how do you know when you are rich?

[lilibet]

Browsing thru the ' how much money do you have coming in' thread, I noticed that one mum with 4k a month coming in said 'we're not rich'. So my question is, when would you think that you are rich? Obviously not the same for every one, so here are my thoughts.

1. when I can buy bags of cesar salad for 1.99 and not wait until they are a 30p sell off
2. When I can buy clarks shoes for the ds's without blowing a weeks food budget. 3.When the cats can have whiskas pouches

But then of course, when that glorious day arrives, I will have other things that I can't do and I won't be rich anymore!

Definitely Soupy.

Rich: IMO it's a state of mind, and that's why some people on an income of 20% of the "£8k net monthly" feel rich whilst others whose earnings are clearly in the top 10% of the country don't feel rich.

It works along the same lines as the fact that mean people will continue to be mean even if they have a lot of money, whilst generous people will continue to be generous when they have nothing.

All of us are rich beyond belief compared to most inhabitants of China, Africa, India etc - and there are a lot of them. So its a shame we don't all feel it.

I'm sure it's partly where you live - if you earn £8,000 a month and live in London where houses cost half a million quid for a small 3 bed victorian house then you might not feel as rich as if you lived in say Bradford where the same house would be £100,000.

I also think that you spend what you earn (or a percentage of it) and you can't really be rich if you still HAVE to work.

SamboM - my question would be, still need to work in order to have what? The "what" (2 cars, holidays, meals out, nice house etc) will be different for everyone...

I agree, it's definitely a state of mind. When I went out this morning, I felt rich because, unlike many I see around me, I don't live in a plywood shack, I don't have to scavenge on a rubbish heap or send my children out begging, I can afford medicine, decent food and clean water and I have a maid, a cook and a driver. This afternoon, after a visit to someone's house, I am mumping because I don't live in a huge, marble floored mansion with gorgeous antique furniture, a beautiful garden, a swimming pool and five servants to look after at all.

I'm about to give myself a good slap, tell myself I am very lucky indeed and not to forget it.

Very true Scoobysnax. If I didn't have to work I would settle for a pretty simple lifestyle. Who needs flash holidays when your whole life is a holiday? (Of course would need a beautiful house in the country somewhere nice, staff, car etc)

This is fascinating. I certainly don't feel rich, but am content with what we have. We moved last year. In our old place (small town in Oxfordshire) our income was well below average amongst the population. Our income/expenditure has hardly changed at all, but it is now WAY above the average here (large, mostly x-industrial town in the North, with high unemployment).

We haven't changed, our income hasn't changed - but it feels very different, very odd. It's had quite a profound effect on me, and I still haven't come to terms with it.

I have to agree with custardo, a swimming pool. Actually there are a few nice houses around here (not huge, just bigger than ours). For me Rich would be one of those nice houses, a swimming pool, and ski-ing holidays.

However I am happy with my lot, which in many ways makes me richer than most!

A definite sign, Twin Set, Pearls, Brogues, and of course the compulsory Head Square DAHLINKS!!. Not my sign though, Nora Wellies, scabby jeans, smelling of the eau de coo s*e!!

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Crumbs I hope it wasn 't me who said she didn't feel rich? I must say I don't feel rich with money, but after moving from France where we had a 2 bedroom appartment albeit in a gorgeous place to coming here and having a house and a garden (unheard of luxuries)and a glorious forest nearby and a wealth of exciting cultural things to do and marvellous friends ( I get a real hit seeing wild parrots flying about -really!)and a darling family etc I feel loaded. the older I've got, the less excited I am by clothes or fancy furniture or fitted kitchens or any of those things which magazines make us want to buy.