Are You Rich in Terms of Monitary Wealth?

I think happiness is obtainable only once you are content with what you have. The key to happiness is learning to be content. Stop wanting more. Appreciate what you have.

I am still trying to be content. It is a struggle. I have been in poverty (bank account overdrawn and lights cut off) and I have had $20k in the bank at my disposal. Having had nothing and having everything, I was honestly happier with less. I had far fewer worries when I had less.

I hope that helps.

I am quite wealthy. I live on a modest social security income and find it almost impossible to save anything for a rainy day. But I have friends, live in a roomy one bedroom apartment, can afford some small indulgences and I eat very well while shopping for groceries almost exclusively in the produce department.

However, compared to most of the rest of the world, especially the third world countries, I live like a king and enjoy freedoms a majority of the worlds occupants only dream about in spite of what our government is trying to do to our constitution.

In other words, even the poorest of the poor in this country have resources available to them that a large part of the world's population only dreams about.

reply to post by happykat39


Happykat39, we've had our differences on these forums, but you took the words right out of my mouth.
Love ya brother (or sister) - your view of real wealth is true.

As for "rich" people - in today's America, why would anyone self-associate with "the rich" considering the hateful views against them we see expressed by many posters here? I've known a few certifiably rich folks in my time and as many have commented, they are quite diverse in the way they live. "Rich" farmers may be a bit of an oxymoron because much of their assumed wealth comes from the value of their real estate in the eyes of the taxing authorities. On the other hand, I have a former friend with a million dollar home that just had to put TWO million into furnishing it as well as a Porsche for his half mile drive to the office - he typically wears a watch (or twelve) that costs more than many of us make annually. For me, this defines the difference between being "rich" and truly wealthy.

ganjoa

My husband works for a high-end electronic automation company. Basically, if you can afford it, you can buy all your electronics from them and then my husband (and team) will come and install it seamlessly into your home. He's been to many mansions of mostly Red Wings and Lions players and has met many of them while installing their electronics. He said most of them are really down to earth people, very friendly and generous (100$ tips). Some of them are very eccentric, and some can just be downright rude.
My husband has concluded that there is a difference in people who come from "old money" and people with newly acquired wealth and has found that people with "new money"(were actually lower or middle class before acquiring their wealth as opposed to being born into it) are usually more generous with the tips. That's not to say "old money" people aren't generous, that's just how it is around here.
I do remember one older couple when I worked at a higher end furniture store who was from old money and they were the sweetest most generous people I have ever met. She and her husband bought furniture from us to fill a 20 room mansion and every time our delivery team would show up with furniture she would have fresh cookies and milk waiting for them, and a nice tip to go along with the cookies.
Another thought, when my drivers would go out to homes, they would tell me they got most of their tips from blue collar workers and usually nothing from white collar people with obviously more money. Blue collar workers seemed to recognize other people's hard work and seem to appreciate it more.
As for me and my husband, we are middle class and are very comfortable. There is always food in the kitchen, the lights, heat and water stay on and my kitty never goes hungry. Our home and both our cars are bought and paid for and we have very little other bills. Rich? No, but I have everything I need right now to be happy.

I'm rich.

I have a job, a nice home, plenty of clothes, decent food on my table, and the joy of a loving family. In these times, it makes me wealthy beyond compare.

I do not say this to trivialize the OP. Although I would be considered lower middle class (my husband and I are both teachers), when compared to the countless billions of others in the world, I have riches beyond compare. Heck, I live more comfortably than the richest kings just a couple hundred years ago.

So yes.....I'm rich.

reply to post by ganjoa


Thank you and its brother (to the dinosaurs at my age).

I do like to keep things in perspective. I am 73 and have some problems health wise, but I still take care of myself without help, have a somewhat sharp mind, can still drive legally without my glasses and have outlived many people who have died at a younger age.

My motto, which is in my sig line, pretty much says it all. I like to surprise cashiers and wait persons when the ask me how I am by replying "fantastic, but I'll get better" or one of several similar replies. It gives them a smile and makes me feel better too; a win/win situation for sure. I have noticed that people who don't have a positive attitude tend to be less happy about themselves and don't feel as well physically either.

And here is another related thought to live by...

Bad people can do bad things to you and you have no control over it. Loved ones can die and you have no control over that either. In fact we have very little control over most of the things, good or bad, in our lives. But there is one thing we have absolute control over and that is our attitude. Keep that and the world is your oyster, lose it and you have nothing.

I have millionaire clients, plenty of them... their all miserable!

I don't need to be a millioneer to be happy, but I wish I had enough where I didn't have to worry so much. Hubby and I never owned a house of our own, never had a brand new car or anything. I know I'm too old to be adopted but if any rich person wants to share, that's fine with me.

reply to post by michael1983l


I think rich and wealthy are two different things.

I feel rich in many ways, but I'm not wealthy. I was lucky enough to buy a home at 21 with my husband, buy very nice cars, go on vacations just because, afford nice things, etc. That doesn't mean there are millions in the bank. Everything we have, we built alone. We both grew up lower middle class without much. I feel guilty that I have more now than my parents ever did, but I do what I can to help out friends and family since I've been so blessed at such a young age. That's what makes me feel rich - knowing I was smart, never spoiled, and now have the ability to give back.

reply to post by happykat39


Amen.
No second line needed!

What is "rich"?



It's just someone who has more than you do. Sure, you say if you had money you'd build homeless shelters. Thus you woukld exacerbate the problem rather than fix it. We spens $1 trillion per year to "end poverty" and gaven't made any headway since the 1960's. Why? Because spending money to "help" the poor does the esact opposite.

You criticizr "the rich" for "buying sports teams," but what does that do? It puts money into the economy. Every time a rich football player buys a house, that money spreads out into the economy. Even if he stashes it in the bank, that money is available to be used.

You idea of "doing good" with a lot of money (like Bill Gates does) sounds terrific in theory, but it sucks in practice because it does not address the core issues. We have a half century of experiments to prove it.

Part of the disgust comes from hearing about CEO's of companies getting massive bonuses while the majority of employees of said company struggle to get by.

oh wait that's even if they still have a job since the board of directors usually wants profit so you should just eliminate those jobs.... no more complaining.

I say this from a perspective of having both a 3% and 10% paycut ....yet our CEO took one too.