I’ve heard that money can’t buy happiness, and though I don’t have a lot of experience in that area, I tend to agree. Buying things won’t make you happy, or get you friends, or whatever. But I still like to think about buying things, and I was just in the shower and I thought, what if…
What if you had a million dollars and you couldn’t spend it all on yourself?
I know someone who drives an old junker with bad brakes because they can’t afford anything else. The money simply isn’t there. So I would buy them a new car, and pay for the car insurance for the first year.
I know another someone who does well at their job, but really wants to start their own office. I would invest in that.
I would buy state of the art technological equipment for my current employer – once they find a new building.
I have a two friends who are single moms, and another who might as well be. I would help them start saving for their kids’ college educations.
Since one million dollars isn’t enough to quit my job and move to San Diego, California, I would have to redo my house. I know someone who is struggling whose husband is a general contractor. I would hire him to replace all the windows, remove the wallpaper that is everywhere, rip up carpet, replace appliances, finish the basement, upgrade the hot water heater thing, everything except finish the floors. I have a friend whose brother does that.
I would also hire the above mentioned guy to fix my parents’ house up to sell so they could buy a one-story home with a lower payment so they don’t have to worry about the stairs anymore.
I would give a lot of money to local food banks, the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, local homeless shelters, local women’s shelters, and local animal shelters.
I would give every staff member in my office, associate assistants included, a big fat bonus for 2009. We’ve all had a rough year, and we need to know that we’re appreciated.
I would make the biggest donation ever to my favorite writing program for 2010’s event.
I know someone who is really struggling financially and emotionally. I would wipe out their work related debt and pay for their apartment for a year so they could focus on getting their feet under them without taking a step back. (This would most likely have to be done anonymously.)
Just to be spiteful, I would make a donation to a very left wing charity in the names of some very right wing people in my office. Is that mean? Well, anyway…I can’t be good all the time.
I would of course start worrying not only about my own kids’ educations, but my husband’s and my retirement as well, and put some funds towards that.
And if I still had money left, I suppose I would buy a bunch of beer, a grill, and some bratwurst and throw a major party in my teeny tiny back yard for the neighborhood and friends from the office. BYO chips, salads and desserts. And kids would be totally invited to drink all the soda they could handle.
I think those things might just make me happy.