Pages

▼

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Big One

$52 Million. That's a heck of a lot of money.

I like money, and it would always be great to have some more. But $52 million? That's a crazy big bunch of money!

BlogThis asked us what we'd do with $52 million. Of course, there are the usual things that I've always put on my winning-the-lottery list: my family, friends and I debt-free, a nice house and a really good holiday, some charity stuff... but those things wouldn't even scratch the surface. $5 million would probably be too much.

So I thought I'd do a little research. Just what can $52 million buy?

There are the spoil-yourself items:
  • 13 Toorak Mansions ($4,000,000 each)
  • 49 Luxury Yachts ($1,050,000 each)
  • 260 Space flights with Virgin Galactic ($200,000 each)
  • 523 BMW 325i - 2010 model ($99,400 each)
  • 3255 Round-the-world Plane tickets ($15972 each)
  • 21,675 iMac Desktop Computers ($2400 each)
  • 23,183 Nights at the 7-Star Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai (Honeymoon Package $2,243 per night)
  • 179,310 8 Course Tasting Meals (with wine) at Rockpool, Sydney ($290 per person)
The life-changing ones:
  • 1 Island (Buck Island, British Virgin Islands, $48,000,000)
  • 1,155 Harvard Law Degrees ($45,000 each)
  • 85,245 Shares in Google ($610.04 each)
But really, who needs that much money? Think of the good you could do! $52 million would buy:
  • 3 Aged care homeless centres ($16 million each)
  • 14 MRI Suites (including the machine $3,500,000 each)
  • 299 African Schools ($173,500 each)
  • 5,200,000 gift chickens from Oxfam ($10 each)
  • And a heck of a lot of hours of cancer research
I don't pretend to be entirely selfless, and I know that if I won that much money, some of it would be frittered away. But even in just this little bit of looking around I've done, I can see how much good some money would be for a lot more people than me. It's a shame that the people with all the money don't share it around a bit more. I wonder what the world would be like if they did?

Blog this also asked if we'd go public. Definitely not. For one, it would bring out the loonies, but also, if you were giving that much money away, you wouldn't do it for the fame, would you?

They say you've gotta be in it to win it though, and I don't buy lottery tickets. Perhaps I should, and spread the love a bit. Because of course I'd win! ;p

    What would you do with 52 million bucks?
    at

    10 comments:

    1. DebFebruary 28, 2011 at 8:31 PM

      pay off all our debt and my immediate families and then run far far away for a period of time, come back, buy a nice house, go back to work part time and invest some so we dont have to worry about money again.

      then give the rest away... to who i dont know, but you're right, who needs that much money!

      ReplyDelete
    2. AnonymousMarch 1, 2011 at 12:22 AM

      Oh very interesting question. Standard no debt, family, nice house, nice car (told Scott today that if we won lotto he could buy any car he liked as long it was red), invest so I wouldn't have to work full time again, LONG holiday away from the world.

      There are several education, health and agriculture charities I would give to.

      But $52 million?! That's too much....nobody needs that much money!

      Esther

      ReplyDelete
    3. AnonymousMarch 1, 2011 at 7:40 AM

      I'd employ a chef, a hairdresser and a chauffeur, go on tour with my favourite band and then waste the rest!!! If only ....... Sue E.

      ReplyDelete
    4. BouncyBrittonieMarch 1, 2011 at 9:31 AM

      Those stats are amazing, all those chickens!

      I chose not to go out to the public as well. Money attracts the most unwanted of guests. At least you would be able to up and move quickly if you were found out! Just another house!

      ReplyDelete
    5. CindaMarch 2, 2011 at 1:18 AM

      Great lists! True with 52 million your mind would really boggle with all the possibilities to change your life but which direction to take.

      ReplyDelete
    6. MadmotherMarch 2, 2011 at 1:30 PM

      Love the detailed breakdown.

      ReplyDelete
    7. AnonymousMarch 2, 2011 at 9:07 PM

      Pay off the house/debts, renovate the house, help immediate family, get new cars, invest so we don't have to worry about money. Take a holiday, prob still work, but only part time, do some volunteer work as well. Buy a summer house, help charities, and make my home soccer field a kick ass facility, support my soccer club in becoming self funded............Laura

      ReplyDelete
    8. Mel's Dad/Sam's GrandadMarch 2, 2011 at 9:18 PM

      Good ones Laura.
      I guess most of us would do the family thing, but I believe it's not "easy" to give money away! There are apparently restrictions on how much and how often we can give it, and there are the repercussions on the people you give it to. They might not have the "nouse" (spelling?),or common sense to use it well. But then that shouldn't be your problem.
      Investment would be good, depending on how you did it, but there are always the taxation problems, (or maybe if you have a good tax agent, you can deal with that!)
      For me, I would just want my near family to benefit, and be able to not have to struggle, and to be independent. We will not be leaving much to Mel and Jezz, except the house and lots of memories, so maybe the big win would be good for them.
      Who knows? I have been buying lottery tickets for over 50 years, in the hope of setting my kids up. It better happen soon!!!!

      ReplyDelete
    9. MelMarch 3, 2011 at 6:15 AM

      Dad, you know I don't expect an 'inheritance'! I'd much rather see you spend your money on enjoying your retirement! Although I promise I'll look after your house!
      I reckon that after buying lottery tickets for 50 years I'd be scared to stop! It would be terrible if your numbers came up the week you stopped buying!

      ReplyDelete
    10. UnknownMarch 9, 2011 at 8:18 PM

      That is a LOT of chickens!

      ReplyDelete

    I love comments!