Shopping at Walmart and toting takeout from a local diner, it doesn't seem like life has changed that much for Gloria Mackenzie — the 84-year-old great-grandmother who won a record $590.5 million Powerball lottery jackpot.
Although she could be shopping in Chanel, Gloria — who is the biggest single lottery Powerball winner in U.S. history — instead joined her son Scott, 57, and his boyfriend Jerry Cruz, 65, for dinner at a crab shack near their Florida home.
Gloria — who is sharing her fortune with her son — is still being driven around in Scott's old gold Ford Focus as the enormity of their situation still sinks in.
Scott's ex-wife Ella — who remains close friends with her former husband and his family — revealed Gloria plans to move in with her son and his partner, adding, "I was so pleased for them when I found out they had won, it really is great news."
However, she revealed the winner and her son were fearful for their safety after receiving threatening phone calls.
Insisting that she does not know whether Scott will give her any money, Ella said, "They are all planning to move in together — they should be getting their new place by the end of the month.
"The three of them are going to be living together. Scott wanted to move in with his mom because he was worried about how she would cope on her own."
Gloria, whose husband Ralph died in 2005, was forced to leave the trailer she had called home for 25 years to move into a run-down $30,000 bungalow in the small town of Zephyrhills, Florida, just one year ago.
She had pledged to split the winnings with son Scott, of Jacksonville, Florida, as she was with him when she bought the $2 ticket at a Zephyrhills supermarket on May 18.
Gloria has two sons, Larry and Scott, and two daughters, Melinda — known as Mindy — and Jaimie, alongside grandchildren Matthew, Alex, Scott and Lindsay, and two great-grandchildren, Victoria and Ethan.
Most of her family remain in her home state of Maine and it remains unknown how, or if, she plans to share the jackpot with them.
After being thrust into the spotlight last week, Gloria spent the weekend with Scott and Jerry, and the trio were seen dining at Jacksonville spot Joe's Crab Shack on Sunday — where she ate steam pots that cost $22.99 each.
On Monday, Scott and Gloria were seen visiting a bank and later shopping at Walmart.
They then enjoyed lunch at the Crazy Egg café — where the most expensive item on the menu costs $10.99 — and even asked for a doggy bag of left overs as they departed.
Gloria is now planning to move into a luxury new home in the city of Jacksonville, three hours away, with both Scott and Jerry
According to lottery officials, Gloria opted to receive the lump sum of $278,172,585.40 48 hours after claiming the prize two weeks ago — so her money is already safely locked away in the bank.
Before even coming forward to collect the money, she abandoned her old home and moved into a luxury hotel, where she is staying until her new home is ready.
Ella added, "Jerry is also moving in with them. I don't want to go into their relationship, as that is their business. You should refer to Jerry as Scott's roommate. I think they are probably getting a big house somewhere in the Jacksonville area. They can't stay where they are currently living — it's too small for the three of them."
"I have spoken to him (Scott) a few times," Ella continued. "I don't know if he is giving me any money but it doesn't really matter — if he does he does, if he doesn't he doesn't."
It is believed Scott and Gloria went into hiding on the advice of their lawyers after receiving world-wide media attention following their win.
They have been hiding out in a hotel in Northern Florida, while Jerry remains at the single-story home he shares with Scott, looking after their dog.
Ella, who still lives in the same small, rundown bungalow she shared with Scott in Jacksonville, said, "Scott and Gloria are obviously excited about the money but it is a lot to take in.
"They have been concerned about their safety and have received a number of threatening phone calls.
"One man with a gravely voice even called to tell them they were in danger, which was very strange. The lawyers told them to go into hiding. It is such a large sum of money, so you never know what might happen, they have to be careful."
Ella and Scott grew up in small country towns just eight miles part in Maine and married when they were in their twenties after being introduced by mutual friends.
They moved to Jacksonville a few years later after Ella got a job in the Navy.
Scott worked a number of low-level factory jobs before retiring from his position, latterly as a warehouse worker depot in St Augustine, Florida.
According to friends, the pair divorced but stayed friends after Scott came out as gay about ten years ago.
Ella, who works at shipping firm Crowley Maritime in Jacksonville, said, "I don't want to go into our relationship. We divorced ten years ago but we are still friends. He told me about the win on the Sunday before they went public to prepare me for the media attention. It has obviously been crazy since then and I have been contacted by hundreds of different people."
Jerry, whose full name is Gerardo Cruz, is originally from Baltimore, Maryland, and spent most of his life working for transportation company CSX Transportation until he retired in 2007.
According to the electoral roll, he has lived in the same small property as Scott since 2010.
A friend said, "Scott and Ella are still on good terms. They divorced about 10 years ago because Scott is gay. He is now living with his partner Jerry. They are both very nice and live a quiet, simple life."
Neighbor Britney Ward said, "I don't know them too well. They seem nice but quite quiet. Scott lives there with the other guy who is his partner."
After discovering she had won the lottery, Gloria at first went to stay with Scott and Jerry, telling her neighbors in Zephyrhills she was sick.
Mother and son, who made a pact to split the winnings, then spent two weeks preparing for the future with the help of financial advisers, before claiming their prize.
Gloria's winning numbers, using random selection, were 10, 13, 14, 22 and 52, with a Powerball of 11.
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Thanks to imagine for the tip.
Maybe she will see ronnie there.
Walmart is a good place to buy guns.
Why play if you are not going to live better .................
Ding Cuckoo
Funny how he's worry about his mom NOW, like i said he never gave her a second thought before her new found wealth
now it's like mom you can stay with us.
Her son was with her at Publix when she bought the ticket, that is why she is sharing it with him. He has been there with her the whole time. Hummm about the other siblings.
This is a disaster waiting to happen. It's a lottery curse.
yea, why not move closer to Palm Beach or Cali. Now, everyone knows where they are. Go out the country.hummm
How come?
Besides, didn't these guys want privacy?
Looks like paparazzi taking advantage.
you got that right
Great story!! Some much personal information though. I must admit that I enjoyed reading it all.
I don't find it strange that she still shops at Walmart, eats in affordable restuarants or is driven around in her son's Ford Focus (nice car by the way). People are going to do what they are used to doing. She just received the money so give her some time to get a Bentley and hang out with Donald Trump.
The main thing to me is not to have so many toys but to have financial security (not have to worry about the lack of money). I post pictures of my dream houses and cars all the time but that isn't really important. What is important is getting your time and freedom back and feeling secure (financially) about your future.
Nothing wrong with shopping at Walmart either. They have everything you need for the house at great prices. Except now she's a celebrity and will get alot of attention.
maybe someone needs to tell her walmart will bring anything you need right to you front door just 1 click away and then she won't be wasting her gas going there
Gloria, say good bye to your privacy
Everybody knows where you shop
Too low on ammo these days. (DHS is buying billions of rounds) I go to a mom and pop factory here.
I'm betting the daughter gives her a beat down.
Too funny Ronnie!!!!!
People complain about what the NSA knows about us and keep secret but don't seem to mind what others know and are willing to make public for no apparent reasons.
Does this mean she will stay living in her tin shed, at her attorneys request?
Ex wife certainly has a big mouth. Feel sorry for them having to hide from the threats.
I enjoyed reading the story too, but I'd have enjoyed it just as much without real names attached. Sure hope the threats are just harmless lunatics and that these people stay safe.
Some people who live in tin sheds already have millions, so why change just because they won a jackpot?
Thanks. I think the daughter is more realistic than Mindy is.
It says Gloria has 4 kids, and one is a daughter called Mindy! Maybe there's hope yet for the *real* Mindy getting some scraps.
Still, situation looks good so far, not going hog wild, keeping it real. Hopefully it stays that way.
I was thinking the same thing. There was no need for her to give out such personal information.
Maybe a little revenge for dropping her for a GUY!
Nice to see you posting again Scary.
Agree HLK, she was telling all his business. He may not give her anthing now.
Gloria has for adult children, three grandkids, and two great-grandkids too. She will most likely be sharing the wealth with them too. It's like the whole family won the jackpot.
Maybe if Gloria continues to live modestly, she can avoid the lottery curse (bankruptcy, tragedy, etc.) Then again, with so much cash, she can live it up a little and still be filthy rich. Money doesn't have to change her.
Money can change her lifestyle and surroundings, but she can stay grounded and down to earth. I hope she spends wisely. Good Luck Gloria!
He could at least open the door for his mom so much for chivalry.
lol i bet so too, its a good thing she is so old, that makes it much more easier to stay out the spot light because if she was young she would be caught in night clubs, professional sporting events etc and the paparazzi would harras her.
If I ever won the jackpot, I could still see myself shopping at Walmart. Many of the things they sell are the same quality at some other stores but lower cost. A two liter Pepsi for example, is usually 60 to 40 cents cheaper there than anywhere else in my area. Why would I pay the extra 60 cents for the same exact thing? That is just one example, I don't have the time to list more.
These folks are just plain ole folks! They Don't need anything fancy, new cars, nice homes and such. Looks like they are very comfortable with the way they are living. I do think they need to get serious about obtaining some body guards to protect them all. There are really some crazy people out here in this world that will do anything to get their hands on that much money. They need to be very careful how they move about the town, someone could easily grab her or her son to hold for ransom. I hope nothing happens to any of them, but you can never let your Guard down for one minute....Hope they will be ok!!. Just wished I could win 1 million!! No numbers last night matching. Will wait for Saturday. Y'all have a good day!!!!!! Good Luck too!!
She is going to live better just that she has to be very carefull how she transitions from living poor to living rich . She is so use to living poor so living rich instantly could cause her a heart attack so she really needs to transition really slowly like pouring a hot water in a glass if you pour too fast the glass will crack. I remember the first time i went to a new york city restaurant and l was so furrious with my brother for ordering a larg plate of onion rings . l said you crazy you wasting food we don't need all off this stuff. Six months later am use to the drill and am ordering even salad extra while my t-bone steak is still on grill lol . So she is doing fine going on her own time table so congrats to her and i wish people stop bothering her privacy she is not britney spears.
On the other hand she is not your typical old lady as she was able to cut people off in line to buy her winning ticket so she could transition quicker than i thought . she could be a speedy gonzalas lol so don't mess with her . My advice for her now is to buy a walking james bond cane with a taser attached at the end for defense lol.
Maybe the article is wrong, and the money hasn't yet transferred INTO this massive Powerball Lottery jackpot winner's checking account yet.
Perhaps after the money is available for spending, she will be spending it, lavishly, on more than the newly purchased house that she already spent big earnest money towards.
Old habits die hard.
And can someone tell me what's wrong with a lottery winner shopping at Walmart?
Beside the fact that most are god forsaken filty stores with typically lower class citizens roaming around to save a buck buying cheap Chinese crap, nothing is wrong with it. Sorry I sugarcoated it.
He already has his half of the money. No reason to worry about her now unless he really cares. I'd imagine she was fine on her own before, plus it sounds like neither really had the resources for a home big enough for him and him and her. Now she's getting older and they have plenty to buy a home with plenty of room for her to have her own kitchen or whatever she wants so they can each have their privacy.
Sounds like you're describing the one closest to me,
I always leave empty handed and disappointed.
I know people that live in the town where it's located and they tell me they don't go there,
they go to another one that's 25 miles away.
I guess there not all bad, but if I don't like that one, why would I expect the further one to be better.
I hope this jackpot winner spends her money wisely down the road.
moma boy
I'm sure by now you have your answer,but i'm more curious of why so much emphasis on the sexual orientation and who's living with who, lottery winners who carefully follow their attorny advided are usually safe and also watch what they say. These guys came out too quick.Now as for the lady who rudely got cut in line you deserve half of the winnings if not , hopefully it won't be a curse for the winner. The money helps, but passing a test is more significant.Its a test from the universe
I had the same experience after I decided to go to one several years ago some distance away to see if I was missing anything. It was very dirty and it was in a prime shopping area way out in Northern VA (Ikea is out there, etc). Now I love Target. Good design, etc.
Nothing!! I'd still shop there if I won.
Sorry everybody's Wal-Mart is filthy, the one in my area is
a clean and neat supercenter with fresh produce and staff that
very helpful.
She's living it up a little bit, the article stated she moved into a luxury hotel and
will stay there until her house is ready.
Not just a lottery winner but anybody.
They send all of that money to China which helps sustain their brutal totalitarian government, forced labor and slave wages.
I agree!
Great comment, by the way!
when you wish upon a star
makes no difference who you are.....
Gloria Mackenzie, you've just won Powerball, what are you going to do next?
Gloria Mackenzie: I'm going to Wally World!
I have seen a video of Warren Buffett shopping at Walmart. I even saw a video of Bill Gates eating in a fast food restaurant while being interviewed. So, it's not that unusual.
Same here.
So, millionaire sonny boy is a bone-smoker. How nice. I wonder how much kizzock he can sizzuck with 100 mil. Grandma will be dead soon. Why do either a rich person or an old person or a rich, old person always win the big ones? Quick pick, though, I think the computers are hooked into the future.
As far as privacy , she needs to live in a GATED COMMUNITY .
Did they change there cellphone number or landline ?
Even after winning the money they need to keep quiet / lay low
Don't be telling the ex wife anything ......
It takes so long to win ...by that time.....you're OLDER ......
YOU'RE EXACTLY RIGHT ..AGREE ........I KNOW i would visit the same ole stores .....the money will not change , all of me .
I have plenty of family , friends , charities to help ......it would be a full time job ....I bet the lawyer told her not to spend
alot of money at first .....she has many TRUST FUNDS , no doubt ...and it takes months to get everything in order .
One of the Lottery winner who doesn't live to far , he won over $100 million and several months later he's still getting
his finances taken care of ....
The walmart in my area , it's clean , right now they're adding on to it , for a Super Walmart and across the street ,
they're building a new Sam's Club . There's to much competition with these stores, for lower prices ...
100s of calls to xwife from over decade ago
media following the winners around , taking account of where they shop, and eat
and ofc 1000s of calls and requests to the winners, some threating ofc.
who could of NOT guested this would happen to largest single lottery winner in history
its not like they could of not gone public
i know for a fact florida lottery allows corporations to claim, as corporations have claimed in past!
but these folks wanted to listin to 99% who said u have to be public,so they get what they deserve. and not thinking outside the box
all u have to do is have the corporation claim it in that state, , then be owned by a trust, trust is easyest option/key here to avoid gift tax etc, and then have other trust within a trust,
have some fake middle man, like money managers/lawyers in first trust, pass them off to lottery as real winners,and be anonymously in a none anonymously lottery state
and lottery would never know who real winners are!
i flat out i hope with 100s of millions these folks have in cash
they will hire/ pay for full time off duty cops body guards or whatever
i know jack got that in to so much issues atfer hes big 300m win, he hired off duty cops
ofc body guards don't protect u form self harm, what hes life was full of................
the fact is , media/beggers/whoever a ahole that likes wasteing lottery winners time
is now trying to get into there personal business
i would at lest have body guards around me first few months, to majority stop trying if i somehow was found out.
but for these poor folks, just like seen of TLC show big winners, they always have people calling/writing for help for years to come. etc,
am just glad they didn't say we plan to help people out, or even more beggers would of came out of woods to try.
never promise a penny to anyone, always say no,and if someone asks for money, they become dead 2 u, u never want 2 talk 2 them again "these who not part nuclear family ofc , as family always gets to asked without being disowned for it rofl."
and slowly u start to only have good people around u.
the fact she a greatgrand mom is something, i even have a grantgrand mom, they do tend 2 be in the 80s/90 range
Yea, they say they'll start carrying more U.S. made, but hav'nt done much more than that,
maybe just an ad campaign ?
Someone following them ......taking pictures (above ) .....
Yeah, it's all talk.
Too bad Sam ain't around anymore.
I think he'd have done it if he saw China was becoming a belligerent Super Power with our money.
Old habits are hard to break, and when you're 84, I'd suspect they would be even harder.
This woman has probably lived a simple life for so long that she probably doesn't know any other way.
She probably feels comfortable in familiar surroundings. I can't speak for her, but I have relatives in their 80s and I could see them doing the same thing. Heck, I'd probably still shop at these stores too, I'd just buy more stuff, lol.
does walmart give senior discount maybe that's why she shops there
Bwhahahahaaaaaaaaa....GOOD ONE!! LOL
I despise Walmart. Seems like there were 200 crying kids in the store the 2 times I stepped foot in there and everyone was rude and had no manners.
I agree Cin.
There is no need for this woman to go to Tiffany's or Rodeo Drive to buy toilet paper, deodorant, soap and soup. You get those things at the grocery store or Walmart, Target, Kmart, Sam's Club, Costco etc.....
I think some people are being unrealistic.
I work at a tennis club and some customers there are millionaires and they go to the supermarket just like the rest of us.
Go figure!!
Even Arnold Swarzenegger and Britney Spears shop at Walmart. It only makes sense and nothing to be ashamed of.
Was that his bodyguard behind him?
I agree with you. I want her to be safe too and enjoy her money.
What a nightmare! Let the lady eat in peace. I certainly wouldn't want someone following me around in my 1995 Saturn and reporting that I had Weinerschniztel hot dogs for lunch then stopped at AM/PM for gas. Pathetic. Alright already. We know who won....I don't need to know when she stops at the drugstore to pick up some aspirin....now let's get back to business.
I second that... I hope this works out for them... we all dream about winning the big one and most have a strong desire to claim the winning anonymously and yet all can't... especially when its this BIG... getting threats, random photos of you posted on the web while minding your own business... and folks that know little to nothing about you publicly criticizing every move you make... sounds like fun eh?
And yet I still click the link to read the story and feed the machine that erodes these folks privacy- how ironic?
Walmart huh?
I haven't won any major jackpot prize and I still don't shop at Walmart. Why waste your hard earned money on products of bad quality much less waste a giant winfall of money on bad quality products?
...maybe it is just the Walmarts here.
I get Wrangler jeans at Walmart, and I have a real hard time wearin them out. They REAl Tuff.
I didn't know they still made Wrangler
the Wrangler plant in Oklahoma closed a few years back.
They are still real tuff jeans, even if the chineese are makin them now.
Reminds me of Levis 501 I use to wear in the early 80's. those were some tuff jeans.
They must be giving a Pulitzer Prize for her story. I know everything about this lady and never met her.
maybe she get her aspirin over at walmart cheaper
I agree, people need to put more value on their privacy, and it's so good to see you back, you've been missed.
Found it rather ODD(way too much info) about the son's late blooming, bone-smoking hijinx. Next thing you know, they will be telling us that, the boyfriend is a vegetarian but likes his bone. Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much info, and not relevant to the issue at hand.
Thank you, Sully. It's nice to see you as well :)
Thanks, rcbbuckey. How have you been?
hmmm , i wonder if they're going to buy some more tickets on thwe next jackpot. keep with tradition old lady, and spend $2 again
Uugghhhh....the Great Wall-mart. I'm no jackpot winner either, and I already avoid that place.
Luckily where I live now, there are no Walmarts, but we have Targets, which are much better.
Actually, I heard from someone that the Walmarts in China are actually nice and kinda upscale stores compared to the warehouse dumps many of ours are in various places.
Maybe the Lottery should put Warning Lables on the Lottery tickets.
Warning Excessive exposure from the Media may cause aggressive behavior!
It excites me the most when average humans, with no significant joys and assets, win a huge net lottery jackpot payout $$$!
I wonder if they've tried the Food,
at the Luxury Hotel yet?
Probably several times a day via their restaurant(s) and personal suite/room dining service.
Wealth is an acquired taste, I tried the food and loved it. The wif (at the time) hated it.
I do like Walmart and shop there, but I must admit that I don't like being watched by security.
Personally, I enjoy scrutinizing her every cheap move.
That's why I switched to Sam's Club.
This ex-wife is why you don't tell anyone your business. It's bad enough for you to deal with the threats (inevitable, they happen to all winners) and the media hounding you, but to have "family" rat you out to get attention, you need to keep your mouth completely shut when you win a JP.
She's another Mindy, looking for her own 15 minutes of fame, saying "I'm okay if they don't give me anything" all the while expecting something. After she outs her ex-husband, she NAMES his partner she THEN says it's not her place to say anything about their relationship, call him the roommate. WHAT?????????????? Why didn't she call him the roommate to begin with??
Now we know which city they will be settling in, so that won't take long for the media ferret out either. I hope they're smart enough to be sure to live in a gated community.
omg!
why would security be watching you
If she isn't going to enjoy the money, she might as well have played Bingo. It's her money, and she is and can do with it what she wishes of course, it it just seems odd to have won that kind of money yet not enjoy it. Why did she play the game in the first place? It almost seems like an enormous waste.
Yes, because we're going to take legal and tax advice from a guy with no legal training, no accounting training, no training in anything at all, but who sent me a private message telling me we are to listen to him because he knows all about the law and we shouldn't allow these people to "Peach our freedoms" and who thinks he can establish a business partnership in which the fake business partner claims the money and then transfers it to you and that will bypass the gift tax laws and you get to keep your anonymity.
Right, because the IRS is going to believe you have a real business in which all the business does is have one person transfer money to another person. That'll work. But rest easy, when it doesn't we can go to court and argue that they are "peaching our rights". Joshua Cloak told me to do it on LP and it must be true because he has no training, but he said it cannot fail.
You know what? I was thinking the same exact thing. It bugs me when people play a game with a massive payout and then continue doing the exact same things I always do. Isn't the point of winning the lottery to be able to do things you couldn't normally do?
But then it dawned on me that we have no idea what she's ordering from on online stores and luxury catalogs while she's holed up in her luxury hotel. Let's face it, it's not like she checked herself into a Days Inn or Extended Stay. Ex-daughter-in-law says luxury hotel. That's a tip off that perhaps she's not that averse to spending as we may believe.
It also dawned on me that no matter how much I win, I'd still be seen at McD's buying their strawberry banana smoothie (I am utterly addicted) or at Outback Steakhouse getting their rack of lamb dinner with garlic mash pototes (also additcted). If you have a place that makes something you love, no matter how cheap it is, why give that up?
I hear ya Teddy. You're right. Also, maybe she isn't spending the money like we would, because the media attention is on her. The old saying goes, when people know you have money or things, they want them also. She could be waiting for the media attention to move away from her so that she can get spending in peace (like that's going to happen,lol). As for still going to McDonalds, hell I can't give up my wild berry smoothie either. Even if I had won that money, I wouldn't be caught dead eating in some fancy, stuffy resturant where they feed portions as small as what a bird can eat.lol I'd probably still be eating a Golden Corral and my favorite Chinese Buffet places. The only difference is that I would be riding up in my fully decked out 2014 Range Rover.
People have no idea how big Walmart really is. I was stunned to find out their revenues are about 10 times that of Amazon. Shocking. But they also nickel and dime their vendors but you make it up in sheer volume.
They really do have the most amazing smoothies. Until they stop making them I'll never stop buying them no matter how rich I get.
I'm not giving up Outback or Cheesecake Factory no matter how much is in my bank account. But I still don't mind dropping a pretty penny at the fancy restaurants whenever I can. It's one of the things I'd want to do more of. I'd go to NY, see a few Broadway shows and eat at every top notch restaurant I can. I have got to get to Marcus Samuelsson's place in Harlem. I've watched that guy on every cooking show and I am dying to taste his food. That and Tom Coliccio's steakhouse. The foodie in me demands if I ever have money, I'll be making that trip. They can roll me back home I'll be so fat.
As for the car, I had wondered about that. I figured one of them would have bought a new car by now. Or rented one or taken a cab, if for no other reason to maybe avoid the media. But chances are they would have been followed no matter what they arrived in or maybe he isn't planning on driving any new vehicle until their new place is ready so that they don't get followed there.
I watched a documentary called the Queen of Versailles and it looked really pretentious for that woman to pull up to McDonald's in her stretch limo. So idk, maybe, whatever the reason, it was better for them to be tooling around in the same old car. Shopping at Walmart while driving a $100k automobile would have had the tongues wagging more than they are already.
No one can deny the might of Walmart, how they affect the economy is truly mindblowing. There's a reason their business model is studied in MBA programs.
But it's really interesting that their sales have plateaued for the past many months, and their excuses are ridiculous considering that their competitors, like Costco and Amazon sales have jumped.
They're okay only breaking even or even taking a loss on key item things like gas, prescription meds, even groceries just to get you in the stores and shopping, but turn a profit almost entirely from memberships. Ditto with Amazon and their Prime memberships
I can see why Walmart sales have slumped, because now you have stores selling MUCH better quality items with greater variety for less or the same as Walmart. It'll be interesting to see what will happen in the next few years, if Walmart can't dig themselves out of this slump and compete in this new playing field.
It'd be a shame to end up like Blockbuster. First a trailblazer then a dinosaur.
It takes time to adjust when you become a millionaire . If she was spending large or small ,
no matter what , everyone will complain . That's why they say , take one day at a time .
This way she could make that money last forever . Not 3 - 7 years later ...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know if I won , I will not change suddenly again it all takes time and I'm not going to tell
family all my moment moves . Several PB and MM won in my area , and you don't hear
much about them and they won mulit million $$$$$$$$$$$ . One winner won last Nov 2012
I don't hear anything about him and he won over $100 million , he did give a new conference .
You've huge responsiblity and make it last ........
There's a new Super Walmart and Sam's Club being built across the street from each other .
It's going to hurt the other grocery stores .....In total (soon ) there will be 7 stores in
competition with each other the 5 stores are doing this right now .
The prices are reasonable and affordable . Winner the lottery again will not change me to much.
I will help family , friends and local organizations .......that will be plenty ......
As far as a vehicle and moving , yes that will be done in due time . I won't tell anyone i'll do like
the neighbor did , Vanlines drove up and took everything in one day ....
"the less anyone knows anything , better off I will be "
We have a walmart here in mcminnville and I use the pharmacy their to get my medication and it is the cheapest place to get my medicine. So I would continue to buy my medicine their even after I win the lotto because I like a good bargain like any one else.-weshar75
She better live it up while she can
"Let's face it, it's not like she checked herself into a Days Inn or Extended Stay. Ex-daughter-in-law says luxury hotel."
Her son was carrying left-overs so maybe to them, Days Inn is a luxury hotel.
Come on, Stack. Can anyone really consider Days Inn a luxury hotel? Maybe Scott's roommate was taking the leftovers for the dog. Or maybe she just really liked that meal and wanted to make sure she had some for later.
I'd really hate to know anyone is going through life thinking Days Inn is a luxury hotel. That would be too cruel.
To some people any place where someone else cleans the room and change the sheets is luxurious, at least it is to me.
I usually take home left-overs for my dog too. The big difference is, I don't have $200 million in my bank account. Nothing wrong with shopping at Wal Mart or driving a used Ford Escort, but they just won largest cash jackpot in history. What's the point of playing if you have no intentions of spending the winnings?
Big mouth EX exposed some of the skeletons in their closet. Talking about sonny boy being a bone-smoker, and granny being a cheap as* mom in-law. Amazingly she still expects them to give her some money, but claims its ok too if they don't[HOGWASH]. Newsflash-he left you for a bone-smoker. Hint, hint, you must be a lousy 4K. H*ll hath no fury than a woman scorned!.
You'll not get any argument from me about that. As I said in another post, I would have to live it up for the first few weeks at least once the money hits, otherwise I would stay awake at night worrying I might die tomorrow and never done anything truly unbelievable with at least some of that money.
I've never left a restaurant I like without a doggie bag. I'm a slow eater and I get full quickly. So it's inevitable.
But we don't even know if it was really a doggy bag or if they ordered an additional meal to take home. Either way, If I hadn't finished, and it's a meal I love, I'm taking it home. Especially knowing the media might be following me if I try to come back and order more at another time.
Considering how the media loves to portray lottery winners in a certain light, I'd rather look frugal than gluttonous.
this is why we have freedom, and not communism,. sure the gov takes nearly half, nd tells you how they're going to spend YOUR money. but anyhow, it is their money, let em enjoy it how they see fit. after all they are still prob waiting on the cash.
personally a budget of 5x my yearly income would prob do for me for the 1st year. then double it ea year untill i notice im spnding money on stupid stuff, then ease back.
Good for her
The Gov taking near half is a rip-off. This country was started with the idea that would never happen again.
This country was never started on that. They came here first for religious freedom.
After, it was about no taxation without representation. It was never about no taxation period.
So they came to form a Christian Nation on Christian principles? Sounds good to me.
In which case taxes would never have been an issue.
Interesting.
In what way?
Interesting that taxes would never have been an issue.
Perhaps you would like to read about "the rise of the modern income tax"?
http://www.taxhistory.org/www/website.nsf/Web/THM1901?OpenDocument
Churches always quote the "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's" passage when congregants complain about taxes. That and about Jesus how befriended Zacchaeus who as a taxman was reviled by all. Apart from telling Zacchaeus to be honest in his collections, he had no problem with Zacchaeus' job.
I've never heard any minister, pastor or priest argue against paying taxes. Could be because they need our taxes to remain tax exempt, or if you argue against one, you'd have to argue against tithes as well.
Not really sure what the reasoning is, only that it's never an issue for them.
All I know is 38% tax wasn't enough, so they put us $14 trillion in debt. So now I'm wonder what's next?
I guess I'm not seeing what one has to do with the other. Income tax predates Jesus and Jesus never had a problem with income tax collection. Which is probably why the church doesn't argue it either.
The Boston tea party didn't occur because people didn't want to pay taxes (though this wasn't income but more about importation taxes), it happened because they felt if they had to pay taxes they were owed representation. If they were going to pay for government to run, they needed a voice in how government ran.
Our history, American or Christian, has never been based upon paying no taxes. The evidence is strongly to the contrary.
All I said was that paying nearly half is a rip-off, and it is. How could it be interpreted any other way?
Have a great Fathers Day everyone. Enjoy the BBQs and Ball Games and whatever else you do today.
Well, THAT's the trillion dollar question. What's next?
40% on $1M seems fair until you're the one having to pay that 40%. Doesn't seem all that fair then. Overtaxing the middle class is is like shooting yourself in the foot and taxing the lower class is moot. Though the weight of the country cannot be carried upon the backs of a few. But no one wants what they feel strongly about to get cut. No one wants to make the hard decisions. So the impasse continues.
Have a happy father's day.
We were she told split the winnings with her son and he's not 84. He could blow a million a year and never live long enough to spend it all.
Their lifestyle before they won was probably very frugal. Do you think their financial advisers have them on strict budget?
Possibly. But all the interviews I've seen with financial advisors of lottery winners, they say they give them a certain amount of the winnings and tell them to go crazy with it, because after that they'll be on a budget. But that way they get it out of their systems. I don't know if her age is a factor. In Florida, you see a LOT of seniors, and they're pretty set in their ways. Even the ones with money go for their early bird specials and clip coupons. And they're worth millions.
Still, the whole thing is kinda odd. They didn't win $20M. They took home over $223M. How much of a strict budget could they be on? If they lived on the interest alone they'd still be living a life few can even imagine. And it's not as if she has a whole lot of time left to enjoy.
But all the interviews I've seen with financial advisors of lottery winners, they say they give them a certain amount of the winnings and tell them to go crazy with it, because after that they'll be on a budget.
Does it mean that you are surrendering control of your money to your financial adviser or whoever you hire? That's scary. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that at all.
Ditto!
Sounds like your living the lie......... We don't need big Gov to manage every aspect of our lives.
High taxes are nothing more than a symptom of the bigger problem which is a bloated and over regulatory Gov. The federal Gov has ONE PRIMARY responsibility which is national security. Take a look at this chart and notice that in the past 50 years our number of uniformed military personnel has been cut in half while the number of federal workers in the legislative and judicial branches has doubled. http://www.opm.gov/pol
*sigh* I have no idea what you're talking about or where it's coming. But what I do know is that the same people who are so strongly small government are the same ones who want government to get involved and regulate things they are against. They always seem to never want their individual rights infringed on unless it comes to a woman's body or gay marriage. Can't think of anything more individually personal than those...but then big government is okay. No, it's not. They can't have it both ways. So I'm not going to be drawn into the ludicrous rhetoric.
Bottom line: Income taxes have been around for thousands of years, no one's ever liked them. America will never get around them. They are a necessary evil. They are MUCH too high now. Those are the facts and that's my opinion. The End.
I don't think I even implied that, nor should ANYONE do that. All you need to do is watch a couple episodes of American Greed to see how the wrong financial advisor can wipe you out. Even seemingly honest people turn corrupt when large sums of money are involved.
And unless they give their CFA power of attorney they can still do whatever they want with their own money. The operative term is ADVISOR. Nowhere in the title does it say controller.
Someone asked: do you think they aren't spending because they're on a strict budget; my reply was: even those on strict budgets are usually told to go crazy first, so her actions are weird to me no matter what.
I also asked: how strict of a budget could she be on anyway, considering the size of her winnings. Interest payments alone are insane and she doesn't have much time left to do that much damage to the principal. If you read everything in context you should see clearly I made no allusion to anyone giving up control of their money.
Teddi,
Are you saying that someone recommends lottery winners go on a “crazy” spending spree after receiving the payout? If so, who is this person, and what is the purpose?
If my adviser recommended a spending spree to me, I’d find a new adviser. Spending sprees are counter to financial discipline. Sprees feed impulses and serve as psychological rewards that tend to foster more bad financial behaviors where people end up buying things with artificial appeal rather than appreciable value. It’s a cycle that feeds on itself, and before they know it, people who aren’t familiar with having or managing large sums of money wind up broke. According to research by the National Endowment for Financial Education in Denver CO, these are some of the key reasons why approx. 70% of lottery winners go broke within 5 years.
Also, if a lottery winner has lived a majority of their life with being frugal or having little money to live on then financial discipline is likely well engrained in their head, especially the older generation like Ms. Gloria. I bet if you sat down to have a conversation with her, you'd discover this analysis is accurate. My grandparents were the same way and they were from the same era as Ms. Gloria.
Telltale clues from the article suggests she had very limited resources because after her husband died she was forced to move out of a trailer where she had called home for 25 years. Then she bought a rundown bungalow for $30,000, so she had very limited means. Remember, people her age draw on life experiences from challenging periods of economic troughs and wartime when money was tight, the future was uncertain, and things were scarce. Back then people saved every penny they could; they weren’t high consumption individuals. I suspect that’s how she has long been accustomed to living. It was a very different culture back then compared to younger generations who tend to be credit dependent and driven by material possessions and expensive items.
As for her budget in relation to the amount of her winnings and interest income, it’s irrelevant. It seems that you believe her financial goals and plans are to spend it, yet we don’t know that. She may have decided to tie up a substantial portion of the money in accounts that will benefit her survivors after she passes. At Ms. Gloria’s age, she probably doesn’t have a lot of big and or expensive needs or the propensity to spend money.
Anyway, food for thought from a different perspective.
Wow. Ella is all self-centric, scorned and reckless. By now Scott knows she can’t be trusted with anything. No dobut she's envious, which is fitting punishment. Had she kept quiet, she might have had better odds to potentially reap some benefit from Scott’s windfall. But after what she’s done, if I were him, I’d be really motivated to swiftly deal with her. I trust he has the backbone to do it; and if he doesn't, delegate it to legal counsel and let them show her who is boss.
If Scott has child support responsibilities, I’d think about modifying these arrangements so the funds go into a trust account that he or counsel manages, rather than pay her through child services and the court. Otherwise, Ella very much comes across as being selfish browbeater who runs roughshod over people and being afflicted with entitlement syndrome. It raises the question about whether she’d exploit or disadvantage any kids from their marriage by using child support to primarily benefit herself rather than the child(ren).
If Scott sticks to his guns and plays his cards right, Ella’s life could become very difficult. That’s some audacity she had to refuse to talk to reporters about her relationship with Scott, but then she didn't hesitate to toss him under the bus by revealing private details about life. She’s a douche.
Wow, wouldn't it be great if people actually read my posts instead of taking apparently EVERYTHING out of context. Or at least look into claims that I make instead of jumping to conclusions?
I already know the statistics on lottery winners. I already had an argument with someone here which lasted for days, who was convinced that the statistics on that were wrong or I was making it up.
Most people who get a windfall go crazy. Whether sooner or later, it matters lot. At some point it hits them the amount of money they've come into and they generally go hogwild, squander it all and then end up WORSE (not even the same, but worse) than they were BEFORE winning a large amount. Hell, even people who get a generous tax return go crazy.
Financial advisors ADVISE that people who win the lottery take a small percentage of that payout amount and spend it on anything they want. As long as the thing(s) they want is covered by the amount assigned to that "craziness" then they are free to spend that money on it. They've apparently found that the winners who do that and who come up with a budget and safe investments for the rest, do better off than those who do not.
Apparently, getting the need to spend money on frivolous things they could never afford before out of their system, curbs the feeling to overspend later on.
I don't need a lecture. What you need to do before jumping down my throat is to perhaps read and try to comprehend my point, get what I'm saying and why I'm saying it before assuming I don't have my facts in order.
Perhaps you could pay me the same courtesy you want me to pay to Gloria. See where a person is coming from and what, if any, are the merits to their argument.
I've lived in South Florida for enough years to see very wealthy senior citizens who have a very frugal mindset. Gloria's reaction doesn't surprise me. Her son's does, but not hers. I've seen one too many seniors worth millions clipping coupons and refusing to eat unless it's the early bird special and who refuse to leave uneaten food in a restaurant. Rich seniors who won't shop anywhere but Walmart or maybe a department store but only when they're having a sale. I get it. I get their history and I get why recession or not, they're doing just fine.
However, frugal or not, Gloria is not just a wealthy woman, she doesn't have many days left. So I would like to see her have some luxury or some frivolous enjoyment before she pushes up the daisies. As I ALSO said, she could go hogwild for a few years just on interest alone without ever touching the principal. Her estate would still be financially safe no matter what.
This isn't someone who has 40 good years left. I'd be surprised if she has 5, though she looks very good for her age. She could treat herself, live it up, and still leave more than a hundred million to her heirs without a problem. She's had a hard life, especially recently, I'd like to see her have some easy time now. Is there something wrong with that?
You couldn't of said that any clearer ......I know I would want to be on
a monthly budget . To make the money work not to see how much
money you can spend, but make it last . For Generations . I have read
and watch negitive stories ,but there are many positive stories out there.
People wants to read / hear more negitive stories . Many lottery winners
who won $$$$$$ , to this day they're pretty much living "comfort life " .
I remember eldery lady and her spouse won in New Mexico and they pretty
much didn't live any different . Brought a home and clip coupons .
Look at Brad Duke 2003 , he invested his money and hired his family and
they're doing just fine . Few years ago , Mother , Dad , Daughter and
son in law who won and they brought land and had a house built and living
comfortable . We've to remember the good stories too . I know another story
several years ago , couple from Missouri who lives on a farm , they just lived
the same too , end up going to South Dakota gambled and end up winning
large sum of money. They still live in the same house before the winning .
We know this family from Missouri , driving the same ole car , but there money
invested for there adult kids and grandkids ...
There's 2 negitive stories stick in my mind , and you know one of them ...
Jack Whitaker in West Virginia , my opionion , he screwed up , and now he's unhappy .
Should never of taken $600,000 in cash to a strip club......no common sense ...
The other story the man in florida who won $40 million dollars , brought all kinds of
statues and junk , lost his money and home , end up in jail .
Everyone has different idea what to do with there money . One thing I know i will never
spend my money on is junk , like statues .
Teddi,
Gloria could surprise you and live till she's 100 years old . Granny who lives with us , she's 97 years
old and she out lived her sisters / brothers .
Gloria will do fine , keep eating her vegetable and fruits .
I agree with you ...she needs to live it up alittle at least . I have no clue exactly what she will
recieve but she has enough. One thing I keep thinking about taxes , I read with this large
amount , it wouldn't be a surprise to pay out $10 million or more , to pay the taxes 2013.
Glad they've a Tax lawyer , financial advisor and CPA. That's the first thing you need
to hire and you need a solid plan and not tell the world your business . Keep the mouth shut.
I figure when I win , my family will found out when I'm on the news .
Let's also not forget that when she was spotted doing Walmart and eating Crazy Egg cafe, it hadn't even been two weeks. The check probably wasn't even received or deposited in her bank yet. Takes a few weeks for security checks and consolidating money from al the states, etc. I'd be conservative too until I actually saw the money in the bank. Even then, you are still hugely vulnerable until you can diversify.
Not sure why you’re being so sensitive because no one was giving you a lecture Teddi. Gesh. You’ve gotten bent out of shape over an innocuous viewpoint that's different. Like my post said, it was food for thought. Take it or leave for what it was, rather than twist it into something it wasn’t. There’s nothing disrespectful or lecturing about expressing one’s views. Crikey.
My point is that there seems to be a preconceived notion that lottery winners are supposed to follow some sort of canned list that tells them how to act, where they can be seen, what they should spend and when to spend it, etc. which is goofy. Also, it seems that statements made are critical of her because she isn’t doing what you would like her to do.
Two weeks have barely lapsed since she claimed the jackpot and it seems you are barking already, yet none of us knows if she’s received the payout, or what her financial goals and plans might be, or even what her needs, desires and habits are.
I find it disjointed and unjust that she’s been judged based on cosmetic info with the belief that her time is very short and about one article that reveals she was caught shopping at Walmart and eating at casual fare restaurant – and apparently there’s some sort of travesty in that, but I don’t see it, and it seems other people don’t either.
I also disagree with the overly broad statement that financial advisers advise winners to go on a spending spree. I haven’t seen any voluminous lists or know of an association or society of advisers who give this advice. Heck, I haven’t seen a single adviser with that position, which is why I asked you to cite your sources and offer some reasoning behind the logic. Their logic could be intriguing to others in this forum and serve to generate some thought-provoking dialogue.
Welcome, Frostednostrals, LOL cool name,
regarding your last paragraph,
could'nt agree more about the spending spree idea, seems to me that's the start of a bad habit.
I mean, how in the world would exercising something in your system, get it out of your system ?
exercising something will just make it stronger.
Greetings haymaker. Thanks for the welcome.
Not sure of the logic behind that sort of advice. No doubt spending sprees are defined differently by folks. Some may buy real estate, watercraft, expensive autos, designer clothes and jewelry, art, or just stuff and other junk while other people may utilize the spree to pay off debt, address health issues, or set asides for college funds, vacation, etc.
Like most things in life and economics, it boils down to individual context and preferences, but I do agree that it's bad when spending sprees involve buying lots of material things to satisfy the urge to spend, rather than being disciplined and using the funds constructively.
In the traditional sense, it’s interesting that spending sprees to some people are like candy for their brains… they can’t get enough of them and they usually keep feeding their habit. And eventually they end up with a lot of manure, expenses, an empty bank account, and wondering how they got there.
LOL. I don't think it's senstive to state a fact that I do not require a lecture from you on the statistics of what happens to lottery winners without any impulse control. Whoever doesn't know the statistics by now must have their heads stuck in the sand. I've never liked sand.
Anyone who has watched any news story or read any article on the lottery should be able to come to the conclusion that at the very least, there appears to a great number of winners who lose vast sums of money so at least some research should be done on ways to avoid that.
Seems you're drawing some kind of conclusion (I certainly haven't reached) based on a part of a response to a specific question. It doesn't work like that. So I do wish you'd cut it out.
Who exactly is judging her for shopping at Walmart? We've had loads of posts on this topic and I've never faulted her for shopping at a discount store. I've already said I don't care if I'm a multimillionaire, you'd still see me in a McD's drivethrough getting my strawberry banana smoothie. I may not be seen at Walmart, but that's simply because I find Costco and Amazon more convenient and MUCH more economical. I've stated that unequivocally before, so I'd appreciate it if you don't try to put words in my mouth.
In an episode of The Golden Girls, Dorothy found out Sophia had been hoarding up loads of money, and Dorothy was pissed, saying all these years she's been doing without so that Sophia could get a new pair of shoes or eyeglasses. Sophia said she was saving them for her old age. Dorothy said: what old age? You don't leave fingerprints any more.
People who have lived through economically hard times (such as say the Great Depression) are inclined to be a lot more frugal than those who haven't. Couple that with age in which habits have been entrenched for decades and I don't expect to see Gloria suddenly wearing fur coats and eating caviar. Especially in so short a space of time. I said I expected her son to go crazy with it at some point, but not her. Though I would like to see her live it up a bit considering she's had a hard life and doesn't have much time left.
What can possibly be there in that statement to be misconstrued?
Don't take a phrase out of context, twist it and then say "this is what YOU think". Especially when all my previous posts would quite effectively rebutt that belief.
I really don't think she needs to be "saving" money. Nor do I see the need for attorneys and planners.
This looks like a lecture to me..... And your right, I didn't even bother reading it.
People who cannot budget are the people who end up with nothing. It doesn't matter how much money they make or get or even how smart they are.
Read up on a guy named Halsey Minor. I don't even think anyone can deny that this guy has brains, and yet, he is filing for bankruptcy only 5 years after earning $200 million.
I've seen doctors who make over $200k a year, living from paycheck to paycheck; I've seen ARNPs who make a fraction of that but who have a large nest egg, a large 401K, a vacation home, who can pay all their bills, put aside some for savings and retirement, and still have money for some frivolity. It's neither the smarts of a person nor the amount of money involved that factors in. It's all about their psychological make up and impulse control.
Of course that comes with a caveat of someone like David Lee Edwards, whom you mentioned. His problem had more to do with his addiction than anything else. He was an addict who married an addict. Who didn't guess that disaster was imminent? Addict + millions = uh oh. Whether you're addicted to precription drugs, illegal drugs, alcohol, gambling, sex...the minute you have access to somewhat unlimited funds and no good support system, it's a disaster in the making. When your main support system is another addict, it's a Hindenburg-esque tragedy waiting to happen. Unless his bills were directly paid and a urine test was require to receive any large sums of money, this was always going to happen. When Whitaker was giving his drug-addicted granddaughter $2k a week allowance with no oversight, who with a functioning brain didn't see a big neon sign flashing 'Disaster Up Ahead'?
Why? because people with no impulse control (that includes gamblers) don't stick to budgets unless forced to do so. If you cannot live within your means, even if your means is millions, you'll end up in the exact same boat as those with nothing.
No...I see the need for her to have attorneys and planners. She has kids, grandkids and great grandkids she probably wants to leave a lot of money for and would probably want them to not get stiffed by too many unnecessary taxes. That makes sense to me.
As I remember the story, she split the prize with one of her sons.
https://www.lotterypost.com/news/262064
"Prior to the Lottery drawing, she and her son Scott had an agreement to split any proceeds with each other.
So they each had an attorney and thats why they needed TWO?
There is a huge difference between exercising and exorcising.
When you're given a certain amount of money to spend on things, it (apparently) curbs the need to overspend later on. It doesn't remove that need, but it helps to control it.
Allowing adults to spend crazily didn't make much sense to me when I first heard this.
I don't think adults with a windfall are any better at impulse control than a kid in a toy store. But it's all about psychology
Tell a kid they have $100 but it's all going in a bank and they'll resent they have money they can't use on what they want. Eventually they get access to that $100 & overspend; they're buying all the things they wanted but could never have.
Give a kid $20 of that money, tell him to spend it on anything that $20 can buy, he'll find something he loves and "has to have", and, for at least a while, isn't focused on the other 80 bucks he isn't to use. He will eventually, but in the interim, while he's busy with the absurd toy, that $80 is making interest he can spend when the urge to spend strikes again thus keeping the 80 safe.
Ask yourself why so many JP winners who start off with good intentions of no frivolous spending end up going broke just like the others who had no budget? Because 100% abstinance doesn't work. A live bomb always blows. If you can control the explosion, you can limit the damage.
Teddi,
This is why, I rather live on a monthly budget. Live within my
means.
"Allowing adults to spend crazily didn't make much sense to me when I first heard this."
At least the adult jackpot winners are only spending their winnings. Who are the fools allowing the Federal and State governments to spend our money crazily?
I think that is the good thing about lottery winners that they keep their feet on the ground. However I think their safety is being compromised. I hope no bad guys will take advantage of them. Indeed the winners have a lot to take in for winning huge amount of prize.