by Geoffrey Churchman

This story on KC News, although tongue in cheek, raised the thought — if you bought a ticket in this logically absurd get-rich-quick-for-someone-and-for-nearly-everybody-a-few-dollars-poorer scheme, and suddenly the Lotto people told you that your bank balance now had a 37 in front of it, what would you do with it?

Obviously, that sort of dosh is enough to retire comfortably on and that is what you would do, unless your job was A) one that you really enjoy, and B) suddenly quitting would be letting people down that you don’t want to.

Buy a McMansion? For me, yep, although the next question would be where? There actually aren’t that many around in NZ and the majority are in Auckland where the rich executives and lawyers live. I’d be looking instead at Beverly Hills in L.A. where property value for money is as bad as it gets and people are plastic, but the climate is great.

This above example currently on the market, built in 2018, looks good: 6 Bedrooms, 9000 sq ft [836 sq. metres] floor area, 9 Bathrooms and .652 acres [2639 sq metres] lot size — but with an asking price of $US 20 million. Hmm. At the present exchange rate, it would use up $34 of that $37 mil. Maybe Sydney would be better. Regardless, you’d want your own home gym as jogging or cycling the streets is not the done thing in those neighbourhoods.

A new motor? Of course, but probably not a Roller, it’d be too obvious that you’ve joined the 1 percenters club (in fact in NZ probably the top 0.1 percenters club), so maybe a Ferrari or Maserati. A flash boat? Not for me, a regular lavish charter yacht cruise as desired would be better. For getting around from country to country like Bill and Klaus, a private jet is not a good use of money; first class travel on a plebeian jumbo jet would be OK.

What about the rest of the ‘mahney’ — well, leaving it in the bank means it gets whittled away because of inflation, but a business is not something you’d want to buy if you want a relaxed life, it creates opportunities but also a whole lot of stresses and anxieties that are best avoided. I know. Nor do you want to have to constantly check publicly traded share prices, too much a cause of manic depression.

A life of leisure is the thing! ‘Mahney’ doesn’t buy happiness, but it sure makes life comfortable.

Finally, the good charities shouldn’t be omitted from consideration.