Are you rich?

[CheesecakeRunner]

By this definition, yes, I’m rich.

If you did it on liquid assets on the other hand…

[HorneyMX5]

Yup I'm experience and enjoyment rich, money poor. Best way to be!

[MrBig]

Zetec-S said:

This sort of thread always reveals those PHer's who are a little detached from reality, if they think £120k isn't that much.

Average house price in the UK is about £280k, assume split between 2 people is only £140k. Not taking into account the balance on the mortgage, personal loans, car finance, credit cards, etc. Or the millions of people who rent.

To be honest I'm more surprised it is as high as it is, just goes to highlight the size of the wealth imbalance.

I don't consider myself rich, but I know am fortunate compared to some.

A lot of it is going to be down to age. I'm mid 40s and have been paying a mortgage for the last 2 decades. If you'd asked me at 25 when I'd not long finished Uni and just bought my first house it would be a VERY different picture.

In fact in real terms, the figure of £140k could be covered in many cases just by the uplift in UK property values in the last 10 years.

[croyde]

beagrizzly said:

I keep getting told that I am somehow in the top 5% in the UK for earnings. My main response to this is 'how the fk do the other 95% afford anything?'

I think that too.

I get about £2800 after tax a month so I'm above the average wage. But I live in London, my rent alone is £1500, but I'm lucky, others in the same uninsulated 1960s block pay £2000.

So that's more than half my take home then bills, food, only £100 into my personal pension.

I get up, go to work, come home, cook me dinner, watch telly and go to bed.

I don't go to pubs, I don't eat out or get takeaways, and the money is pretty much used up by the next payday.

I do run a new car and motorbike though, although I rarely use them because of the cost of petrol.

Don't tell me to sell them as I've had a car and bike, sometimes multiples, since I was 17.

Glad to say that 44 years later I still own vehicles

Anyway, back to the point, how the hell does anyone survive by working the till at Tesco, with a family to feed.

[S100HP]

According to the poll, yes. In reality, I don't have two pennies to rub together. My house is worth about 300k, mortgage remaining around 70k, but that's all I have. No savings, nothing. I just about to opt out of my NHS pension as I'm only just taking home enough to cover my bills. Another couple of hundred in my pocket will make a huge difference. It's bloody depressing at 41 years old. Can't afford holidays etc. We're just surviving.

Edited by S100HP on Wednesday 5th June 15:18

[Jermy Claxon]

All men live in the shadow of other men.

[lizardbrain]

Average household wealth is something like 250k I thought, so below average probably can't count as rich anymore?

Inequality has widened though so it's not a simple picture. Perhaps are you poor a better question

[Colonel Cupcake]

Well, I'm not poor but I don't have much money.

[Jim H]

This is no ‘bragging rights’ - But.

House worth a fair bit. No mortgage.
Debts - none.
Cars worth a bit - no loans.
Property abroad - owned 50/50 with family
Good salary - 60K
Final salary pension.
No wife or kids.

And not a soul to leave it to.

Do you think I feel rich?

I’m 51 and not exactly looking after myself. It could all end tomorrow. I certainly don’t wake up in the morning thinking ‘jeez I’m rich’

I honestly don’t.

[CheesecakeRunner]

Jim H said:

And not a soul to leave it to.

I’m 51 and not exactly looking after myself. It could all end tomorrow.

I’d be popping some charities in my will. Better than it just disappearing into the government coffers.

[LankyFreak]

the only expensive things I own are my TV and a real nice pair of Air Jordan 1s.

Don't even own my car.

Firmly not rich.

[S2r]

According to this, I am not rich, my ex wife however is loaded...

But then, my life is rich and full although my bank account isn't and I think that's more important

[Jim H]

CheesecakeRunner said:

Jim H said:

And not a soul to leave it to.

I’m 51 and not exactly looking after myself. It could all end tomorrow.

I’d be popping some charities in my will. Better than it just disappearing into the government coffers.

What will?

I mean, I haven’t got one.

I think it’s important to realise if you have a roof over your head - so important.

I’ve been chugging around the streets of Benalmadena these last few days. The amount of beggars is absolutely heartbreaking.

If anyone on here thinks they are not rich.
Think again.

It’s horrible when you truly realise some are absolutely on the bones of their arse. When you are on your holiday thinking how wonderful life is. I saw a girl the other day and she must have been 20 at least. Just desperate. Totally cut me in two. I held her hand, gave her what I had in my pocket and she burst into tears. That moment will never leave me.

This is modern life.

The ‘have’s and the have nots

[Panamax]

It comes as a huge surprise to me that people who spend all their money every month don't get rich. How very unfair.

[lizardbrain]

Can't say i've noticed any correlation between significant wealth, and how thrifty someone is on a month ot month basis .

It can make or break a pleb's retirement of course, but the truely wealthy don't aquire their wealth via what's left of their monthly payslip

[thepeoplespal]

S100HP said:

According to the poll, yes. In reality, I don't have two pennies to rub together. My house is worth about 300k, mortgage remaining around 70k, but that's all I have. No savings, nothing. I just about to opt out of my NHS pension as I'm only just taking home enough to cover my bills. Another couple of hundred in my pocket will make a huge difference. It's bloody depressing at 41 years old. Can't afford holidays etc. We're just surviving.

Edited by S100HP on Wednesday 5th June 15:18

While no where as good as in the past opting out of the NHS pension isn't something many people would advocate. Employers make a 20.8% contribution of your pensionable pay, you could also lose out on ill health retirement and death in service benefits. Sad state of affairs when people are having to opt out just to make ends meet.

The current contribution rate is a lot higher than the fully funded local government pension scheme, as in 3% more of every paypacket at the same earnings more or less across the board.

[richhead]

Jim H said:

What will?

I mean, I haven’t got one.

I think it’s important to realise if you have a roof over your head - so important.

I’ve been chugging around the streets of Benalmadena these last few days. The amount of beggars is absolutely heartbreaking.

If anyone on here thinks they are not rich.
Think again.

It’s horrible when you truly realise some are absolutely on the bones of their arse. When you are on your holiday thinking how wonderful life is. I saw a girl the other day and she must have been 20 at least. Just desperate. Totally cut me in two. I held her hand, gave her what I had in my pocket and she burst into tears. That moment will never leave me.

This is modern life.

The ‘have’s and the have nots

this is very true, ive traveled alot and seen real poverty, and if you live in the uk you certainly arent poor in the global sense.

[The Merovingian]

Apparently minted!

No class but lots of brass

I appear to have considerably more money than you

[P-Jay]

richhead said:

but as i said, house value is fairly meaningless.
unless you are planning to sell up and live in a campervan of course.

I agree to a point, hundreds of thousands of pounds in property isn't the same as having it in money in the bank, but. Housing is the biggest bill most of us live with, owning your own home without a mortgage is a huge financial advantage, it's got to be worth £1500 a month in rent you don't have to pay.

It top of the list of things most people would buy if they had a sudden windfall equivalent to the value of a home.

[Antony Moxey]

So apparently I’m minted then. Salary’s not much but debts, other than the usual utility and food bills, are non-existent. Think I might buy a yacht with all these readies I’ve got sloshing around.