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 in the abundance of good fortune we have in life - two healthy kids, wonderful DH, lovely house, good health, and very comfortable financially on two high incomes.

I don’t feel rich or wealthy financially, but that’s subjective.

Objectively speaking I know I am “rich” in the sense that I have an income in the top decile. I don’t feel rich at all because I have big outgoings (private school). But I am comfortable and I don’t have to count the pennies on a food shop.

I don’t expect sympathy though. I have chosen the life I live to support my child and it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make. I also recognise that I am very fortunate.

We are financially very comfortable but I never feel ‘rich’. I grew poor on a council estate, we had hard times when early married and I’m conscious of every penny. I’m not a miser but I’m aware of what I spend and never waste money. Rich is a mindset.

Financially, yes. In life, yes because everyone I love is pretty healthy and happy. I’m aware how quickly that can change though, often totally unexpectedly and out of the blue, so that bit feels a bit more precarious?

I'd describe myself as comfortable financially. I can afford things "within reason" but financially rich to me would mean affording anything I wanted! As in, a few million in the bank.

As to family, health etc. There are good things, which is what I tend to focus on. But am I "rich" in those areas, not really. I am content I would say.

Mostly content wouldnt say rich, I often feel very vulnerable and stressed.

I value health and time the most over money but having more money or just the ability to earn would be wonderful and could ease some of the health stress.

I have no support so that makes life very difficult and stressful. I earn minimum wage if I can earn at all due to caring for my child with additional needs but my husband has a ok wage in the real world but on MN we'd be classed as low earners. It covers the bills but we can't save. So unexpected things breaking we try to fix because we can't just buy new. That's stressful. Because we just about manage we aren't entitled to any help or benefits but it feels very vunerable. We don't live a life that there is anything to trim off and save. So there is no buffer. Very much the one old banger of a car and the £5-8 phone contracts etc.

In the bigger picture I do feel lucky for the things we have and recognise just being born white in the UK that's an automatic privilege. We have food heating a nice home although needs work. We have a garden I feel very grateful for.

I'd feel more content if I felt like I had more choice/support to work and earn more to pay for the health assessments for my child and surgery I need or the ability to save. It feels very precarious just hoping nothing big breaks or crops up that would leave us struggling to pay bills/food. We would probably have to go in debt. Which would feel like a slippery slope.

Rich to me would be the choice to be able to save/ to work towards things and having support either paid for or family/friends. Although I can still appreciate and see that for others on high salaries they still don't feel rich. I think all of us get accustomed to our lot and I know someone struggling to afford food would be envious of my situation of being able to.