If I Had a Billion Dollars

Steph just posted a group blog and the topic is "What would you do with a billion dollars?" I usually, don't participate in these things because I'm usually just too lazy.

The first thing I would have to think about is how much happiness money can really buy. I know it's corny, but if you really think about it, it has a ring of truth to it. I'm sure my happiness could be bought with far less than a billion dollars. Rarely, have I seen a thousand dollars (in the flesh) sitting in my hands all at one time, much less a billion. To me, 600 dollars is a lot of money. I could probably get out of debt entirely with a couple thousand. When first approaching this question, I had to find out how much a billion actually is. According to the internet search it is the equivalent of 1000 million dollars. 1 million is enough to buy you a very nice house. 1.5 million would not only buy the house, but furnish it nicely. Honestly I would be happy with a house around 40-50 grand, but that's just me. Anything is better than the crappy 2 bedroom, 1 bath apartment I live in now. Let's just say 1.5 million for the house and furnishings...that leaves 998.5 million dollars left.

In my lifetime, I probably haven't made my first million, and I've lived without having to starve or anything, so it wouldn't take much to set me up for the rest of my life. Let's just say 10 million would set me up for the rest of my life. I could probably live with much less than that. Anything to get away from having to shop first at the Pick-n-Save, and scouting out different grocery stores to see who has double coupons. 10 million is by no means modest. I'm just being conservative and looking out for any possibility. Plus, my boyfriend would never have to work again, so I'm planning on two people. After house and living expenses, that still leaves 988.5 million dollars. With a couple of nice cars, let's just round it down to 988 million.

Now that Me and Doug are taken care of, it's time to think about family and friends. I only have my brother and father left in my immediate family and I think 5 million each is plenty enough for anyone. 5 million is enough for each family to live comfortably, so I will give 5 million to each family on my mother's side, which is about 50 million, and screw my fathers relatives, because they already have enough money and already treat our family like dirt, so screw them. All families considered, it's about 60 million, plus I have a few friends that I would like to take care of, so let's just say 80 million. That still leaves 908 million.

Okay, so now, I'm taken care of. Doug is taken care of. And my friends and family are set. What to do with the rest. I'll skim a couple of million off of the top to see the world. I'd really like to visit Europe, and the Middle East (praying that it's not a war zone by the time I get there). Hey, this is supposed to be fantasy, right? That still leaves 900 million.

What to do with the remainder...That's easy. Charities. Anything else, would seem a gross display of gluttony to me. Sitting on a pile of all that money, that one could not possibly spend in a lifetime is ludicrous. I hear all the time of celebrities and politicians sitting around in 30 and 40 million dollar homes. Is that really necessary? I just don't see the point in it. Is that what really makes one happy? As you can see by my breakdown of the above, far less is necessary to make a good life. Hell, I would be happy with 1 million. I get excited when I scratch a lottery ticket and win 50 dollars. 900 million, donated in charity, could really help a lot of people and you could still live like a rock star. You could even take another 500 million and still help a lot of people. When I see people who make billions of dollars, it never ceases to amaze me of the waste, that they leave behind them. For me, there is a point that you can reach, where the money just isn't enough. It's true that money can't buy happiness, but it can give you a good start.