s/o what would you spend on if you were a billionaire?

[Anonymous]

In the other thread people mostly talked about the stuff they wouldn't buy regardless of wealth. So now let's switch back to the kind of stuff we would say when we were twelve along the lines of "if I were a billionaire" but with the perspective of an adult.

I'll start:
I would start a number of very rigorous, tuition free child-centered 6-12 schools based on competitive but holistic admissions. Legacies not considered for admission unless the alumns tithe to the organization that supports the school. The curriculum would differ markedly in some respects from that offered at exisiting schools, public or private.

I would endow another university like the Cooper Union.

I would wage selected battles aiming at sustaining biodiversity in critical areas, promoting zero-waste management, and the development of sustainable communities.

I'd probably buy some stuff too, although I haven't given it much thought.

Your turn.

[Anonymous]

I would buy my mom a house, finally get my PhD, and donate a boatload to public radio, the EWG, and planned parenthood.

[Anonymous]

I'd buy the Redskins, change the name and work on good draft choices.

[Anonymous]

I'd travel, and if I felt like it I'd organize a way to help people in poverty stricken areas though if it was very hot in that area I probably wouldn't be very hands on because I hate the heat.

I've always wanted to open some sort of preschool or daycare for parents who can't otherwise afford a good preschool or daycare (I don't consider Head Start a "good" preschool.) This preschool would get the kids out and about regularly...to the zoo, walks around the neighborhood, museums etc. They'd learn manners, grooming, hygeine, respect etc and there would be healthy meals and maybe a little vegetable garden etc. Poor kids need these experiences too but too often don't get them either because the parents are too busy working and trying to get food on the table and are exhausted at the end of the day or they just don't know these things themselves for whatever reason.

[Anonymous]

I'd make an anonymous donation to a charity in my home country, buy a small farm for my parents, a house for me and one for each of my kids.

[Anonymous]

I'd buy my mom and my brother a house and set up an annuity for them.

I'd open a string of clinics dedicated to women's health.

I'd buy myself an island.... well maybe just a house on an island.

I'd set up a scholarship fund for mothers who were going back to school after taking time off to SAH.

[Anonymous]

Veneers. My teeth aren't even that bad, but I'd just love to have an entire mouth of perfect, gleaming white teeth.

I'd also open up a farm where people could take strays they found on the road (or call the farm to come pick them up) and you could adopt from the farm, but it would be no-kill.

I've also had this fantasy for the longest time of, once a week, opening up the phonebook and picking 10 people randomly out of it and sending them $1,000 cash. No return address, just a note letting them know it IS for them. I've always imagined if like, a single mom with big car repairs due or something got that money, how amazing it would be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy the Redskins, change the name and work on good draft choices.

I hope you become a billionaire!

[Anonymous]

Personal trainer and small gym in my home

Swimming pool and caretaker for it

Beautiful home, but not a mansion... preferably like a home in one of those Douglas Sirk 1950s Hollywood movies

Pied a terre in both Paris and Berlin

Liposuction on my thighs, breast lift

All the Jo Malone perfume I want!

Art (paintings and prints)

Oh, and for other people:

Huge donations to DCPS and to the DC Public Library

Huge donations to House of Ruth and Martha's Table

Set my parents up for life

Pay for my niece and nephews college educations

[Anonymous]

daily massages

[Anonymous]

I already have my billionaire's indulgence all picked out - massages. Every day. I will happily continue to drive my Hyundai and dress at H&M, but dear god would I blow money on massages if I had it.

[Anonymous]

Third the Horrible Redskins.

Tell my and DH's family to hit the road and stop mooching off us, and buy themselves an attitude adjustment.

Give obscenely to our undergrad institutions, since in truth they are the only ones we will ever "owe".

Our splurge would be a cook to teach us healthier meals.

Can you buy grandparents for our kids? Hmmm.....

Help randomly selected people who help themselves and have never (!) lived off the system, off others or asked for anything, but have genuinely tried on their own several times (like ourselves) - people we can identify with - with like priorities.

[Anonymous]

An Endless Pool

[Anonymous]

Assuming I didn't have to work for the money, then I think it's a tough question. I would spend a lot of time thinking about which cause or causes I would like to invest the most in and then execute. One of the things that is so amazing about the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is that they have very targeted and specific goals across a number of areas.

There are so many worthy causes that it is hard to figure out how to narrow it to a handful. Right now we give to the kids' school (financial aid and annual fund), my college, my husband's college, and one medical cause (also to the things our friends ask us to give to, but I don't count that as something we chose). Even the medical cause is one we picked because of a tangential connection to it, but if we had the money to have a real impact, it would be hard to figure that part out.

Obviously, if we both still worked, we would have very limited time to figure out what to do with it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd buy the Redskins, change the name and work on good draft choices.

I hope you become a billionaire!

From your keyboard to God's ear.