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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that deep down, everyone wants to be rich?

54 replies

AdeptEagle · 06/03/2025 22:16

People love to say that money isn’t everything, but let’s be real - who wouldn’t want financial freedom? Not necessarily yachts and private jets but just enough to never have to stress about bills or work in a job you hate.

Some people act like they wouldn’t want to be rich but I don’t buy it. AIBU to think that if given the chance, nearly everyone would choose wealth? Or do some people genuinely not care?

OP posts:
PlumFairies · 06/03/2025 22:21

I’m not wealthy and if someone offered me a couple of million I definitely wouldn’t turn it down, it may not make me happy but it would give myself and my children so many more opportunities in life.

Gnarab24 · 06/03/2025 22:21

No shit Sherlock

TwirlyPineapple · 06/03/2025 22:23

I’ve never heard anyone say they don’t want to be rich.

People say being rich won’t make you happy if you lack things money can’t buy, which is true. Plenty of people wouldn’t trade a happy but poor life for a rich one involving infertility, poor health, no family or friends etc.

But that’s not the same as saying you don’t want to be rich. Even if you live the most miserable and lonely life imaginable, you’d rather live it with plenty of money.

Catza · 06/03/2025 22:24

Depends. Being rich without changing anything about my lifestyle (profession, work-life balance etc ) -sure. Having to give up the job I love, my free time, my hobbies etc. to kill myself working 80h weeks - not so much.
My former boss is rich. When I was working for him, he had his business for 7 years. For 7 years he's not had a day off or gone on holiday with his family. He had two young kids who were brought up by a nanny and hardly ever saw him. He's retired at 58 with a property portfolio that is going to keep him and his family wealthy for life but he lost his health in the process of getting there. I wouldn't swap my life with him for all the money in the world.

Anonym00se · 06/03/2025 22:26

I’m comfortable and I’m genuinely happy and contented. I don’t want any more than what I’ve got. A lottery win would be wasted on me. I wouldn’t get any enjoyment from a flash car or designer clothes or bags. I won’t fly so the exotic holidays are a no go. I’m pretty low maintenance but I can pay my bills, I’ve got no mortgage, I can do the big shop without having to add it up as I go round, and I go away for about 6 weeks a year.

I see people on here who have significantly more than me who are crying poverty.

But I agree that when life is a (genuine) struggle that people will understandably long for more so that stress be removed. I also think that lots of people will never be happy and will always compare themselves to someone richer. (Read the “I’m not rich, I can’t afford a yacht” threads).

SwanOfThoseThings · 06/03/2025 22:27

Not necessarily yachts and private jets but just enough to never have to stress about bills or work in a job you hate.

Yes, I think it's fair to say the vast majority of people would like that - there will be outliers such as people who have taken religious vows of poverty or opted for life in a self-sufficient commune - but most people would like a level of wealth that removed worry and made work optional, I should think.

LovingHare · 06/03/2025 22:28

yep, i want the money, then i have the freedom to carry out my projects and revamp my garden etc

Wingingitnancy · 06/03/2025 22:29

Well..I wouldn't say no.
I would rather cry in a Mercedes with plushy heated seats and a silky soft steering wheel then an old banger with an intermittent radio.

Weefreetiffany · 06/03/2025 22:30

sorry OP youre not talking about being rich, you’re talking about having a comfortable standard of living. Which is something we as a society should strive for everyone to have.

I read an excellent quote that I’ll paraphrase- if your labour doesn’t buy you three square meals a day, a day of somewhere comfortable to live, a bit for necessities, savings and the odd treat, then it’s just slavery by another name. everyone wants to be free of financial coercion!

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 06/03/2025 22:31

I hate the saying money doesn't buy happiness, who gives a fuck? I'd definitely like to be rich.

ihith · 06/03/2025 22:32

You're probably not wrong, but I suspect people's interpretations of 'rich' differ. Rich doesn't mean mansions and helicopters to a lot of people.

LeaveALittleNote · 06/03/2025 22:34

Definitely. Money can buy a lot of freedom, a lot of experiences, some happiness, a lot of help.

EmpressaurusKitty · 06/03/2025 22:38

I’d like enough money to be able to pay off my mortgage, make a big donation to the cat rescue I volunteer for & not have to worry about saving for my retirement.

But I don’t really need any more than that. I suppose I’d think of things to spend it on but I’ve got my life pretty much exactly as I want it.

RosesAndHellebores · 06/03/2025 22:39

I am very happily quite rich in material terms.
Emotionally, I am not so rich having buried a baby nearly 28 years ago. I'd have happily swapped the money for a cardboard box had he been well enough to live. Eventually one makes peace with it but a little bit of me died too.
Having been at emotional rock bottom, grief is easier when there is money for a nice funeral and headstone, childcare for a toddler, and a cleaner for the house during the dark days of which there are few memories.
Despite that I was blessed with dd 51 weeks later.
Money doesn't buy happiness but it gives choices and eases the really shit times.

ChompandaGrazia · 06/03/2025 22:40

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 06/03/2025 22:31

I hate the saying money doesn't buy happiness, who gives a fuck? I'd definitely like to be rich.

Money doesn’t buy happiness, but neither does poverty.

FlatWhite78 · 06/03/2025 22:41

I think that you’re right OP. I’ve experienced both sides and life is so much easier when you don’t have to constantly think about money. They say it doesn’t buy happiness but I’d disagree.

RosesAndHellebores · 06/03/2025 22:43

FlatWhite78 · 06/03/2025 22:41

I think that you’re right OP. I’ve experienced both sides and life is so much easier when you don’t have to constantly think about money. They say it doesn’t buy happiness but I’d disagree.

I think it's better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable. But rich and miserable is preferable to poor and miserable.

loropianalover · 06/03/2025 22:45

I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they wouldn’t want to be rich.

I’ve heard people say they’d stay in their job ‘for something to do’, because they’d ’get bored’ even if they won the Euromillions jackpot. That is crazy.

suburberphobe · 06/03/2025 22:47

think that you’re right OP. I’ve experienced both sides and life is so much easier when you don’t have to constantly think about money. They say it doesn’t buy happiness but I’d disagree.^

Yet many rich people are a prisoner in their gated communities. That's not freedom.

Happiness is to be content with what you have.

I agree life is getting harder with the COL.

ihith · 06/03/2025 22:49

I’ve heard people say they’d stay in their job ‘for something to do’, because they’d ’get bored’ even if they won the Euromillions jackpot. That is crazy.

I think for a lot people who say this it's because suddenly being rich and not having to do anything feels quite unfathomable, I think most people need some kind of purpose. Whilst many would travel, that likely would get tiresome after a while, and I think that's the bit people are pointing to, what do you DO? I'm one of those people, the thought of retirement scares me (partly due to the impending death and all that 😂) but there's something special about an evening and weekend when it's earned, I know I'd need to do something to keep me motivated (after a little while, I'd def take some time off first!!)

MrsSkylerWhite · 06/03/2025 22:49

We’ve never wanted to be rich, just comfortable.

We do play the lottery. If we were to win an huge jackpot, 140 million for example, as I gather it is this Friday on Euromillions, we’d give most of it away. Some to the kids and some to my mum and stepdad so she could receive excellent care and he could live his life again.

We’d use the bulk to build and manage some flats for single people (there are very few around) and some starter homes with decent sized accommodation for families, which we would rent out at proper affordable rates or offer on shared ownership.

shellyleppard · 06/03/2025 22:51

I would like enough money to be comfortable. So to buy my council house and modernize it. Have enough money so I wouldn't have to worry about paying the bills every month. Not mega rich but definitely comfortable

unsync · 06/03/2025 22:53

I think people have different understandings of what that means to them though. What you've described @AdeptEagle is what I'd call comfortable. Rich is having all the trimmings but still having to work, and wealthy is not having to work because your money does.

catscalledbeanz · 06/03/2025 22:53

Money doesn't buy happiness- but it does appear to buy longer life expectancy, security, and comfort. I've seen a meme going around "that everything matters until only one thing matters- and that's health!!!! " which is nonsense. You can literally buy health. In every way conceivable. You may still die - but it will have been in more comfort and happiness than the person with the same health issue without money.

mrsbitaly · 06/03/2025 22:53

I wouldn't want to be rich but enough to cover our mortgage and have some savings for our children. Just the weight of not having to pay a mortgage or rent would have a massive impact on our monthly income. This would allow us to go out for nice meals, holiday more ect. But i don't think I would be a good lady of leisure, I would get bored of it too quickly.