Question of the Day: You’ve just won $7 million, what do you do on the first day?
Posted on by Lisa Watters and Arenda Manning
Xpress staffers Lisa Watters and Arenda Manning pose a question to our readers in this video: You’ve just won $7 million, what do you do on the first day? Tell us the story in the comment field below.
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21 thoughts on “Question of the Day: You’ve just won $7 million, what do you do on the first day?”
Barry Summers
I HAVE?!? Yay!! Yay!! $7 million!! Me? Barry Summers a millionaire? Wow – I’ll get back to you, but first thing, I’m gonna go kick my boss in the @%#$. Hold on – don’t go away. This is gonna be great… Be right back…
Dionysis
“Since you owed the IRS $3.5 million, you are now $1.5 million in debt, plus the cost of the boat, and you’ve alienated your family and lost your job.”
I was thinking 7 million net, not gross, so that’s a valid point. I’d do the same but scale down if we’re talking gross payout. The boat..rent not buy…having distant relatives alienated would be simply maintaining the status quo. And loss of job? Well, even if I ended up with less than a million after all is said and done, that would still be enough for me (since I have a house and car paid for, have zero dept and no dependents) to retire early. My needs and wants are simple.
Dionysis
Er, I meant ‘debt’, not ‘dept’ (I guess that’s bureaucratic speak for ‘department’).
Steve Shanafelt
I think this is post-tax, take-home amount.
chops
1. buy a Kuota Kharma (bicycle).
2. go out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Nine Mile.
Dionysis
1. Rent (or buy) a boat
2. Go out into the middle of the largest lake available
3. Phone in my resignation from the boat
4. Change my home phone number to unlisted
5. Formally disown any relatives further removed than aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews
6. Identify the top 4 or 5 charities that I care the most about
7. Through the services of an attorney, arrange for 5 of the 7 million to be bequeathed to these favorite charities
8.Get ripped and stay that way for some extended period of time
Barry Summers
Since you owed the IRS $3.5 million, you are now $1.5 million in debt, plus the cost of the boat, and you’ve alienated your family and lost your job.
Better just stay ripped, is my advice…
Barry Summers
(Just to clarify, I’m happily self-employed for six years now, so there’s no “boss” to kick in the @%#$. Just a joke, Everybody calm down…)
Me, I would pay off all debts IRS & otherwise, set aside half of what’s left in some safe interest-bearing account, and then take the other half & disappear. Travel the globe. Later, beeyotches.
Winner (not Charlie Sheen)
I would go to my aging parents’ house. Have them sit down and tell them the news and let them know that they don’t have to worry about anything ever again. I’d stay long enough to make sure that no heart attacks would ruin my day. Then I’d go to the nearest mall, buy a swimsuit, something to wear over it, a weird hat, some cute shoes and change in the dressing room. Then I’d head to the airport and hop on a plane. After changing a time zone or two, I’d be on a warm beach to figure out the rest….
dpewen
Since I do not play the lottery I would never win … plus I do not need the money. If someone gave me 7 million I would give it away to needy people.
Betty Cloer Wallace
I’d finish getting in firewood for the winter, weatherstrip the kitchen and basement doors as planned, put fresh straw in Elvis’s house, go down to get the Thanksgiving turkey and all the fixings, including champagne, and then I’d wonder how my life could be any better with $7 million, minus taxes of course.
bill smith
Locally-produced Balsam farms turkey?
Sonia Hendrix
Get my hair done! And then go shopping! Lol :)
Christopher C NC
I’d call the Rock Pirate, Ricki Pierce, and ask him to come play in my garden with me and to take me shopping for some fancy store bought rocks.
Jesse Michel
Who would honestly not get a diamond encrusted gator?
Barry Summers
Wait a minute – in the video, it was a diamond encrusted crocodile. I don’t think you’re taking this seriously at all.
D. Dial
Well I would splurge and buy a whole shopping cart full of groceries from one of our local “natural and/or organic” food stores.
That’d take about $7,000,000 to fill the cart. <;-\
bill smith
Strippers and cocaine. For everyone!
Dionysis
Why are posts moved in a different order than originally posted? That seems to occur from time-to-time (such as my second post moved to first and first to second, rendering them confusing). Someone hitting the bong too heavy?
Barry Summers
They appear to be in the right order from here… But I’ve noticed other transitory-weirdness with the new website, too.
The automatic quotations are bumming me out a little – makes every comment look like you’re quoting someone else. And that’s a problem on comment threads where the give & take typically involves quoting another commenter or the base article, in order to share criticism or support, etc..
Dionysis
“They appear to be in the right order from hereЕ ”
My post listed first was actually the second one I posted, as you note it responded to a point you brought up; the second post showing up was actually the first one I wrote, and it was initially in proper sequence, till the bong-a-thon began. Then someone decided to get funny.
I HAVE?!? Yay!! Yay!! $7 million!! Me? Barry Summers a millionaire? Wow – I’ll get back to you, but first thing, I’m gonna go kick my boss in the @%#$. Hold on – don’t go away. This is gonna be great… Be right back…
“Since you owed the IRS $3.5 million, you are now $1.5 million in debt, plus the cost of the boat, and you’ve alienated your family and lost your job.”
I was thinking 7 million net, not gross, so that’s a valid point. I’d do the same but scale down if we’re talking gross payout. The boat..rent not buy…having distant relatives alienated would be simply maintaining the status quo. And loss of job? Well, even if I ended up with less than a million after all is said and done, that would still be enough for me (since I have a house and car paid for, have zero dept and no dependents) to retire early. My needs and wants are simple.
Er, I meant ‘debt’, not ‘dept’ (I guess that’s bureaucratic speak for ‘department’).
I think this is post-tax, take-home amount.
1. buy a Kuota Kharma (bicycle).
2. go out to dinner at my favorite restaurant, Nine Mile.
1. Rent (or buy) a boat
2. Go out into the middle of the largest lake available
3. Phone in my resignation from the boat
4. Change my home phone number to unlisted
5. Formally disown any relatives further removed than aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews
6. Identify the top 4 or 5 charities that I care the most about
7. Through the services of an attorney, arrange for 5 of the 7 million to be bequeathed to these favorite charities
8.Get ripped and stay that way for some extended period of time
Since you owed the IRS $3.5 million, you are now $1.5 million in debt, plus the cost of the boat, and you’ve alienated your family and lost your job.
Better just stay ripped, is my advice…
(Just to clarify, I’m happily self-employed for six years now, so there’s no “boss” to kick in the @%#$. Just a joke, Everybody calm down…)
Me, I would pay off all debts IRS & otherwise, set aside half of what’s left in some safe interest-bearing account, and then take the other half & disappear. Travel the globe. Later, beeyotches.
I would go to my aging parents’ house. Have them sit down and tell them the news and let them know that they don’t have to worry about anything ever again. I’d stay long enough to make sure that no heart attacks would ruin my day. Then I’d go to the nearest mall, buy a swimsuit, something to wear over it, a weird hat, some cute shoes and change in the dressing room. Then I’d head to the airport and hop on a plane. After changing a time zone or two, I’d be on a warm beach to figure out the rest….
Since I do not play the lottery I would never win … plus I do not need the money. If someone gave me 7 million I would give it away to needy people.
I’d finish getting in firewood for the winter, weatherstrip the kitchen and basement doors as planned, put fresh straw in Elvis’s house, go down to get the Thanksgiving turkey and all the fixings, including champagne, and then I’d wonder how my life could be any better with $7 million, minus taxes of course.
Locally-produced Balsam farms turkey?
Get my hair done! And then go shopping! Lol :)
I’d call the Rock Pirate, Ricki Pierce, and ask him to come play in my garden with me and to take me shopping for some fancy store bought rocks.
Who would honestly not get a diamond encrusted gator?
Wait a minute – in the video, it was a diamond encrusted crocodile. I don’t think you’re taking this seriously at all.
Well I would splurge and buy a whole shopping cart full of groceries from one of our local “natural and/or organic” food stores.
That’d take about $7,000,000 to fill the cart. <;-\
Strippers and cocaine. For everyone!
Why are posts moved in a different order than originally posted? That seems to occur from time-to-time (such as my second post moved to first and first to second, rendering them confusing). Someone hitting the bong too heavy?
They appear to be in the right order from here… But I’ve noticed other transitory-weirdness with the new website, too.
The automatic quotations are bumming me out a little – makes every comment look like you’re quoting someone else. And that’s a problem on comment threads where the give & take typically involves quoting another commenter or the base article, in order to share criticism or support, etc..
“They appear to be in the right order from hereЕ ”
My post listed first was actually the second one I posted, as you note it responded to a point you brought up; the second post showing up was actually the first one I wrote, and it was initially in proper sequence, till the bong-a-thon began. Then someone decided to get funny.