Mega Millions Lotto

[cruiter]

I woke up this morning and turned on the TV to hear there were two winning tickets and one of them was in Georgia. Not thinking I was lucky enough, I went through the normal process of showering, dressing, walk the dog, make coffee etc.

Having won a few hundered dollars a couple of years ago, the Georgial Lotto has me on their mailing list and I occasionally get an offer in the mail with six tickets free if I purchase 6. Usually I take advantage of this (really the advantage of lotto commission as I haven't won a dollar again) and buy six more.

No Joy!!! At least the Mega Millions, wasn't me!!! But I wanted to see how many people would view this post. I suppose if I won, all of you could be my potential best friends, what do you think?

Since I didn't, are you still my friends? Just curious :D .

Jim

[wwhopper]

I suppose if I won, all of you could be my potential best friends, what do you think? Since I didn't, are you still my friends? Just curious :D .Jim


We were your friends before, and are still your friends now.


The question would have been, once you were rich and famous, would you have remembered the little people on SegwayChat?


The other question is: Does Money Buy Happiness?

Look at that guy that won the big lottery about 5 or 8 years ago in West Virginia, how it tore his family apart, or look at Anna Nicole Smith. None of that looks happy to me. But then again, none of them had Segways!

So maybe that is the key to happiness, Segway Ownership!

[KSagal]

I do not believe that money buys happiness.

It does however, buy a very comfortable unhappiness.

If people have some discomfort borne from finances, mega money can buy you the opportunity to distance yourself from some of those problems. Most people are not smart enough to take adantage of this, and tote their problems with them every where they go...

[cruiter]

I guess I could have phrased it better. Even though my wife has serious medical issues, we are blessed with the many friends we have and the comfortable life we live.

I'm familiar with the storys of un-earned wealth and how it tears folks apart. When we lived in FL, a family two homes down the street from us won over 25 million in a lotto and probably never saw more than $20k family income prior. The neighbors sort of gave them the name "Clampets" as it was apparent they were not in their league. Big house, big 1.5 million motor home, fancy Harleys, boat at the marina,. You get the picture? When we moved up here, they were trying to sell the house and other toys to pay bills. They will probably be in debt the rest of their lives.We were your friends before, and are still your friends now.


The question would have been, once you were rich and famous, would you have remembered the little people on SegwayChat?


The other question is: Does Money Buy Happiness?

Look at that guy that won the big lottery about 5 or 8 years ago in West Virginia, how it tore his family apart, or look at Anna Nicole Smith. None of that looks happy to me. But then again, none of them had Segways!

So maybe that is the key to happiness, Segway Ownership!

[wwhopper]

I guess I could have phrased it better. Even though my wife has serious medical issues, we are blessed with the many friends we have and the comfortable life we live.

Someone, somewhere has it worse.

We have to all be thankful for what we have, health is for sure a major one. But everytime I see folks like some of our DRAFT members, I think, boy they could have just curled up and given up, but they sure don't.

So Spirit has to count for something too.

Cruiter, no matter if you are rich or poor, we still like hanging out with you. Now if you get rid of the Segway, and go for that big RV, boat and multi-million dollar house..... We might reconsider!

So keep the Segway! Oh yeah and keep the wife too!

[cruiter]

When I get "two for one's" in the mail, I'll keep matching them. Just six bucks. But if I win big, I will have the big toys, but inside the motor home will be at least two X2's with spare batterys just in case :).

And our church and some select friends in bad sorts despite their best efforts would realize the warm side of our hearts. I'm a believer in helping those that at least try to help themselves and our gifts generally go in that direction.Someone, somewhere has it worse.

Now if you get rid of the Segway, and go for that big RV, boat and multi-million dollar house..... We might reconsider!

So keep the Segway! Oh yeah and keep the wife too!

[hellphish]

I do not believe that money buys happiness.

It does however, buy a very comfortable unhappiness.

If people have some discomfort borne from finances, mega money can buy you the opportunity to distance yourself from some of those problems. Most people are not smart enough to take adantage of this, and tote their problems with them every where they go...

I'm curious about this. Everyone knows that statistically you have a near zero chance of winning the lottery. But Karl seems to know enough lottery winners to comfortably form beliefs about those winners. :)

My company did a pool, but I don't think we won. :( However if we did, I will buy i2 parking stands for everyone!

[KSagal]

Actually, I do know a couple lottery winners, and Cruiter's story is not uncommon. I do not need to know them personally to know the statistics...

I have not heard updated statistics lately, but several years ago I read that lottery winners of over $ 1mil have a greater than 75% chance of declaring bankruptcy within 5 years.

Regardless of this, and lottery specific statistics, the human condition has not changed significantly, and those whom the lottery appeals to most are often those who can least afford it, and taken a step further, have a larger likelyhood of not having good fiscal practices. (I have always said, and continue to say, "Winning the lottery is my plan, but buying lottery tickets is a fool's errand."

So, poor fiscal practices, inadequate fiscal experience, and money gained by not earning it all conspire to make the situation less than ideal.

And I stand by my statements. Money or not, most people are their own worst enemy. They carry more baggage than they need, and I dare say members of this chat are not exempt.

For me, I suspect that I would be a similar A$$ if I had more money than I am now. I would just do it in posher places. And of course, I'd have a segway in every port.

[Sharkie]

I'm also a believer that money can't buy happiness, however, I've heard it said that it certainly can make misery more enjoyable! :-)

Having said that, and rarely having had more than a few coins to rub together at a time, I can't speak from experience. I have seen money ruin other people's lives, and hopefully if I were to come into some money I could learn from their mistakes. The old saying is "the love of money is the root of all evil", but sometimes I wonder if the shortened version is actually correct.

Jim

[Desert_Seg]

When I was getting my Business Degree I had the fun task of conducting a statistical study of "money won businesses" and the social ills they caused. This included both casinos and lotteries.

I was shocked when the study resulted in large number of money winners who lost most of their winnings within a short period of gaining it and / or who had also fallen to social ills (alcoholism, drug addiction, even gambling addiction). From poor investments to wild spending to swindlers, the amount of money these folks had lost was huge. Even more bothersome was the amount of these folks who had gained an addiction that had also resulted in huge losses.

In the lottery's case, and by a large majority, the folks who had kept their money or had not fallen prey to addiction where those who lived in states that provided a form of financial counseling prior to giving the money, those who remained anonymous, and those who did NOT take lump sum.

Unfortunately, casinos had a whole different set of problems that was (and still is) even more devastating to communities as a whole.

Money won isn't necessarily happiness.

Steven

[cruiter]

Plain and simple. If you are financially comforatable and your wealth came from your steady work and financial planning, you are more likely to keep it growing while enjoying it. If it came as a windfall and you were struggling to make ends meet prior to the infusion, after your mad spending spree, you will probably still be struggling to make ends meet. It's called self respect for the sweat you put into getting it.

That said, if any of you want to test me with extra expendable cash, I'm standing by and ready :). I do purchase maybe $20 a year worth of lotto tickets. I call them "just for a lark" purchases. The one certainty is you will never win it if you don't play the game. However if you do play, you probably still won't win, but.......... :o

I'm also a believer that money can't buy happiness, however, I've heard it said that it certainly can make misery more enjoyable! :-)

Having said that, and rarely having had more than a few coins to rub together at a time, I can't speak from experience. I have seen money ruin other people's lives, and hopefully if I were to come into some money I could learn from their mistakes. The old saying is "the love of money is the root of all evil", but sometimes I wonder if the shortened version is actually correct.

Jim

[KSagal]

I'm also a believer that money can't buy happiness, however, I've heard it said that it certainly can make misery more enjoyable! :-)

Having said that, and rarely having had more than a few coins to rub together at a time, I can't speak from experience. I have seen money ruin other people's lives, and hopefully if I were to come into some money I could learn from their mistakes. The old saying is "the love of money is the root of all evil", but sometimes I wonder if the shortened version is actually correct.

Jim


You have experiences that I do not have. I have never seen money ruin anything. Money just sits there.

People make bad choices, and ruin their own lives. A sudden influx of money sometimes make people make even worse choices.

I know plenty of people. Some are happy and some are not. I know of many unhappy poor folk, and unhappy rich folk. I know happy poor folks and happy rich ones. I do not see a direct relationship between rich and poor and happy and unhappy. I just don't see it...

I do agree, if I am going to be unhappy anyway, I would rather do it with lots of money...

My personal opinion is that people are hard wired to be responsible for themselves. When people do not act responsibly, and start to blame others for their faults, their voids, their weaknesses, they become unhappy. When people step up and do their own best, and feel good about that, regardless of the capacity, they feel good.

I would rather hang with a person who is capable of doing 80 units of something, and does 80 units, than a person who is capable of doing 120 units, and chooses to do 80, or even 90. There is something noble about doing it all, or as much as you can, which is your own all...

[ryan_walters]

"the love of money is the root of all evil",

Actually,

"There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it."


Sorry, just a movie quote that popped into my head.

[Sharkie]

Well, at least you're not arguing semantics! :-)

Jim

[nickyboy]

My concern about being mega rich has always been the impact on my family, particulary my children.

I have a cousin who recently inherited her fathers estate to the value somewhat in excess of £1 Million. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Louise dearly, but it has to be said she fell out of the ugly tree and hit all the branches on the way down!
Surprisingly (or not actually) she has recently had a que of guys asking her out (she's only 23). My family and I just worry that some guy will marry her for the wrong reason, you know?

I guess your asking if I still do the lottery?

Yeah of course! Reason? I have three daughters. The cost of three weddings could bankrupt me!

Nick

[Worm]

At least the Mega Millions, wasn't me!!!
Jim

Cruiter:
My condolences that you didn't win.