If you were given....

[LanaBear]

A large sum of money, that was unexpected, what would you do?

Let's say $5M or the equivalent in your countries currency. NO TAXES are taken out, every last penny is yours to spend.

[Texinator]

I would invest it in a way where I could live off the dividends for the rest of my life. Even that would be a lot of money and I'm sure I would give a good portion of it to good causes. I don't think I could ever spend a whole lot on material things.

[OhThereYouAre]

A large sum of money, that was unexpected, what would you do?

Let's say $5M or the equivalent in your countries currency. NO TAXES are taken out, every last penny is yours to spend.

Buy a few cars. Okay several cars. Bank 4.8M.

[despero]

Ohh.....first, i would jump up and down and scream for a while....then I'd make sure it was real

I would first tuck a bunch away for my son for school. I'd buy my mom a new house somewhere closer to us. I'd buy us a new house, somehwhere where there isn't a stupid association....I'd buy my husband, my mom, and my brother whatever car they wanted, I'd buy myself a yellow, convertible corvette. And a 30th anniversary Camaro....(i have a need for speed)
I'd buy something nice for my in-laws.
I'd hire a personal trainer. And get some new clothes....The rest I would tuck away or invest.

Oh yeah, and I'd travel...go on a cruise, go to Europe...

I wouldn't spend it all tho...make sure I make it last.

[LanaBear]

Yeah - me too...

I'd pay off my house, but stay in it, I love my home. Set up trusts for the boys, make sure any type of post HS education is taken care of.

Give a decent amount to LLS and a women's shelter.

After that, find me a heck of a financial advisor.

Oh and maybe a down payment for our island.

[OhThereYouAre]

After that, find me a heck of a financial advisor.

Me! I'd tell you how to do it for free!

[ThexMrs]

I would buy my mother a house in another country, ha. I'm just kidding. I don't know where I would be without her. I would definitely buy her a nice home somewhere in the city since she loves the city life. I'd buy her a BMW (whichever one she wanted) and some clothes and makeup.

I'd find a few old classic guitars for my brother. (He already has 9)
I'd have to figure something out for my other brother. Not sure.

I would buy Marty a one way ticket out here. (Don't give me no cra*)

I'd buy myself a nice home in the country. For my home I'd buy a few Quads (because I'd have lots of riding land) and then a puppy.

I'd buy new clothes and makeup and TONS of music.

The rest I'd either invest wisely or just put into savings for my children's future.

[Isabellacat]

First put aside $2M soley for business investments.After that I'd move out of my apartment and buy a house with a good view of the ocean.Buy myself a Rolls Royce and my mom a Bentley.Go on an all day shopping spree at Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Ave with my sisters...I'd buy that 2k Louis Vuitton purse I've always wanted.Buy all the latest Betsey Johnson gear..Collect all the Gucci sunglasses.Get an iPhone...I'd still keep all of my old stuff tho. Buy some emerald rings and necklaces. Invest in stock with Post cereal and also pay them to produce Nintendo cereal and Smurfberry Crunch again.

And then I'd live in Iceland for 6 months...rent a house there. Set up a music studio to record music and print my own albums. Rent my own private airplane and have my personal chauffer fly me to London over the weekends. Buy my own danceclub in London,one which for over the weekends I'd love to go and just party. And then after Iceland I'd rent another house in Rome,Italy. Ever since I watched Under the Tuscan Sun I've always wanted to live there.. I would invest in a bakery shop there too. When I make money off my businesses that's when I'll give money to charities. After my trip in Europe I'll go back home and watch my European investments grow.

[prawnprincess]

First, I'd get out of the military because I wouldn't be allowed to stay in if I won that kind of money. Hmmmm... setting aside 2M for investments is a good idea. I'd give 250,000 to my sister, brother, mom, dad, stepdad, and my favorite uncle. That takes care of 1.5M more. Next I would travel. I would start with studying Arabic in Damascus, because I've always wanted to go to Syria. Traveling would give me a chance to decide where I might want to live or buy a vacation house and also what kind of charities I'd like to help. Hopefully my boyfriend could do some traveling with me, and there would be a nice wedding and babies on the way!

[WildChild]

Well that would be far more money than I've ever had but it really isn't as much as most people think it is. First pay off all debt, money aside for both kids college (my daughter's college is $50k a year, I assume my son's will be similar), start them each a retirement fund. Buy a decent but fairly modest home, pay off each of my siblings & my parent's homes. All that would take care of at least 2 mil. Planning a somewhat frugal retirement for myself I would put aside $1 million for that. It is reasonable to assume I will live to 100, that will be a very under funded retirement. (BTW the generally accepted definition of wealthy is to have $5 mil in essentially liquid assets) I would invest $500k in upcoming technology and businesses I think will be strong in the next 20 years, I've followed environmental and energy issues for over 30 years and have some pretty strong ideas in that arena.
The rest I would work with some like minded people to develop and build a co-housing community built from renewable sources using positive energy building design.