What does it mean to be wealthy?

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   sannyasinmanposted 14 years ago

   Are you wealthy? What does it mean to you, and what would it take for you to feel wealthy?

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      Carmen Borthwickposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Excellent question sannyasinman! I am wealthy because I have a computer to be able to have this discussion; I am wealthy because my husband was able to begin a new career at age 50 and he does it without question; I am wealthy because I was able to give treats to the kids that called out trick or treat tonight; I am wealthy because I have decided to be regardless of income or situation; I am wealthy because I am here.

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         sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Ah, wealth and gratitude - a potent combination.

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            Carmen Borthwickposted 14 years agoin reply to this

            There is no other way to live life than embrace whatever you are faced with. I learned that a long time ago.

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               sannyasinmanposted 14 years agoin reply to this

               "Do the best you can, with whatever you have, wherever you are" - Roosevelt

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         travelespressoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         A heartfelt response and beautifully said.  I endorse your words.

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      Uninvited Writerposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      For me it would be being able to pay off all my bills, be able to buy my own house/condo, to be able to devote myself to my writing 24/7 and still be able to eat, and to be able to visit friends and family as often as I wished. I don't need that much, really

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         emievilposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         Simple but true words . Just being able to do what you want to do is a wealth all by itself and something a lot of us are still striving for.

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   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   Ha! I am dying to learn it on my own experience. Not there yet

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   LRobbinsposted 14 years ago

   The more you have the more you spend in terms of material wealth so I don't think you can put a number on it, but as travelespresso put it so eloquently, there's more than one way to measure wealth.

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      topshelfposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I agree

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      travelespressoposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hello there
      I would love to take the kudos for those wonderful words but they were actually from Carmen Borthwick. 
      I thought her words were so eloquent.  They expressed how I feel about wealth being much more a feeling of gratitude than any trinkets, baubles or a hefty bank balance.

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   trish1048posted 14 years ago

   I am blessed with the love of my family and friends.
   
   However, we all know that money is a necessary evil, and just once, I'd like to know how it feels to have monetary wealth

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   bystuffonlineposted 14 years ago

   As mentioned, wealth can refer to monetary wealth, a wealth of knowledge, many friends and family, etc.
   
   I am wealthy since I have all that I need to survive.  I have a roof over my head, 3 meals each day, family and friends to share with, my health, and books to read.  I am content in life but still wish to grow.

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   tantrumposted 14 years ago

   I was born in a very rich family. Then I was poor. Then I was rich again. And again poor. And again rich. Now I'm poor. Next year I will be rich.
   I enjoy and have enjoyed every year of my life, because I have been wealthy of friends and my wonderful daughter. My life have been adventurous and intense. I can't ask for more !
   Money is not important, but takes your headaches away !

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   stefferposted 14 years ago

   having the love of my wife and daughter makes me wealthy
   having not to question how to pay the bills, or to be able to set my own work hours would make me super wealthy.
   
   already have the 1st, working on the 2th.
   
   Donald Trump here i come

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      earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      May the very best of luck go with you!

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         stefferposted 14 years agoin reply to this

         thanks mate, likewise

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   Zsuzsy Beeposted 14 years ago

   I'm wealthy because I have three fantastic children (adults now), I'm wealthy because I have two super duper fabulous granddaughters. I'm wealthy because I  have a roof over my head, I have my pets and chickens in the barn. I'm wealthy because I live, I'm able to write and I'm wealthy because I have friends here and worldwide.

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      earnestshubposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Hello dear Zsuzsy Bee, lovely to see you. When it comes to friends you are very rich indeed! Look at that fan list! :)You were so sweet to me I will never forget!

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   earnestshubposted 14 years ago

   I am wealthy I guess. I have enough to live my life pretty well, and I have a wealth of loving children and grandchildren close by.
   I have been much wealthier than I am now, and enjoyed having spare cash to share, and to be able to start a few other young men on the road to becoming wealthy by financing their businesses. Money is just another tool when you have enough of it. What you decide to do with money..... now That gets dicey!

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    habeeposted 14 years ago

    What is wealth? I was once in a high income tax bracket and was miserable. Now I'm middle class and happy! So many people chase the almighty dollar, thinking it's the key to happiness - it's not. I echo the sentiments expressed here about the importance of family, friends, love, a home, a job.

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    kirstenblogposted 14 years ago

    In life I have been given much to be grateful for, from great poverty (both emotional and other) my life has risen to one of much wealth. I have good friends, I married into a wonderful family (mine was fragmented and taken from me as a kid), I have a fulfilling job that allows me a sense of purpose on this planet (I can think of no greater prize then knowing you are doing something that is important and actually matters) and there is unlimited potential for the future!
    
    I would say that I am a very wealthy person indeed, now to get my bank account to reflect that reality!

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    Ralph Deedsposted 14 years ago

    $5 million in savings will provide a conservative income of $200,000/year for life which would qualify for most people as wealthy.
    
    The average 401k savings is $67,000 according to this source:
    
    I believe the following figures are 2005 figures
    
    the following is important because it shows that the average 401k amount does not represent an accurate look at individuals balances.
    
    “The bottom line is that most people do not have the ability to contribute significant amounts of their income to a 401k plan. The IRS allows people to contribute about $14,000 /year into a 401k plan but only a small number of workers, professionals generally making over $200,000/year, can do so. Most everyone else contributes far less. A telling statistic is that the average 401k plan has about $67,000 in it. If you retire at 65 and have a life expectancy of 20 more years, $67,000 will not take you very far. But the problem with this statistic is that it is an average; the more revealing statistic is that the median amount (ie the middle point)of 401k plan balances is $17,000. When you have this large discrepancy between the average and the median, you do not get a nice bell-shaped statistical graph but something more like an inverted bell-shape as the values skewed higher at the exterminies of the values. In plain language, there are many people with high balances and many with very low balances and not too many in between.”

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    rebekahELLEposted 14 years ago

    wealth is more a state of mind than $$, we can see how easily $$ is lost.
    
    like Thoreau once said, 'wealth is the ability to fully experience life.' 
    
    I have more than I ever imagined and it wakes me each morning to a new day.

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