This could end in tears.

I wish Jennifer Southall all the best. It gives one a good feeling to see someone who has struggled, finally throw off the shackles of worry and grind. Eight million pounds can improve your life. Or not.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23392879-details/First+taste+of+champagne+for+£8m+lotto+winner/article.do

From the article linked above;

"After ten years working as a £5.85-an-hour cinema supervisor, the 43-year-old, who had never before tasted champagne or been on an aeroplane, has just one ambition - to spend, spend, spend.

Refreshingly, the divorced mother-of-three has already made plans that will make a big hole in her £8,372,751 fortune as she aims to fulfil her dream of a lifestyle to match those of the Hollywood superstars she has spent the last decade watching on-screen."

The article goes on;

"Among the sums either spent or already earmarked are:

Big house with swimming pool in Newport area - five bedroom property with 40ft covered swimming pool on market in nearby Caerleon - £675,000.

Spanish villa - four-bed property on Costa Blanca with private garden and pool - £300,000.

Holiday in Egypt - two weeks at a four-star resort in Sharm El Sheikh by the Red Sea for the whole family - £3,000 (and passports at £243).

Trip to New York - three nights at the stylish Bentley Hotel plus spending money for everybody - £6,000."

And it transpires that Jennifer has already been shopping: "I spent about £1,500 on clothes, phones, a new handbag and a posh pair of trainers....."

For Jennifer, one of the first inklings that money is not the only difference between those who have it and those that don't, will be when she notices that her fellow travellers in business class and her Costa Blanca and uptown-Newport neighbours, look upon her "posh" new trainers with something less than admiration.

I hope she realises that the money has already bought her a huge benefit: the cessation of worry. I also hope that she doesn't perpetually search for a Valhalla, to be found by spending - it ain't there.

Toad's brother and four of his mates shared a £1.25M win ten years ago. The ensuing anthropological study was salutary. The winner who went nuts spending on just about everything he thought he needed to make life great, was quickly disabused about the life-
enhancing powers of material goods. On the other hand, another of the winners bought his house outright (£50k in those days) and bought a modest car for £10k. The rest was invested and his boss agreed that he could work four days a week - every weekend a bank holiday. Karma.