OPINION: Huge EuroMillions win shines light on Irish people stressing over bills

One lucky person in Ireland is a whopping €250m richer this week after the historic EuroMillions win that sent the country into overdrive. It turned us all into a gang of sleuths, hoping to figure out where the ticket was sold and who is now richer than most of us could only dream of.

The whole of Wednesday was spent scouring online news sites for more information, reading stories of past players and how the millions of Euros "destroyed" their lives, and listening to expert financial advisors on the radio on how to stay calm and what steps were best to take next after the massive windfall.

This of course only really mattered to the holder of the golden ticket. The rest of us had to go back into work and spend the day speculating wildly over whichever colleague didn't turn up to the office that day while discussing with each other what we would spend the money on. Holidays, houses, cars or investments, it didn't matter, you could have whatever your heart desires ten times over with that kind of money, but alas, it wasn't meant to be for the millions of others who purchased a dud ticket.

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The excitement slowly wore off after the initial announcement and it was back to reality. Back to worrying about the long list of bills and direct debits that would need to be paid, the payments left on the holiday you've been trying to pay off for months just to get away for a week, and what feels like constant trips to the supermarket where you find yourself paying €50 no matter what you buy.

The reality is, people in Ireland are struggling, and a win for one person who will now probably never have to worry about whether there's enough money in their account to pay their rent is a stark reminder of how a lot of us are just trying to keep our heads above water. Wages might be rising slowly but so are rents, childcare costs and utility bills. The price of a weekly shop feels like a game of roulette and just when you think you have it all sorted out, the car needs a new tyre. 

Even with a steady income, more and more people across Ireland are living month to month or week to week and one unexpected cost can unravel everything. There's very little room for error when there's nothing left after the direct debits go out.

For most of us, buying that lotto ticket is a bit of fun, never really expecting to win but wanting to be in the game anyway. A plan B or a fantasy escape from the seemingly never-ending 9-5. A €3.50 ticket seems more like a fun gamble rather than something that could change our lives. And this week, one person's gamble actually paid off giving the rest of us a glimmer of hope, maybe next time it will be me!

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The problem lies in the fact that many of us need that dream. We're not just buying into luck, we're buying our way into financial freedom and security that will take the pressure off so we can breathe without having to worry about being able to afford something that feels like a human right. It can really speak volumes about how fragile financial life is for so many across the country.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not in dire straits. I have a home, a job, enough food in the fridge and a little left over every month to treat myself to a cup of coffee and a pastry at an artisan bakery. And I certainly have it a lot better than many across the globe, especially in these times when our screens are plastered with the atrocities that are being committed in Gaza and the widespread famine across Sudan.

I'm not for a second thinking that money would make my life that much better in the long run. Yes, I would be free of financial burdens but with a hefty sum like €250m, other problems would arise that I wouldn't even be aware of. But it would be nice to be able to afford a trip to the doctors and the dentist in one month without sacrificing one for the other.

Until then, we'll keep buying the ticket, keep hoping for a windfall, and keep trying to keep our heads above the water.