Stories where an unexpected windfall totally changed your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I won my first award at work (I'm gov -- so we don't get bonuses, we get awards) I spent it on a really good mattress, which I'd never had before. I have a lot more money now, but at the time it was a big purchase (hell, mattresses still are a big purchase, actually) and it was literally life changing because I slept so well on it. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

I’m a new fed. How much are these awards generally?

Depends on your performance review, but usually around 2K if you’re an above average performer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking to hear some happy stories! How much did you receive, and how did it better your life? How did you receive the money? Unexpected inheritance, lottery, lawsuit, etc.? Just looking for some happy inspiration!

Not a happy story. Nonetheless, three years ago my father had a falling out with me, DH, and our kids. Our children are the only grandkids. My sister is married and has no kids, nor will she plan to in the future. Basically, we showed an apparent lack of respect. We didn’t offer to pay for the Christmas that my parents insisted on hosting. We didn’t offer to treat my father to first class airfare and hotel upgrades on his recent cruise vacation with my mom. We bought a new BMW and didn’t offer to buy my dad something comparable.

In any case, as a result of the above disrespect, we became estranged from my parents. We’ve essentially been written off. No more phone calls, holidays, email, or communication of any kind. Not even between my parents and our kids. We’ve tried repeatedly, but there’s been nothing. I keep a close relationship with my sister, however, and over the same three years she and her husband have been gifted nearly $200K from my parents for home renovations, a new truck for my brother in law, vacations, and new appliances and furniture.

I’m happy for my sister, but this is starting to create a strain on our relationship. We’re stretching to put two kids through college and meanwhile my sister is raking in the early inheritance. I’m sure we’ll be fine financially, but this whole move has been so vindictive and hurtful that it’s hard to ignore.

That’s crazy, but also feel there’s more to this story, why is your dad butt hurt you’re not gifting him stuff when they clearly have money themselves?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I received about $150,000 as a surprise and honestly I try to forget that I have it. Stuck it in a CD and renew every 9 months.

It is comforting to know that it's there, if I need it, but I really don't want to use it. I'm in my 40s, have two kids... So many possibilities for my future self.

VTSAX

+1. Keep a portion in CD/MM for a fully funded emergency fund. But rest should be in the market

Dollar cost average it in if you are not comfortable with the greater variability in the market (you really can lose 30%, but on average it goes up). So start putting in 1000 a week or whatever pace you are comfortable with until you are down to the size of a fully funded emergency fund left in the account).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not exactly what you're asking (sorry), but I created my own wealth by hand-picking stocks. 20 years later, I have a happy number of millions. I will probably not inherit much from my parents, and indeed may have to support them, so between them and my child with a chronic illness, the money will come in handy. I have not touched the capital yet. It buys me peace of mind for the future, which is priceless.

Not a windfall. And not something that many others on DCUM haven’t done.

- someone who did the same thing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:After paying two mortgages way over a decade, I sold them both back to back. I got my equity back, but not much more.
Youtubers were shouting from rooftops to buy stocks and crypto and ofcourse I did. Mostly because the first two decades had not worked out. I could not continue to do the same things, one of them being real estate. That was March 2020.
I learned so much from buying and selling stocks. I don't really have to work anymore. If I had to give away all the money tomorrow, I could do it starting with $0 this time.
I don't know whether to cry that something so simple took me so long to figure out, or be happy that I did when I did.

Congratulations to you! As someone with bonus money coming in soon and zero time to learn about investing, would you be willing to recommend 1-3 companies or funds/indexes to me?

[Anonymous]

I received an unexpected $75,000 bonus at work.

I used it to quit my job, launch a company where my work is completely remote/location independent, and then moved our family to a European city.

It's been three years. We love it here, plan to stay, and this year I will make 5x the salary of the job I quit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After paying two mortgages way over a decade, I sold them both back to back. I got my equity back, but not much more.
Youtubers were shouting from rooftops to buy stocks and crypto and ofcourse I did. Mostly because the first two decades had not worked out. I could not continue to do the same things, one of them being real estate. That was March 2020.
I learned so much from buying and selling stocks. I don't really have to work anymore. If I had to give away all the money tomorrow, I could do it starting with $0 this time.
I don't know whether to cry that something so simple took me so long to figure out, or be happy that I did when I did.

Congratulations to you! As someone with bonus money coming in soon and zero time to learn about investing, would you be willing to recommend 1-3 companies or funds/indexes to me?

We are not allowed to name names. If you go on youtube you cannot miss them. It's all they are talking about and for a reason.Investing does not take time. I have the time now and I love watching the prices. That doesn't mean it's necessary. You can put price alerts and buy/sell alert nowadays. I have no patience fore etf fees, or mutual funds that sell at the end of the day. I want cash after sell to buy right away.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I received about $150,000 as a surprise and honestly I try to forget that I have it. Stuck it in a CD and renew every 9 months.

It is comforting to know that it's there, if I need it, but I really don't want to use it. I'm in my 40s, have two kids... So many possibilities for my future self.

That's great. And amazing. But honestly, for me, that's nothing. We aren't rich and we would like to buy a house in DC at some point and 150k would do almost nothing to get us there. It would help (not fund, just help) with college costs.

Um, ok? This is me, we already own a house in DC and our 529s are funded by a rich grandma. So I'm socking this money away. It may well come in handy in some life-changing way one day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After paying two mortgages way over a decade, I sold them both back to back. I got my equity back, but not much more.
Youtubers were shouting from rooftops to buy stocks and crypto and ofcourse I did. Mostly because the first two decades had not worked out. I could not continue to do the same things, one of them being real estate. That was March 2020.
I learned so much from buying and selling stocks. I don't really have to work anymore. If I had to give away all the money tomorrow, I could do it starting with $0 this time.
I don't know whether to cry that something so simple took me so long to figure out, or be happy that I did when I did.

Congratulations to you! As someone with bonus money coming in soon and zero time to learn about investing, would you be willing to recommend 1-3 companies or funds/indexes to me?

We are not allowed to name names. If you go on youtube you cannot miss them. It's all they are talking about and for a reason.Investing does not take time. I have the time now and I love watching the prices. That doesn't mean it's necessary. You can put price alerts and buy/sell alert nowadays. I have no patience fore etf fees, or mutual funds that sell at the end of the day. I want cash after sell to buy right away.

So true, I got into crypto also, right around February 2022, and I have held on since then and made a killing. I used the super popular exchange called FTX to do most of it, that was a great decision.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When I won my first award at work (I'm gov -- so we don't get bonuses, we get awards) I spent it on a really good mattress, which I'd never had before. I have a lot more money now, but at the time it was a big purchase (hell, mattresses still are a big purchase, actually) and it was literally life changing because I slept so well on it. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

I’m a new fed. How much are these awards generally?

5% for all outstanding at my agency. Much higher for SES.

[Anonymous]

I think I've posted about this before. My grandpa took an immigrant he met in the 70s under his wing. Got him a job, helped him find a place to live, vouched for him over and over. The man never married, never had kids, and had no siblings. I guess during one conversation, my grandpa had mentioned to him that his (grandpa's) biggest regret was not accumulating enough wealth to leave anything to his grandchildren. The man died of cancer and left me and all 5 of my silings/cousins each $50k. He wrote us the nicest letter saying that he would have given anything to be part of a family like our's and that this money is to fulfill my grandpa's wishes for us and honor him as a kindhearted, selfless person not afraid to put his name on the line to give someone a chance. I used it for my kids' 529s. I only make $90k/yr so it was a significant amount for me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When I won my first award at work (I'm gov -- so we don't get bonuses, we get awards) I spent it on a really good mattress, which I'd never had before. I have a lot more money now, but at the time it was a big purchase (hell, mattresses still are a big purchase, actually) and it was literally life changing because I slept so well on it. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

I love this! I agree, a good mattress really helps!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Looking to hear some happy stories! How much did you receive, and how did it better your life? How did you receive the money? Unexpected inheritance, lottery, lawsuit, etc.? Just looking for some happy inspiration!

Not a happy story. Nonetheless, three years ago my father had a falling out with me, DH, and our kids. Our children are the only grandkids. My sister is married and has no kids, nor will she plan to in the future. Basically, we showed an apparent lack of respect. We didn’t offer to pay for the Christmas that my parents insisted on hosting. We didn’t offer to treat my father to first class airfare and hotel upgrades on his recent cruise vacation with my mom. We bought a new BMW and didn’t offer to buy my dad something comparable.

In any case, as a result of the above disrespect, we became estranged from my parents. We’ve essentially been written off. No more phone calls, holidays, email, or communication of any kind. Not even between my parents and our kids. We’ve tried repeatedly, but there’s been nothing. I keep a close relationship with my sister, however, and over the same three years she and her husband have been gifted nearly $200K from my parents for home renovations, a new truck for my brother in law, vacations, and new appliances and furniture.

I’m happy for my sister, but this is starting to create a strain on our relationship. We’re stretching to put two kids through college and meanwhile my sister is raking in the early inheritance. I’m sure we’ll be fine financially, but this whole move has been so vindictive and hurtful that it’s hard to ignore.

I'm sorry. Just be glad you don't have to lick boots to get that money, but don't hold it against your sister that she's willing to do that - she's earning every penny of that money, as you can imagine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think I've posted about this before. My grandpa took an immigrant he met in the 70s under his wing. Got him a job, helped him find a place to live, vouched for him over and over. The man never married, never had kids, and had no siblings. I guess during one conversation, my grandpa had mentioned to him that his (grandpa's) biggest regret was not accumulating enough wealth to leave anything to his grandchildren. The man died of cancer and left me and all 5 of my silings/cousins each $50k. He wrote us the nicest letter saying that he would have given anything to be part of a family like our's and that this money is to fulfill my grandpa's wishes for us and honor him as a kindhearted, selfless person not afraid to put his name on the line to give someone a chance. I used it for my kids' 529s. I only make $90k/yr so it was a significant amount for me.

What a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

My uncle teamed up with a coworker and they started their own company in the mid 90s. After several years of barely getting by, the company began to turn a profit. Fast forward another few years and a very large company offered to buy them out for $10 million. This was early 2000s. Completely life changing. He invested most of his $5 million and he and my aunt can completely live off the dividends and interest it makes.
He is in his early 70s now. They have spent the past 20 years traveling the world and spoiling their grandkids.