Name: Lori Alvarado, CAM
Title: Community Leader
Company: MAA, Memphis, Tenn.
1. Call the accountant! My accountant has often told me if I ever hit the lottery to call him first. No one wants to give Uncle Sam their winnings. He gets enough as it is.
2. Pay it forward. Then I would decide where I want to make a difference and give a portion of the money away. There is one particular resident who lives at my community who struggles on a regular basis due to reliance on a fixed income. I would tell her she won one month’s free rent and I would pay it for her. Wouldn’t it be great to give away some free rent and not worry about it affecting your budgeted revenue?
3. Save it. I have learned that if you manage your money and follow the discipline of giving first, saving second and spending last, then things seem to work out better. Therefore, I would take another portion of my winnings and put it in my savings account. I have a son who is a freshman in college and two more planning to go to college within the next four years—an education fund would help.
4. Get out of debt. It would be amazing to finally be debt-free. I would pay off my house, my car and my credit cards. Freedom!
5. Have some fun! I would take my associates out for dinner and drinks at Texas de Brazil to celebrate. Next, of course, I would take a very long and much-needed vacation with my family. I have always wanted to visit Colorado. I would plan a week of skiing in Breckenridge.
6. Housekeeper please! I absolutely hate spending my weekends cleaning the house. I would hire a housekeeper to clean my place at least every other week. It would be great to spend at least one weekend relaxing.
7. Ignore my co-workers’ advice. Don’t take this wrong. I love my co-workers. They typically have great ideas. But today I asked how they would spend their money if they hit the lottery and the feedback I received was humorous. “Buy a new suit for work,” “take all the stray cats on the property to the animal shelter,” “take my money and move to Mexico and buy a Mercedes.” Well, the Mercedes
doesn’t sound too bad.
8. Shop until I drop! I don’t shop much, but I think I could take at least a couple thousand and buy some new clothes for myself for a change. I might even break down and buy a Coach purse. Who knows, maybe I would be generous enough to buy my team some new suits since that’s on the top of their priority list.
9. Go to the spa. Everyone needs a little me time. An all day appointment at the spa will work just fine for me. A facial, manicure, and pedicure sounds amazing.
10. Are you ready for some football? Before my vacation is over and it’s time to go back to work I have to take a weekend trip to my hometown of Pittsburgh. There, I will purchase 50-yard line tickets and head to Heinz Field for a day of some Steelers football.
If you would like to be considered for a future End Points column, please contact Lauren Boston at 703/797-0678 or lauren@naahq.org.