The Money Fairy gives you USD $1 million.

[Sibling Chatty]

OK, the TAX-FREE money fairy gives you a million bucks American. The rules are, you must spend it in 6 months, no 'investing' except in whatever you've spent it on. (Spending includes giving it away, but only with no hope of reciprocation.)

GO!!

[Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith]

Oooh! this is not as easy as it sounds.  Ever see the movie Brewster's Millions with Richard Prior?

I must cogitate a bit.....

But, for starters, I'd dump a huge chunk into Habitat for Humanity, anonymously.  If you've not heard of it, they build low-income housing, using volunteer labor AND require the new home-owner to help whenever and however they are able.  President Jimmy Carter is majorly involved, and as one person said of Mr Carter, "When President Carter comes to volunteer with Habitat, he comes to work. He sweats along with the rest of us, and is a very tough act to keep up with."

The best story from Habitat was one where Mr Carter had helped to lay the foundation out of cinder-block and mortar.  Carter was often on mortar-mixing detail, sweating over the mixing bucket.  The new homeowner observed that she saw President Carter's sweat just dripping off his head, into the mortar-mix.  She said her house was especially blessed, because it actually has a part of President Carter in it's foundation ...

So a big chunk to Habitat.

Another chunk to Doctors without Borders.

A BIG chunk to whichever company looks the most likely to be successful in a human space program - anonymously, of course.

Let's see?  Only 1 million? Okay ... that should about cover it.

But, I reserve the right to change my mind, after I think about this some more. 

[The Meromorph]

All of it to the nearest Battered Women and Children Shelter.

[Sibling Kephra (Tansy)]

-Well, I have to admit that my close friends would suddenly discover they now own their houses.
-The victims at the local women & children's shelter would have a very nice Yule indeed.
-You know what I always thought would be uber cool?  A huge gourmet meal picnic style in the park.  Waiters and all.  For the homeless only.
-Another cool idea:  Hang out in someplace like Zellers or WalMart.  Get some of the largest denomination gift certificates they have.  Wander around looking for the downtrodden elderly, single moms stretching their dollar, the poor, etc.  Give 'em out saying something like "This guy who just left said to give this to you...?"

Ohhhh I'd have FUN!

[beagle]

The average price of a detached house in Cambridge UK is about $831,000 so one with a garden shed would about cover it.

[Sibling Chatty]

Time to answer my own question.

Fixing my house and paying off that stupid balloon note. Also building Mom's totally accessible house, on the 'vacant lot' next to my house.

Getting a H/C accesible vehicle for transporting Mom (without having to lift her wheelchair, which I can no longer do) and getting a newer, reliable vehicle for me/Dan.

Put my #1 niece back into school, without the presence of her part-time slacker husband...and providing her the childcare and medical care she needs. Get my #4 niece the help she needs to get her life in order as well, including childcare/tuition, etc.

Assist other family members as needed--MY assessment of 'need' not theirs. (When the need to get your hair streaked and your nails done exceeds the need to get the electric bill paid, I have no reason to trust your needs assessments.)

Cancer researchers get most of the rest, after an expenditure for some handicap-friendly furniture.

[Duke]

I have no idea what I would do with a million. Probably something to do with a bigger submarine...


Duke

[Bluenose]

US$1,000,000?

Hmm, that's about 1.4 million in Aussie dollars.  All figures below in AUD

$200,000 - Pay off the mortgage
$50,000 - New car
$20,000 - New boat
$20,000 - Camper trailer.
$10,000 - Sundries - new camping equipment, fishing tackle etc

Balance $1,100,000

$200,000 - $100,000 each into my kids superannuation funds (I know that technically this is investing, but I will never be able to benefit from it, so I think that makes it OK - please don't hit me Chatty!)
$200,000 - $100,000 to my parents and $100,000 to my wife's mum
$200,000 - Donation to Diabetes Australia
$200,000 - Donation to Native Fish Australia to help fund their conservation work
$200,000 - Find some local charity that strikes my fancy and give them a lift up
$100,000 - Donate to my local CFA (Country Fire Authority) branch to buy some new equipment

It would be fun!

Sibling Bluenose

[Sibling Chatty]

Investments for your children aren't 'wealth building' for yourself, so they'd be allowed.

Practical and generous both... 

[Scriblerus the Philosophe]

Within six months, huh?

*Pay for my college tuition ($23,000 per year approximately)
*Buy myself a digital SLR camera
*Buy some real estate, possibly.
*Put a good chunk away for my two sisters' college.
*Catholic Relief Services and other worthy charities get most of the rest

[Sibling Lambicus the Toluous]

There's something I've always wanted to do that I think I could put together if I had a million bucks:


There's a car sitting on the side of the road with a flat tire.  The car owner's standing next to the car, looking unhappy.  All of a sudden, we drive up in our shiny service truck with racecar in tow and pull over onto the shoulder.

As soon as the truck stops, a bunch of us jump out in full team uniform (with someone shouting "Go! Go! Go!" of course).  While the perplexed owner of the unhappy car watches, we grab the jack and impact guns from the back of the truck, run over to the car, jack it up, replace the tire, drop it back down, give a little wave, run back, jump into the truck and drive off before the car owner realizes what's going on.



After I've done that, I can sell off the truck, racecar and gear for something sensible, but it'd be really fun to do this at least once.