Poll: Are you rich?
Total Members Polled: 535
Discussion
The Gauge said:
Maybe some of them would happily swap their lives with us poorer folk who actually have all the things their money can't buy?
It would be interesting to know how many reach that conclusion, and at what point. I expect for most it's when they're sitting in a puddle of their own fluids waiting to check out.
Wacky Racer said:
If you have £100m in the bank but are confined to wheelchair for the rest of your life, you are poor compared to a man on £40k a year in good health that really enjoys his job.
I saw a twitter video recently where one guy asks the other if he would accept £10m from him there and then. The other guy replied 'Yes'. He was then told that the only catch was that he would die in his sleep tonight, the guy changed his answer to 'No' and was then told to appreciate waking up each day and enjoy life.okgo said:
Most of them likely live a perfectly normal life with just more money.
Why these inane stories need to be invented in these threads I’ll never know.
The (few) folk I know of this nature have very definitely traded their every waking hour for their affluence. Why these inane stories need to be invented in these threads I’ll never know.
Some will love what they do of course and may do the same for far less money. The tat is just a byproduct.
I'm really not sure "Do you want ten million quid? Oh the catch is you'll die tonight" means too much.
This thread is interesting because I think it depends how you define rich.
For some people it's having the most money in the bank or the biggest house or the most toys.
I'd probably define it as being able to wake up in the morning and decide you just don't want to work any more.
Not sure there's a right answer.
This thread is interesting because I think it depends how you define rich.
For some people it's having the most money in the bank or the biggest house or the most toys.
I'd probably define it as being able to wake up in the morning and decide you just don't want to work any more.
Not sure there's a right answer.
b
hstewie said:
hstewie said: I'm really not sure "Do you want ten million quid? Oh the catch is you'll die tonight" means too much.
This thread is interesting because I think it depends how you define rich.
For some people it's having the most money in the bank or the biggest house or the most toys.
I'd probably define it as being able to wake up in the morning and decide you just don't want to work any more.
Not sure there's a right answer.
The only real measure of success is knowing you can afford to buy the branded food in the supermarket yet you buy their own brand instead, and do so with a knowing smirk on your face as you watch the 'ten bob millionaire's grabbing at the Heinz beans. You can then emerge from the supermarket feeling smug as you walk to your Fiesta knowing you could afford the Range Rover parked next to you.This thread is interesting because I think it depends how you define rich.
For some people it's having the most money in the bank or the biggest house or the most toys.
I'd probably define it as being able to wake up in the morning and decide you just don't want to work any more.
Not sure there's a right answer.
The Gauge said:
The only real measure of success is knowing you can afford to buy the branded food in the supermarket yet you buy their own brand instead, and do so with a knowing smirk on your face as you watch the 'ten bob millionaire's grabbing at the Heinz beans. You can then emerge from the supermarket feeling smug as you walk to your Fiesta knowing you could afford the Range Rover parked next to you.
The poundshop Aesop strikes again. Is this stuff your way of coping with other people having stuff you don’t? It’s a bit unusual to say the least.
okgo said:
The Gauge said:
The only real measure of success is knowing you can afford to buy the branded food in the supermarket yet you buy their own brand instead, and do so with a knowing smirk on your face as you watch the 'ten bob millionaire's grabbing at the Heinz beans. You can then emerge from the supermarket feeling smug as you walk to your Fiesta knowing you could afford the Range Rover parked next to you.
The poundshop Aesop strikes again. Is this stuff your way of coping with other people having stuff you don’t? It’s a bit unusual to say the least.
I don't think TG's posts are any different from the "We have a joint income of £500k but we don't feel rich at all. It barely covers the 4 kids in private school, the lease payments on the DBX and RRS, the live-in Nanny and the Villa in Meribel"
richhead said:
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.
People live in abject poverty in the UK, but they are easier to ignore than the poor of the Third World. Our society hides them better than, say, India's does - at least in the Indian cities where the middle classes live cheek by jowl with the very poor. Once you start looking for poverty, however, you'll find it. Walk a few blocks back from any British High Street, find the nearest low-rise development built of honey-coloured brick with a 'So and So's Housing Trust' nameplate on the side and knock on a few doors. What's behind them can be surprising. More to the point, we should consider poverty on a relative basis, rather than trying to apply an absolute standard across all nations. Yes, someone living in a rundown terrace in a former mill town in the North East with no work, no prospects and nothing to do but watch the comings and goings of drug delivery boys through the window might have a better life than someone living in a broom cupboard in Hong Kong who, in turn, might have a better life than someone living under a railway bridge in New Delhi who might have a better life than an African with no clean drinking water and so it goes. The fact that worse conditions exist elsewhere does not negate bad conditions here. Our incentive ought to be seeking consensus regarding what is unacceptable in the UK, now, and seeking to eliminate anything in that category.
Oh, and I might be rich when I've paid off my mortgage. Lucky me*
- no pension and earning significantly less than the UK average salary.
Edited by Missy Charm on Saturday 8th June 12:42
okgo said:
The Gauge said:
The only real measure of success is knowing you can afford to buy the branded food in the supermarket yet you buy their own brand instead, and do so with a knowing smirk on your face as you watch the 'ten bob millionaire's grabbing at the Heinz beans. You can then emerge from the supermarket feeling smug as you walk to your Fiesta knowing you could afford the Range Rover parked next to you.
The poundshop Aesop strikes again. Is this stuff your way of coping with other people having stuff you don’t? It’s a bit unusual to say the least.
I also shop own branded for quite a few products and step out of the supermarket and into a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Sure, I've a range rover in the driveway but would much rather drive a beater to the supermarket and put the miles on the cheap to run car.
I'm a firm believer in watching pennies instead of pounds. I'm not miserable either, just try to be sensible when appropriate and my MO is usually to focus on value for money, rather than price.
soupdragon1 said:
I'm reading it as someone who is careful with their money and in general, being careful over a lifetime means your compounding by getting best bang for buck?
I also shop own branded for quite a few products and step out of the supermarket and into a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Sure, I've a range rover in the driveway but would much rather drive a beater to the supermarket and put the miles on the cheap to run car.
I'm a firm believer in watching pennies instead of pounds. I'm not miserable either, just try to be sensible when appropriate and my MO is usually to focus on value for money, rather than price.
He already posted earlier in the thread - got a sum of money and immediately spent it all and is skint again. So I don’t think he’s some financial sage I also shop own branded for quite a few products and step out of the supermarket and into a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Sure, I've a range rover in the driveway but would much rather drive a beater to the supermarket and put the miles on the cheap to run car.
I'm a firm believer in watching pennies instead of pounds. I'm not miserable either, just try to be sensible when appropriate and my MO is usually to focus on value for money, rather than price.
The rest of your post is neither here nor there. The schtick here is that folk with money are lacking all the simple things that apparently skint people have in spades. Obviously it’s garbage and most likely a way of dealing with other people having more “ But they can’t be happy surely/they work all the time surely” etc etc. Variations of the tired of Mexican fisherman story essentially.
okgo said:
soupdragon1 said:
I'm reading it as someone who is careful with their money and in general, being careful over a lifetime means your compounding by getting best bang for buck?
I also shop own branded for quite a few products and step out of the supermarket and into a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Sure, I've a range rover in the driveway but would much rather drive a beater to the supermarket and put the miles on the cheap to run car.
I'm a firm believer in watching pennies instead of pounds. I'm not miserable either, just try to be sensible when appropriate and my MO is usually to focus on value for money, rather than price.
He already posted earlier in the thread - got a sum of money and immediately spent it all and is skint again. So I don’t think he’s some financial sage I also shop own branded for quite a few products and step out of the supermarket and into a 10 year old Nissan leaf. Sure, I've a range rover in the driveway but would much rather drive a beater to the supermarket and put the miles on the cheap to run car.
I'm a firm believer in watching pennies instead of pounds. I'm not miserable either, just try to be sensible when appropriate and my MO is usually to focus on value for money, rather than price.
The rest of your post is neither here nor there. The schtick here is that folk with money are lacking all the simple things that apparently skint people have in spades. Obviously it’s garbage and most likely a way of dealing with other people having more “ But they can’t be happy surely/they work all the time surely” etc etc. Variations of the tired of Mexican fisherman story essentially.
I think there is still a bit of value in my point around having that 'value for money' ethos and the compounding effect that has. Most are fully familiar with compounding in pensions etc, but I think in day to day spend, it's worthwhile to recognise the concept.
I'll give you a 'cheapskate example'
We do take way every Friday night and my daughter likes the chicken from McDonalds. I'll get her chicken and chips and we'll get a Chinese or Indian. It's a good bit cheaper to buy the chicken wrap of the day (£1.99) and remove the fillets, so I do that, and I'll fill the wrap with some chicken tikka from my takeaway
It's not much money but when you have that ethos for daily spend, it makes a difference. My missus will buy precut melon. I'll buy the full melon and cut it up. She refuses to comply with my ethos but at least one of us does it
I'll still fork out for quality though. Steak night tonight and we'll be having a very nice cut of meat.
Painted the fence this year. Bought the most expensive paint in the shop, but I know it will last many years and save me several days of labour and repainting again and again with cheap paint so it's actually fantastic value for money, despite being 'expensive'
I got solar installer this year. Wanted an EV charger and possibly batteries but got a basic install and when the electrician arrived, tapped him up to do those jobs as self employed. Saved £400 on my zappi charger install and he'll install my batteries if I want them, and I'll save at least £2k if I decide to go that route.
I'm far from being a cheapskate but I'm always making sure I spend as little as possible to get what I want. My clothes shopping is almost exclusively post Christmas being another example. I was brought up with my mum buying my clothes too big so that I could get more out of them as times were tough then. Don't do that now of course, but the concept of being frugal either by necessity or by choice has been with me all my life and I quite like the challenge of finding the little wins along the way.
Anyway, thats turned into a bit of a ramble, not really referencing the quotes anymore but may as well hit submit after typing all that.
If you’re poor suck it up. There is a chance your life may be considerably worse than a super rich person. That’s life, it isn’t fair, it just is the way it is. Just live within your own means and stop comparing or try to rationalise away to try to make things “make sense”.
All these stories of “I knew a guy who had £10m and he died
before he was even born..or I know a bloke who had £50m and the day he retired he died” are tiresome.
Here’s the thing, if you are poor and yet are in good health / came from a family with a home, it is likely because you made piss poor life decisions or just didn’t want to accumulate wealth through making sacrifices. I can point to 1000s of immigrants who are wealthier than their white counterparts despite coming to this country with nothing, except humility and work ethic.
All these stories of “I knew a guy who had £10m and he died
before he was even born..or I know a bloke who had £50m and the day he retired he died” are tiresome.
Here’s the thing, if you are poor and yet are in good health / came from a family with a home, it is likely because you made piss poor life decisions or just didn’t want to accumulate wealth through making sacrifices. I can point to 1000s of immigrants who are wealthier than their white counterparts despite coming to this country with nothing, except humility and work ethic.
Edited by NRG1976 on Saturday 8th June 14:15
Zj2002 said:
Plan quietly please.
If my posting winds you up it’s even more reason to carry on Someone my age has a 80% chance of living into their 80’s and a 25% chance of making 94. However I suspect it’s again a coping mechanism for people that can’t manage their finances to kid themselves into thinking they’re going to die young. Some do. Vast majority don’t.
The Gauge said:
The only real measure of success is knowing you can afford to buy the branded food in the supermarket yet you buy their own brand instead, and do so with a knowing smirk on your face as you watch the 'ten bob millionaire's grabbing at the Heinz beans. You can then emerge from the supermarket feeling smug as you walk to your Fiesta knowing you could afford the Range Rover parked next to you.
Not sure if this is satire?If it isn't I can see some truth in it in the same way that as you say just because you can afford a Range Rover doesn't necessarily mean you want or feel you need one.
If I'm honest the £120K stat surprised me because if that's the mathematical definition of being "rich" in the UK then fair enough but how many of the 88% who are "rich" could stop work tomorrow and not worry about how they'e going to pay the bills?
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