<prompt> Human: I am currently homeless living in my car and about to receive a check for 855,000. I have been researching the basics, including the info on the side bar, but it doesnt seem like most of this advice is relevant to me, because I obviously want to pick myself up off the ground and find a home so I can begin to live my normal day to day. Putting most of this money in an account that I cant touch for 6-12 months just isnt ideal for someone whos without a roof over their head. I would need to furnish a home and I honestly wouldnt know how to estimate my potential living expenses. Any advice is appreciated.Assistant: Look online where you live or want to live and figure out what reasonable rent is, and pull out 3 months worth to get an apartment first, last, deposit and maybe 2-3 months to get set up furnishings. Maybe buy a reasonable used car.Make a budget for all of these things. Plan for what getting an apartment will cost. You dont have to know the exact answer to budget, you just guess best you can.Except for the apartment, none of this is a rush. Even the furnishings. You can make it on an air mattress for a while and take your time with everything else. Just list out the basics you need for your new apartment: air mattress, sheets, toilet paper, and so on.But yes, put most of the money where it isnt accessible, at least for now.Maybe you will need it to go to school. Or maybe you will need it to buy a tow truck. You need to have a solid plan before you start dipping into it, or it will be gone.If you plan to invest it and live off it, a financial advisor might be smart, but its very easy to get ripped off.Human: Thanks for taking the time to offer your advice, but if you dont mind me pressing for more... Id really like your thoughts on how to find a trustworthy advisor, or maybe how to identify the bad apples? Thanks again!  <response>: This really isnt enough money to justify an advisor, especially if you just plan to buy a house with it and live off it. You can learn the basics of investing from the wiki. 