• I’d buy the things that would make me smile. Notice I didn’t say, “make me happy”. That’s intentional. Things won’t make me happy, but they sure can make me smile. A few examples might be:
  • I’d buy a hot tub. 
  • I’d buy a home on a beach somewhere. (This actually might come out of the shared third, but I’ll include it here anyway).
  • I’d employ lots of people to help me manage all the things. Cooking. Cleaning. Traveling. Gardening. You get the idea.
• I’d invest in cool things that I think would make life better for the people of the world.

I’m sure there’s plenty more I would do with my third, but that’s the general idea. 

What would you do with all that cash?