So you win the lottery.

[Cronozilla]

I'd take about $80K and put it aside for furthering my education to get a masters or phd.

You'd be probably $100Kusd short unless you plan on working while going to school.

It's not that much here. I've been looking at it. I already have a Bachelors in the subject. And I likely wouldn't go for PhD, I don't really want to do research for the rest of my life.

[Menegrothx]

180k for an education?!

Solar panels lose power over time so you would have to put aside for more. Well they degrade and loose efficiency after about 30 years, but the hardware and batteries for them needs to be replaced every 15ish. If you could convert to a pure DC powersystem you could make a solar system that has enough overhead that even with the degradation you would be ok - converting to AC cost power and generates a decent bit of heat. Everything but your PC can be bought that runs off of either Propane or DC - even fridges.

The problem with propane is that you'd have to store huge amounts of it in order to last a life time, you should be able to produce all the energy you consume. Especially for motorized vehicles and such machines, biofuel that you can produce yourself would be ideal. Whether you can produce enough of it on your own is the question.

Honestly, it would depend on what you are really going for. I would suggest doing something like Richard Proenneke where he built a log cabin in the middle of nowhere in Alaska (his autobiographical documentary Alone in the Wilderness is fascinating). He lived off the land next to a giant lake, but had friends come in via plane and visit him and bring him supplies and news. Sure it is not an island in an exotic locale, but it is doable for cheaper and you most likely wont go crazy.

Of course living in the mainland is easier: it costs less and you have a larger area to gather resources from. In an island though you aren't connected to anyone (whether accessibility by others is an issue really depends on how close to a city/populated area the land in question is, not a problem in Alaska) and more importantly, hopefully, you don't have to pay a real estate tax.

[Nintendork666]

I'd buy/rent myself somewhere cozy to live, and spend the rest making an independent feature-length film.

[samsonlonghair]

I would give it all to charity. Seriously.

I have no debt. I don't need a big house, fancy clothes, or a fast car. I am a poor man, but I'm rich in spirit and rich in friends.

That five mil would better be spent helping a charitable cause.

[fastbilly1]

180k for an education?!

Solar panels lose power over time so you would have to put aside for more. Well they degrade and loose efficiency after about 30 years, but the hardware and batteries for them needs to be replaced every 15ish. If you could convert to a pure DC powersystem you could make a solar system that has enough overhead that even with the degradation you would be ok - converting to AC cost power and generates a decent bit of heat. Everything but your PC can be bought that runs off of either Propane or DC - even fridges.

The problem with propane is that you'd have to store huge amounts of it in order to last a life time, you should be able to produce all the energy you consume. Especially for motorized vehicles and such machines, biofuel that you can produce yourself would be ideal. Whether you can produce enough of it on your own is the question.

Honestly, it would depend on what you are really going for. I would suggest doing something like Richard Proenneke where he built a log cabin in the middle of nowhere in Alaska (his autobiographical documentary Alone in the Wilderness is fascinating). He lived off the land next to a giant lake, but had friends come in via plane and visit him and bring him supplies and news. Sure it is not an island in an exotic locale, but it is doable for cheaper and you most likely wont go crazy.

Of course living in the mainland is easier: it costs less and you have a larger area to gather resources from. In an island though you aren't connected to anyone (whether accessibility by others is an issue really depends on how close to a city/populated area the land in question is, not a problem in Alaska) and more importantly, hopefully, you don't have to pay a real estate tax.

Fair enough. But the amount of crops you have to grow for bio fuel is massive comparatively . It takes 21 pounds of corn to make one gallon of ethanol. So you would need about half an acre of corn for enough ethanol for the year, assuming you would be running one tractor. Of course thats all kinda speculation, so feel free to ignore it (my knowledge of ethanol is not the best).

Sadly real estate tax will happen if you are part of pretty much any country. So putting some away in an account to accrue interest slightly more than the cost of the real estate tax would be best.

Actually you could be like the Principality of Sealand, and buy an old Maunsell sea fort or a oil rig. But it would require massive modifying to be able to grow crops. Actually its not a terrible idea. That way, if you are in international waters, you could declare you are a micronation and then get out of real estate tax. Granted that is alot more complicated than that... The downside to a a sea fort or oil rig would be that they are not ideal in that you cant grow real trees, but half of a Maunsell would be big enough to grow food for a family in raised beds. And you would be out far enough that you could get a good assortment of fish.

[indecks]

I would give it all to charity. Seriously.

I have no debt. I don't need a big house, fancy clothes, or a fast car. I am a poor man, but I'm rich in spirit and rich in friends.

That five mil would better be spent helping a charitable cause.

*cue scene from Three Amigos*

[Ivo]

Actually you could be like the Principality of Sealand, and buy an old Maunsell sea fort or a oil rig. But it would require massive modifying to be able to grow crops. Actually its not a terrible idea. That way, if you are in international waters, you could declare you are a micronation and then get out of real estate tax.

I guess he would be vulnerable to piracy if there is no navy to protect him, no?

[fastbilly1]

Actually you could be like the Principality of Sealand, and buy an old Maunsell sea fort or a oil rig. But it would require massive modifying to be able to grow crops. Actually its not a terrible idea. That way, if you are in international waters, you could declare you are a micronation and then get out of real estate tax.

I guess he would be vulnerable to piracy if there is no navy to protect him, no?

Technically yes, but Sealand hasnt had an issue with that yet.

[MrPopo]

Actually you could be like the Principality of Sealand, and buy an old Maunsell sea fort or a oil rig. But it would require massive modifying to be able to grow crops. Actually its not a terrible idea. That way, if you are in international waters, you could declare you are a micronation and then get out of real estate tax.

I guess he would be vulnerable to piracy if there is no navy to protect him, no?

Technically yes, but Sealand hasnt had an issue with that yet.

I'd imagine Sealand would have more problems with Vikings than pirates, based on its location.

[AmishSamurai]

I have five younger siblings. Three are either juniors or seniors in high school. I'd want them to be able to pursue the major they want at the school they want without money being an issue. Aside from that, would try and live modestly on the interest my money makes, donating a good chunk of that every year. Visit netfriends across the states, take at least one big trip a year. I really have no interest in marrying or having kids, so when I drop dead most of it would probably go to the families of surviving siblings.