It was the 20th of January when I started playing the lotto. It was not simply the lotto but the Grand Lotto drawn every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday. One has to choose six numbers ranging from 1-55 and one has the option to choose up to 4 sets of six numbers which can be played for up to 6 consecutive draws. The minimum jackpot prize is Php 30 million.
On my first try, I chose 3 sets of numbers for 3 draws. Unfortunately, I was not able to win. From then on, I continued playing the lotto and the odds remained unfavorable to me. I decided to stop playing after realizing that I’ve been spending a lot. I told myself that I will only play it again when the jackpot price reaches Php 150 million.
I felt that Php 150 million is enough to have a satisfactory lifestyle and a stable future. Once I get to win the said jackpot, 50 million will be used for charity while the remaining 100 million will be for personal use. The 50 million will be allocated as follows:
• 10 million for the modernization of the Philippine General Hospital including the provision of medical needs of indigent patients
• 10 million for international NGOs which focus on environmental protection, educational reforms, and healthcare provision
• 10 million for local NGOs and institutions which focus on environmental protection, educational reforms, healthcare provision, orphanages, and geriatric care facilities
• 5 million as an endowment fund for a professorial chair in history and/or area studies
• 5 million as a scholarship fund for students in the Bicol region
• 5 million as a scholarship fund for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing courses in agriculture and fisheries
• 5 million as a scholarship fund for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing courses related to meteorology and geological sciences
The remaining Php100 million will be used for investments, to buy shares of stocks, educational and life plans, insurances, to pay for real property taxes, to rehabilitate our provincial residence, to buy condo units to be rented out, to pursue further studies, and for savings.
A change to a lifestyle that will be unsustainable in the long run will never be an option. I will still work in the company/agency where I’ve been working. I will never buy a car until I learn how to drive, allocate a dedicated parking space, learn how to repair it when the engine breaks, and be prepared for the rising cost of fuel prices. I might transfer to a new residence which is flood-free but it will remain to be just enough for a middle class family.
My dream is not to become rich but only to live a simple life free of financial worries. It is not my wish to be governed by money and be troubled by the problem of how to spend it. What I want is to make myself the master of my own money.
There is wisdom in remaining frugal while you have the means. One, money cannot teach you to be human. Much of life’s lessons can only be learned when one goes through the troubles of a simple life. Second, your children can have a normal life if you do not project a luxurious lifestyle. They can go to school without any fear of being kidnapped. Since you won’t let them grow with a house help, they would know the household chores and can easily get along with other people. Third, when economic recession strikes, you would know how to adapt. Since you remained frugal, there’s only a few to lose and you can still live without them.
Winning the lotto may change your life. It may take one in a million chances to win. But once you win, you will only have one chance to make things right in your life.