If I was filthy stinkin' rich...

What if money were no object?

Our family likes to play a game sometimes where we imagine what kind of outrageous, wonderful, quirky, and expensive items we would own if we were filthy stinkin' rich.  My daughter frequently chooses things like an iceberg complete with penguins that would swim around in our basement.  My husband likes to imagine things like our own parking garage filled with a different car for every mood.  I seem to always envision outdoor stuff like a waterfall that cascades into our multi-level inground pool.

What would you dream if you had a million dollars to spend?  A billion?  A trillion?

There was recently a man in our town who won a large lottery.  He was just a regular guy, working a regular job, and now he gets $50,000 a year for 30 years.  Not bad for a single scratch lotto ticket.  His story got me to thinking again about how much money I'd love to have if I could have any amount.  I have decided I would like to have 3 million dollars.  Here's what I'd do with the money:

I'd take the first million and pay off my home mortgage and the mortgages of my parents, brothers, sister, and in-laws.

I'd take the second million and establish education trust funds for my daughter and her 3 cousins.  These wouldn't be just college funds, they'd be education funds that would carry them from whenever their education begins to whenever it ends.  I'd give whatever was left after the funds were established as donations to schools that need it in our area.

I'd take the third million and bank it.  Invest it.  Use its interest to travel and create new experiences for myself and my family.

That's it, just 3 million.  If I won a lottery of $10 million I would still do my $3 million plan, I'd just donate more money to charity.  I wouldn't quit my very-part-time-job at the local college bookstore.  I doubt Steve would quit his job either.  We love our jobs.  We love what we do.  I wouldn't re-decorate my house or build on another wing (though I would hire professional exterior painters in a heartbeat!).  I wouldn't even change my car, though I'm sure Steve would want another car, not to replace his, but just for fun.  I wouldn't change my daughter's school, where we live, or our grocery budget.

I'd travel to see my friends and family a lot more.

I'd make sure that all of the children in my school district were eating healthy meals at school for breakfast and/or lunch.

I'd probably spend more getting my hair highlighted.

But I like my life.  While I would love to have the financial serenity of having my house paid for and a healthy chunk in the bank, I wouldn't want to actually have a different life.

What about you?  What amount would you like to have?  What would you do with your dream-money?