WHAT WOULD YOU DO? MR CLUMSY
We’ve all fantasised about winning, but what real lottery winners spend the cash on may surprise you.
Can’t quite believe that the National Lottery is 30 years old this year. And thanks to the huge amounts of cash that I just can’t stop winning, this column is coming to you from a sun-drenched Caribbean beach… Oh, wait. Sorry, no. Those two free Lucky Dips I’ve managed to scrape together in all that time means it’s still costa del Thames in not so sunny London for me. Obviously, there have been folk far luckier than me – since 1994, the National Lottery has made 7,000 people millionaires, as well as raising £48 billion for good causes, with over £4 million being raised every day. Some 40% of funds went to health, education, environment and charitable causes in the year ending 31 March 2023. It’s all impressive stuff, and who hasn’t fantasised about what they’d do if they hit the jackpot? Even those of us who don’t play it! Sort out the family; pay off the mortgage; new house; new car; move to sunnier climes. But what do those who do win really do with their dosh? Well, Andy Carter has all those answers. He’s one of the ‘magnificent seven’ who make up the team of advisers who help winners. In the past 17 years, he’s guided more than 2,000 people who have won more than £50,000 through the first few months of their new-found wealth, in total handing over more than £2 billion. In a fascinating interview, Andy revealed some of the unexpected – and often shocking – things that winners
do with their new-found wealth. This includes one bloke who was determined to keep his big win a secret from his wife! The main thing Andy learnt is that suddenly becoming a millionaire overnight doesn’t change you – it simply exaggerates existing personalities and relationships. And women always cope better than men. Those who manage money well will continue to do so; those who have bad relationships will still be in the same boat. Lottery winners who divorce would have probably done so even if they hadn’t won. Heart-warmingly, most big winners prioritise helping children, grandchildren and parents first. But the biggest mistake most make is to give too much away. It may sound mean but the main advice he gives to all those he helps is to think realistically about sorting themselves out first. And the myth of rushing out to buy a gleaming new sports car is just that, a myth. Might be a dream, but the realities of Ferraris and Aston Martins is that they’re impractical for family life. And the same with flashy properties – most winners upgrade from, say, a two-bed to a four-bed rather than a Beckham-style mansion. Indeed, Andy describes 98% of his clients as very cautious, with many keen to see their money grow with sensible investments. And this is particularly true with younger winners. Evidently, us Brits have a natural reservedness to spending, meaning it takes us a while to realise we can ‘treat’ ourselves. Some of the extravagances Andy has witnessed include meeting heroes like Sir Elton John, private jets for holidays and VIP passes to sports events. Still think my biggie would be paying off the mortgage and sorting out my mum, sister and niece, while the husband fantasises about buying even more bloody guitars.
So, fingers crossed for my Lucky Dip line for this week…
Most women are always going to stop to read a piece entitled ‘Britain’s Clumsiest Husband’ because, let’s be honest, we all think ours is, don’t we? Mine has been known to put oil in the car radiator, haggle the price of a tourist souvenir up and manage to get lost even going to the end of the road we’ve lived on for more than 20 years. So it was hilarious to read the testimony of Debbie Stephens, 60, whose husband Craig, 55, cost them a grand by accidentally bidding against himself for some artwork because he didn’t understand how auctions worked. Oh dear!
‘WOMEN ALWAYS COPE BETTER THAN MEN’