Being rich is everybody’s dream because it means that you can do whatever you want to do dealing with money. You can visit places anywhere in the world, buy luxurious things, live in a big and lavish house and move to higher rank in the society. This may not happen suddenly as you have to earn money with hard work and patience. However, you will have more chance of experiencing this if you are one of those who devotedly buy lottery tickets. You may think of how small chance due to the odds you have to beat to win the jackpots but there are evidences that many people have experienced the winning. So, what have they done after they got their fortune. Do they do exactly what you think you might do when you win the lottery prize?

You can ask Steve and Carolyn West who now live in luxury after their winning of the largest single ticket of Powerball jackpot ever. It was in October 2005 when Steve and Carolyn together with Carolyn’s parents, Bob and Frances Chaney, won $340 million in the lottery game. They then got the net amount of $164 million before taxes in January. Wonder what people can do with that amount of money. What did they do after that? Certainly moving out from their ranch house in Medford, Oregon and into a much bigger house of 6,400 square feet on a land area of 6 acres!

So to list their activities using the money, they have bought new houses, travelled to Hawaii and Europe and of course purchasing some more-detail things for their personal needs. They also said that they don’t change much like Steve who still clips coupons. He had experienced tough situation of bankruptcy in May 1999 after he lost his job in a lawn care centre. He has been used to living in frugality and the winning even gives him more things to learn. He found out that it is not about what you can do with the money, but being around family is still the most precious.

You may think that when you have money you will be happier, but it’s not totally true. The West’s big family also had to experience of losing one of the members, Bob Chaney, at the age of 73. He died of brain injury after an accident in his fantastic French country style house which was bought with the winning money. He didn’t even have the chance to ride in his new Hummer and take the Alaskan cruise he had always dreamed of. His wife, Frances, also had an accident that resulted in hip injury so that she has only had one big trip after the winning.

The family also budgeted $100,000 per month instead of the previously planned amount of $300,000 by their investment counselor. Despite the new cars they bought, the children still drive their previous cars. They also experienced uneasy feelings due to different treatment by some friends resulting in moving to other schools. Yet, the family thinks that most friends still treat them the same and they keep their friendship. The friends even think it is surprising that the family most of the time think more about others rather than themselves. They have donated a lot to recreation centers, schools, needy people and Carolyn even keeps on working as a book keeper in a transportation company. She earns $500-$600 per 2 weeks but it’s her friends she really needs there. Steve also continues helping her brother taking care of the lawn-care business.

Carolyn sometimes still buys lottery tickets at the same place where they bought the winning ticket although she also thinks that she may never win again. But, lottery is still about the chance. And you still have the same chance as many other people. So what will you do when you win the lottery jackpot? There are a lot to learn from the Wests so just  make sure that you will be happier and your life will be more meaningful not only for you yourself, but also for others.