A funny thing happened at the gas station today.

[Beelzebud]

I bought an instant lottery ticket, and I just won $675,000!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am still in utter shock. They tell me it will be about 475,000 if I take a lump sum after taxes.

My life has changed. No more scraping by!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[nonconformist]

1. OMG, that is so fantastic!

CONGRATULATIONS!!

[Beelzebud]

3. Thank you!! I still can't believe this. I am just sitting here STUNNED!

Was hard getting home I was so excited! :)

[Bozita]

12. Just don't go off and start supporting tax cuts.

Sincere congrats!

[Beelzebud]

15. LOL Thanks :)

[Warpy]

Nice that one of the good guys wins once in a blue moon

I strongly suggest you find a decent investment counselor and put the puppy to work for you to generate some income.

The McMansion can wait.

[spanone]

2. Alright!!!!!!!!!!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: v

[countingbluecars]

Congrats!

That is a life changing amount!

[negativenihil]

4. take the lump sum!!!!!!!

also - congrats!

i've never had any luck with the lotto in general so i usually don't participate.

in any case, sounds like it's some much-needed money :)

[Spiffarino]

329. Definitely take the lump sum

Not to be a downer, but our big winner is going to find it really isn't as much money as it seems to be. I hope it's invested safely and quickly so that our beloved DUer reaps benefits for a very long time.

[tblue]

388. Yes! Don't risk it being reneged. Oh, and Congratulations!!!!!!! nt

[renate]

5. wow!

Congratulations! That's thrilling!

:woohoo:

:party:

[UrbScotty]

6. ### SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC UNDERGROUND ###

LOL.

But Congratulations!!

[nini]

85. haha

:thumbsup:

[Jackpine Radical]

123. T'Hell with DU.

SUPPORT JACKPINE RADICAL!!1!

[tblue]

389. LOL! Send a check for $0 to Rude-y's campaign.

[KitchenWitch]

163. Hey, aren't you supposed to post a photo of Grovelbot at the pool?

:rofl:

[tridim]

7. Grovel bot's new best friend, Beelzebud

No more scraping by? I could retire on $475,000 easily.

[tandot]

8. Are you series??? This is hugh!!!

$675,000 ??? REALLY???

WOW. Put some away and spend some. Congrats!

[SutaUvaca]

9. Woohoo!!

Congrats B-bub!
Enjoy.
Delight can be a full time occupation you know!

[Beaverhausen]

10. That is wonderful! Congrats!

Think long and hard how to spend it the best way!


:woohoo:

[malta blue]

11. Are you SERIES???/

That is amazing! Congratulations!

:bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce: :toast: :bounce: :toast::bounce:

[glitch]

192. What malta blue said! You must be one of those lucky duckies I keep hearing about :) nt

[Beelzebud]

13. Thanks everyone! I'm crying tears of joy here. This is insane

[BlooInBloo]

20. I would imagine that getting a lawyer should be high on your list of priorities too.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

51. Guard It With Your Life LOL Seriously Though, I'm So Happy For You! You Just Made My Night!

[malaise]

156. Pay off your mortgage and credit cards first

tear them up and then have loads of fun.

[Tyler Durden]

208. NO, this is one of the good guys, finishing first.

Bravisimo.

[lostinacause]

346. Good guys finishing first or last is reference to the costs and benefits of being a good person.

The poster, while presumably a good person, did not win the lottery because he was a good person. He made the choice to participate in a random draw and got the best possible outcome.

[Tyler Durden]

385. Not what I meant.

Just nice to see one of the "Good Guys" finish ahead of the game.

[lostinacause]

390. I see. The "its nice to see good things happen to good people" type of statement.

[Tyler Durden]

391. Yup. BORED with watching them that has keep on gittin' more.

good to see someone on our side have something very good happen.

[orleans]

(some people will do anything just to get a DUzy!) n/t

[corkhead]

308. now that you are one of the "have-mores", I hope you don't join RU and leave us behind

congrats

[BlooInBloo]

14. Always take the lump sum. Congratulations!

[Catherine Vincent]

16. ....

I hate you.:)

[StarryNite]

111. OMG!

That was good!

:rofl:

[orleans]

287. --you're too funny. i mean, you WERE being funny weren't you? n/t

[Maraya1969]

292. I LOL'ed out loud!!!

[Lars39]

17. I opened this thread thinking I was going to read about some bush-bot

grousing about the price of gas and being raptured or something.:D
Congratulations! :toast:

[calimary]

286. So was I. A complete surprise!

And what a NICE surprise!!!

Congratulations!!!

One for the Good Guys!!!

:party:


:toast:


:bounce:


:headbang:

[sinkingfeeling]

18. Wow!! Have you played the lottery a lot or was it just once in a lifetime?

[Beelzebud]

21. I rarely play it. I don't even know why I bought the ticket today.

[MADem]

32. Now ya do! Some things are meant to happen!!!! nt

[nonconformist]

45. Wow! It was fate.

:toast:

[ScreamingMeemie]

19. Congrats! That's great news!

:hi: :toast:

[Hell Hath No Fury]

22. Wow!

Holy shit that is amazing! Congratulations to your and your family! :hi:

Enjoy it all in good health!

[bunkerbuster1]

23. If that 675 is paid out over 20 years

the 475 lump sum sounds like the way to go.

Congratulations. Put it into some solid investments, take some time off, enjoy life.

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

24. Congratulations! (and find a financial adviser you can trust!)

Seriously.

Congrats!
:toast:

[HCE SuiGeneris]

25. No shit?

Congratulations, that is too cool. :toast:

[ThatsMyBarack]

26. Hotcha! Whoopee!

:party: :woohoo:

[MADem]

27. Be careful who you tell, frankly.

Relatives you never heard of will be coming out of the woodwork. "Gee, could ya loan me 'just' five grand, pal..."

You might want to sit on that money and think about what you want to do with it. It may seem like a lot, but you'd be surprised how fast you can spend it if you aren't thinking. Maybe get a financial advisor (spend the money and get a lawyer--someone who will put your interests first, and who could lose their license if they rip you off), or look around the net and read up on how other lottery winners managed to safeguard their assets.

All of those cautions aside, congratulations! Wish some of your luck would rub off on me!!

[Peggy Day]

39. I agree. nt

[Lorien]

96. Seconded.

and never sign any amount over to a financial advisor or lawyer (aside from fees). You'd be surprised how many make that mistake!

[Birthmark]

28. Congratulations!

Three words: Take it slow.

[babylonsister]

29. WOW!!! My life would change, too! Loads of congrats!

:woohoo: :applause: :woohoo:

[tridim]

30. I won a jelly bean counting contest once

But that's about it.

I'm still glad I don't gamble, even though your luck makes me jealous.

[HCE SuiGeneris]

44. and I won a puka shell choker from a radio station

weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! damn I looked cool

[tridim]

74. Actually thanks for reminding me.. I won $104 from a radio station

and a chance to win a new Honda Prelude and $10,000. It was held at the Mall, we were each issued a key and got to try to start the engine. I didn't win the car, but it was a ton of fun. Especially since I was only 12 at the time. My parents said people in the crowd were mumbling that a kid shouldn't be eligible to win a car. :)

[HCE SuiGeneris]

and my 1 other win -- Nazareth's album "Hair Of The Dog"

from Friday night ice skating -- I still have the vinyl :hippie:

[Sequoia]

142. I have that LP.

[Jonathan50]

154. I like Razamanazz better..

Although the cover on "Hair of the Dog" is kewl..

You'll have relatives coming out of the woodworks now..

[Sal Minella]

79. I won a door prize in eighth grade -- fifty cents.

So I can't say "I never have good luck." Half-a-century later, I'm still hoping for it to happen again.......

[tridim]

83. Wasn't 50 cents worth about $10,000 50 years ago?

;)

I still laugh about my jelly bean win. I couldn't carry the jar home from school so my mom had to come pick it up.. And I don't even like jelly beans.

We had the jar in the house for about 5 years. It was about 2 feet tall by 1 foot in diameter.

[LSK]

31. be smart with it, get a financial advisor

But watch out if they want to sell you any of their companies plans. You cant trust all of them either.

Dont go blow it all either.

[gravity]

119. I second that

You can splurge some of the money, but make long term plans with the majority of your winnings.

Money can't buy happiness, but financial security can give you peace of mind.

[shaniqua6392]

33. I am so happy for you!!!

I love to hear stories like this one. What a great feeling that must be. Congratulations!!

[MindPilot]

34. This is HUGH!!11!

Congratulations!! Wow!!

I'm off to Vegas this weekend, so maybe some of your good luck has rubbed off.

[WinkyDink]

35. CONGRATULATIONS!!! (Call me! ;) )

[youthere]

36. Congratulations!

[mikelgb]

37. lol congrats, but I demand proof!

=Þ

[kmla]

38. Wow. That's way cool.

I"m glad for your good news, Cousin Beelzebud.

*nudge, nudge, wink, wink*

[Beaverhausen]

40. tell us, off the top of your head, what is the first thing you want to spend it on?

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

41. Congrats To You! I Love Hearing Great News! God Bless And Best Of Luck To You With It!

:toast:

[Sequoia]

42. Seriously! Wow, that's great news!

Happy summer...vacation! Don't go telling everyone in town or they'll come begging. Seriously. DON'T DO IT.

[KOBUK]

43. I have been playing the California lottery in a pool at work

with 14 people for over 10years. Most we ever won was $1,350.00. I can only dream about that kind of money. Congrats

[johnnie]

46. Aren't we related somehow?

Seriously, congratulations! That rocks.

[mnhtnbb]

47. OMFG!! How amazing! Congrats to you!

[brentspeak]

Lucky duck

[catmandu57]

48. Sounds like a new car to me

Congrats Beelz sometimes good things do happen to good people.

[Greyskye]

49. wow, congrats!

:toast:
I echo the financial planner advice from above.


Man, half a mil! That would definitely have me set for the rest of my life. Where's the emoticon for "now i'm friggin' depressed"?

[Ishoutandscream2]

50. Jesusssssssssssss!!! Yesssssssssss!!!

My God, I'm so happy for you. Absolutely awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Spazito]

52. Awesome! Congratulations!

As others have already advised, find a reputable, trustworthy financial adviser and, then, ENJOY!!

[Breeze54]

53. Holy shit!!! That's wonderful!!!!!

Congratulations!!!!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:



.. ..

That has got to feel sooo good!!!

[Uncle Joe]

54. I've been tryiing to find you dad, where have you been? n/t

[Vincardog]

Sounds like the perfect time to buy EUROS. Good Luck

[SaveAmerica]

272. and 4 or 5 gold bricks

[petersjo02]

55. This is just awesome!

Sincere congratulations to you and your family. I can only imagine how much easier your life will be. Thanks for sharing your great news with all of us DUers (who are GREEN with envy). :party

[ThomCat]

56. Congratulations!

Please be cautious and conservative with it. I hope you put it somewhere where it will generate income for you. You'll get a lot more out of it in the long run.

:)

[SharonRB]

62. Conservative?

But then he'd get kicked off of DU!

:rofl:

[Kingshakabobo]

64. Damn tax and spend Demoncrats!!!! Go flat tax!!! LOL

[ecstatic]

57. Hey, aren't you my long lost Uncle on my great cousin's side? nt

:P :hug:

[AwakeAtLast]

58. That is sooooo awesome!

The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I read your post.

I would be in shock, too.

My advice (and I know you will get a lot of it): Sit on it for a good long spell before you decide what to do with it. Plus, I know we are fairly anonymous on this board, but the few people that know about it the better. I know that sounds harsh, but money sometimes changes people's brains.

Soooooo happy for you!!!! :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[jannyk]

59. I'm green with envy and thrilled for you at the same time

You lucky bastard!!!!! I shall buy my first lottery ticket when I fill up next week!

:woohoo: :applause: :woohoo: :applause: :woohoo: :applause: :woohoo: :applause: :woohoo: :applause:

[SharonRB]

60. Wow! That's amazing news.

Congratulations!

[Make7]

61. GET OUT --- THAT IS INCREDIBLE! Congratulations!

Not exactly what I expected when I opened this thread - your word choice for the title is somewhat understated. :)

- Make7

[Buns_of_Fire]

63. Congratulations, cuz!

:toast:

P.S. This round's on you.

[Roland99]

65. You mean you're going to leave us and turn into a Republican now???

:rofl:



j/k!!!!




congrats!!!!

[AnnieBW]

246. He only won 600K.

To become a Repug, you need to clear 7 figures. Or have < 7 brain cells.

[Roland99]

319. Oh, easy enough!!

Just roll that money into some defense stocks, call up the White House and say you heard from a friend who heard from a friend who heard from some guy who has a friend in the military that Iran was smuggling nuke parts into Iraq and then BAM! New war! Then sit back and watch the stock price fly!!

:evilgrin:

[conscious evolution]

66. Can I borrow a few thousand?

Get used to hearing that.

[lonestarnot]

67. Woooooooot! HOT DIGITY!

:applause: Beelzebud!

[grace0418]

68. Congratulations! What wonderful good fortune!

Now, as others have said, be careful who you tell. Scam artists are constantly looking for people just like you. With some careful planning (I also recommend going to a reputable financial planner), you can turn that into a wonderful nest egg.

[cally]

69. Wow...congratulations

Enjoy it.

[proud2BlibKansan]

70. OMG That is fabulous!!

Can I borrow $20? :evilgrin:

[Individualist]

71. That's wonderful, Beelzebud!

I'm so jealous!

[Robbien]

72. Wow. Just Wow.

par-tay!!!


Congratulations.

Great to read such wonderful news.

[tammywammy]

73. WOW! That's awesome!

Be sure to stock some away in savings though. :)

Congrats. Keep that ticket somewhere safe. :)

[Beelzebud]

75. Thanks again brothers and sisters. This has been the best day of my life!

[Breeze54]

82. Buy real estate while the prices are low!!

Just a thought! ;)

[orleans]

288. you've been an inspiration to us all. you're probably just the tip of

the iceberg.

now, at du, one by one, day by day, all the members begin to win large amounts of money....

that would be perfect. i'll go next!

[Double T]

76. Congratulations!!!

Use your good fortune wisely.

[sweettater]

77. Are you married???????????????

congrats!!! What a wonderful thing to happen. Good Luck spending it! or saving or investing or whatever your itty bitty heart desires! Let the good times roll!!!! :bounce:

[hootinholler]

78. OMFG That's Fabulous!

Thinking I shall buy one on the way home tonight.

-Hoot

[DuaneBidoux]

80. You're not going to turn into a Republican now are you?

[DawgHouse]

189. I was just reading this post to my son and he said the same thing!

LOL!

[DuaneBidoux]

359. Hey! It is pernicious that money! I won $75,000 in the lottery.

Obviously not on the par with your life changing event but I couldn't resist doing one very politically incorrect thing for a progressive: I bought a fast sports car. It was something that I always wanted and I simply couldn't resist!

Other politically incorrect things I do? I love a good steak rare. What can I say? Guilty!

Enjoy! And watch out for the appearance of sudden unknown relatives and financial advisors--as a progressive you may have a special weakness for a good sob story (a hazard for us).

[OzarkDem]

81. That's fantastic! Congratulations!

Enjoy yourself!

[Lone_Star_Dem]

84. That is so freaking fantastic!!

You sure you're not working undercover pushing lottery tickets? :D

:party: :bounce: :toast: :party: :bounce: :toast: :woohoo: :woohoo: :toast: :bounce: :party: :toast: :bounce: :party:

Enjoy it!

[nini]

86. good for you!

Enjoy the freedom but plan wisely!

[HamdenRice]

87. Like to make a donation to the HamdenRice Foundation?

No seriously that's wonderful! Enjoy!

[DKRC]

88. Congrats!!!

:woohoo:

[leftofthedial]

89. WOW!

[Lorien]

Excellent!

Having once been a had not, then a had, now a have not again my only advice is; don't change your life TOO much!! Having a fat bank account can make some people lose their minds a little bit. Pay off those debts, put the bulk of it in a Roth IRA, then give yourself a little extra every month-not much, just a couple of hundred bucks for nights out and a few toys. Take a nice vacation once or twice a year. If I had to do it all over again I would have invested far more and spent far less....it's all too easy to find yourself scraping by all over again, even with that sum. Trust me on that!

Congrats!

[Lasher]

304. Can't put the bulk of it in a Roth

The maximum you can put in a Roth this year is $4K if you're younger than 50. Otherwise it's up to $5K. And you can't contribute anything if neither you nor your spouse had earned income.

In his place I would consider putting some or all of it in a conventional IRA if I could thereby avoid (or defer, I should say) paying taxes on the lump sum distribution. I know you can do that on a pension lump sum because I did exactly that but I don't know if that's permitted on lottery winnings.

[Catherine Vincent]

90. Good thing you don't use your real name here.

Or else a lot of DUers would be calling you right now! ;-)

[Vadem]

91. Mazeltov, you lucky duck! I'm so jealous! Enjoy it in good health!.n/t

:toast: :toast: :toast:


:party: :bounce:

[MelissaB]

92. Congratulations!

:hi:

[Kadie]

93. Congratulations!

Good for you.

:hi:

[roody]

94. Over 20 years, that is $33,700 per

year, some nice security. Better tax rate.

[Divernan]

95. Typically such winnings are spent within a few years. Don't be typical

Studies of people, especially lottery winners and young people who inherit a bundle, show most of them go through it all within less than three years - sometimes a lot less. A common blunder is investing in starting up their own small business. Just because Joe Blow always dreamed of having his own tavern or marina doesn't mean he has the training or experience to do so successfully. Most small businesses fail, and especially watch out for these TV infomercials promising millions in income! Other typical ways the soon-broke-again throw their money away is in buying a luxury house or very expensive car -without planning for high property taxes and maintenance/repair costs. Then there's the tremendous pressure from envious friends and relatives who want to "borrow" money they have no intention or ability to repay. Taking the money in a lump sum is like inheriting a lump sum. People who are making out wills are advised to set up trust funds for heirs who are under 30.

If you do take it all at once, you can invest it pretty safely for a 10% return (the larger the amount you have to invest, the higher paying the choices which are open to you). That would be $47,000 a year income.

You can't really keep this out of the news. Lottery winners are publicly listed, and there are tons of scam artists who will immediately go after you. Get an unlisted phone number to start.

Other than all those caveats, congratulations!

[mistertrickster]

339. Right, I've heard the same thing. I'd invest it and only spend the interest.

Invest it in something conservative--bonds and money market funds.

[libnnc]

97. Hot Damn!!! Congrats!!!

:woohoo: :applause:

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:



:toast: :toast: :toast: :toast: :toast:

[Toots]

98. Bribe some politicians

Everybody that is anybody is doing it....:thumbsup:

[likesmountains 52]

99. Dad? Is that you? Seriously...congratulations!

[karlrschneider]

100. WHEE! Hey, buy a plane, I'll teach you to fly it for free (if you let me borrow it now and then)

:D
:toast:

[BoneDaddy]

101. Holy shit ...congrats

WTG

[rug]

102. There's a solicitor in Nigeria who wishes to speak with you.

[Inchworm]

103. Hells Yea!

Congratulations! Do all the things you ever wanted to do!

Hehe, watch out for scams along the way though :)

:yourock: :yourock:

[EstimatedProphet]

104. Holy shit! Congrats dude!

[mainegreen]

105. Wow! Congrats!

[Nicole]

106. You have always been my favorite DUer.

I just forget to tell you that, until now. :rofl:

Congrats!!!!! :party:

[NMMNG]

107. Congratulations!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

It's nice when something good happens to one of our own for once.

[Nimrod2005]

108. Congratulations, it is awesome!

[Solly Mack]

109. That's wonderful!!!!!

Enjoy!

[NC_Nurse]

110. Awesome!

Congrats!!!:toast:

Now, get thee to a financial planner! :D

[guitar man]

112. oh no, you're screwn!!

this guy will never leave you alone now!!!



seriously though. congrats!!! :bounce: :toast: :party: :beer: :thumbsup: :headbang: :yourock: :applause:

[elehhhhna]

113. turn that sucker in ! YAY for YOU!

[bentley]

114. Enjoy!!

Congratulations!

Invest the principal and spend the interest.....
It will provide security for the rest of your life.

[TommyO]

115. Congratulations!

With that much money, I could pay off my debt, buy the house that I'm renting (and add a much-needed deck), get a new car, and still have money left!

[Joanne98]

116. OMG! Good for you!

[lovuian]

117. :woohoo:

:woohoo:

[rockymountaindem]

118. I bet you wish you voted Republican now!

:sarcasm:

[Qutzupalotl]

127. Yeah, he's better off now than he was four years ago!

Four days ago too...

[Morgana LaFey]

120. Absolutely outtasight! Congratulations!

I sure hope you'll post a follow-up with some of your plans once you've had a chance to think it through a little.

I'm really thrilled for you!

[fishwax]

121. awesome!

Congrats!

:woohoo:

[EFerrari]

122. Man, I need to gas up more often.

So happy for you!

:party:

[proud patriot]

124. Woo Hoo , congratulations

:woohoo:

[Qutzupalotl]

125. I was expecting one of those "I told off a freeper in an SUV" posts.

This is way better! Congratulations!

Pay off your house and car, then remodel!

[proud patriot]

126. That's what I was expecting too

:-)

[Sparkly]

128. Congratulations!!

:woohoo:

[Stinky The Clown]

129. Wow! We're RICH!!!!! Right, cousin?

:)

Congrats!!!!!!!

Waaaaaaay Kewl!

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

130. Congratulations!

Rather than contact a financial "advisor," I'd suggest you find a wealthy person or two and pick their brains. Unless he's already a millionaire a financial advisor has no experience in handling such an amount of money that belongs to HIM. Only a rich man can tell you how to be rich.

BTW, the first rule about advice is to ignore all advice.

Again, congratulations! You deserve every good thing that comes your way in life.

[Bjornsdotter]

131. Wonderful news!

Congrats, congrats, congrats! :bounce:

Now get a lawyer and change your phone number.

Cheers :toast:

[StatGirl]

132. Congratulations! :) And allow me to second the advice you got

1.) Go ahead and pay off any high-interest debts you have, like credit cards. Don't sweat any lower-interest debts right now.

2.) Treat yourself and a significant other to a really swanky dinner. :)

3.) Stash the rest away and don't do anything just yet. And don't tell people! Right now, it seems like a huge amount of money, but it is not "Fly to Paris every weekend" or "Buy the whole family a new Lexus" money. Don't buy anything big, don't give it to charity, just get used to the idea that your circumstances have changed before you make big decisions.

3.) Find a life-expectancy table that you trust, such as the one at http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/STATS/table4c6.html . The last column tells you over how many years you want to spread this money. For example, if you're 30, your life expectancy is another 50 years. Ask yourself whether you want to spend most of it now, most of it later, or spread it out fairly evenly?

4.) Invest it decently. Probably a mix of stocks, bonds, and money-market funds, but I'm hardly an expert on that.

And congratulations! I'm very happy for you! :)

[proud patriot]

146. very good advice

:-)

[Ms. Clio]

133. Fantastico!!!! Congrats!!!

karma, baby!

[TheCentepedeShoes]

134. Congratulations !!

This is awesome !!! :toast:

[Hamlette]

135. take a wonderful vacation, do something nice for someone in need and invest the other $470,000

congrats....made my day just to hear about it!

Invest it wisely, spend only the interest (earnings). You can almost retire on that much if you're careful!

[Blue Diadem]

136. Congratulations! Be cautious..and keep some for a rainy day

I'm happy for you Beelzebud. :bounce:

Another word of caution which I'm sure you already know, you'll have long lost friends and relatives come out of the woodwork if it becomes public.

Enjoy!

[Kali]

137. Wow!

congrats! :party: :toast: :woohoo:

[hang a left]

138. Holy crap!!!!!

Good on you Beezle.

Wow!

[dogday]

139. Wow-Wee that is totally terrific

Time to dance Beelzebud

[ikojo]

140. OMG!!! Are you SERIOUS...

You're not messing with us now are you?

I'd totally contact an attorney RIGHT NOW! See about incorporating and whether it will protect you in any way.

MAZEL TOV!!!!!

I like to hear stories of working people winning a lot of money. May it be me one day!

[DarbyUSMC]

141. Sanfrantastic. What a difference it will make in your life. Congratulations.

[NMDemDist2]

143. totally awesome!!!

I'd be *so* retired with that. heheehe

I'd just stay in my little house and collect the interest and kick back.

Congratulations! :bounce:

[Tsiyu]

144. Awesome

Hold on to that ticket with your life!'

What was the game?

Hey, buy a reliable car, pay cash for a nice modest place and enjoy yourself.

May all good DUers have the same wonderful fortune!

:party:

[kskiska]

145. How much was the ticket?

Was it a $1.00 scratch-off? Did you buy just one?

:toast:

[bear425]

147. Congrats! Was is a scratch off ticket?

Just curious. Never heard of anyone winning with one of those. Enjoy yourself!

[Lost4words]

148. How wonderful for you!

[warrior1]

149. Congrats

[rosesaylavee]

150. Congratulations!!

What game did you play? You're the first person I have ever known to have won one of those. Very cool for you and yours! Find a good financial planner and find a way to stretch that cash.

[Turn CO Blue]

151. Good for you! Sincerely.

[CadenBlaker]

155. Hell Yeah!

That's freakin' sweet!!! I'm happy for ya! We've had some luck in the past, my pops won a car about 3 years ago, and 50k when I was 13. I've won $125 bux a few times, but nothing huge yet. My opinion is, you gotta play to win, so, hopefully someday I'll be as luck as my pops.

[Horse with no Name]

152. Congratulations!

That is wonderful.

[malaise]

153. Damn this is fabulous!

Enjoy!!

[Starbucks Anarchist]

157. Congratulations!

[LibraLiz1973]

158. A hearty congratulations to you!!!!! I hope you enjoy it!

That must have been QUITE A MOMENT!!

[Dukkha]

159. that is so awesome!

I'd totally move to Canada if I were you or Mexico and live on a beach resort.

[idgiehkt]

160. congrats to you!!!!

I am so happy for you, this good news of yours made my day!

:hug: :hug: :hug:

[KitchenWitch]

161. WOOHOO!

That is AWESOME.

[crim son]

162. Dumbstruck over here.

A little jealous too. Congratulations! It couldn't have happened to a nicer DUer! :)

[LeftyFingerPop]

164. So very happy for you man. Congrats. n/t

[Nickster]

165. That's frigging awesome!!! I am so happy for you!

[NewJeffCT]

166. Congratulations

1- Take the lump sum

2 - interview several financial advisors before making any decisions about investments. research them with your state consumer protection department to make sure they don't have any outstanding complaints against them.

3 - pay off any high interest debt first

4 - call into a respected consumer expert show, like Clark Howard, or post on his website. He might have a few ideas.

5 - take a nice vacation to some place you've always wanted to go, and have a blast while you're there.

[colorado_ufo]

167. High five!

[tavalon]

168. Yay!

I'm really happy for you!:bounce:

Now, stop posting this. There are weirdos all over the internet.

[bullwinkle428]

169. Absolutely fantastic news!!

Don't go spending it all in one place now! ;)

[cmd]

170. Terrific!

Enjoy in moderation.

[Canuckistanian]

171. Wow.

Here's my advice: Lock half of it away for your retirement. Right now.

Invest it, lock it in a trust fund, anything.

I've seen a couple of people close to me blow the whole wad in a year and never see any benefits. In fact, they're worse off because they quit their job.

I knew a friend of a friend who bought a big boat, ran it aground and destroyed a dock. Got sued and they used up all their funds fighting it.

Please, don't be stupid about the money. Have a party, but don't make a habit of it.

First thing. Pay off your debts. ALL of them. Mortgage, credit cards, whatever.

Are you interested in your job? Ever thought about starting your own company?

This may be your big chance to make EVEN MORE than your winnings.

[eleny]

172. Fabulous! Fabulous!

My jaw dropped and I'm totally delighted for your good fortune. And I do mean fortune!

[JoePhilly]

173. Better go get yourself some Health Insurance :-)

[flamingyouth]

174. Congrats!

That's awesome, to put it mildly! :toast:

[entanglement]

175. Congratulations, dear cousin! It's been a long time since we met and I was just thinking about ya..

:P

Ok, you're going to have to get used to that in the future - discover a bunch of cousins you
never knew you had.

:rofl:

[librechik]

176. my advice: take your email addy down from your profile, ASAP

and delist your phone number.

Congratulations!

My husband and I got a similar windfall, and it was amazing how fast it disappeared. Save as much of it as you can for a rainy day!

We had kids and grandkids and a mortgage and medical bills. We paid a few bills, had a little fun--life goes on.

Be careful!

[philosophie_en_rose]

177. Take care!

If I had a windfall like that, I'd probably be sorely tempted to spend it frivolously. Please see a financial planner and an estate lawyer.

[mike_c]

178. wow-- what excellent news-- congratulations!

:party:

[KG]

179. you're not gonna go all republican on us, are ya?

[SeattleGirl]

180. Wow! Congratulations!

That's so wonderful!!!

[BarenakedLady]

181. OMG!

What incredible news! Congratulations and take care. There are a lot of shady people out there.

:bounce: :toast: :bounce:

[BrightKnight]

182. Don't loose your head.

Once you spend it, it will be gone. You could probably draw $30k a year without eating into the principle. What you do now will have a big impact later on. Get a financial adviser.

[AlienGirl]

183. Wonderful!!

:toast:

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

184. How sweet is that????

:woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo::woohoo:

Treat yourself a little now (new car, nice vacation, etc.), give some to a cause you support, pay off what you need to, and hang on to the rest. Definitely contact a licensed professional (certified financial planner, lawyer), check out your options, and do whatever keeps everything safe and in your control. Oh...and most importantly, please don't go Repug on us, okay??? ;)

Congrats!!!

[libodem]

185. Congratulations!

Man, I'll bet you're ecstatic. Good on you.

[emlev]

186. Hey! Now you have a new way to support Cindy Sheehan!

[K8-EEE]

187. My new best friend, howya doin' buddy

LOL, congrats!! Happy to see a DUer getting some good karma back.

[Jersey Ginny]

188. Wonderful!! Congrats

A few years ago I bought 3 lottery tickets with 2 coworkers. We each put in $1. We picked 5 of 6 on the NJ pick six! I thought I'd at least get 100K. Nope, we got 900 divide by 3 and take out taxes . . . I'm glad someone actually won an amount that matters!

[rucky]

190. I'll trade you for what's behind door #2...

Mazel Tov!

[motocicleta]

191. Congratulations!

But plan plan plan. Trust me. That $ can disappear in a hurry, in ways that won't satisfy you, if you aren't careful.

[BlueIris]

193. Anyone who comes into "sudden money" should contact SMI.

The Sudden Money Institute. They've got great strategies for how to manage "sudden money." Especially when it's "only" a few hundred thousand. If you Google around, you should be able to figure out the gist of what they want to communicate to people about what happens to folks who win the lottery or get handed semi-substantial inheritances, settlements, etc. The main thrust of it is: Be careful, or you won't keep a dime.

1) Just say no: to all the requests for money you will receive from everyone you know.

2) Your life hasn't completely changed. You're a few thousand dollars richer and that's it.

3) Enjoy tangling with the lottery and then the IRS. These folks will try to take as much of your prize money as they are legally allowed to take--then will try to take some more. (Seriously; the IRS likes to take lottery winners out for a walk.)

4) Just say no some more.

5) Make a plan and stick to it. The SMI recommends waiting a while, then spending 10% off the top, as frivolously as possible, then paying off all fixed expenses, then banking it. Save it for a rainy day--or, you know, save it for paying off the medical bills you'll owe after insurance pays if you sprain your ankle in the year 2012. Don't blow it like you just got a ticket into the high life. You didn't.

ETA: Oh, and you might wanna get prepared to lose your job, or all of your employees if you are a business owner yourself. As soon as people find out you're "rich," they will probably believe that a) you don't "need" to work anymore, or b) you don't "deserve" to have anyone work for you.

And good luck. This lottery winning business ain't easy.

[Lorien]

221. Hopefully he won't lose his job, 'cause it's really not that much!

Well, not after taxes, anyway. I had many friends in the film industry who were once getting million dollar bonus checks and making around $400,000 a year. But most were laid off three years ago (jobs outsourced), and because those four bedroom homes in Pasadena or Glendale and late model car payments kept on coming. They gradually found themselves with less and less...now some have sold their homes at a loss, and one I know even went back to apartment life. Depending on a person's lifestyle that cash can disappear in no time, and the lifestyle doesn't need to be anywhere close to glamourous for that to happen.

[BlueIris]

223. It's really not. But just the perception that he is "rich" may make

his boss or bosses just that hostile. Many lottery winners find that their jobs "quit" them not long after they win, and some business owners who win the lottery find it hard to keep folks on staff after that.

You're right to remind our winner here that his whole life really hasn't changed. The biggest mistake lottery winners make (after not learning to say no to opportunistic "friends," "family" members and random charities) is confusing a few hundred thousand dollars for a massive lifestyle upgrade. Which a fun hundred thou just does not allow. At all. Especially in a post-Bush world.

Also? People hate lottery winners. Our poster should be prepared to deal with that.

Seriously, Mr. Big Lottery Winner: Learn. To. Say. No. That skill may help you escape the fate the majority of all lottery winners fall into--being in debt, and wishing they'd never won.

[Lorien]

280. The best thing that much money can do:

let a person live for a good long while WITHOUT thinking about money! Seriously; I had a six figure income for years and aside from some very nice, long vacations, my life itself was little different than it is today.The big difference was that then I worried about things like my health and personal relationships, not money. Now that I'm struggling and in debt (like most of BushCo's America) I spend much of my day fretting about finances...but I've still got the health and personal relationship issues too, so it's just one more big ol' worry on top of the pile. If he makes the right investments (knowing that it's really not that huge a sum) then perhaps he can remove that one big ol' worry from the pile too...but others will still be there, of course.

[BlueIris]

282. I just hope our member doesn't get bad investment advice.

Lottery winners are prone to getting a lot of that, too.

SMI tells them to sit on the lump sum for at least six months, then select a reputable investment firm, go to said firm and inquire as to what its staff can do for them. And to think long-term.

[The Doctor.]

368. Excellent, glad someone said it.. That really isn't 'alot' of money.

So many people buy high maintenance homes thinking that the few million dollars they won will take care of everything. It doesn't.

The best thing to do is pay off a modest home (still a buyer's market, good time to invest), and intelligently invest the rest. Taking care of debts is a good idea, but more often than not it's better to budget and make payments on a debt settlement while the bulk of your money is earning interest.

[Catherine Vincent]

194. But really, I congratulate you and your loved ones!

I am bookmarking this thread and check back to read every now and then from all the happy DUers. :P

[Missy Vixen]

195. Congratulations, Beelzebub!

I'm so happy for you!

1. Save the money
2. Save the money ;-).

In the meantime, I hope that this is just a taste of the great luck in store for all DU'ers!

:woohoo: :party:
Julie

[Catherine Vincent]

215. Amen, sister!

:hi:

[givemebackmycountry]

196. I have FIVE words for you....

Don't listen to any of these nervous nellies on this board -

I have FIVE words for you!

LAS VEGAS & LET IT RIDE!

NO, really congratulations to you, and I have mentioned that you suck?




:yourock: :headbang: :applause: :hi: :thumbsup: :beer: :bounce:

[file83]

200. Ha Ha! My sentiments exactly!!

[BlueIris]

201. Cute. Google "Sudden Money Institute."

Read the horror stories. Then say no. A lot.

[DemReadingDU]

197. Wow, Congratulations!

[Coexist]

198. wow. that is a life changing event.

best of luck. I am so envious!!!

[Malikshah]

199. Fabulicious. A Hearty Congratulations for Karmic Love

:)

[Colobo]

202. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[rurallib]

203. Now you can buy a politician

I think a state rep goes for about $150,000.

Well now you can afford to buy a better pot to pee in.

[qanda]

204. My buddy, my pal

My long lost cousin.... I'm only kidding! Congratulations!!!!!! That is fantastic!

[femrap]

205. Very cool...

but please manage your new found wealth responsibly, OK?

[The Count]

206. Happy for you! Have fun!

:thumbsup:

[neuvocat]

207. Nice.

But emember where you came from: THE UNDERGROUND!!!!

:evilgrin:

[philly_bob]

209. I've discussed that situation with my buddy the philosopher...

...and he says the way to use unexpected wealth is to buy high-quality replacements for the things you already have. You know, replace that 2001 Chevy with a 2007 Prius, that old furniture with new furniture, that mortgaged small house with a paid off right-sized house.

The mistake many people make is to buy things they won't use. Ooh, I think I'll buy a yacht, an airplane, etc.

Thanks, incidentally, for sharing the good news with us.

[Throwing Stones]

210. nice!

take the lump sum - it's worth more in present dollars than the annuity.

[dweller]

211. what were the lucky numbers???

whata stroke of luck, congratulations!

tomorrow is the wednesday lottery here, and i now have to go buy a ticket tomorrow. I just figure the numbers you had are either really lucky, or used up now :shrug:

as excited, relieved and estatic as you must be, please take the advice from the above posters concerning your privacy, investements, and keeping a cool head about yourself. I tell myself if i ever win some grand amount, nobody will know the difference, i'll just keep it to myself and do mysterious anonymous favors
but who am i kidding?

be sure to check in on the daily StockMarket Watch threads, there are probably some fine minds there that could advise you on investments.

again the heartiest congratulations!

oh, and by the way Beez. Our love child does need some new shoes...

dp

[edbermac]

212. Can I borrow $674,999?

I'll let you keep a dollar to buy another ticket.

Congrats!! :party:

[Divine Discontent]

220. that'd put him in debt

he "only" gets 475,000 after taxes. lol

[B Calm]

213. You need to see a financial advisor, invest it wisely and watch it grow!

congratulations on your good fortune!!

[B Calm]

216. then when people ask what you do for a living, you say I manage my

family fortune!

[Schema Thing]

214. Uncle Beelze, is that you?

[Divine Discontent]

217. wanna make DU more money?

first, AMAZING CONGRATULATIONS, HOW FORTUNATE FOR YOU, a DEM getting money, all right! I assume the 6 numbers lottery is what you won on. Anyhow, if you want to, you could donate a thousand bucks to DU to raffle off with $10 tickets and makes someone's life from DU a lot better in the process (a 1000 bucks would do wonders for a lot of us, let alone 475,000!! lol)

regardless of what happens, I pray you use it with compassion and wisdom, and again, congrats beelzebud!
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable <<-- top 08 stickers

[Sanity Claws]

218. Congrats!!

Good luck to you.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

219. That is sooooooooooo COOL!

Try to keep a lid on it until you have a plan. :-)

[whistle]

222. Does this mean you will become a republican?

...I'm kidding...congratualtions!

[Booster]

224. HOT DAMN!!!!! Congratulations - now don't spend it all on more

tickets. LOL. Good on ya.

[Melissa G]

225. So Happy for You!!!!

:toast: :party:

[Scout]

226. congratulations, how wonderfully marvelous for you!

allow yourself to blow 5-10% on anything you want

payoff debt

invest in gold and real estate

invest the rest however you see fit

yes==take the lump sum now.

[Zoigal]

227. Kudos, Beelzebud

You'll probably have a lot more "friends" now, too.
Consider seeing a reputable financial counselor. Maybe
your credit union has one that doesn't even charge a fee.
Great to know that good things are happening to DU folks.
Relax and enjoy life a bit more.

[Demeter]

228. Gee, and I Was Happy That Price Had Dropped 20 Cents! Congrats!

[graywarrior]

229. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee, you can hang with George and Dick! ! ! !

[Just-plain-Kathy]

230. Wow, I thought it was great that I won $20 the other day with a scratch off.

I am sooooo happy for you!!

[eridani]

231. Now you can be a full time community activist if you want

Or an artist or a musician. Lots of posters have mentioned financial planners, and that's a pretty good idea IMO.

[Infomaniac]

232. Congratulations!

I echo the sentiments about hiring a reputable financial planner. You also need to think about doing or re-doing your Will.

Here's some helpful advice from Bankrate:

You won the lottery! Now what?
http://www.bankrate.com/brm/news/advice/20041108b1.asp

And an oldy but a goodie
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1355/is_14_101/ai_84396641

[BreweryYardRat]

233. Congratulations!

Scratch-off payoffs here in Florida are only about 100-150k.

As has just been demonstrated, scratch-offs actually give you better odds than regular lotto tickets.

[volstork]

234. Congrats!

[Critters2]

235. Wow! Congrats!

Me, I wouldn't have posted this here. Grovelbot will follow you to the ends of the earth!

[Odin2005]

236. Be careful with it, you'll need the money when the economy tanks.

[smoogatz]

237. Love it.

Congratulations. Here's my totally unsolicited advice:

#1, no matter what, don't tell a bunch of strangers on the internet you won a huge sack o' money.

Oops.

Okay, #2: get an unlisted phone number. Pronto.

#3: pay off all your debts. All of them: credit cards, medical bills, the whole thing. Pay off your kids' student loans, if they have them.

#4: buy yourself something nice. You should get something tangible out of this money--not necessarily some hugely expensive thing, but something really nice (say, $5-$10k nice).

#5: repeat #4, except for spouse this time.

#6: take care of those home repairs you've been putting off because they were too expensive.

#7: invest the rest conservatively in a mix of stocks, bonds and cash instruments (the proper mix will depend on your age and other factors).

#8: never play the lottery again. The odds against your winning once were staggering; the odds against your winning a second time are truly astronomical.

[A HERETIC I AM]

315. RE # 8

The odds of winning again are precisely the same as winning the first time.

The probability is lower but the odds won't change.

[smoogatz]

340. Thanks.

You are absolutely correct; I should have said probability.

[EOTE]

365. Wouldn't the probability be the same as well?

Given that the first event of winning the lottery has already occured, wouldn't the probability of winning it a 2nd time be the same as winning it the first time, assuming that all other criteria are equal? Now working from the beginning, you could say that the probability of winning the lottery twice would be (1/x)^2 where 1/x is equal to the probability of winning the lottery once. In this case, I believe that probability and odds would be the same thing as a past action would have no influence on a future outcome.

[Dervill Crow]

238. I am so happy for you!! n/t

[durtee librul]

239. You have just become one of lil boots'

new 'friends' LOL!!

Great news and congrats! I don't think I'd invest it in any stocks...maybe cd's. Stock market is overpriced now and if things keep going, lil boots is gonna crash it. Maybe invest it in mattress ticking? LOL!!

[skids]

240. This made my day.

Now I can go to sleep knowing sometimes the good guys win!

Congratulations! I can only imagine how this must feel for you.

(Actually I imagine it quite a lot. :-) It would certainly change
my life to be secure like that, and be able to make real some
of those "I'd fix that if I didn't have to go to work" fantasies.)

[NNadir]

241. Congrats. Keep in mind that it's not as much money as you think it is.

Be very sober and cool about it. Be very careful with it. Don't say yes to all the stuff you will hear.

I recall one time when I was single and had a lot of money that I hardly ever said "no." I soon discovered that the best way to lose a friend was to loan him or her money.

[stlsaxman]

242. Congratulations! Now you have to write your "Karma List" like Earl Hickey!

Seriously, that's wonderful! All best with your future!

:bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:

[silverweb]

243. Wow!

Congratulations!

:toast:

[AnnieBW]

244. Beelzebud is now known as "Hurley"

Dude, the numbers are bad! :D

Take the lump sum, contact a financial advisor, invest it, and live off of the interest. Don't be a moran and go on a spending spree. I'm series.

[EC]

245. Wow...

[Mabus]

247. Congratulations

Glad you'll be able to enjoy yourself more.

:thumbsup:

[lost-in-nj]

248. ....

Holy fucking shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


:toast: :toast: :toast: :party: :party: :party: :party:
:bounce: :bounce: :yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

I am in tears for you........



lost

[spuddonna]

249. Woo hoo!

Congrats! :)

[Handsome Pete]

250. Let me be the first to ask you for a loan!

Just kidding (sort of). Congrats.

I'm so poor that I can't pay attention.

<walks away grumbling>

[barbtries]

251. serious?

wow. wow.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

252. WILL THAT BUY A REPUBLICAN SENATOR????????

AT LEAST FOR A DAY.

:dem: :shrug: :donut: :rant: :sarcasm: :woohoo: :tv: :toast: :mad: :puke: :puke: :puke: :crazy:

[uppityperson]

253. Congratulations. "a funny thing" indeed!

[qnr]

254. Congratulations :) n/t

[sojourner]

255. congrats beezlebud!!! hooray for a changed lifestyle...

may you make wise use of the opportunity.

blessings.........

[Le Taz Hot]

256. How cool is that!!!!

Oh my gosh. Congratulations!!!!!!!!

:toast: :applause:

[sakabatou]

257. O_O

Congrats! :hug:

[Amonester]

258. Congratulations! Bravo ! Now buy some gold 'cuz if there's gonna...

be a Father-Of-All-Worldwide-Economic-Depressions before September ('cuz of Bu$che/Chainy/Lie_berman), you'll still have some value left!

[fortyfeetunder]

259. Congratulations on your new fortune

Save a lot splurge a little.
I am happy for your good luck!

:toast:

[Inkyfuzzbottom]

260. Congratulations!

Good for you! I hope it changes your life for the better.

[Generic Brad]

261. Way to go!

I'm very happy for you!

[Garbo 2004]

262. Now that's sweet! Congrats!

:toast: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[HughMoran]

263. Holy shite!!

I bet you're making new friends every minute - lol

More power to ya!

[Elspeth]

264. Put at least half of it away. Get a CD making 5% interest or more.

Otherwise, it will be gone before you know it.

[HeeBGBz]

265. Lucky day

I wish you fun and a good financial breather. Wish it was me.

[MichaelHarris]

266. Right on

now buy me a cheeseburger, I'll pay ya back on Thursday.

[Maestro]

267. Congrats!

I am glad this happened to you. :thumbsup:

[BlueJac]

268. Awesome..............

Good Luck

[fooj]

269. Right on!

Enjoy!!! :party:

[Duer 157099]

270. Wow, congrats! But did the odds just lower substantially for the rest of us?

I mean statistically, what are the chances that another DUer can win the lottery???

But that's awesome for you, I've only dreamed of such a thing.

[EOTE]

372. Odds aren't effected.

If you were to have asked prior to this win, the chances of 2 DUers winning a big sum, it would have been quadratically smaller compared to a single win <(1/x)^2 compared to (1/x) assuming the odds of both wins were the same>. However, given that the win has already occured, your odds of winning a big sum are the same as they've ever been, the only factor being how many tickets you buy. So, if your odds were 1 in a billion before, just buy 1000 tickets and you're now dealing with the far more reasonable odds of 1 in a million :).

[windbreeze]

271. Congratulations to be sure....take the lump sum...so you'll make

sure you get it all...
wb

[MsKandice01]

273. OMG!!! Congratulations!!!!

How fucking awesome is that!!

[pansypoo53219]

274. sigh

i won butter from the A&P as a child. been a dry couple of decades.

[quiet.american]

275. CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!!!!!! n/t

[aggiesal]

276. Congratulations, you now qualify ...

to join the Republican Party.
Remember; "Greed is Good!"

Sarcasm.

[Seabiscuit]

277. Welcome to the Investor Class!

A few free words of advice from a very well-heeled lefty:

1. DON'T CHANGE A THING ABOUT YOUR LIFE. NOT NOW!

As time goes by and your income increases from your investments, you can slowly treat yourself to new things. KEEP YOUR JOB!

2. DON'T SPEND A PENNY OF IT!!!

INVEST IT ALL!!! Do you realize that if you had invested it all in Apple, Inc. stock 4 years ago, you would have multiplied its value to well over $4 million??? That's right: 900% in 4 years! And Apple is still growing as we speak.

Don't waste money buying luxury cars, electronic gadgetry, etc. that you don't need. Continue to shop for bargains wherever you go. Every penny you spend is several pennies lost on returns from investment. Now is the time to begin building your future nest egg.

I just bought an IMac 20" to replace my 7-year old HP PC. Many of my friends and relatives will be doing the same soon.

When investing, mix slow-growth high-dividend stocks (like VGR and CT) with no-dividend to low-dividend high-growth stocks (like Apple, Inc. - AAPL, MGM and Toyota - TM).

BTW: Congrats on your amazing good fortune!!!

[Lugnut]

278. Congrats!

I really enjoy hearing about a windfall going to someone who needs it. Fantastic!

[emilyg]

279. Fantastic!!!!

[Madspirit]

281. k&r

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

Congratulations!
Lee

[RushIsRot]

283. En-flippin-joy!

[Norrin Radd]

284. Outstanding!

Live on the interest.

[orleans]

285. no shit? that's great. now that you can quit your job you'll have time

to sign up to be a mod here on DU!

:woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

I'M SO JEALOUS! :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[Catamount]

289. F....cking Fantastic! Congratulations!

What kind of ticket did you buy?

K&R

[Maraya1969]

290. Please please please don't go crazy with it. Read about the problems

of others who have won the lottery and lost the money!

I don't mean to be a sad sack. I just care that you get the best benefit from it. I learned this from my parents and after many years of being pissed off at them I realize that their seriousness about protection of their money has allowed them to live securely so far and I am sure for the rest of their lives.

I am very happy for you. And strangely worried. God I have become my mother! I am sure she would say the same thing right off the bat if I won that much money.

:yourock: :hug:

[19jet54]

291. Watch out!

... for friends you never knew you had & family who want a free ride. Invest wisely, tie up your money in Treasury CDs or some way to make the money work for you, and DO NOT let it burn a hole in your pocket. Make it so it is difficult to get to; to avoid impulse buying.

First - Pay off high interest loans (credit cards & auto loans) - The bank or CD investments will not pay as much as the loss you pay in interest here.

Second - Pick an amount to invest in your home - some but not all - "There is no force on earth as powerful as compound interest" Albert Einstein - The same applies to interest savings on a home loan as well as investments.

Third - Max out your IRA to plan for your old age.

Forth - Blow a little on a few things you have been wanting just to get it out of your system, but don't go crazy.

Last - Do not change your lifestyle or try to impress other as being affluent.

MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL - Do not fall for or buy into any "get rich quick schemes" because just one will wipe you out.

Good Luck! :hide: And thanks for sharing :)

P.S. Be sure to max out your political donation to the democratic candidate of your choice. :patriot:

[enigmatic]

293. Congrats, man

:toast:

[liberalla]

294. Wonderful news!!! Good for you!

I love hearing stories like this!

Congratulations and GUARD that ticket!

[WCGreen]

295. Don't go turning republican now.....

[Greyhound]

296. Fan-fucking-tastic. Congratulations.

:kick: & R

[Greyhound]

297. Link??

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

[Connonym]

298. That's excellent

Just remember that you're a DEMOCRAT!!! That's seriously cool and I'm really happy for you.

[hfojvt]

299. I guess selling your soul to

Beelzebub finally paid off :P

at least in the short run

[Hekate]

300. Congratulations and put it in the bank.Even 5% will get you over $23K/year to supplement whatever...

...income you have. It will be quite safe in a modest CD, whereas it won't be nearly as safe in the stock market unless you already know what you are doing.

Resist the temptation to buy a yacht (figuratively speaking). Wait awhile (months, a year) to figure out what you want most out of this: a house you can afford the upkeep on, a reliable car, college accounts for the kids, medical insurance.

You've probably already told the relatives and neighbors -- do understand that some people will come out of the woodwork with sad stories about how you must help them out or feel guilty. Some will display jealousy, and you might be surprised at who they are. Figure out how much -- IF ANY -- you are willing to give away, to whom, and for what. If you choose to give to one, you are *not* obligated to give to anyone else.

Congratulations and :hug: That is a really nice chunk of change, and it can be made to last a really long time and make your life better.

I have never inherited or won anything the size of what you are about to receive, but twice in my life I did get more than I expected: 27 years ago when I divorced my first husband and last Fall when my mom died.

I am risk-averse like you wouldn't believe. I used my share of the community property for three things spread out over a number of years: for a couple of years the interest went toward basics like food when my ex couldn't send child support and my own income was too small to cover everything; when my old car became completely unreliable and unsafe I bought a new Tercel, which lasted for 24 years; and later when Mr. H and I bought a house together, which we still have, I put in half the down payment. A house of my own is what I always, always wanted, so I left the principle alone until the opportunity arose except for the car, which was a necessity. I prioritized for the long-term.

You probably don't need a financial advisor, just a banker. But that depends -- maybe you do. Ask about CDs. Ask about drawing off interest without penalty, as you figure out what you want and need. Pay off the credit cards -- they are costing you 19% and up in interest. And then let the rest of the money sit until you and Mrs Beezlebud figure out what will make your life comfortable (not scraping by) and beautiful for a long time to come.

All the best to you and your family. Use it in good health and joy. :hug:

Hekate

[MonkeyFunk]

301. That's fantastic!

Congratulations! Nice to hear good news once in awhile.

[Jeanette in FL]

302. Wonderful News

How absolutely wonderful to read some great news. Enjoy it. I am so happy for you.

[Vektor]

303. Holy Shit! Congratulations!

That is awesome news! I'm so happy for you. :hug:

[krispos42]

305. $34,000 a year if you take the payments

On top of whatever you make at your regular job. Very nice indeed! Congrats!

And no less than SEVEN posts without numbers! This place be hoppin'!

[SalmonChantedEvening]

306. Awright Beezlebud!!! n/t

[Lasher]

307. OK time for my favorite lottery winner story

I remember reading years ago about this hick who had just won millions of dollars on the lottery. As is the custom in these cases he was asked what he was going to do with his newfound wealth. He replied, "Don't know. Might get new seat covers fer muh pickup." This really happened.

Think about it. Don't go crazy.

You can easily get 5% interest on no-risk investments. That's $25K a year that you could draw forever as income without having to touch your half million. And you can actually get about an average 10% return, to be conservative.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful story. Here's to ya! :toast:

Lasher

[lfairban]

309. Spend it wisely, . . .

. . . a half million dollars isn't what it used to be.

[deutsey]

310. Those of us still struggling to scrape by salute you. n/t

[Totally Committed]

311. That is so awesome!

I hope you enjoy every dollar in happiness and good health!

TC

[cooolandrew]

312. Well, while your flushed buy a few nova m subscriptions for friends...

... As Hartmann says it's nt about the senatrors it's about the message. We have to make the message as strong and as loud as possible.

[Ganja Ninja]

313. Forget about all these people.

Have I ever told you what a great admirer I am of you?:toast:

[mark11727]

314. Adopt me.

[Larry Ogg]

316. If it wasn’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all… I won $10.00 in a stand up bingo.

For those of you who never heard of stand up bingo, every one stands up and if any number on your bingo card is called you loose and sit down, that means the worst card wins.

[DFW]

317. Nice going!

Don't spend it all in one place..........

[symbolman]

318. If you plan on taking a vacation with some of that

And end up in Hawaii, come and see us, we'll be glad to buy YOU a congratulatory dinner.. I'm series!!

Takebackthemedia.com also salutes you, remember, we've been there for you, and only you, the whole time :)

Buy GOLD, TONS of it!

Very HAPPY FOR YOU, what a THRILL that must have been, I'd have had a damn heart attack, and the gas station guy would have cashed it in :)

[LeftHander]

320. THE NEW AMERICAN DREAM!! you won!

Great for you.

[hippiechick]

321. CONGRATS TO YOU !!!

:applause: Good things do happen to those on our side, apparently! :applause:

[SheilaT]

322. Not that you need a whole lot more advice,

but I'm willing to give you mine.

First off, DON'T DO ANYTHING. Don't even make a decision yet about which way to take the money. Several people have mentioned the Sudden Money Institute. Here's the link to them: http://www.suddenmoney.com/Public/Home/index.cfm If that doesn't work, just google Sudden Money Institute. they have pages for various forms of sudden money, including lottery wins. Read everything there first.

Go to your local library and read several issues of things like Money magazine and Kiplinger's. After a while you'll start seeing a pattern to what they say. I personally find that the profiles of individuals or families and how they're managing their money or financial situation to be especially useful. You can compare your situation to the one being written about.

You will need professional financial advice or help in investing. I'm personally inclined that you talk to one or more of the major financial institutions. You know their names. Do not take on any adviser or money manager you do not feel comfortable with. This will be a relationship as intimate as a marriage, without the benefits of sex. Trust me.

While this is a large sum of money, and potentially life-altering, it is not an amount that will actually allow you to quit your job and never work again. If you take the yearly payout, it will end in 20 years. And less than 500k is not enough to provide you with a significant income forever. Several people have suggested you can get a steady 10%. Not as income, you can't. The 10% figure is what's commonly quoted as an average return over a period of time (usually given as ten years or more) including reinvesting all dividends and interest. NOT what you can take out on a yearly basis without touching your principal. Current long-term interest rates are in the neighborhood of 4%, I think. Over time, interest bearing accounts, including government bonds, do far, far worse than stocks. Any investments you do need to be a mix of those things. The magazines talk about that endlessly. Once you've read a half dozen issues of two or three of those magazines you'll have a decent handle on this.

However, I'd also suggest you take $5-10,000 and splurge on something, such as a really nice vacation somewhere.

Oh, and congratulations. I love to hear stories like this, especially as I myself never play any lotto games myself. About twenty years ago my younger brother won $5,000 on a scratch-off ticket, and he (wisely in my opinion) has never played since. Smart guy.

[Chichiri]

323. Oh, so THAT'S where all my good luck is going.

Congrats. :)

[smtpgirl]

324. I would be speechless if that happened to me

congrats

[racaulk]

325. Beelzebud, did you know that we're related?

We're long lost cousins. Don't you remember? So...uh...could you loan your cuz a few grand...

;)

Seriously, congratulations! That's wonderful news!!! :bounce:

[myrna minx]

326. Congratulations!

:woohoo:

[a kennedy]

327. OMG......congrataulations!!

and I'm soooooooooooo jealous. :toast: :bounce: :thumbsup: :loveya: :woohoo: :applause:

[Karmageddon]

328. Sweet! Spend the first 450K on wine women and song. Then just blow the rest foolishly.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

330. Congratulations!

Now get thee to a financial advisor at a reputable bank. And a lawyer, because you don't want your relatives squabbling over your money if some misfortune should befall you.

[YOY]

331. You deserve it

Congrats. Watch for moochers and INVEST THAT MONEY! Money invested makes money. Money spent does not.

[Norquist Nemesis]

332. CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[Justpat]

333. Oh man, that is great!! ENJOY!! n/t

[CrispyQ]

334. Zang!!

The best to you & yours.

[mistertrickster]

335. Dude--put the money into gilt-edged securities and don't spend it.

Half a million at 5 percent interest is 25,000 a year.

Forever.

That's a new car whenever you want. Three deluxe trips to Europe for two. A college education of your child. Every year.

The biggest mistake most people make when they come into money like this is that they think, "I'm rich" and they start spending like they THINK rich people do.

Except really rich people have their money working FOR them, not the other way around.

ON Edit -- Oh . . . and congratulations, heh.

[stellanoir]

336. Congrats and Pullease read this. . .

If you are accustomed to living hand to mouth it's highly advisable to take 10 % of it and have some fun but hide the rest of it for at least 3 months until you get over the shock of this windfall.

Otherwise you might make some impulsive decisions until you re center yourself.

I've advised others in this manner and they've thanked me profusely for it.

It's a nice amount but not enough to live like a Rockefeller or anything.

Congrats again. . .

[lostinacause]

347. I agree with this. People who get windfalls such as this often end up spending the money quickly

and foolishly. Ideally your life should not change all that much. You should just use the money to live a more comfortable life and not have to worry about money to the extent that you did before winning.

[Javaman]

337. If this isn't a reason to do the happy dance, I can't think of a better one!!!

Congrats!!!!

[CabalPowered]

338. Wow!

Half a mil in cash? You need to find a good accountant and fast. At least get the cash into a money market ASAP until you figure out what you're going to do. Or maybe a 6 month CD. Those rates have gone up nicely.

Good luck! :thumbsup:

[slackmaster]

341. Far out!

:toast:

Now you get to find out who your real friends are.

;-)

[yellerpup]

342. Great news!

Congratulations! :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo: :woohoo:

[MissB]

343. I'm so damned happy for you!

:woohoo:

[wryter2000]

344. Wahoooooooo!

I'm so excited for you. :bounce:

[tsuki]

345. Finally, a lottery success story. Great going!

:woohoo: :applause: :woohoo:

[focusfan]

348. hey good going wanna come visit Ky

we can meet somewheres and if you don't mind loan me some of
that cash.

[REACTIVATED IN CT]

349. That is wonderful !

Congratulations !

[Mrspeeker]

350. this should not be a greatest thread

period!

[NastyDiaper]

351. Yay!

/agreed on some of the advice regarding finance counselor.
Let him or her tell you how much you can share. Even if you lump sum, give yourself an allowance.
imo
:toast:

[blueworld]

352. Congratulations! I wish you all the best!

Seriously - mucho blessings.

And on a lighter note, if you ever decide you want to adopt me, don't hesitate to fire out that e-mail! :toast: :applause:

[JVS]

353. Don't blow it all on hookers and blow. Unless, that's how you'd most like to invest it.

[Virginia Dare]

354. That's fantastic, however, the Lottery is still a scam..

designed to put an additional "tax" on the poor...so I don't support them...I guess somebody has to win though, and you're the luck one!

[Raejeanowl]

355. Congratulations!

Cover all the "wise" stuff first. Then go enjoy. Buy the gas station?

[Gregorian]

356. Now you can shine Cheney's shoes.

But really, your timing couldn't be better. Stick that in a CD, and as interest rates are already above 5%, you can almost live off of that.

Even if it is the price of one Halliburton shoe shine.

[IChing]

357. No wonder you are my greatest bestest friend in the whole wide world

Congratulations Beelzebud

now give me $100 my greatest bestest friend.

I like the way you are living your new found "green" living.

Joking aside......Congratulations!!!!!!

[buddhamama]

358. Congratulations!

wow! it's wonderful when good things happen to good people. i am happy for you. :toast:

[Scout1071]

360. Get the funk out of here!!!! Congratulations Beelzebud.

Make sure you hire a professional to help you make the most of your money so that you can really set yourself up for the long term.

Congrats!

[SusanaMontana41]

361. Fantastic

Congratulations, Beelzebud!

:party:

[Sancho]

362. I have some land for sale in Florida! ...

but I'd have to take the money over 20 years due to my outstanding self-control. Way to go! A wonderful day!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

:yourock:

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

363. I think you would enjoy a 26" or 32" HD LCD-TV from Phillips in the bedroom..

..and it won't even make a dent in your bank...Congrats!

[George II]

364. Did you have anything left after you filled the tank?

[denverbill]

366. WOW. Think of all the Powerball tickets you can buy with $675,000!!!

Congrats!!

[NashVegas]

367. Oh My Goodness! Congratulations!

This is so wonderful. Enjoy it.

(and don't forget to make a small contribution to the candidate of your choice)

[kowanda32]

369. Congratulations!

Wonderful news.

[ceile]

370. Holy shit!!!! Congrats!

:bounce: :wow: :woohoo:

[Maat]

371. Congrats (n/t)!

[DemExpat]

373. Congrats on your wonderful good fortune, Beelzebud!

I have never known anyone to win a substantial prize on a lottery!

:toast: :toast: :toast:

:bounce:

DemEx

[DemExpat]

374. And be really smart with it and don't spend it all in a flash....

:hug:

DemEx

[wicket]

375. Holy crap!!!

That's awesome!!! Congrats :)

[nichomachus]

376. Spending opportunity

I think you can buy part ownership in a Member of Congress. It's sort of like a time share. If you spend $300,000, they will cast one vote for you during any session of Congress. Certain blackout periods and exceptions do apply.

[txwhitedove]

377. Happy for You! Congratulations. Invest that money.....

and do something others in need.
:hi:

[msanthrope]

378. CONGRATULATIONS! n/t

[DeeDeeNY]

379. Enjoy Enjoy Enjoy!!

:toast:

[Rockholm]

380. Way Cool! Congratulations!

[Lucky Luciano]

381. Careful with that....

It is not that much money really (Perhaps I am in a NYC mindset).

Don't quit your day job without lining another one up shortly afterwards and don't take on exorbitant habits. Splurge a little bit
initially as a sense of relief, but then get back to life.

[d_b]

382. thats awesome!

Grovel Bot is coming for you.

[mhatrw]

383. Congratulations! Now, then ...

[jackster]

384. Congratulations!

Don't forget to support your favorite charities and political organizations!

then have some fun!

[bklyncowgirl]

386. Congratulations Beelzebud, you hit the lottery! Don't spend it all in one place! nt.

[rodriguez94]

387. that is wonderful

Whatever you do, go find a good lawyer and financial advisor....don't take the annuity...take the lump sum and invest it wisely!!

Congrats again! I keep hoping!!!

[KansDem]

392. YEOW, Beelzebud!!! You're a semi-millionaire!!!

:party:

[long_green]

393. It's advice time...

Get a boat. Sea levels are rising as we speak. Your new boat will be your life insurance policy.

Get an easy to remember safe word. You've been lucky, you don't want to die hanging upside down covered in...just get an easy to remember safe word.

Find a good lawyer or financial planner...and ask where he gets his drugs. Stop getting your drugs through waiters and bartenders. I hate that stepped-on shit.

Buy a small bridge and burn it. You won't believe how good it makes you feel.

[caledesi]

394. I am stunned! Good for you! NT

[elehhhhna]

395. So, Beezle, update, please? Quit shopping and check in !