Reply #84

My close friends and immediate family would get some really nice birthday gifts and I'd anonymously gift some sizable sums to certain teachers and other people who have had a big impact on my life.

But I would generally try to follow Warren Buffet's example of keeping your everyday surrounding's pretty modest, as that seems to be one of the keys to happiness with that kind of money. I'd stay in my current 2-bedroom apartment with my roommate because I love the place and love my roommate. I'd probably hire a decorator to spruce it up a bit. If I did buy a house, it would be a weekend getaway type of place. I may buy a new car, but probably just get some things on my current one fixed. I'd buy some new guitars and blow a lot of money on clothes (because I like clothes). I'd travel more and fly first class because, hey, might as well.

I might take a year off of work to pursue my musical interests, but maybe not.

However, at a certain point money starts to buy diminishing (if not negative) returns and if it's not something I want now, I wouldn't buy it just because I had the money. For example, if I want to go for a ride on a yacht, I'll buy a ticket to one of those dinner cruise thingies. No need to buy myself a yacht just because I can.

At the end of the day I doubt I'd end up spending a million dollars on myself off the bat. I know I wouldn't spend 2 million.