Wednesday, July 27, 2016

What I would do with One Million Dollars






Have you ever had a song get stuck in your head?  Sometimes you’ll hear it on the radio, or perhaps you can overhear someone nearby singing it out loud.  Then for some reason it just sticks in your head and won’t leave for the longest time.

Today, I got the song “If I had a million dollars” by Barenaked Ladies stuck in my head.  I’d find myself humming it without even realizing what I was doing.

Nevertheless, it got me thinking.  What would I do if I had a million dollars?  If you listen to the song lyrics, it gives plenty of suggestions (a house, furniture, Reliant automobile, tree fort, fur coat, exotic pet, John Merrick’s remains, a limousine, a green dress, some art, and a monkey (Haven’t you always wanted a monkey?)).

With the exception of a few suggestions from the Barenaked Ladies (I don’t need a green dress or John Merrick’s remains…ewww); I didn’t need any of those things.  If I had a million dollars to spend, I wanted to make sure those purchases were special.

Below you will find a list of 10 things I would buy “If I had a Million Dollars” (Is the song stuck in your head yet?J)
1.      Condo in Traverse City, MI – My family and I have enjoyed vacationing here for years.  It would be great if we had a place up there already where we could just head up at the drop of a hat. 
2.       Home Improvements – We’d love to have our kitchen remodeled, as well as a new addition to the house to give our growing family more room. 
3.       Season Tickets – I love attending sporting events…my family kind of likes it.  But the song is “If I had a million dollars” and season tickets would certainly be one of the items.  The real question is what team I should buy season tickets for.  WMU Footballl, Basketball, Hockey?  Or do I stick to baseball and our hometown Kalamazoo Growlers?  Hmmm…
4.       College fund for my kids – My wife and I have already started saving for both of our kid’s future college expenses.  If I had a million dollars we could make sure both of their college expenses were taken care of.
5.       Vacation...anywhere – My vote would be for somewhere in the United States, but if the rest of my family wants to travel abroad, I’d go along with it.  Personally, I think Alaska would be fun.  Or maybe we take a month and visit multiple places.
6.       Man Cave – I’ve got a lot of sports memorabilia.  I used to have it displayed in our then laundry room.  When my wife became pregnant with our son, the laundry room was then transformed into his room.  The washer and dryer had to be relocated as well as all my sports memorabilia.  Currently, it is stored in an airtight box in our basement.  I’d love to have a place of my own to display it all.
7.       Jersey Allowance – I love sports jerseys…they are just expensive.  If I had a million dollars I would allow myself a sports jersey allowance.  They would go great with my Man Cave.
8.       Charitable Donations – Growing up, my family was heavily involved in charities like “Loaves and Fishes” which provides food to people without a lot of money.  We’ve also supported a Christian therapeutic riding center in the past and would like to give them some financial support.  Our kids’ education is very important to us so we’d gift some money to their school as well.
9.       Parents – My parents have talked about downsizing their home in the past, but don’t feel like they can because of the projects that are still needed to be completed at their current home.  I’d like to pay to get the house ready to sell and then also buy them a new home.
10.   New Cars – My wife and I both drive reliable vehicles.  We’re also currently saving money for when the times comes for us to purchase new vehicles.  If I had a million dollars I would put enough money to fully stock the car fund for both of us. 


There it is…the 10 things I would buy “If I had a Million Dollars”.  Some fun things…some practical.  It’s a good balance.    



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