Just pretend, please ...

It's your birthday. Four of your friends together buy you one lottery ticket as a present. You win $5 million.

Would you share the money with these friends, who only spent $0.25 each on your birthday present?

Yes? No? And why?

Boy, that takes a lot of imagination on my part as my close friends don't by lottery tickets in the first place, and they'd never dream of buying one for me either.

Anyway, I've never thought that a present's true worth was based on how much money it cost, but rather in how much thought the person put into it. As in: will the person enjoy this, need this, like this etc. To me a vase of fresh picked wild-flowers means a whole lot more than an expensive bouquet of purchased roses.

In the highly unlikely event that I actually acquired - gulp - $5 million, most of it would be going to various charities such as homeless shelters, job-training programs, food-banks, battered women shelters etc. A small percentage would be used to get completely debt-free, do some much needed house fixing-up, get hearing aids for my dad, and establish a nest-egg against hard times. If these hypothetical friends were in debt, I'd use the funds to get, or help them get, out of it this once and make sure any credit cards were cut so they wouldn't get right back into it. If they were in need, of course I'd help them out. Of course, Uncle Sam would want his cut

Orange Blossom

not neccessarily, i would do the buyin loads a champers thing and takin us out to posh diner for celebration and then i would bide my time considering. I would give them some but probably not directly, what if the friend who thought of the idea in the first place to buy me a ticket were a gambler then i certainly wouldnt be giving her/him any money directly. I would do things with the money that would be appropriate to them as individuals, so they would get somit useful out of it. I would prob spend a mil on them yeee

BYE!

I would. A true friend is worth more than the 5 million. There are some places in life that you will go where money doesn't matter. Sharing some of the money with them wouldn't be that hard. I don't think I would split it even, but they would receive something.

Oh you bet I would!!! We would all go on a trip to remember and I would share the money too! It would be bad Karma to shun them after winning that way.. Baaaad JuJu IMHO!!! Oh yes I would be delighted to share.

You're right - bad karma would haunt you always, I suspect! Gentle grin.

First, for each, a home of their choice completely paid for (or the equivalent in cash if they already have a mortgage) - and that, in our area, would wipe out close to $3 1/2 to $4 million right away - eep!

Then the remainder would be ours to do with as we pleased with a clear conscience.

In reality, a 'friendlie' we know, about 10 years ago, won 2.8 million in a lottery ... and with 7 months she had commited herself to a mental health unit. Have often wondered if perhaps she had wicked karma after she refused to even pay for her elderly mother to have a new TV in her room at the nursing home (after this lady literally sent her daughter a portion of each of her pension checks for years to 'help out') - and on and on.

For whatever reason, she and her husband couldn't bring themselves to help out any family or friends that had stood with them through thick and thin - and sadly, she would phone and literally cry about the stress having all this money was causing them - sigh. Finally, after a year, I gently but firmly told her that since we were not 'friends' before she became a millionaire (and we unlikely to ever be) it would perhaps be better if she consulted another professional for help. Very sad. Yup, had to have been self-induced 'bad karma' eating away at her. Another gentle smile.

Most definately.. Right after I get up off the floor. I'd give them a 1/2 million. The other half to a few churches and groups I belong to. I'd bank 3 at a conservative 6% that would bear 180K interest in the first year alone. I would just always live off the interest as I still have a mill to spend any way. I'd own that home in Petite St.Vincent.

Don't know if I would split it even... but maybe a new car with a 25K in cash on the backseat might be a nice thank you gift...

Probably get a nice house, a boat and get the rest I would do like boopme suggested and live off the interest and don't worry, the friends would be over often to watch the hockey game on the big screen (hey I live in Canada... got to do something in the winter )

Of course I will share the money with my friends. Because they are my friends.

My and my closest friends cut a deal back when we were 18. If any of us win more than $5 million each of the others gets a new Corvette and all our houses and bills paid off. the rest of my winnings would get put into savings. Of course I dont play unless the payout is over $100 million which is roughly a 2 million a year payout over the 20 years.

Ahhh, karma. That's the thing I think.

I have often been tempted to do what I know is wrong. Yet the thought of bad karma has so far kept me from doing what I knew to be the wrong thing (mostly)

For every evil, selfish or cruel act I believe there is always a price to pay, whether here or in the next life, the price must be paid.

Conversely, when one does the right thing there is always a reward, here or in the next life.

Since the price is never known until it falls due it is not possible to decide if it is worth it.

This simple philosophy generally guides my day to day life.

Temptation is always present. The test is to resist.

From what I have seen,to have an obscene amount of money all at once,seems to destroy more lives than it helps.People are not trained how to cope with sudden fortune.They also fall victim to shrewd con artists,who bleed them dry.As far as dividing up the winnings,I would divide it up evenly,and have a clear conscience.
I am not saying this to be Politically Correct.I also believe in 'Karma'.My share I would set myself up nicely,
Invest a large amount,and have a ball living off the interest.Why hoard it? When you die it ceases to be yours anyway.
I like this Quote.

I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something.
Jackie Mason (1934 - )

I dont think I would give them a lot but for sure some.

Maybe a new car of their choice up to 100k....

Or just a 100k.

I think 100 thousand would be good for each of them.

What would I do with the rest? Before I even broke it up I would tithe 10% off the top for church.

The rest I would invest. Stocks and high yield accounts and non taxable IRS savings accounts.

Id pay for any bills and maybe start a biz. up.

four friends, each get a quarter mil. that takes me to 4 mil. 1 mil to my parents. now im at 3 mil. invest the 3 mil in decent interest bearing funds. many roth IRA's (max is 4k each, but no tax when you take it out after 5 years). then i would work for five more years, until i was vested in my company's 401k. after that 5 years, i can realistically live off the interest for the rest of my life. plus my 401k money will be used to buy a house. i would be 30 and retire.

oh yeah, but definitely share the love, in cash.

I'd toss the owner of my old bar a grand to open the bar and put on a bbq for all of my friends.

Some of the winnings would go into escrow accounts for sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, grandkids and great-nieces/nephews for future college plans, medical needs and retirement.

I would invest 1 million for my retirement, buy land and build a new house and workshop.

Just don't forget that a good chunk of any lottery winnings goes to the govt. in taxes.