Dear Readers,
The evolution of television programming is an interesting study. You can now watch programs about almost any subject matter if you are willing to pay for it. I especially like the reality programs that are presented in a one hour format like “I Survived” or “Stalked”. People get to tell harrowing stories about their misfortunes like being lost in the woods for weeks. It is amazing. My eyes are always glued to the narrators faces looking for emotion that should somehow give away the ending… well of course they survived, they are getting paid to be on television. Investigation Discovery has the emotional shows in the bag.
I was watching a show about the lottery and how people squandered their fortunes. I thought I wonder what our readers would do if they won a large sum of money. So here is the question that we asked on “The New Citizens Press” Facebook page:
If you won $100,000 what would you do with it? If you won a million dollars what would you do with it? Would you pay bills, give to charity and which one, buy your parents a house, set your family up with new vehicles. TNCP wants to know what you would spend your fortune on in this economy.
Catherine Ryan
I would open a restaurant to help add jobs/money to the economy and
donate 10% to the homeless.
Drea Von Moonshadow
I would open up an Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual Transgendered holistic health and wellness center, form a burlesque troop and pay off all my college debt :).
Bryan L. Crenshaw
I would give to charity and pay off some bills.
The New Citizens Press
What kind of charity? As you I know there are so many of them.
Bryan L. Crenshaw
Something involving kids.
Kristen Taylor
I would first become debt free, then open a non-profit for adolescents who have been sexually violated, giving them a healing vessel through art, garden and writing therapies.
Cathy Harrell
I would pay off my school loans. Whatever was left I would put into a college fund for my son. There is presently no money for this nor do I expect to be able to save any living from paycheck to paycheck. I’m one of those “overpaid” teachers we hear so much about. If there was enough left I would buy land and leave it wild as a sanctuary for birds and animals.
Annette Hannula Shauver
Wow. I would pay off my bills first. Then I would help out some of my friends and family with their bills. I know I would give a good chunk to Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan and probably designate that it was spent directly for the girls. I’d donate to other charities – the American Cancer Society and the Red Cross. I’d put some in the bank and set up a scholarship for Lansing students.
Robert Rosas
I would come up with a way to invest the money so that it always had a constant flow and to never run out which would allow me to distribute the money to everyones wishes on this post and @ that time would make everyone happy and touch my heart @ the same time 🙂 TNCP thanks for the question today 🙂
Rose M. Davis
I would be debt free to start with then I would start a business named Restoration and Construction Company. We would buy homes and apartment forclosures and fix them up. We would hire people who have trouble getting jobs and teach them skills such as painting, carpenter work, landscaping and other useful skills. I would also start a Christian printing company also I think I need another million….lol
Yvonne LeFave
I’m close to debt-free now, but given a $100,000 windfall, I’d pay off what is owed first, put on a three-storey addition to my home (root cellar, mud room and greenhouse) and put on new hardie board siding (cement board made to look like wood siding) and new storm windows. Given a million dollars, I’d do all of the above, set aside enough to live sustainably on the interest, give the rest away, retire and finally have enough time/energy to be creative and volunteer my support for all the great causes I see in the Lansing area and beyond.
Dev Baty
With 1 million, before I did anything else, 10% would go to God right off top. Then I would put money aside for each of my kids’ education. I’d buy a home just big enough for my family and I to be comfortable as far as space goes. We’d have a family vehicle, and one small vehicle. Then we’d figure out what to invest in, be it our own business or any particular stock(s). I’d definitely invest more into my music.
The New Citizens Press
I noticed everyone picked a million to talk about, $100,000 must not mean much these days… what do you think?
Dev Baty
I only chose it because it was the larger amount. With $100,000 I’d give my 10% to God, pay off all bills and start trust funds for the kids. The rest would just be in the bank.
Kiwana IusedtobeaBailey Mendenhall
My FIRST priority would be to tithe 10% to our church. 2nd credit pay off, 3rd invest, 4th small vacation, 5th a home down payment & gas saving, environmentally friendly vehicle. My tithing includes a litter cleanup project
Susan Serafin
Take my Mom to New Zealand.
Susie Gray
There’s a 3- story, empty School for sale on the corner of Mechanic and Holmes. I would use the money to open a community center and outreach program for teens there. And buy some new shoes 🙂
Angela Jones
First 10% would go to tithes as does any of my income no matter from where it comes! I would then put together an organzation to not just give to the homeless, but to help them help themselves otherwise you are adding to their contentness. I would set my family with things that would fulfill each of their needs and not wants. I would give my daughter a sufficent home and vehicle for God has truely blessed me with a great seed in her:0. I would just try and let God direct my way and funds!! I am not sure what I’d do for myself.
Beverly Bates
@Susie: I pray you can make that happen. That was my elementary school and my old neighborhood! Sad to see that building empty. Let me know if you when you help manifesting this dream. After I expanded my massage business, I would start a non-profit program that educated people about natural health care.
Susie Gray
Thank you Beverly! The idea came when a friend of mine, Tara Finney, told me about a school project she was working on that required her to write up plans for a LGBT domestic abuse shelter. That inspired us to put on a small fundraiser with Rosaline Kuiper for Eastern HS Spectrum Club at Gone Wired Cafe. But everyday I see that big, empty school.
Angela Lake
I would pay will bills off and buy a couple of empty schools in Chicago, IL. I would like the schools to house doctor’s offices, an outreach program and a shelter. I would also put some money away for my children and buy my family a home.
Gena Hiltz
If it were $100,000, I would pay off my children’s and my own tuition bills, then save the rest so I could take care of my parents should they get ill and need assistance or special living arrangements. If it were a million…same thing first, then pay off all my bills, start my cake business, and invest for a self sustaining scholarship fund of some sort.
Paul Wilson
I would get me a smart phone so it would teach me how to be smart.
Pam Zeller Drake
Pay off our and my son’s bills first of all then, build a homeless shelter here in Shiawassee County that had schooling, job training and rehab programs so people could overcome their obstacles that keep them homeless. Everyone that stays in the shelter would be required to do work there to earn their keep, get job skills, build their self esteem and keep expenses down. We would have a large garden and a few animals (like chickens for their eggs) to also help keep people fed. I would also buy my husband a pole barn 🙂
Maggie Rich
I would pay off my bills, buy my Mother a new car and give her some money to sit on. I would give the rest of it to the critters and the soldiers. I would buy soldiers the kevlar that the government won’t supply for them and I would give to the The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Nature Conservancy, International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), the Sea Shepherds, and/ or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). If it were a million, it would spread easily, but I could make $100,000 work! What would you do, Rina?
C Alex Maxie
With 100k I would pay off bills, with a million I would buy a building and turn it into a homeless shelter, with free food for the homeless, have a job placement service and provide free credit counseling for home ownership.
Bill Danyale Morris
Go into the Witness Protection Program. Funding family is the leading cause of sudden loss of wealth. $100K in not real wealth. After taxes, it is a rainy day fund. $1mill is life-altering if managed properly. I would get debt free, place myself on a budget with an interest bearing account, invest 30-40% in a diverse portfolio, use 5% to pay some overdues and establish some $ in my children’s names. I would still hustle and grind because nobody gets out of here alive!
Back to reality
It seems like most of the people I know have a heart for other people and know there are a lot struggling. Oprah, I am calling out to you and the Discovery Channel to come to Lansing, MI and look in your own backyard and give someone a chance who deserves it. Bill would be perfect because he would probably be willing to really go into a witness protection program and you could really work that into a fantastic one hour show. Yes, it is interesting how strange reailty is but I will leave you with what I would aspire to do with an unexpected windfall.
If I were to win $100,000.00 all I could do is pay bills and the balance of my home. With a million I would go to the domestic violence shelter and make an anonyomous donation to them specifically to be used for women/men who are getting their own apartment after leaving a spouse. I would pay up to $500.00 for four winter months after the person has been living in their home and paying their rent on time for at least 6 months. A letter from the landlord and receipts will be necessary. I would also set up a scholarship for Lansing students who were a C average but are accepted to college. I would give $500.00 to three students upon completion of an essay about why school is important. I would also fund whatever Ms. Annette Shauvers doing in the field of journalism for young people.
I would also set up a fund to pay for funerals of young people who die as a result of violence whose parents have no insurance. Their parents would have to take a class within 3 months of the death to teach about insurance and financial responsibility in death.
I would also love to set up some type of poetry and writing fund as well. I would love for young people to learn about words and their meaning and how important they are to our survival. When I was a kid, I read the dictionary all the time. When I went to Upward Bound I discovered the thesaurus. It was amazing. Ms. Shauvers class took their time and resources and had a fundraiser and purchased 250 books for The New Citizens Press’ “Read to Succeed, Write to Ignite” program. It was amazing to see the happiness on their faces knowing that they were giving to someone else.
I would also set up a trust to take care of my family, mother set up a dance scholarship in my friend Heather Taylor’s name and help my cousin Jeanine with all of her fantastic ideas.
Love People,
PS. Oh, how I love Facebook. Follow “Rina Risper”. Message me that you read this article and tell me what you would do with $100,000 or a million dollars. I would love to hear it.
May 22, 2011 – June 4, 2011 Edition
