Reply #86: I'd quit my job if I won $10M+, but in a way I'd still do much of the same work

[Silent3]

If we're talking, say, "only" one million dollars, especially pre-tax $1M, I wouldn't do much more than pay off my mortgage and pad my retirement fund. I'm sure some people might balk at a comment like this, but to me $1M isn't "set for life" money. Some of that million would go to family and charities and progressive political causes, but I'd have to confess to being a bit stingy, and wanting to keep 90-95% of it.

If we're talking upper single-digit millions or a bit more, I'd consider that enough to retire on immediately, but since I'd be hoping to last another 40-50 years on that money. With the money only earning very low interest in a variety of very safe investments, I'd hardly be living a "lifestyles of the rich and famous" life. I'd consider that enough for a comfortably upper-middle class lifestyle with money to spend on good causes as well as myself and my family.

I'd probably pay someone to do most, if not all, of the housework. :)

As a software engineer, I already spend some of my free time when I can working on open source software. I'd love being able to spend more time on open source, not worrying one bit whether the projects I got involved in would be profitable or not.

With tens of millions and I'd build my dream home -- not a giant mansion (the kind that gets called a "compound") but not exactly a tiny cottage either. 5000-6000 sq. ft? There would be an amazing home theater in that house. :) I'd love making the house as energy-independent as possible.

I'd also indulge in a bit of a survivalist streak that I have. I wouldn't be the private militia, buying lots of guns and ammo and learning to eat bugs kind of survivalist. It would be more like simply being ready with plenty of food, arable land, fuel, spare parts and medical supplies in case the shit hits the fan for civilization. That's not something I worry about a lot, actually, but if I had several million I'd feel like I could indulge myself in that kind of off-chance insurance.

Besides your basic human-induced war and ecological catastrophes, I consider a major solar coronal mass ejection event, the kind that had sparks jumping out of telegraphs back in 1859, a small but not insignificant possibility in my life time. That same kind of event that we already know has happened once could be a major disaster for our current highly-wired civilization, knocking out power grids not just for days or weeks, but years.