If you won the lottery, would you keep doing what you're doing?

9bits

Just curious...

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mbarrett

I won 4 bucks a couple weeks ago, does that count? Or do you just mean the bazillion-dollar jackpot?

alias454

I would kinda do all of the above.
Buy a home lab; check
Become an IT "Mad Scientist;" check
Continue to work in my field; check
Buy some awesome toys; check

amcnow

I voted to "keep my job and keep working in my field". I actually enjoy what I do for a living. My career is engaging, challenging, and rewarding. I'm too ingrained to stop now!

There's too many horror stories of people hitting the lottery only to go broke some time later, for whatever reason. Then again, it's most often due to lack of common sense.

MitM

If it was one of these giant jackpots, I'd definitely leave my job and the corporate world altogether. I'd probably just focus on side projects and maybe open a non IT related business

9bits

mbarrett wrote: »

I won 4 bucks a couple weeks ago, does that count? Or do you just mean the bazillion-dollar jackpot?

That's more than I ever won! But mostly I was thinking of a sum that was enough to sustain a person for life, probably a few million or more.

9bits

amcnow wrote: »

There's too many horror stories of people hitting the lottery only to go broke some time later, for whatever reason. Then again, it's most often due to lack of common sense.

That's very true. It often creates rifts between family and friends because they perceive that money as not earned, and thus feel entitled to a portion of it.

hurricane1091

LOL, I'd leave my job and never come back. No side work, no projects. Would never touch a piece of networking equipment - ever. I'd buy a boat, do a lot of fishing, do a lot of traveling. Learn guitar or something cultural. 50 million dollars and you'd still want to go to work - LOL no way! I can see starting a consulting company and trying to make more money though, totally within reason. But my actual job? Or any actual job? Never again.

NetworkNewb

A part of me would still probably want to work and just take more vacations. But hurricane's plan makes me second think my vote!

PC509

I'd keep working where I am for a couple years until my kids graduated high school. Then, I'd move to a better place (Oregon coast). I'd set up a nice home lab and open an arcade in town. I'd write books, blog, and keep helping people online just because I enjoy it.

I love the field, so I'd stay in it in some form to stay happy. It's fun and it's a nice hobby/career. I still enjoy coming to work. But, I'd like to have it on my time. The arcade would be fun, as I love video games and always try to find the local arcades.

GSXR750K2

A variant of the first option coupled with the second...I'd quit my job but I'd set up a lab to learn the technologies I want to work with and continue to work in the field as a consultant.

A Cessna Mustang or Beech Premier would be nice to get around the country and they are eligible for single pilot operations. I haven't piloted a plane in years though so I'd have to go back to some of the basics...but I'd have the money and the time.

lucashgarcia

No way, I would never, ever, touch a computer Again.

cyberguypr

My "hitting the millions" plan has always been to quit my job (leave them wondering "hey, we haven't seen CyberGuyPR in 2 weeks...") and start a business (LEGAL) with the 3 things I love the most: cars, women, and guns (in no particular order). I would still keep up to speed on IT stuff though.

GSXR750K2

cyberguypr wrote: »

cars, women, and guns (in no particular order)

I like the way you think.

TechGromit

What I would do is Highly depends on how much I win. Anything less 2 million wouldn't do much to change my life style. They take half for a lump sum payout and between federal and state taxes they another half, which would leave me with 500k. That's enough to pay off my house, buy a new car, and take a few nice vacations. Nice, but not life altering, at best I would be able to retire a few years earlier than I would have. In order to have enough passive income around what me and my wife earn now, I would need to win 16 million, after lump sum distribution and taxes, that leaves 4 million dollars. Conservatively invested in the stock market at around 4% return yields 136k after 15% taxes on investments. We could quit our jobs and not work, but our lifestyle wouldn't change, no splurging on new houses, cars, exotic vacations. I would need at least 20 million, that give me 5 million after deductions, keep my current life style and have a million dollars left over to pay off my house, buy a new house and take some nice vacations. You of course could just live on your winnings, without worrying about stock market returns on your investments, but 4 million dollars stuffed in your mattress spending 150k a year would only last 26 years, just long enough for me to be poor at retirement age.

People really don't realize how much money it takes to become independently wealthy, at least wealthy enough not to burn though your money and be poor in a few years. I would need a good 50 million to be wealthy enough to be care free not have to worry about money. That would give me 12.5 million to work with, that's a good 400k a year investment income to enjoy life without any money cares in the world.

alias454

Also let's not forget about inflation. A dollar today, isn't the same as a dollar a year from now.

DatabaseHead

When I see these types of surveys, unless the author specifies an amount, I am assuming Powerball type numbers, Net 30+. In that case I'm out period no questions asked.

All this deflation etc becomes a moot point. If it was a nice payout like a few million I would invest the money and continue on as I am doing now.

networker050184

Assuming it's a large amount set for life, I'm out. I love what I do for a living don't get me wrong, but I can find a lot of other stuff to fill my day with!

DatabaseHead

I'd live on a fishing boat and reel in huge ocean fish all day everyday. I wouldn't own a house, car anything like that.

JoJoCal19

Agree with networker050184. I love my field, but if I win one of the big jackpots, I'm throwing up the deuces and I'm out. I have a laundry list of interests I'd rather pursue, books to be read, and a house full of expensive toys I rarely get to play with. My exact option wasn't listed above but I would start my own real estate investment firm and brokerage and work on my own schedule, partially on a boat

E Double U

Peter: What would you do if you had a million dollars?
Lawrence: I'll tell you what I'd do man: two chicks at the same time.
Peter: That's it? If you had a million dollars, you'd do two chicks at the same time?
Lawrence: Damn straight. I always wanted to do that man. And I think if I were a millionaire I could hook that up too; 'cause chicks dig dudes with money.

Seriously, I wouldn't feel comfortable continuing to work without needing the money. My position could could be filled by someone that isn't sitting on millions.

I think I would just invest - and by invest I mean buy more lottery tickets. If I won once, I can win again. That plan is so stupid its gotta work. It just has to.

shochan

I would leave IT behind in a heartbeat & start my retirement early. Retirement at age 62 is WAY too old to really enjoy life, hell you have to start worrying about wearing depends by that age! LOL

pitviper

Heck, if I win a little bit I'm relocating and changing fields lol Corporate life is for the birds - but it pays the bills so.....

Verities

If I lived in a state where you can remain anonymous after winning the lotto, I would keep my job and continue working without telling anyone I won. Otherwise, I'd move somewhere much cheaper, settle down and find another IT job. Definitely take a long vacation, invest in stocks, put some money aside, donate to some charities, and invest in some venture capital projects

Mooseboost

I kind of like the third option. Except the cat part, I will keep my malamutes.

UnixGuy

Hell no!

Danielm7

Huge mega lottery? I'd be gone in a heartbeat. Like some others, I enjoy what I do, but I enjoy my family and hobbies a lot more. I could easily fill my days without spending very much of the money and be very happy.

dhay13

My current job? I would stay on, at least for awhile. I like my job but the pay sucks. If I won millions then the pay wouldn't matter. I work from home and like what I do so why not keep doing it if the only negative is $$$. That may change if I decide to take a 2 month vacation to another country or something but otherwise I would stay where I am.

GeekyChick

I would do the mad scientist one in a crazy lab and just work when I want to. No cat though, I already have 2 dogs.

Then I would travel and scuba dive everywhere I could, and read history books. However, I haven't been in the corporate world in a while, so a job actually sounds kinda good. Ok, you can hit me now.

stryder144

I would probably keep my job, just change from FTE to contract and only pick up the teaching jobs that fit into my schedule. Then I'd set up a complete mini-DC in my basement and play with whatever technology piqued my interest.

Queue

I would buy a large piece of property and start a farm. I would use my IT skills to set up my website, business class environment. Technology would always be integrated into my life, whether it be a new fancy high tech car, IOT around the house, etc.

Maybe get political and lobby for the local schools to teach more technology from a younger age.