UNITED STATES—Unless you’re living under a rock, you are probably well aware of the big bucks available for the Power Ball and Mega Millions lottery drawings that has plenty of people in America talking. Now, look it is not as big as previous jackpots, do you remember that one almost a year ago that was close to $2 billion? Yeah, not that much, but I’ll take a million or a few hundred million because for most Americans it would absolutely change your life.
So right now, you’re looking at two jackpots 1) one at $700 plus million 2) another over $400 million. Can you imagine what you can do with that amount of money people? That is the thing about hitting the lottery. It provides you with a dream and when you start to dream and think about what you can do with that sum of money the opportunities are quite endless to say the least.
However, that is the problem with winning the lottery, people immediately start to go spend crazy and that is the absolute worst thing you can do. Just because you now have millions that you can spend, does not mean you should spend it. It kind of goes back to what transpired during the 2020 pandemic when the government was giving free money to the American tax payer for unemployment and those stimulus checks. People ran to go spend money instead of thinking about their future. There were people who actually took that extra money they earned and spent it on paying off bills and debt.
If I hit the lottery that is at the top of my list: paying off any debt that I have. Why? I had a family member that once said something that has stuck with me for years: I’d rather be broke and have no debt, then to have debt and money in my pocket. Some people don’t think that way; they rather have money in the pocket than to pay off debt that is taking money from their pocket. Control your fate; it is in your hands people, do what you can to cut the expenses so that you have more money later for a rainy day.
The lottery just presents the idea that you could have the opportunity to do things that perhaps you currently cannot do because you do not have the money. You can travel across the globe, you can shop, you can dine as you please, you can purchase the home of your dreams, you can eliminate all debt completely, but perhaps the biggest of them all, you can save money; you get the opportunity to plan for your future.
I have this debate/argument with family all the time, letting people know if I hit the lottery, I’m not taking care of everyone. I will help my IMMEDIATE family, and I mean just that IMMEDIATE family and beyond that, the rest of those funds are being stashed away into a savings account or placed onto several Certificate of Deposits to draw interest and not touch those funds.
The thought of winning over a half a billion dollars and being broke 10 years later or sooner, I just cannot fathom that. Hell, if I hit a million dollars the goal would be for that money to sustain me as long as possible. I just think hitting the lottery gives one that excitement of what life could be. Whether you’re dreaming big or small, you’re dreaming and that is the key people. With money you can help people, perhaps not the entire world but you can implement you print on things that matter to you most.
Written By Zoe Mitchell
