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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Brenjen on January 07, 2007, 01:55:30 PM

Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 07, 2007, 01:55:30 PM
The other long drawn out thread got me wondering, what amount of money would you have to accumulate to consider yourself RICH?

 My father & I have had this discussion several times. When we moved to Arkansas from California back in 1972 my dad was making $130 a week, he took a job in Arkansas for $75 a week. He reasoned that the difference in the local economy would make it possible.

 Back then you could live fairly well on $75 a week, not good mind you, but you could pay rent, household bills & a car payment & feed a family of four. Back then a million dollars seemed like what a billion dollars seems like today. I remember thinking to myself, "boy I wish I had a million dollars!"

 Today a million dollars, though still a lot of money, doesn't mean you're set for life. After a home & a couple cars & a few things to go said home & education expenses etc. you would still have to work if you were young.

 I have an uncle who is worth roughly $10 million, he doesn't consider himself "rich" he agrees he is comfortable, but in his mind he isn't rich because; he's getting old & his expenses will begin to mount if he is hospitalized & has to pay people to take care of maintenance on his rental properties etc. & then if he dies after a long illness he wonders how much after taxes & fees will be left for his children & grandchildren. He sees rich as having so much money that no matter what happens to you, the wealth you pass on will ensure your children will never have to work.



What do you consider to be "rich"?
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Sandman on January 07, 2007, 02:08:29 PM
I'm not working so my children can have a free pass.

Work builds character.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: storch on January 07, 2007, 02:17:47 PM
my grandfather passed away a year ago or so and his estate is worth roughly $5,000,000.00.  he was the most misearble man I've ever known.  my other grandfather passed away in 1977.  he didn't have two nickles to rub together yet he was the warmest and most giving person I've ever known.  

my broke grandfather was the richer of the two men by far.  

one time many years ago there was an impromptu family gathering at a restaurant, when it came time to pay for the meal there was a long silence as no one picked up the check, after a brief pause my broke grandfather picked it up and paid for the meal, around fifteen or so people.  my rich grandfather asked how much it was so he could contribute for half, to which my other grandfather told him it was ok to get it next time.  

they probably went without for the following week as I'm sure that must have been most of his paycheck but it was a great lesson for this then 12 year old boy.  being rich goes far beyond material wealth and I'm someone some might consider rich.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 07, 2007, 02:26:08 PM
Yes, rich is a subjective term, but I am referring specifically to monetary wealth. I thought that went without saying, that's why I didn't specifically say that in the OP.

 Sandman, I take your answer as "no comment" since you really didn't answer the question.

 I had the same situation with my Grandfather in a way, my blood grandfather skipped out on my grandmother & married a woman half her age & disowned the entire family years before I was ever born. My step-grandfather was the best guy a person could ever want to meet & always treated me like his blood. When my step-grandfather passed away I felt as close to crying as I've ever been over someone dying. When my real grandfather passed away, he died alone, blind & in filth. He left $750,000 in cash when he died that his step-son spent in a hurry. Funny how my grandad would leave all that money to someone who wouldn't even come to check on his condition; such is life & the confusing nature of the human animal.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Sandman on January 07, 2007, 02:36:29 PM
Hehe... I didn't like the question. :)

The acquisition of wealth won't make you rich. Something that I can agree wholeheartedly with Storch.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 07, 2007, 02:38:25 PM
If you don't like the question, just don't answer. Simple enough.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: KONG1 on January 07, 2007, 02:46:57 PM
You need to have one thing to be rich - enough.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: lasersailor184 on January 07, 2007, 03:09:31 PM
I value being rich as having the money to do your most favorite activity.  When I have enough money to buy small sailboats and support them, I'll be rich.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: namvet on January 07, 2007, 03:14:59 PM
>$100k/year
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: nirvana on January 07, 2007, 04:06:21 PM
I'd agree with namvet or about $5 million lump sum after taxes.  I don't think my family has $5 million accumulated debt and I don't think I could spend 5 million fast enough to go broke.  In short, after I paid off family debts, I'd invest it and still work for a living.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: cpxxx on January 07, 2007, 04:13:10 PM
It is a pretty subjective term. I think you are rich if you have enough money not to have to work again. In other words live off the money you have or the interest it generates.

I seem to remember the a figure of £3 million stg/ $5.7 million/ 4.5 Euro mentioned once as being the minimum sum required.

On the other hand it could be your capacity to earn a couple of million a year. My sister and her husband's architect's practice generates a turnover over of 2 million Euro PA. I guess that makes them rich or soon to be at least. A friend earns over £3m Stg PA in London. So I stay really friendly with them. :aok Somewhere down the road they will have enough in the bank to live off it without working. I just aspire to have enough in the bank to pay my half of the mortgage. :cry One day I will too!!!!

On a TV program the other night on the BBC. A Brit millionaire said that you could have the flash car/private jet/yacht in the Med lifestyle on £10 mil. If you bother to earn more than that it was all ego in his opinion.

I suppose if you know you are really rich when you can buy anything but don't need to ask the price.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Mustaine on January 07, 2007, 04:30:33 PM
monetarily rich I think is not ever wondering how much something costs.

the old attage "if you have to ask, you can't afford it"

for me, and what I'd like to do and who i would like to give money too it means $25 million minimum after[/I] taxes.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Holden McGroin on January 07, 2007, 04:41:33 PM
Anybody who makes more money than I do is a rich greedy bastard, anybody who makes less is a lazy good for nothing leech.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: vorticon on January 07, 2007, 05:14:15 PM
no monetary value. basicly if you do what you want, and have money left over.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: takeda on January 07, 2007, 05:19:44 PM
Quote
Originally posted by vorticon
no monetary value. basicly if you do what you want, and have money left over.

I'm the poorest rich man in the world then :)
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Nilsen on January 07, 2007, 05:20:46 PM
Good question.

Bill Gates would be considered rich, but so would the guy on your block who has the most money. Wealth like beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: JB88 on January 07, 2007, 05:46:56 PM
truffles.  damn things are hell on my teeth.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Sandman on January 07, 2007, 05:58:59 PM
Oh snap... I knew the answer to this.

Rich is having a carpeted garage.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 07, 2007, 06:16:27 PM
I don't know about carpeted, but enclosed with a lift, heat & air would be nice.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: eskimo2 on January 07, 2007, 07:45:41 PM
I'm pretty sure that this thing is skewed, but look at this:

http://www.globalrichlist.com/index.php
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Ripsnort on January 07, 2007, 07:49:19 PM
"rich" is living within your means, and enjoying life.  Income means nothing. How you invest and spend your income means everything.  "Rich" to me means the quality of living that  you do that is ACCEPTABLE when you live your life that you consider a good life, when you are not at work.

I started out with nothing...and I felt "rich" when I was homeless.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: ROC on January 07, 2007, 07:59:12 PM
$5,683,323.54
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Gunslinger on January 07, 2007, 08:10:02 PM
Quote
Originally posted by eskimo2
I'm pretty sure that this thing is skewed, but look at this:

http://www.globalrichlist.com/index.php


ha ha ha

You are the 59,805,858richest person in the world!

You're in the TOP 0.99%
richest people in the world!


What's funny is I'm in the below 1% and that site is asking me to give.

HA HA HA HA
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Debonair on January 08, 2007, 01:49:23 AM
whipping cream in a beer bong is too rich for me
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Heater on January 08, 2007, 03:24:26 AM
You are the 29,636,130richest person in the world!  
You're in the TOP 0.49%
richest people in the world!

Makes you wander.......
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Nilsen on January 08, 2007, 05:30:43 AM
You are the 107,565 richest person in the world!
You're in the  TOP 0.001%
richest people in the world!

I doubt that is correct
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Viking on January 08, 2007, 05:54:00 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Nilsen
You are the 107,565 richest person in the world!
You're in the  TOP 0.001%
richest people in the world!

I doubt that is correct


Show off! :D
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: eagl on January 08, 2007, 06:04:36 AM
According to that website, the crooks that robbed me in the UK stole the basic school education of an entire generation from 5 angolan villages.

Bastages!

Besides, a goodly portion of those that site says I make more than, would rather live in their mud huts and kill me as a heretic than join modern society and actually work WITH others to improve their lot in life.  They are born, raised, and die knowing that any life other than their mud huts and religious warfare is true heresy and must be fought against at all costs.

I feel little incentive to make more than one offer of a better life to a savage.  Offer once.  If it's refused, let them keep their squalor.  They'll probably be happier that way and who am I to force civilization into their lives?  Offer a better way (the way that worked for me and those like me) once.  If they take it, fine.  If not, I figure it's probably immoral to force them out of their traditions.

That said, offering true asylum is an important part of that.  If you offer civilization to a family and only the oppressed woman says "save me", you damn well better save her 'cause she's gonna get beaten the second you turn your back if you leave because of what her uncultured man said.

I recall some sci-fi stories about that...  A society is trapped on a planet with no metal and a sun that is going unstable.  Aliens show up, make the offer.  Anyone who says yea gets whisked away to a better planet (which they'll have to build up themselves, but TANSTAFFL, eh?)  Even after the planet leaders are convinced of their dire situation, the people on the planet end up attacking the aliens and the aliens take a bare handful of open-minded people away, leaving the savages behind to roast or freeze, complaining about how it was everyone else's fault they're screwed.

Sounds a bit like the middle east...  There is a way out, but even though the natives see the writing on the wall (oil gonna run out eventually), they're still refusing assistance because their religion tells them that everyone else is unclean and accepting help or a different way of life will damn them to hell.  So I figure, make the offer once and then forget about it.  When they want help, they'll ask.  And it better be nicely too.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Nilsen on January 08, 2007, 06:16:55 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Viking
Show off! :D


Not really. I cheated. I put in the ammount i make PRE taxes :D
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: eagl on January 08, 2007, 06:23:17 AM
Any reply over $200,001 results in that 107,565 .001% score.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Edbert on January 08, 2007, 06:59:12 AM
Accumulated...anything over $5M liquid or $10M hard.

Annual income...anything over $250K (after taxes)

I'd say middle class is post tax incomes between $50K and $150K, which leaves the $151K-250K as upper-middle.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: eagl on January 08, 2007, 07:18:38 AM
I think the definition of "rich" depends on the person.  For me, it means having "enough".

Personally, for me to have "enough" to do everything I've ever hoped to do, it would take about $100 mil in liquid assets right now.  That would cover:

My dream beach house.
My airplane.
My ticket to the ISS on soyuz.
Enough money to sustain a moderate (not wasteful) lifestyle in that house without working.  That means enough to cover all property taxes until I die, enough to follow my hobbies (flying, scuba diving, travel), etc.

I think $100 mil would cover all that.

Since I don't have $100 mil, I'll just have to keep working and of course I can be happy with a life that falls short of these things I've dreamed of doing.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 08, 2007, 08:39:22 AM
I hear that eagl, my basic point in posting this was just to get people to think about how little money a million dollars really is, & how someone could have quite a comfortable existence & still not be "rich". All the time I hear people sling the phrase "if I had a million dollars..." & I want to ask them; "what would you do?" "really, what would you do if you had a million dollars?"

 Most people would stammer a bit, scratch their head, poke a whole in the air with their finger & proudly exclaim "I'd retire!"

 Not likely unless you're already set with a home & property, vehicles under warranty & good insurance so that all you had to do was keep up with taxes & pay basic bills with the interest.

 Would the average guy invest in stocks? Well, some would, but for the average schmo that would be like playing a slot machine, better chance of going broke than making more money because of the lack of understanding financial dealings of that sort.

 My grandfather told my dad a long time ago before he left the family; "if you divided up all the money on earth equally between all the people, within a years time, those people that are broke now will be broke again & all the people who have money now will still have it with very few exceptions."

 I think he was right....a butt-hole, but right.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Edbert on January 08, 2007, 08:49:51 AM
Quote
Originally posted by Brenjen
I think he was right....a butt-hole, but right.

The two terms are often mutually inclusive, most folks don't like hearing the raw truth and will label the speaker a butthole, ask lazs.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Brenjen on January 08, 2007, 08:57:27 AM
:lol  True. But he was a butt-hole for different reasons than being a truthful scrooge for the record; he only told the truth to cause someone else pain from what I understand.


 I don't know lazs well enough to judge his motives.
Title: What do you consider to be rich?
Post by: Rash on January 08, 2007, 05:25:58 PM
2,423 sheep.