What would you do if given a ton of money?

[Angrboda]

Invest it and make even more money. Isn't that what all rich people do?

[Gwaithmir]

Finish my education. Pay my debts (and some of my family's debts). Buy some property. Create a commune near a reputable (but not ivy league) university.

The commune would be for disenfranchised intellectuals.

Buy a house in the woods. In that house, write a book.

Actually, I bought a house in the woods 45 years ago and started writing a book around 2006. 

[popeyespappy]

You didn’t define a ton of money so I will. 2,000 US lbs. in $100 bills at 1 gram each is about $90,000,000. You said “give” so I am going to assume a gift tax is due. That’s 55% so $40,500,000 net.

Step 1. Retire

I might live another 40 years, doubtful but might, so I’ll invest $30,000,000 in low-risk investments. That will give us an after-tax income of $750,000 a year with an annual cost of living increase. I might buy gold with 5 years of that ($3,750,000) because if we don’t live that long we can leave the gold to the kids without any tax penalties until they convert it to cash. That leaves $10,500,000.

Step 2. Spend the rest

Take $750,000 for the first year’s living expenses, another $750,000 for short term savings for stuff like home repairs or medical expenses, another $375,000 for emergency expenses, $375,000 to start a travel fund, and $375,000 each for the wife and I to blow on whatever we want. That’s $3,000,000 so $7,500,000 left.

Buy Mom a condo wherever she wants to go. Stay here where my sister and I live, go to Melbourne where my brother is at, or maybe Nashville where two of her sisters live. $300,000. By her house from her so she will have some extra cash. $200,000. Renovate the house. $100,000. Then give the house and our townhouse rental property to the kids so they will have some extra income from rentals. If mom stays here, we will keep the condo we live in now so we will have someplace to stay near her until she is gone. If she moves or when she is gone this one goes to kids to as another rental. $600,000 spent $6,900,000 remaining.

Buy an F-450 and a nice Redwood 5th wheel. Plus a custom jeep and an off road camper. I want to see every national park over the next 5-10 years. $400,000. $6,000,000 remaining.

Buy a condo on the beach in Destin. Snowbirds going snow bird. $1,400,000 including furnishings. $5,100,000 remaining.

Buy some land on a river someplace. $1,000,000. Build a house. Not too extravagant about 4500 square feet including the basement. $2,000,000. $250,000 for furnishings. $250,000 for landscaping. $300,000 for a nice RV barn/garage/shop. $200,000 in shop equipment, $100,000 for an equipment shed and another $150,000 for tractors, mowers, that kind of stuff. $4,250,000 spent. $850,000 remaining.

A nice SUV for me. The wife wants a Tesla. A big Mercedes for road trips. A sports car, a hot rod, and maybe something along the line of an Aerial Atom to take to track. Gotta get that adrenaline somewhere. One more car to keep in Destin. That ought to about do it for the $850,000.

[Jackalope]

1. Stop working, like immediately.
2. Not substantially change my lifestyle, I'm happy with where I'm at.
3. Be more charitable.