Are you Wealthy?

[bjl584]

How many out there consider themselves wealthy? I guess this begs the question, what is wealth? Money? Something more? How much does one have to accumulate before they are considered wealthy? My personal definition would be that I consider myself wealthy once my personal savings and investments are returning as much as or more than my paycheck from my job. In other words, I could quit my job and not have my lifestyle change or worry about money. By the way, I'm not there yet.

[LuxLiving]

bjl584, I think "Your Money Or Your Life" calls that set of happy circumstances 'Financial Freedom'. And by that standard - Nope, I'm not there.

By richness in love and a contented, happy family life I'm one of the wealthiest!

[JoyJoy]

Wealth in money? Not secure...so no. Wealth as far as my husband and my sons? Yes. Priceless!

Interesting to note: Today on Dominick Dunne (Court TV) there is a President Day's Marathon about the rich and the tragedies that occurred in their lives. These people had it all and still "lost" it all.

[bjl584]

I know that wealth is more than money. I don't have a family right now, so it's just me. I am trying to find wealth in other areas in my life. Companionship, spiritually, etc. I guess money as it equates to wealth is just a piece of a much greater puzzle. It's more security and freedom than anything. It certainly isn't happiness. It can help make you happy elsewhere, but it is not happiness in itself.

[scfr]

"I'm alive and I'm free. Who wouldn't wanna be me?" - Keith Urban

[JoyJoy]

Originally Posted by bjl584

I know that wealth is more than money. I don't have a family right now, so it's just me. I am trying to find wealth in other areas in my life. Companionship, spiritually, etc. I guess money as it equates to wealth is just a piece of a much greater puzzle. It's more security and freedom than anything. It certainly isn't happiness. It can help make you happy elsewhere, but it is not happiness in itself.

I know exactly where you are because I've been there with losing to death my mom, dad and sister. I thought perhaps if I became wealthy then I would have a new set of friends and family as most of the people I knew were doing well for themselves.

I found I was on a collision course to nowhere. The people I knew who had made it, had more problems then I ever cared to have. Now...this doesn't mean everyone who has money are basket cases!!! far from. It just taught me that money could create problems and true happiness wasn't measured through money.

We were fortunate to inherit some money and it could have caused more problems if we had let it. It was welcomed and helped to pay off some debts. We are aware that money isn't true security but nice to have around. It won't bring my family back nor send our son home from the war in Iraq. There are just some things in life that no matter how much wealth you have, can't buy you what you really want....

[Broken Arrow]

My networth is still in the negatives, so... no.

[Ima saver]

No, I am not wealthy, but I feel like I gained a wealth of knowledge and friends when I joined this site.

[JanH]

Monetarily--here, no. Compared to a lot of people around the world--definitely, yes.
Having DD call and tell me about her great weekend--priceless!

[FrugalIII]

Throughout my life I have set benchmarks for myself. Early on, I felt I'd be wealthy if I could pay all my bills each month and have just a few dollars left over. As I got older, it changed to all of benchmark #1 plus being able to put some away for savings. Later, benchmark #3 came along. I thougt, boy I'll be wealthy if I do all the first two plus see my salary increase to $50k a year (I'm a cop so that's a lot). Then I reached that benchmark and my next one was retirement. I thought it'd be great to be retired. Not so good. I went back to work after only 6 months of boredom. Long story short, wealth means something different to each of us, according to our stage in life and I think that as long as we set goals (benchmarks) for ourselves and strive higher each time, wealth is just a matter of personal perception. Monetary wealth certainly doesn't equate to happiness. I know a lot of miserable people who have more money than they can ever spend.

[Daylily]

At this exact moment in time, I have exactly everything I need. So yes, I am wealthy.

It's all a matter of perception and semantics.

[PrincessPerky]

I may not be wealthy (a word I equate with money only) but I am rich.....really....I mention it in blogs and posts all the time, I am rich..k no I don't have all the money I could ever want, but that amount is prolly infinity anyway.

[nanamom]

I am wealthy, my health is good, I have some awesome adults that call me Mom and some incredible little people that call me Nana. I have a totally fantastic little person that calls me Mommy and a husband that calls me beautiful (yeah I did have his eyes checked) and a couple of friends that consider me fun. I can afford enough to eat, a roof over my head, heat enough to take the chill off, electricity for lights and computer times, and a few treats with money left over to save for retirement. My other bills are paid every month. I am incredibly blessed actually not just wealthy.

[markio26]

my free time life energy makes me feel rich at times.......semi-retired and doing my own thing...sleeping in if i want to....working from home.....priceless....

[beebop25blue25]

I absolutely love nanmom's answer!! I so agree with her, I am incredibly blessed not just wealthy!!

[JoyJoy]

I second that! Now that's what wealth really is!!!! WTG nanamom!!

[Savingmonster]

Far from it. My goal is to be financially stable. I think having enough in my bank account to live for a year or more w/o using credit cards etc is what I am aiming for.

[ozzy gurl]

Not financially wealthy.

But life is beautiful. :-)

[DebbieL]

No I'm not wealthy (financially speaking). I hope to be financially secure someday though (and I will make that goal if I stick to my plans).

[Ima saver]

I agee that we do have different goals and ideas of wealthy along the path of life. When I was 20, I thought if I ever had $10,000 cash in the bank, I would be wealthy. Well, we all know that is not wealthy at all. Being happy is the most important thing.