Tiana M. plans to continue packing her lunch for work despite winning $1 million by playing Monopoly at the Kapahulu Safeway.

The 29-year-old Honolulu resident received her award Sunday at the store, where she received a giant check while employees dressed as Monopoly characters cheered. Before the ceremony she was transported to the store in a white limousine with her boyfriend, Brandt, and her 1-year-old daughter, nicknamed “Sweetie Girl.”

Tiana was the first person to win the $1 million prize in Hawaii and beat out about 135 million other entries nationwide, Safeway said.

Tiana, who asked not to use her last name for her family’s safety, said she hasn’t been telling many that she won.

“I’m not going to be buying cars or anything expensive,” she said. “I’m just going to put it away and be smart with it, try to buy a house, do my research and put money away for our future.”

She said she’s been living paycheck to paycheck with nothing saved for retirement and her savings and checking accounts empty. She also has some debt from purchasing a van, and personal loans that she plans to pay off with her windfall.

“I got to keep my regular job,” she said. “I’m still going to be eating sandwiches and Cup O Noodles for my lunch — packing home lunch.”

Tiana, who works full time in sales, said she never thought she would win the $1 million grand prize, but was an enthusiastic player during the game’s run, sometimes shopping four times a day at Safeway, usually at the Kapahulu store, for chances to win small prizes, such as $25.

She won by entering codes that appeared on some of the tickets she received at checkout into an online drawing for additional prizes, including two $1 million grand prizes.

Albertsons Cos., which owns Safeway, awarded the first prize earlier this year in Idaho.

In June, Tiana received a call from someone telling her she had won the grand prize, but she doubted the call was bona fide.

“I still can’t believe it,” she said Sunday. “But I’m so happy and thankful.”

Albertsons offered the Monopoly game for 10 years, and Safeway has held it in the islands for three years.

“We’re just happy to have a truly life- changing moment for one of our great customers,” Safeway’s Hawaii district manager, George Glukfeld, said.

Tiana had an option to select a $650,000 lump sum before taxes — the cost of a $1 million annuity — or 30 annual payments of about $33,000 each. She did not say which option she selected.