Time for another "Would you rather" question! (a hard one)
So here it is. You're sitting in a room with all of your closest friends and family, and the mayor of your city singles you out and asks you to come up to the front. He/she tells you that the city has a proposal for you, and you MUST answer it no matter what. The question is:
It wouldn't be fair though if I asked you what you'd pick w/out doing it myself though, so here goes...now keep in mind that it really depends on my mood at the time. Like many ADHD'ers, I get into spurts of excitement, sadness, craziness, hyper, sluggish, you name it on a flip of a switch (although I tend to be pretty positive). So if someone catches me in la la land right after I downed my morning hazelnut coffee - like right now for example - then i'm much more likely to sway one way over another.
But anyways, if i were to be asked that question RIGHT NOW, I'd have to go w/ giving $1 million dollars to my friends and family! I can't believe i just said that! haha...it's not like they really NEED the money all that much, well maybe my brother and sister and one of my friends do, but i think i'd sleep a lot better once things calmed down, ya know? I'm sure i'd second guess myself throughout my life, but at least i'd die knowing i've done a huge a$$ deed.
Now, ask me during a time like when my paycheck bounces and i'm freakin' out, and I'm 95% sure I'd take the $500k instead! I could always find non-financial ways to help my family, right? So yeah i kinda copped out on this answer a bit, but at least i'm honest!
What about you? Could you firmly answer one way or the other? I know we have some $500k takers out there ;)
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Here are some previous would you rathers:
- Would you rather default on ALL loans, or...
- George Bush gives you $2million, but...
- Would you rather take $500k now, or...
"The city would like to offer you money, but the amount is up to you. We can give you $1 million dollars, but it can ONLY be dispersed between your friends and family - you cannot take any yourself, or use any bartering/trickery to get some back later after the "deal" has been completed. OR, we can give you $500,000, of which you can use all to yourself, but ONLY for yourself, no one else."Which would you choose? Keep in mind that all your friends and family will hear both options and know the difference...HARD as hell, right? I mean, either way you or someone you love will be extremely better off so it's totally a GOOD thing, but do you have the heart (and balls) to give it ALL away? Half of me says yes, but the other half says nooooo way in hell! haha...I think I really got myself on this one as I can usually answer these would you rathers pretty confidently.
It wouldn't be fair though if I asked you what you'd pick w/out doing it myself though, so here goes...now keep in mind that it really depends on my mood at the time. Like many ADHD'ers, I get into spurts of excitement, sadness, craziness, hyper, sluggish, you name it on a flip of a switch (although I tend to be pretty positive). So if someone catches me in la la land right after I downed my morning hazelnut coffee - like right now for example - then i'm much more likely to sway one way over another.
But anyways, if i were to be asked that question RIGHT NOW, I'd have to go w/ giving $1 million dollars to my friends and family! I can't believe i just said that! haha...it's not like they really NEED the money all that much, well maybe my brother and sister and one of my friends do, but i think i'd sleep a lot better once things calmed down, ya know? I'm sure i'd second guess myself throughout my life, but at least i'd die knowing i've done a huge a$$ deed.
Now, ask me during a time like when my paycheck bounces and i'm freakin' out, and I'm 95% sure I'd take the $500k instead! I could always find non-financial ways to help my family, right? So yeah i kinda copped out on this answer a bit, but at least i'm honest!
What about you? Could you firmly answer one way or the other? I know we have some $500k takers out there ;)
-------------
Here are some previous would you rathers:
- Would you rather default on ALL loans, or...
- George Bush gives you $2million, but...
- Would you rather take $500k now, or...
Labels: would you rather
posted by J. Money at
11:35 AM
26 Comments:
I might change my mind if the opportunity ever really comes up (haha), but I'd give it to my friends and family. Right now they'd all need it a lot more than I do right now. I have most of my basic needs taken care of, and I'm still young, right? I'd just have to make it clear that I'll ONLY let them have the money if my parents SAVE SOME FOR RETIREMENT! (I don't want my dad buying no $100k cars!)
It'd really piss me off if I found out that they used it all for silly things as opposed to paying off debts, but hey, thats in their hands and there's no way I'd ever lend them money after that! lol.
Why can't we share??? :)
I probably would take it. I probably would give it to them. This may be your hardest one yet, I have no idea what I'd do!
I would take the 500K. It would allow me to free up my time to serve others (family, friends, and strangers) in other ways that money can't buy.
Oooh, you guys bring up good points! QL with the family perhaps blowing it on high end stuff, and r.a. with freeing up your time to help the friends/family in other way!!!
(I like your idea of sharing too there, stacking pennies, but that's not in the rules! haha)
Man, we could really help others if we didn't have to work so hardcore at times... 1 pt towards the taking the $500k side!
That is so easy. I would absolutely take the $500K. My parents both own houses with no mortgage, and my brothers are not any more deserving than I am of $500K each! And my friends? I always give them my time, and I've never given them my money... why start now? ;) Besides, I'll have a hundred grand in student loans by the time I finish school, which is more than any of my close friends or family--if anyone needs the help, it's me!!!
I'd take the 500K too. Does that make me a bad person?
Oh man this one is a tough one!! If I took it for myself I would just invest it and make it grow, then would I be able to disperse the earnings to everyone else? Technically the earnings are not part of what I received! I would probably just give everyone else the 1 million, seeing everyone else at ease financially would make me feel good, especially for my family.
This is a tough question!
After much thought....
Id take the $500k. Keep working full time and redirect my annual salary toward the only friend/family member that could use the help in specific ways that arent just handing that person cash. Id pay for living arrangements, an elderly assistant/driver, etc.
I'd give the money to my friend's and family. My parents in particular deserve to follow their dreams and not have to worry so much about little things that get in the way of pursuing dreams like mortgages and (lack of) retirement funds. I still have youth and time on my side to make my 1 million :- )
$1 million!
I would expect a kickback though ;).
I would also expect to never have to pay for a drink with friends ever again.
I'm fortunate enough to be "comfortable" and not in a tough financial spot, otherwise I would take the $500K.
Dude, that IS a hard one. I would really WANT to take the 500k for myself, but I also wouldn't want to look like a selfish bastard. I think my fear of bad karma would make me give it to my family...and hope that I became the golden child because of it. :)
I would pick the 1 million for friends and family. The catch is that they all have to pay it forward. Not the money but the action of being selfless and giving something to somebody who really needs it. I think its so much better to do a good thing for a lot of people rather than take one thing for myself. I am lucky to be responsible with my money and with some hard work and good investing one day I too will have 1 million dollars and then we will all be in the same boat. Financially secure :)
tough one. i like to base decisions on evidence, and research shows that i would be happier if i gave the money away... and at the end of the day, i just want to be happy.
I told you, it was a tough one! I love it how everyone has their own views on it though - it really makes it that much harder to be adamant about one over the other :)
You guys rock, thx for your honesty!!!
(and remember, if this ever happens to you, i'm one of your friends! haha...and Yes, Tom, all drinks on me from that point forward.)
With three kids and a good amount of debt I would definitely be taking the 5K! I mean how can our family and friends not understand :)
J. Money-
Thanks for stopping by my blog. Keep me posted on when the next happy hour for DC folks will be happening.
Sure will! If anyone else is interested on meeting up for drinks down the road, just holler w/ your email address :)
Of course, you'd have to be in the DC area to meet up...but i'm important enough to fly out for, right?
Well, my initial instinct was to say "take the money for yourself!" so I guess I'll have to go with that. I'd like to think my family would understand! :) I'm sure I could think of creative ways to help them with that money instead of actually giving it to them. Or I could keep the money and instead give away my earnings from work or something...It's sad that my second thought (after "keep the money for yourself!") was "how can I manipulate this and do what I want?" :)
I would take the money, invest it and give the interest to my friends/family....this should keep with your rule that the orignial monies are not given to anyone. What I do with the returns from investing is my hard work and I can choose to spend it how I want...right?
Hum...that's a tricky one there Andy...not what i originally was thinking, BUT i wouldn't cause a fuss shall it ever arise ;)
And Dolly, you're gonna like my post tomorrow (Friday). It's all about "paying it forward" ;)
If you asked for significantly more than $500,000 for your friends and family, you'd begin to create hardship for the city's residents. I'm surprised no one else has mentioned that.
I'm late to this one, but wanted to say that I'd give it to friends and family. I'm frugal and I have decent savings. For me, $500,000 would mean more savings, which is nice but not life-changing. But for my friends and family?
Even a small percentage of a million would mean that...
...my sister could go back to school for an advanced degree that would change her career path.
...my brother could set up college savings for my nephew.
...my other brother could get a newer car and not have to worry about his current one breaking down.
...my mother's retirement would be more secure.
...my friend who is currently undergoing fertility treatments could do more than one round of IVF, and have more of a chance of actually having a child.
...another friend could leave the career path he's unhappy with and figure out a better direction.
...another friend could move into a bigger place with his wife and stepdaughters.
...and even the ones who don't have big things could eliminate debts and pay off at least parts of their mortgages.
The only thing that I would be unhappy about would be everyone knowing that I was involved in their receiving the windfall. I would be worried about how relationships might change if they felt like they had to be grateful or owed me. I think it's possible for people to feel funny about being a recipient or even resent it.
John Keplar - Yeah technically that's true, but that's not really part of the main answer i was trying to get from people ;) i just couldn't think of another one at the time where people wouldn't say "well, you can't trust that you'd get it from so and so"...i got that once from doing by George Bush one! haha
Anonymous - Wow, thanks for taking the time and jotting it all down! it's funny cuz we know $500k is a lot of money, but when you list the items out like that i really get a better sense of what it's "worth" ya know?
And great point w/ the whole resenting part, i can totally see how that could happen and ruin some friendships...at least you'd be sharing it with like 10+ people so it would be more distributed...that, and they'd know the rules of the "would you rather" game so it' s not like you have that much of a choice. They could always refuse it, but highly unlikely ;)
Very tough question.
I guess it depends upon the situation, but right I'm leaning towards giving it to family and friends.
I'm pretty sure I'm getting a kickback for this, anyway. Maybe not monetary, but in some ways, sure.
For example, if I give my parents a big amount of money, my dad would still work because for him it would not be enough, but from the money that he earned, he'll give it to me to help with my law school funds.
As for friends, I'm hoping that if times get tough for me, they'd be able to help me out, too.
I'm pretty sure I can give it to charity, too. Hey, maybe they'll take me in and make me one of their staff attorneys, as I've always wanted to be a legal aid lawyer. :)
If I'm having a tough time, though, I'll pick the 500k, and invest it so that the interest and the money I earn I can give to family and friends.
Ha! This "Would you rather?" was pretty easy for me, surprisingly. I'd give it to family and friends. When I think of what I'd ever do if I won the lottery, about 90 percent of the things I think of doing involve friends and family. My grandparents are $20,000 in credit card debt. The $1 million could pay off all their debt and give them a nice retirement fund. It could pay off my parents' mortgage and give them a nice retirement fund (though they've been much smarter than my grandparents about saving). It could set up a fund for my brother to go to college without having to work while taking classes. Because I have very few needs and fewer wants, $500,000 would be silly to keep for myself when it could bless my family so much more!
Your answers make me smile :)
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