Do you consider yourself rich?

[ThatGreyReader]

I’ve been thinking about what it means to be ‘rich’ and how people define wealth differently. Is it purely about money or does it include having time, health, and relationships? Some people with high incomes don’t feel rich, while others with modest means feel content and abundant.

Do you consider yourself rich and why? What does being rich actually mean to you?

I feel rich, we have no debt, earn enough to put a bit into savings and a bit to various charities we support. Grown up DCs that don't depend on us financially so it's just us two to consider.
We have a lovely garden and a great community.
If we need something we can just buy it from cash or savings, and we have enough planned to fund a decent retirement when we get there (in about 20 years or so).

To me, rich means being able to buy most of whatever I want. We have £1.5k left to spend or save each month, but I don't feel rich as we need to save up for things.

Not financially, but I do feel we're time rich.

We're very lucky to be able to support our lifestyle on two part-time incomes. We own our home, have two (old and battered) cars and can afford hobbies and pets. But our home needs work, we live in a fairly deprived area and we never go abroad.

However the flip side of that is that we rarely work more than 30 hours a week. We're generally home from 2pm everyday, we don't work weekends (unless we choose to) and have plenty of time to see friends and family.

I'm not sure I'd sacrifice all our free time for money. We don't need it. We can comfortably afford our mortgage and bills, we pay into private pensions and have some leftover for emergencies, savings and fun.

However we don't have kids and our lifestyle definitely wouldn't be possible if we did.

Not rich but very comfortable and content.
We have a mortgage on a modest home/ flat, drive an old car and can afford a couple of holidays a year and all of our groceries plus savings every month.
Yes we'd love a bigger house or newer car but we've everything we NEED.

Im rich with life not money.
I have no debts good savings bills paid a month ahead.
I dont feel the pinch of the cost of living as some do.
Travel a lot not a care in the world.
My money is my own to do what i please with .
No man No kids No pets No drama No restrictions.
Love life.

Yes, one does, and of course, it is all down to you lot - the 'rabble' as we say!
Gaffaw, gaffaw.

Not rich but content. I live in my dream house, my dd is doing well in college and I have a wonderful relationship with her and I adore my dh who supports me in all I do, I also have a handful of very good friends

Financially I'm ok, I can afford to save for retirement and have a few luxuries.

So yes I do think I'm rich, but not necessarily financially rich

Not rich with life as very mobility challenged but I have no debts but a lot of financial outlay due to my mobility so any excess each month after bills goes towards savings for maintenance and adaptations I need to do to my home/car

Rich compared with most of the world, comfortable compared with the country, precarious compared with family.

I don't really think about it tbh. I have enough for my needs, I enjoy my life, I can buy stuff if I want to, but don't need it so I don't. For me, money gives security and stability. That's a strong base on which to build a happy life.

I used to have an extravagant life when I was married, big house, flash car etc, but I've realised it was all a sham and just for show, it had no meaning and made me very unhappy.

I feel rich. I have my health, two uni aged kids who I love immensely, who love me back and are happy and thriving. I have a wonderful bond with my Mum who I treasure. I also have a loving partner and am able to earn enough to pay the bills and have a bit extra. Rich is far far more than having cash in the bank.

Financially, comfortable not rich.
I have everything I want or need, everything is bought and paid for, but I take none of it for granted.
No one knows what's round the corner.

Yes

Great kids
Good health (touch wood)
Good job
Nice house

I agree riches are not just what you own.
Family, friends, peace of mind, emotional security are more important than possessions.
I feel lucky to have those riches too.

I have nothing but I have 2 amazing ( but hard work as autistic ) dc who make my life worthwhile. I’m the black sheep of the family in that I don’t have a career or own my own house and never have any money but I’ve got lots wrong with me health wise and many people don’t understand the level of pain I’m in.

I would like enough to not worry about things but not be greedy. I would love a holiday and a house that wasn’t full of other people’s cast offs and new clothes etc but when I compare my life to say someone in Gaza or similar right now I am bloody well lucky and am rich because I live in a safe country and won’t go hungry or without medication. I remind myself every day to be grateful and positive and truly believe better things are ahead.

I feel very rich.

Very little to do with money (although I'm comfortable), I just have a life I'm immensely grateful for and always a lot to look forward to.

For me feeling rich is about having time freedom / flexibility.

Financially we would certainly be classed as ‘rich’ (although not something I have ever thought of) with household earnings £350k plus.

Yes It means we can buy things and not worry, but most importantly means we can get support for unliked / nonpreferred / mundane tasks (for us , cleaning gardening etc) to free up quality time with our 3 year old DD. We can really focus on enjoying our time with her.

However, not always as clear cut as generating a quarter of a million self employed, means there’s always work to be done and boundaries are hard. I find myself working at 4am -8am every holiday and most weekends so I don’t miss family time, but equally fulfil my work obligations.

But definitely feel that ‘rich’ is about time flexibility, rather than material objects. I also felt really unbelievably grateful when our boiler suddenly went and we were able to immediately replace it without any hardship - it was a stark moment where I realised most wouldn’t have been so lucky and I felt extremely grateful.

Although I do have a habit of impulsive shopping too…

I feel rich. I have my health, my family and time to enjoy my life and have hobbies that I’m passionate about, I don’t unduly worry about money although I frequently get to the end of the month completely skint.

Currently on a beach in Thailand so it could be worse.

When I think about the bigger picture, I would say I am rich. I live in a first world country, I have access to health care, clean water, a warm house and a fully stocked fridge. I don’t worry day to day whether I’ll be able to pay my bills or feed my children. I also have a support network and a loving family.

I have disposable income and savings. If my car broke down, I could afford to fix it without stressing too much. I can afford to treat myself every month if I wanted to. I don’t have much left by the end of the month, but I have more than 99% of people in the world.

I think the "rich" mindset is to focus on what you have rather than what you lack, and a sense of gratitude that you have those things (whatever the scale of monetary value those things have).
In contrast, there are plenty of threads on here of "poor" mindset millionaires who focus on their friends' spending choices, and marginal tax rates and what their taxes are spent on, and who begrudge needing to budget their high income.

To me “rich” means being financially independent, having enough money to never need to work again. That also gives you freedom of time, being able to choose what to do and how to spend your life. So it’s more about wealth vs chosen expenditure than income.

Rich enough.

i did something yesterday which could mean I lose my job. I did it deliberately after consideration. It was the right thing to do. I’m rich enough that I thought “oh well we will survive if I can’t work” So rich enough that we could halve our income and be ok.

I choose to use the word fortunate rather than rich, rich just feels financial to me, and being in a very high wealth bracket, but wouldn't necessarily mean being happy.

No