Morning!
Another awesome book came out while I was away, and wanted to get it out to y’all real quick while it was still hot off the presses :)
It’s called “Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required“, and comes from two of my favorite FIRE bloggers on the scene, Kristy and Bryce from Millennial-Revolution.com.
Haven’t had a chance to personally peruse it yet, but if it’s anything like they are it’ll be super fun, feisty, and of course informational. Sprinkled with a little a$$ kicking for good measure, haha… So if you’re needing a little extra motivation lately, or just looking for another great perspective on $$$, I highly recommend checking it out! Along w/ their killer blog!
Here’s a summary from Amazon that sums it up nicely:
A bull***t-free guide to growing your wealth, retiring early, and living life on your own terms.
Kristy Shen retired with a million dollars at the age of thirty-one, and she did it without hitting a home run on the stock market, starting the next Snapchat in her garage, or investing in hot real estate.
Learn how to cut down on spending without decreasing your quality of life, build a million-dollar portfolio, fortify your investments to survive bear markets and black-swan events, and use the 4 percent rule and the Yield Shield–so you can quit the rat race forever.
Not everyone can become an entrepreneur or a real estate baron; the rest of us need Shen’s mathematically proven approach to retire decades before sixty-five.
Interested in it? You can learn more or pick it up at Amazon here: Quit Like a Millionaire: No Gimmicks, Luck, or Trust Fund Required, or better yet enter our giveaway for a chance to win a free copy :)
Giving Two FREE Copies Out!
If you’re feeling lucky, answer this question down below in the comments or via email, and you’ll be entered to win one of TWO free copies I have:
If you were able to quit your job tomorrow as a millionaire, what would be the first thing you did?!
Get your entries in by this upcoming Friday @ midnight (8/23/19), and we’ll announce the winners shortly there after. Good luck!! Open to both the US and internationally! Though international winners will receive the e-book version instead of a hard copy…
First thing I’d do if I were a millionaire? Buy an expensive cup of coffee and then go for a long walk, haha… Which is hopefully way more lame than your answers ;)
(Congrats on the book, Kirsty & Bryce!!!! Love that your energy is spreading!!)
*****
Amazon links above are affiliate links…
***Giveaway now over!!*** Congrats to MK and Linda (Commenter #118) for being the lucky winners!! Hope it helps you both get to that first million faster! :)
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I already quit a few months ago, and the first things I did were:
*not* setting an alarm clock, watching movies and TV shows I’d been putting off, catching up on paperwork/errands, reading more books, playing more games, and making a lot of small dumb impulse purchases.
Heyy, congrats!!! That must be freeing!
The first things I would do after quitting work would be throw out all my work related stuff.
De cluttering.
Learn how to play the guitar.
The first thing I’d do if I quit tomorrow because I’m a millionaire is to start writing the fiction books that I have in my head because I finally have the time to sit down and write them. I’d also pack up everything I really don’t want to part with, get rid of the rest and move to Hawaii to be able to run my business and write my books in paradise.
that would be nice!!! though the cost of living in Hawaii might not help you stay a millionaire, haha…
i will stay home with my family on the first day, and brew a nice cup of coffee for everyone.
Haha… love it :)
The first thing I’d have to do is figure out what the heck am I gonna do now? I’m getting close enough to a “normal” retirement (collecting SocSec) yet I haven’t worked out how to spend my time. Ironically, I’d have plenty of time to figure out how to spend the time…
Join the gym. Don’t have the time or money now.
I am a morning person so I think I’d still get up and sit with my cup of coffee and enjoy the feeling of not having to make a long commute to work.
These are the first things I would do if I became a millionaire today:
1. Pay off the remaining loan balance for our rental property
2. Buy the land for sale behind our house to control our neighbors
3. Take the family on vacation to the beach for (maybe) a month
3. Put the rest in savings and investments for a rainy day
Both of us already like our jobs and have a flexible schedule, so we would keep our current income streams.
Good position to be in! Enjoying your jobs makes your whole life better with or without a million dollars :)
I would love to pursue some sort of writing…. still not sure about what…… perhaps a blog or an e-book. Need to do something. I am not one to be idle.
Luckily that’s something do-able without millions :) Try writing for 30 mins as soon as you wake up!
First thing I’d do if I were a millionaire? I will thank God for the privilege of being one.
I’ve always said if I won the lottery (which apparently would require playing the lottery) that the first thing I would do is buy a catering sized tray of Chick-fil-a nuggets and not share them with anyone…just to see if I could do it.
A close second would probably be go to the hospital for eating too many nuggets or throwing all that cheddar into VTSAX…you know, boring stuff.
I opt for option #1 ;)
Given the opportunity, shortly after quitting I would automate all of my recurring expenses from a “bills account” and automate a recurring transfer to a separate account specifically for guilt free spending.
The two next items: vacation with he significant other – and buying myself a project motorcycle to restore (tinker time in the garage is my form of therapy!)
If we retired tomorrow the 1st thing I would do do would be to sh$t can my alarm clock! I would still likely get up early every day but I would love to do so based on my internal alarm clock.
I would also get a nice midday nap in my hammock!! Hammock-time!!!!
I’d start looking at all those Caribbean islands that the fam and I have been fantasizing about visiting! :)
I can’t imagine quitting my job (my best friend of 30+ years is my boss and we love our job)……
But…… if I had some extended time off, I would head directly to the Grand Canyon and hike for days, or weeks, as it is my favorite place on the earth,.
I would celebrate either by myself or with my boyfriend by getting some good food and dessert, truly enjoy my time, and allow myself to sleep a littleee bit later than I do now.
I honestly would just be eager to plan my new routines and start working on my online businesses full time! :)
1. Pay off both sister’s homes.
2. Turn off computer for a week and relax…. plugged in all the time has to stop
3. Read a couple of books that friends have recommended.
The very 1st thing after giggling maniacally? I would indulge in thinking time. I have a habit I call thinking time where I crawl into bed or on the couch & just let my mind wander, thinking about things I’d like to accomplish and how I’d go about doing them. I just let anything & everything float thru my mind – no specifics, no limits. I’ve worked out several solutions to problems, thought up alternate ways of doing things and stretched my creativity doing this. From there, I would plan out my goals using the things I’ve thought up.
I believe that’s called meditation? :)
Pay off my investment properties and sail the Caribbean!
I would book a plane ticket to… Anywhere! Wouldn’t go crazy and book first class, but would definitely go premium economy
The first thing I would do is get a really good night’s sleep and then in the morning take my time cooking a great breakfast instead of my usual morning rush.
I want to time it with my kids summer break and take a camper across the US and enjoy our beautiful country with them. It’s my retirement dream, but it would be even better if i could do it while my kids could enjoy it too.
Top 2 things after a really nice cup of coffee: set up a volunteering schedule, & plan my next international trip.
There are several local animal groups that are always on the lookout for kitten or dog fosters, but with a work day + commute amount of time out of the house, it’s not possible.
I’ve had 2 fun trips recently and there are always things you don’t get to see or do, and there a few spots I’d like to revisit. Without the limit of work restricted vacation time, and some air miles, I’d start making plans.
As both items are things I can do currently without $1M, it’s clear I feel like work is the limiting factor, hence reading blogs about FI to be on a path to eventually free up my time.
P.s. I’m not answering to enter the contest, just to play along. :)
And I’m glad you still played along – fun to see what you’re dreaming up over there :)
First I would volunteer more for Make-A-Wish!
First thing I’d do is sleep in!! Heck probably wouldn’t even get out of bed for the whole day. Re: Slouch.
I’d hire a running coach to rehab and train me, as my job really interferes with my workouts.
Take my Husband out West on a trip around the U.S. I was fortunate to be able to travel as a kid and explore the U.S. I want him to be able to enjoy that and see the sites while he is still mobile.
I would buy a small used RV and travel the country, searching for a better area to live . I certainly don’t plan on staying in the high cost of living state of Connecticut when I retire! $1 Million doesn’t go very far here!
The first thing I do once I “quit like a millionaire” is to sleep in. I would have such a good night’s sleep, that’s for sure.
Savoring this thought a little…aahhh! I’d go out and immediately pay cash for the dream RV my hub n I want!!! Then would begin the process of getting rid of stuff to hit the road FT!!!
I already quit once, then after 4 months I took a new position that I thought would involve a lot of travel and working from home for a high salary. I’ll be quitting again in 6 weeks, as the travel part did not come to pass and I’m not enjoying myself and I don’t need the money. 1st thing I’ll do again is sleep in, been getting up early for most of my life and I don’t particularly like it. Then I’ll spend more time at the gym getting into shape and catching up on my reading. Been picking up books for years and just stacking them in the garage. I need to work my way through them and then give them new homes.
Hah!!! Good job trying it out a 2nd time at least! Maybe you can do something guilt-free with all that money you earned on this 2nd go? :)
I quit my job to stay home with my children after we became millionaires. Waking up five times a night and incredibly early to a newborn isn’t exactly the same as waking up without an alarm clock. I had a human alarm clock waking me instead ;)
The first thing? Get with my accountant and financial adviser to make sure I STAY a millionaire. Second revise my will and trust setups.
Third figure out what the heck I want to do next.
If my employer wanted to get rid of me badly enough to pay me off with a million bucks, I would get up the next morning, have coffee, go for a swim, and take a walk in nature just to appreciate the wonderful life I already have. Then I’d find some meaningful work to do, with or without pay. And btw, welcome back, J$!
Thanks!!
I’ll put in a good word with your boss as soon as I submit this comment ;)
Learn how to be honest again. I can’t remember the last time I had an honest conversation in the workplace.
Finally take that trip back to Patagonia that we’ve saved for but just haven’t had the time to take!
Mine is probably lamer than yours. I’d deep clean and reorganize my kitchen cupboards. I’ve been avoiding it because I don’t want to “waste” what little free time I have each week on such an arduous task. But it would make my daily life so much more pleasant.
If I quit it would all be free time!
You’re right, you win haha….
Right after I figured out what I was going to do for health insurance, I would focus my energy on a personal improvement project: train for a marathon, sew a new wardrobe, take a certification class, etc. Something to keep my mind and body active, but that’s just for me.
This was a fun exercise!
The first thing I would do is wipe out all my existing debt. 2nd, since I am in the process of buying a home, I would upgrade my search to something a little bigger or have one built new; not outrageously so of course. Then, I would set up a trust for my children. Then, I would donate to various charitable organizations. Then, I would use the rest to just relax and enjoy not having to work and stress.
If I were able to quit tomorrow as a millionaire, I would wake up, make my family breakfast and pack up to spend a day on Lake Huron. Then I would buy one of those beautiful cabins so we don’t have to drive back and forth so often ;)
Three items on the list:
1. Pay off mortgage on primary and investment homes
2. Finish our basement as an in-law apartment
3. Finish converting half the garage into a workshop and spend the free time here.
I would go to Target and purchase things that are wanted and needed and not be worried about going over my budget. To have one guilt free Target run.
That would be magical, haha…
Clean up the garage to clear up the power tools and start on some wood working projects.
Wake up and feel “freedom” knowing that retirement planning was not top on my list!
E N J O Y A S I M P L E D A Y & B E F R E E T O W H A T E V E R!
If you were able to quit your job tomorrow as a millionaire, what would be the first thing you did?!
First thing I would do is buy a van to turn into a tiny home on wheels so I can go on my bucket list National Parks road trip!
The first thing I would do is pay off a lot of my friend’s bills so they wouldn’t have to keep struggling either. Next I would let my Aunt pick the retirement place that she wanted to go to but couldn’t afford. Last, I would finally be able to pursue a very low paying sports career.
You’re a damn good friend!!
I’d buy a Toyota Sienna, convert it to a camper and travel around the country!
Sleep in. Drink coffee. Rinse. Repeat.
I would go to the beach with a full picnic basket, a good book, and comfortable chair and just relax until the sun sets.
Ist day, comb through real estate listings and find the home on a lake I’ve been looking for/planning for!
The first thing we did when we reached our bingo number is relocate. Generous relocation costs were built into the number. The only reason we were living in Houston, which has to be on the list for the least attractive city in the country, is for our jobs. Once we didn’t need the jobs, we high tailed it out of there and moved to the Poconos.
Congrats!!! Way to make it happen in real life!! :)
I would stop writing those HUGE daycare checks – stay home with my boys and pocket that money monthly! (Eventually I’d get them into a part-time nursery school so I could pursue some passion projects… but first I’d enjoy the savings and some time with them!)
First thing I’d book flights to visit elderly friends and relatives and spend two weeks with all of them and have some fun. I have a great aunt who is 96 in the Caribbean, an aunt who is 80, a close friend who is 92 and another friend dying at 73.
I visited all in the last year but wished I could have stayed longer. I’d let them know they are loved and appreciated and then have them talk about their lives and capture some of their memories or experiences.
I lost my mom and treasured second cousin last year. I spent all my life working on my career, businesses and just following my dreams. And I realize the family and friends are what makes life special. Nothing can replace the missing memories. So I’d like to create more great memories.
Danggg – your family lives a long time!!! Good for them!!
I would take my husband and our 11 children and daughter in law out for a nice dinner together, and spend the next few days planning an awesome family vacation!
If I could retire tomorrow, I’d pull my kids out of daycare and spend a day with them enjoying summer. I’m getting stressed about juggling FT work and all their school activities…already planning my PTO time around all their appointments, teacher meetings, Open Houses, early-outs, etc. It’s tough when they beg to not have to go to daycare after school but a necessity with 2 FT working parents.
That is hard :(
My husband and I own a business (labor of love!) but I would quit my day job in a heartbeat. I think we’d finally take that trip to Italy or Japan (or both haha) we’ve been dreaming about…expensive but at least we wouldn’t have to worry about using vacation days orcoming back to a bunch of obnoxious emails. ;)
I would move to the islands, buy a live aboard catamaran..and do day charters to pay for it while keeping my nest egg intact! And of course invite J Money to do a workshop/cruise!
I’D BE THERE!!
Would I be allowed to pop champagne?! I would pop champagne. And then reclaim my closet from all my work attire that I would never need. Finally my t-shirts would get the proper space they deserve!
First thing I would do is full my vehicle up with gas, grab my wife and cats and head out of town. Doesn’t matter where, doesn’t matter how. Just travel and scream at the top of my lungs that “I’m FREE!”
Clearly, sleep in. The rest will all come in time.
The first thing I would do if I quit a millionaire tomorrow would be to buy my flights to South Africa and volunteer at the big cat sanctuary and animal orphanage for as long as possible. Maybe even end up staying!
I would go outside and sit down, listen to the birds and watch the clouds go by. It would be a relief not to have to worry about money anymore.
I started to respond to this and realized that everything I’d do could be done now if I prioritized it! I think what I would mostly do, though, is volunteer more. I’ve been a foster parent, but I feel a little too old to do that now. What I would do instead is to be a guardian ad litem (sometimes called a CASA) to represent kids in foster care in court cases. It takes time I can’t currently give because I’m often traveling for work and couldn’t work around court dates. If I retired right now, I would advocate for those children by being their guardian ad litem. Thank you for this opportunity to let me think about a bigger purpose.
So glad it gave you a good exercise :) And you’re right about most things we can all do NOW if we really cared enough/prioritized!! I guess more fun to dream about though with millions than without, haha…
I would definitely give my 2-week’s notice at work and meet with a financial advisor to avoid paying tax on as much of my wealth as possible!
First I’d check and recheck my bank account to make sure I wasn’t dreaming! Then I would make plans to visit all my relatives that I haven’t seen in years who live all over the country.
Get up early and go for a long run.
Followed by the coffee, of course.
I would finally get started with house hacking or a couple rental houses. I’d probably also go ahead and buy my own reasonable house. Then I’d make several large charitable donations before turning the rest around to Vanguard funds and being set for life! And buy a pizza restaurant so that I can have free pizza as the owner.
You can even set up a Donor-Advised Fund through Vanguard!
https://www.vanguardcharitable.org/
I’d want to take in a beautiful view with a cup of coffee. I’d enjoy the moment. Then I’d probably get back to work :)
The first thing I would do is buy a farmhouse with lots and lots of land and start planning my animal rescue!
I would lay in bed all day and binge watch Below Deck (don’t judge, I’m strangely obsessed). The next day I would have to find something more productive to do.
That is a good show ;)
Hopefully? Write down all the places in the world I want to see, put them in a hat, and draw :)
Second would be booking a train or plane ticket.
Spend more time with my family and do the Reno’s to the house we’re planning on. Nothing too crazy, lol
If you were able to quit your job tomorrow as a millionaire, what would be the first thing you did?! I would take my son to school and pick him up from school. He loves it when I do that, but my job hours don’t jive. I would then set out to find meaningful work that I only work on during the school day, during the school year. I would love to be able to start a business and work when it’s convenient for me. I would love to be able to put time with my family first. As a single working mom, that’s nearly impossible right now. Until I figure out how to be financially independent that is!
That is hard to do – even with BOTH parents! Keep on striving, mom!!! Your kid is lucky to have you!!
I would upgrade our tent to a small camper so we could camp in any kind of weather since I would have more time for camping.
I would pay my house off (which is not a huge amount), then I’d see if I could buy a reasonable fixer upper. I would definitely save and invest a big chunk too!
I would pay off my debts and give back by volunteering and helping communities around the world.
If I can quit my job tomorrow, i would take my daughter on a mommy and me tea time. I would be looking for local and free places to take my son to. We just discovered he’s on the autism spectrum, this would give me the time I need to help him with this social skills.
I hope you’re able to find ways to do that before even reaching millions :) You seem like a wonderful mother.
Your kids already won the mommy lottery. Love your ideals and I fully believe you can make this happen without the lottery. Best of luck and blessings.
BP
The first thing I’d do is take some ibuprofen because the stress hangover would be too real. LOL! In all seriousness, I’d grab my fiance and our boys and head to the ocean for some much needed r & r.
I would book a first class RT ticket to Ireland and spend a month in Kerry & Waterford!
I would go to Whole Foods and buy an entire strawberry shortcake and an entire chocolate cake and not share with anybody!
Not even me???? :)
Run/walk/crawl a half marathon in every state and country around the world.
I would quit mt job, pay off all debts. Than travel the world and volunteer my time.
I would sleep in, then hop on the bus to go have a cup of coffee with my man (because he doesn’t like “titles”, therefore “boyfriend” is out).
I’d probably just SIT for a while…..then I’m gathering up my husband and kids and we’re going road tripping on our OWN schedule. Totally want to read this book!
We weren’t quite millionaires when we retired a year and a half ago, although we weren’t that far off. Because we’d been working a plan the last five years we worked, we’d already purchased the second home we dreamed of in a much warmer state, so we headed south for the rest of the winter. IT WAS LOVELY. Since then we’ve been traveling some and working on our homes. We’re quintessential putterers. LOL
A million dollars sounds like a lot of money, but I wouldn’t be looking to spend very much of it quickly because it has to last a long time! We’re looking at living on this for another 30+ years, so we’re being careful in prioritizing what we spend.
Well huge congrats to y’all!! Being able to retire under a million is pretty impressive! Must have your expenses down pat :)
Sleep in. Two small kids, so it never seems to happen.
I’m five years away… and I plan to make a shirt that says I heart Mondays, not set an alarm, and take a 9:30 am yoga class. My DH and I will FIRE at the same time and we’re taking a full year off to Flânerie. :)
Great SAT word :)
I already have the best job in the world, so I wouldn’t change anything.
As hubby and I are trying to retire, I really want the book for our 23 year old son – setting him up for success already but another “voice” never hurts. As we plan our retirement, step one is get in the camper and go for about 3 months. We love camping and as owner/operator of our small business, we just haven’t gotten more than a couple of long weekends of vacation in the last 20 years. We’re both looking forward to relaxing with no agenda for a bit.
If I were to become a millionaire overnight, the first thing I would do is give my two weeks notice to work. As I told my partner, I worked to hard to get the vacation hours that I have coming to me and I want them!
I would take a few days to recover from the shock and then maybe take a road trip.
I’d pay off my student loans and spend the remaining $3 on McDonald’s dollar menu.
Haha… i see what you did there.
The first thing I would do is poop. When I get excited about the future it makes me need to use the bathroom. If I woke up a millionaire tomorrow I would for sure be like, “Oh my gawd this is awesome! Excuse me…” then i’d run off to the bathroom.
OHHHH!!!! I’ve been wanting to read this since a friend of my posted about it. The first thing that I would do if I was a millionaire is…. make a list of places that I’d like to help out financially that are important to me and my community, but also find a way to make more money so I can continue to give and give and give! Thanks J for offering another great read!
The first thing I would do is to get all the kids in to see the dentist. Our budget is already cut to the bone, with doctor visits eating a lot of it as it is. We just can’t cut enough to pay for a dentist on top of everything else.
And then we’d redo the kitchen, as my wife has wanted to do since we bought the house.
Sorry to hear that about the dentists :( Wish we had better health options here in the States!!
Sleep late the first day & then start volunteering at a few places around town.
The first thing I would do is burn all of my work-related files and clothes. Then I would buy a small starter home close to the beach in Florida. I would spend my days at the beach and my nights at the Elks Lodge. Life would be good.
Thanks for the giveaway. The first thing i would do is probably take a small trip back to spend time with the parents and catch up on lost time :)
Whenever we went on vacation my stepdad would ceremoniously drop his watch in a drawer for the duration of the trip! It was a week he didn’t have to live by the time. I don’t even wear a watch but I love the idea – maybe my phone???
Haha – phone would work :)
Help my wife start her own her own dental practice.
I’d hike the Appalachian Trail. It would probably be cheaper than living my normal life after all.
I’d properly place the money for maximum return. Well, that’s one of the first things :) I’m feeling lucky.
First thing I would do is jump in the car and drive to Mackinac Island, my favorite happy place! I would stay at the Iroquois Hotel and rent a bike for the week:)
The first thing I would do is hit the trail! Backpack for a solid week! Ok, maybe I would come back to town for fancy coffee every other day….
Focus on spending the first two weeks on de-cluttering and preparing the house for sale!
We would completely hire out the renovating and beautifying of the new home we’re closing on in six weeks (yaaaaay!) and take out kids on a big trip to see family and the beach while all the work gets done at home:)
Yayyy congrats!! so no more tiny home? Or a tiny home in the back yard of the new home for when people like me visit? :)
After quitting my job I would rest for a day or two and just sleep in. Then I would probably get to work fixing up all the things around the house, painting the walls, decluttering, etc. All the things I have a hard time finding the time for now. And I would have all my besties over for a celebratory BBQ and cocktails that first weekend, or maybe order pizza! No sense celebrating without my closest friends and family!
If I was to wake up tomorrow a millionaire, I would work on paying off my house (and these upcoming medical bills). I might take a few days off just because, but I’d probably go back into work. I would also be sure that me and my friends take a great vacation every year – on me! You really can’t put a price on that fun and laughter.
Just started reading this book, and love its no-nonsense approach. (Though for being a math doofus, she comes up with a lot of formulas I have to run by Husband the Engineer to totally understand…)
I’d LOVE to have a copy of this in my permanent library.
As for the first day of millionaire-dom…
I’d have a cup of Husband’s coffee, check e-mail…and watch a movie. In other words, what I can do already.
Glad you’re enjoying it already!
If I woke up a millionaire tomorrow? After putting in my months notice I’d jump on all those projects around the house I haven’t had time for. Love working with my hands and with three young’uns I just haven’t had the time to do all I want.
I would probably work a little longer to figure out health care and maybe just find a part-time job that would be more fulfilling and less stress. A nap might be up first though.
I would finally go and explore all the National Parks
Well have a party of course. Although it would be a potluck so it did not cost much and then I would answer all of the questions regarding how I budgeted and saved and still went on 2 month vacations every couple of years to New Zealand. And all the while encouraging my friends to do the same, so we could go hiking when we wanted, lay around reading books and drinking coffee and growing more vegetables.
I’d jump on a plane and take an awesome trip!
Since coming off a six month sabbatical, I know exactly what I’d do. Cook more adventurously and more time consuming-ly. Read a lot more. Do yoga a lot more. Make presents. Spend more time with retired family members. Turn off and alarm clock and turn on the radio.
6 months – impressive!!! Was it everything you thought it would be or no??! You gotta write something up about it so we can all see!! :)
Pay all my debt, pay all my parents’ debt, invest 3/4 of what’s left, then take a sabbatical to travel.
Can’t think of anything best than not waking up to the alarm at 3:30 in the morning
Wow that’s hardcore…
What line of work are you in?
I hope it wouldn’t change me. The journey I am on is all about living the meaningful life and being a millionaire is just another stepping stone. So maybe I would give the last £1 away and keep going because I wasn’t yet a millionaire!
I like it :) And even more so *earning* the first mil before you magically win one, haha… that way you know you can do it on your own! which most of us can!
Say bye bye to my boss!
Pay off my mortgage!
I’d love to pay off my mortgage, then invest to ensure I can keep a consistent cash flow. The rest would be for travel :)
I would make a list of all the things I have been wanting to do and make a schedule so I could (leisurely) work on them (with plenty of time for reading/doing nothing. I do best w/a little bit of a a schedule. I would pay off my mortgage ( only about 7 years left anyway) and I would also help my young adult children who have just purchases houses. I would probably do something sneaky fun like paying their December mortgage payments. Then I would set up ways to make sure the money works for me and continues to generate income so I can do a little travel or buy more books. I don’t need a fancy lifestyle. I would just like to be a little less frugal.
Awesome you only got 7 years left!!!! Getting closer!!!
I would definitly start gardening and producing my own eco-food! (And also buying a house wouldnt be terrible! Jajaja)
You can do that without a million dollars :)
I would catch up on some much needed sleep! Then get my affairs in order and plan a trip. A loooooong trip :D
Book a trip to Hawaii…I’ve never been. When given the opportunity to travel, I tend to go to places that I will learn something or be able to do excursions – I never go to a place to just relax…Hawaii has a nice balance of both – places to discover and beaches and beauty to just relax!
First thing I would do is finally convince my wife it’s time to “pull the trigger” and get out of the rat race!
The first thing I would do would be to turn off my alarms so I could sleep in :)
Eventually I would probably find a non-profit to ‘work’ at to fill my time, but I would definitely enjoy more time with my two-year old until she is old enough to go to school (maybe I’d homeschool her, since I’d have the free time, who knows?)
Invest in index funds with the allocation of 75% stock & 25% bonds with the below breakdown & live off the returns. Essentially I would Quit Like a Millionaire :)
25% Canadian (TSX)
25% US (S&P)
25% International
25% Canadian bonds
The obvious answer is the first thing I’d do if I were a millionaire is….quit like a millionaire!
Seriously that’s the plan, I just need to keep raising the capital to make it a reality.
I would hire a driver to drive me wherever and whenever I want! Driving takes too much toll on mah body!
I would visit my daughter in Europe and then off to Bali to visit friends all while working on my side gig to help others gain Financial freedom and Optimize Health & Wellbeing.
What’s she doing in Europe? :)
I would take a few months and go drive through Montana, Idaho, Washington and up/down the west coast with a teardrop trailer and our bikes. Spouse and I would camp, trail run, and bike ALL the places!
The first thing I would do is pay off my mortgage – I know definitely not glamorous. Second thing I would do is to book a one-way ticket to Italy :)
Cry uncontrollable tears of gratitude. Then I’d book a flight to Hawaii to finally have a real vacation before coming back to reality to take care of everything.
I would purchase the ranch land we have our cattle on. Unfortunately ag lands are getting really expensive and there is a lot being lost to development. I would love to have a place to pass on to my kids.
That would be nice :)
Visit every UNESCO World Heritage site and quiz my 3 year old daughter on why each site is considered a UNESCO site.
Her current answer is ” I dunnooo “
Haha… love it.
If I were to become a millionaire tomorrow. I would sleep in, quit my job and invest my million dollars in a couple of high yielding dividend stocks averaging about 5% and live off the dividends for the rest of my life and reinvest the amount I don’t use each year to provide me with more dividends. Also spend more time with family and friends because time with them is limited in this world.
First I would quit like a millionaire and then I would dive into my to do list that I never seem to have enough time for.
Quit work, and try out all my kickstarter ideas. :)
I’d get out for a mid-week hike! I love it when the trails are quiet :)
I’d payoff the house and all other outstanding debt, then hunker down with my cash and wait for the next recession and make some good purchases during it.
Take my husband and pups straight the West Coast for a walk on the beach.
First thing I’ll do is re-renovate my in law house
House is too old, touch up here n there, buy her a new fridge and tv
Hopefully she can stay more comfortably
Rescue all the dogs at the shelter
I’d donate $200K to a school in Nepal that helps disadvantaged kids from the high Himalayas to get a good education and healthy diet and lifestyle. I’d get a home with a revenue suite and keep working because I love it. I teach remotely so I can travel and still work. First stop, China, to see my students. Then a tour of Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and down to Lombok to rest and recover. Stop worrying.
You live an adventurous life :)
I would still drive to work every day but very slowly! I’d wait till I got to the front of the long coffee line then I’d decide what I want and then ask lots of questions?
I would slowly cross the street everyday just to get my mail that I would not read then slowly cross the street again on my way home and wave to all the working stiffs stuck in traffic.
The first thing I would do after quitting my job as a millionaire is to move away from the city which is fully of noise and pollution. My family would enjoy so much with living in countryside, where we’ll have slow-paced, close-to-nature life.
A day at our cottage by the lake with my husband planning the next phase of our lives together, and counting our blessings!!
I would create a legacy project for my family. I would capture the wonderful recipes and stories that I hear from with my mom, dad and other family members while I still can.
I hope you do that with or without millions!! Such a wonderful thing to pass down through the generations!!
Go and visit my mum for a few weeks and figure out how I could help her more financially.
Take the time to read the backlog of books I’ve been meaning to get to.
Finally take a month-long trip to SE Asia (that is currently too much time away from office obligations).
I would buy a house!
1. Call my mom and tell her to finally retire so we can spend more time together.
2. Do some slow travel with my hubs.
1. Turn off *all* of my wake up alarms (it takes a village, ya’ll)
2. Gather up all the books that have been piling up to be read, and head to the pool with the stack!
Pay off all my debts, max out any possible pretax savings accounts I can, and create an endowment for the nonprofit I started, and start a new nonprofit to help women manage money! And go to business school!
I like the endowment idea!!! The gift that lasts in perpetuity! :)
Go fishing, book beach house for next summer, clean the basement
Spend more time with my husband and travel!!
I’d have to make sure the money was actually there, and once I confirmed that, I’d likely put it in savings until I researched enough and I felt comfortable to make any heavy purchases.
I have terrible buyer’s remorse…
Stashing it until you have a good plan is always a safe bet :) I’m constantly recommending people to do that whenever they get an inheritance or other large sums of money… Plus – it’s fun to just look at for a while!!
First thing I would do? Absolutely nothing…just sit back and relax on the porch with a nice glass of wine, watch the sunset with my husband and us day dream away.
Pay for dental work for my extended family, turn off all my alarms and sleep.
I’d start making my geoarbitrage travel plans the next day. And possibly join the circus as an aerialist. :)
Fun!!
Hmmm…I guess it would depend on how many millions? :D I love my job so I would probably drop to part time rather than quit, but I would take some time off (maybe a month or so). 1 – pay off all of the credit cards. 2 – plan an awesome trip to Vegas for a week and a trip to a nice deserted beach for a week. 3 – work on the stack of books I’ve been meaning to read. 4 – invest a significant portion and continue living frugally but without the stress of being frugal out of necessity.
we’d love to take our toddler on a road trip across Canada, so we’d get to see our own country! (where we live)
The first thing I’d do would be to take a day to just relax before figuring out what I want to do with the rest of my life. Reflection is always important when making major life changes.
The first thing I would do is get up at 5 am, stretch to get the blood flowing because I am 45, then head out for my normal 1.5/2 hour morning bike ride and really, really take in the sunrise. Stop at a coffee shop and reflect on how fortunate I am to be able to not work any longer and how I could help others realize this goal.
I would totally teach sip and sew full time! I am SEW creative but I need this other job to pay my billz!
HEYO!!!!
Although I have been retired for four years, I am working a temporary Census Job to pay off a debt incurred during my husband‘s terminal illness. Once that is paid off I will be able to schedule a travel opportunity for every other month for the rest of my life. My travel bucket list is very long!
I’m sorry to hear about your husband :(
The first thing I’d do is… sleep in! The best thing about quitting the 9-to-5 is getting up when YOU want to… and I can’t wait to do that!
I would become a full time volunteer for a cause I am passionate about…caring for kids in a Haitian orphanage!
I’d pay off my student loans. Which, unfortunately wouldn’t leave me with much. But, I’d lose the golden handcuffs and be able to work on my terms!
*** GIVEAWAY NOW OVER ***
Congrats to MK and Linda (Commenter #118) for being the lucky winners!! Hope it helps you both get to that first million faster! :)