What does "Wealth" mean to you

I'm with you there.

Reading through this thread it's good to see how many equate wealth with contentment - maybe because we're older and have experienced a wide range of monetary security throughout long lives. To reach a secure (or as secure as anything can be these days) and contented old age is, I imagine, what everybody aims for, no matter how well-endowed. We're all different as to where that level of contentment lies. In my own family the branches spread from one lot who have become very wealthy through the hard work and success of the husband in a highly paid sector, to one who is a labourer - lowly paid but happy in his work and able to provide for partner and baby son. Every single little family unit seems happy and content with what they have (and the wealthy unit shows no sign of looking down its nose on the others). That's true wealth I think.

Parsley3

To me, wealth means money and the rest comes as blessings.

I agree.
Health, family, peace of mind.

It varies from time to time, sometimes monetary sometimes not.

Right now?
Truly wealthy, all those who can happily pass up the winter fuel allowance, and those who can remove it without any care for the people who need it.
Being wealthy doesn’t mean you’re a good person any more than being poor means you’re bad

Chocolatelovinggran

I agree that true wealth is more than money, but that doesn't mean that money isn't important.
I have known tough times, as have many others here on GN, I'm sure.
I am happy to have reached a time when I no longer live in fear of an unexpected bill, and don't worry if the car develops a rattle, or something breaks ( kettle this week).
The freedom from anxiety about my finances makes me feel wealthy, although I continue to be thrifty rather than profligate, except for grandchildren expenses, of course...

Exactly where we are now, after many lean years and some horrible difficulties.

To me, wealth means money and the rest comes as blessings.

NotSpaghetti

I have known two people rather like this Tuaim but they are in the minority.
Of course we may have different ideas of "truly wealthy" in the first place!

Yes, I agree. For me, truly wealthy is being at peace with yourself and the world around you, that your family are happy and you are all in good health and support each other. We can but try.

I have worried about money (or lack of) for the past twenty five years, so, to me, wealth would mean never having to worry about money. I've not put a figure on it, just as long as I could stop worrying.

I have known two people rather like this Tuaim but they are in the minority.
Of course we may have different ideas of "truly wealthy" in the first place!

NotSpaghetti

Tuaim - you have been very unlucky there.
The truly wealthy people that I have met over my lifetime are as varied as anyone else!

I am glad for you. The ones I am talking about are the pearl clutching brigade who look down on those whose Post Code isn't quite sea front villa. They are the cocktail party generation.

Hmm, that's a good question. Wealth to me would mean owning an apple orchard. Because if I was really wealthy, that's what I'd really want, to add something quite special to my life. But I'm not likely to ever have one!

So, if you know someone who is monetarily wealthy, but they don't have a good character and all of the above, they are not holistically wealthy or truly happy. Hence, the need to boast.

You can be happy without monetary wealth, purely because of all the things that money cannot buy, like good character, love, true friends, truth, peace of mind, talent, knowledge, presence and acceptance, health...

In either sense, true wealth is living the life you want in a way that no one can take it from you.

Wealth is having “plenty” not just money or possessions.
The only advantage of money is that you can be miserable in comfort, it doesn’t bring happiness.

Tuaim - you have been very unlucky there.
The truly wealthy people that I have met over my lifetime are as varied as anyone else!

I live in a part of the country where there are some truly wealthy people. I meet some of them at church at the weekend. All they talk about is themselves, where they have been for lunch, on endless holidays and whose party they are going to next. It is boring. I can compete but don't want to as it is a vacuous life. I just can't bring myself to socialise with them as it is one endless chore. I prefer to get lost in my own world and please myself.

Getting freedom after divorce priceless

AGAA4 - 💐.
It puts things into perspective doesn’t it. My gran would say ‘he knows the cost of everything and the value of nowt. She once said to me -you’ll know when you meet him. Take care of it. I k ew when I met my R, I’d caught my bus and had no need of anything else
She was put into service at 11, ran away and somehow got from co entry to north Lancashire with her sister aged 12. An uncle had arrived in the area to work in the mills and rented them a room, got the girls work at the mill
So little education but such knowledge

Be nice to wack up the heating. Pay for full time carers to come to house to see to my dad, instead of my mum being on her knees looking after him.
Pay private for two new knees.
Help the younger generation of family out. Most of the time I am content

As others have said 'wealth' on its own means money and possessions.

It would surely be a great mistake to think that 'wealthy' people who holiday on luxurious yachts don't see the health and wellbeing of their families as the source of their greatest contentment as much as those of us on here do. And natural disasters can happen to anyone anywhere.

Not wealthy in the financial sense, but do not worry about heating or food.
I own my house and have a older car which enables me to see my Grandchildren, I consider myself lucky. My new state pension and occupational pension takes pressure of me.

Iam64

Interesting comments here. Initially I was reflecting on being fortunate to own my house and have a works pension after working long year to build it.
I’m rich in my two daughters, their chikdren, partners family and friends.
I was wealthy beyond measure in my 42 years with mr I. I thank heavens we had so many happy, interesting years together and got even closer as we aged. I have health stuff that made me believe my strong, healthy happy husband would long outlive me. It’s 22 months since he died. I count my many blessings and live positively. but there’s a big gap in my life where I wish he was 💙🙏🏽

💐 I have a gap too.

I equate wealth with having loads of money.
We are not wealthy but happy enough with what we have.
I suppose there are a lot of rich people who are unhappy but tbh are a lot of poor people who are unhappy too and am sure they’d rather be unhappy in a mansion with staff catering to their every need.

I was just about to say that too mumofmadboys. Choice.

My goodness I’d love a go at being stinking rich with cash…….enough to have a huge house and garden in a setting of my choice. Multiple choice of vehicles too. Enough to but the latest of whatever.
But as I have a comfy little home a wonderful family who are nearby and all secure and happy too I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.