With our economy the way it is, and you won the lottery, what would you do....

I think I would pay off all my bills and debt, buy a home on a small piece of land and start stocking up on supplies. I'd make it as self-sufficent as possible. I'd also add a second house for anyone in my family that wanted to join me. [b]~~IN SEARCH OF PEACE WITHIN~~ **AGAINST THE STORMS, I WILL STAND STRONG** [/b]

Sounds like family is very important to you and your dad, thats great. I also try to put my family first in my life. I would say the first thing i'd do is payoff my 2 credit cards and cancel them. 2nd I'd finally pay for my wedding (hasn't happened yet due to no money). then i'd get repairs done on both of our vehicles or trade them in for 2 new vehicles (ours are both used), so that we'd have safer more reliable transportation for our 3 kids. I'd go to Walmart also, to stock up on baby stuff, I have a 2 year old and a 3 month old. I'd pay all my bills in advance for atleast a couple of payments. We rent the house we live in now so I'd either pay as much rent as possible or try to buy a house, depending on how much I won. I'd also have to replace some of our furniture (some of it is over 10 years old and falling apart). After we are taken care of, I'd see how I could help out my mom and sister. If I still had some left over I'd either split it between us and the 3 kids to put into savings or I'd try to help out the wonderful friends that have helped me in the past when I needed it.

I may seem like a weird idea, but I have said for years that if I won power ball I would buy an apartment complex and make it smokers only. I think "no smoking" is discriminatory and think that just because a person is a smoker, it doesn't make them a bad tenant. I've never read any studies that show smokers to be more careless, sloppier, ruder, or more dangerous than nonsmokers.