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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what people consider rich....

651 replies

Imoen · 06/06/2019 11:51

I'm possibly going to be flamed but Im genuinely curious. I keep reading on thread about its ok for the "rich" or the rich are getting richer etc....

I've also had several conversations with friends/family and often the throw away comment is "its ok for you, you're rich".

Thing is, I don't think we are. To me rich is not having to worry about working again.

WE both have very very good salaries which I'm grateful for an I know we're lucky (me 90K, him 60K) and we have a mortgage on a 4 bed house worth 280K. (130K left to pay).

But I would not say we are "rich".

OP posts:
Carol44 · 07/06/2019 17:52

These threads drive me crazy, I am happy if I can put whatever I want in my supermarket trolley every week, eat out once a week, run a car and a home, go abroad twice a year. I do all this on £25k. You really don't NEED these mega salaries, I am happy with my lot.

starsparkle08 · 07/06/2019 17:53

Yes you are rich with those salaries

MorondelaFrontera · 07/06/2019 17:54

I do all this on £25k.

good for you. I don't. So what.

Shakirawannabe · 07/06/2019 17:56

So how would you know you were poorer than most people in your hotel? Did you all sit around discussing your finances? Hmm

WhoatemyLindtbunny · 07/06/2019 17:58

In some respects it’s all relative but no I don’t think you’re rich, we run our own business and take out jointly a similar amount to your household income. We are definitely not rich just very comfortable. Similarly we have been on very nice holidays to Maldives and Mauritius because that’s what we like to spend our money on and we have definitely not been in the league of many of the other guests. Breaker is definitely rich but we have a set of friends who both earn 100/150k respectively (public sector so easy to know pay scale) and I class them as rich so I would say a household income of over 200k. They have enough for a mortgage on a fabulous house with kids in private schools and plenty of disposable income for lots a travel and luxuries.

tallertales · 07/06/2019 18:00

@omione - very similar to you. We are mid 50s, have a small income from pensions between us (under 16K p.a), own our house and have a good amount in the bank for emergencies/holidays/treats etc to keep us going until we reach state pension age and beyond. I make a bit of money here and there through writing.

We are frugal, but not to a ridiculous degree. Not falling under the spell of wanting more and more "stuff" is very freeing.

I feel very very lucky and consider myself well off.

Fallingrain · 07/06/2019 18:05

@RightOnTheEdge spot on about the “working hard” rubbish. I’m sure many wealthy people have worked hard and a (small) minority haven’t had a head start in terms of educated, loving parents, great education, access to opportunities etc. But do they work any harder than say a single mum juggling kids and a job in a care home. Of course not. Give me a stressful corporate job over the stress of how to feed my family any day.

tallertales · 07/06/2019 18:06

Oh, to anwer your question, OP, no I don't think you are rich, because as you say, you rely on working for your income. That could change at any time as it could for anyone on here even though they might be on super salaries.

Rich to me is anyone who has a luxurious lifestyle on an independent source of wealth.

Tensixtysix · 07/06/2019 18:07

Being rich to me means...good health, a roof over your head, food in your belly and a fire to sit by.
Everything else is human greed.
I only earn 8K (domestic cleaning), but my DH earns at least 60K and has money coming in from his hobby (collating bus timetables).
We finally paid off the mortgage last year and our house is worth a wopping...200K.
We both drive cars over 10 years old and keep chickens and grown our own veg in the large back garden.
So, for now, I would say that I'm very rich Smile

MorondelaFrontera · 07/06/2019 18:08

Give me a stressful corporate job over the stress of how to feed my family any day.

which is one of the reasons why people with so-called "high salary" are anything but greedy....

MorondelaFrontera · 07/06/2019 18:09

has money coming in from his hobby (collating bus timetables)

I never knew that could be a hobby or profitable, but good for him!

KatieHack · 07/06/2019 18:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Snog · 07/06/2019 18:13

I would definitely categorise you as rich - but not as super rich ie Philip Green et al

Sharon1983 · 07/06/2019 18:16

Being rich is having a comfortable amount of disposable income at the end of each month without worries of bills mortgage etc.
Being wealthy @beaker is having a large amount of disposable income all assets paid for and not having to look at price tags
I am neither but do save some money to buy nice things..and my friends think i am rich..i have a mortgage bills and a good income.

Keled79 · 07/06/2019 18:19

sorry I had to chuckle when reading these threads. Everyone is Rich in their own way. We both work full time, can keep a roof over our heads and have children we can feed and cloth. We are lucky to have each other and yes it’s a struggle. I would consider you as Rich financially because you earn a hell of a lot more than we do. Now then nosey part of me wants to know what you do for a living to be earning that kind of money 😂😂. Just be happy , life is too short.

Athena18 · 07/06/2019 18:24

Imoen. I knew what I wanted to say and then I saw your post and welled up. Hope you don’t mind. I have 6 children and would have lots of money if I had none. Yeah, I don’t have much money but I’m rich. Thanks for the perspective. I wish you well.

gowgow · 07/06/2019 18:25

Anyone who has a higher income & more assets than me is rich !!

MorondelaFrontera · 07/06/2019 18:27

Anyone who has a higher income & more assets than me is rich !!

Grin Grin Grin
so true

contentedsoul · 07/06/2019 18:32

I'm not rich at all - lol
But we have zero debt. Both work, Half of one's income covers all monthly bills including cars, food etc etc.

So, definitely contented, but certainly not rich.

Bluntness100 · 07/06/2019 18:32

I'd consider you comfortable not rich. You clearly are more wealthy than some and poorer than others.

Many people who earn a lot less will consider you rich in comparison to them, many people who earn an awful lot more will consider you comfortable, as they will label you in comparison to their own situation and not objectively.

Your familyclassify you as rich as simply they are labelling you in comparison to them. If your family was in fact rich and earned way more than you, then they would not classify you as such.

StoneofDestiny · 07/06/2019 18:35

Financially rich is living comfortably with multiple security blankets that enables you to live well without worry about the future being job dependant.
Really rich is enjoying life without worry about the present or the future and living in complete contentment, not based on financial ‘worth’.

SammySamSam09 · 07/06/2019 18:37

I own a horse...I'll never be rich now.
My vet however seems to be doing well for himself Grin

Tinkerbell1980 · 07/06/2019 18:37

Dowser, you are a drop of brightness in this world xx

voddiekeepsmesane · 07/06/2019 18:41

All depends on what you are earning at any given moment I think. 15 years ago between DP and me we earned 90k. Now DP is blind and I am his carer and we have a 14yo DS living on benefits. Fifteen years ago I would have described the OP as ( for the southeast) coping...now it's absolutely rolling in it Grin

TigerTooth · 07/06/2019 18:45

You’re both working, not high earners and have a very low value home with a mortgage - in my opinion you’re not rich at all, I don’t consider myself rich but I don’t have to work, have a lot more debt free assets and although I definitely do consider costs of things - I never worry about money.
However I am not in breakers category so I don’t consider myself rich - I think we’re comfortable. I am time-rich, which I love.
You can’t really define rich by a salary because it depends where you live.