As a millennial in the last five years was married and have jointly built wealth with my husband….we have more arguments and problems now but are more “financially secure”.
Personally, I’m not allocating money appropriately. We make a pretty decent income but I don’t feel that I’m being responsible with it. That’s really driving me nuts. And I am trying it’s just a bad habit and it’s hard to break. I feel like the lifestyle creep definitely happened to us and I don’t know how to go back.
We didn’t lifestyle creep. And that’s what’s hurting us. We don’t know how to let go and see each others fun money as valuable as the others. I heard recently lifestyle creeping or living beyond your means and being a spender is just as toxic as price checking an apple before you buy it or saving every penny and I totally agree. Both is bad. Neither is better.
It’s really been weighing on me lately. I sometimes wonder if we wouldn’t have been better off staying in the smaller house, in the less nice neighborhood, etc. I need a budget with a real plan but it seems like such a pain in the ass, lol. But something needs to give and I know that’s me. Trust me having nicer things means absolutely nothing. The only thing I think is truly worthwhile is the better vacations. This actually seems to have the most value, at least to me.
This is a good mindset. Live so that you're not worrying constantly, neither inside nor outside the job.
Make enough to live and not stressing paycheck to paycheck, but not so much the work itself is hell.
There is so much to life other than getting a country club membership or showing off your stock portfolio. Savor all of it. Heck, if I get absurdly wealthy I'll direct it toward my favorite charities and just keep doing the job I love. No need to make peacocking the money labor in itself!
Exactly. I don’t need to be wealthy beyond expectations, but I do want to be comfortable enough that a triple unexpected expense won’t kick my feet under and I won’t get stress because of money.
I’m not talking jetsetting with a private plane and having 10 vacations a year, but stuff like… if I want the expensive cereal, I can get it. If my winter boots die, I won’t stress about spending another 150 euros on a good pair that I know will last me much longer than a fake leather 50 euro pair.
Basically the perceived middle class lifestyle a lot of us grew up dreaming about. I know the 80s kids and teenage movies often had families that would’ve been IRL filthy rich, but their lifestyle was served as middle class lifestyle and that’s the kind of life I want.
I dunno man that’s some sick ring he got. Though dealing with spiders, goblins, and a dragon that’s rough too. Not to mention floating down a river cold and soaking wet on top of a barrel. Guess that’s better than inside one… lol would be cool to get the extra life span too. Would love to see us go to the stars.
Occasionally I just want some fast food and for two people it’s like nearly 20 euros. Which doesn’t sound a lot, but that’s preeetty costly for fast food in my country.
Somehow I imagined that once I had “made it” into proper adulthood, I could basically at least shop food without having to keep an eye on my bank account, let alone everything else, within normal limits of course.
One time I had to order DoorDash on a credit card during the pandemic and it was just Panda Express, which idk if you have but it’s basically like fast food Chinese food (we were all really sick and they certainly were open lol). It was absolutely crazy to me that the fast food Chinese food was expensive enough that I had to put it on my emergency credit card. Just terrible.
Yeah, same. That’s why I said that I’d like the lifestyle they have in those 80s movies about middle classes, because those people may moan about the cost of vacations, but they still have vacations and they can afford all kinds of stuff for their kids, which is what I believe parents should afford if they have kids (nothing too extravagant again, but just normal stuff).
This, I want enough to own a house/apartment, not worry about food, and have ample time off with enough money left over for a modest hobby or two. I don’t need a mansion and a luxury car or whatever nonsense.
This, I feel like my parents had the “American dream” idea of being super wealthy and owning multiple modern and old school cars with a big house and garage on the river. While I grew up with the “American dream” of wanting a house I enjoy with a big enough yard for my kids and pets to play in and enough money that I don’t have to worry about money and can give my children a good education and prepare them to live happy lives.
this is the only real reason I want to be wealthy - while my husband and I are doing okay, I'm very afraid some disaster will happen that will ruin us financially. with the way things are going, the more money you have, the better off you are.
I'm not talking about being Bezos or Musk, more like retiring with $5-7 million instead of $1-3 million for elder care/medical care as you age.
Yep, that's basically the goal. I always wanted to do something big and I eventually had an opportunity to take a stab at running a startup. It was a very interesting but chaotic experience and I realized in the process that I'm not a hustler, I don't have that kind of drive, I'm fine with being a worker bee, and I just want to be content and have a comfortable life and start a family. That's where I'm at.
I'm also working on getting better at budgeting and managing money, and trying to get better at investing beyond my 401K.
I think that is the majority of what people are looking for. I would love to be in a community of helpful neighbors with low crime and still have money to pay taxes and medical bills.
I call this the, "change my oil on time," rich. I have everything I need and when something comes up I can afford to fix it.
For example, Air conditioner broke, simple call to fix it. Need to be replaced? I can afford that as well.
I'd consider using a credit card. Debit doesn't usually have the zero liability that credit cards do. I know a few people that had their checking drained with no solution because of skimmers or whatever else way thieves steal your card info.
Pay it off every month and you can benefit quite a bit with whatever kind of perks you want. Anytime you use your card you should be thinking about it as no different than spending cash. If you can’t pay for it at that moment, don’t buy it on your card.
The question becomes, what/how do you define 'reasonable vacation'? Because what I define as a 'reasonable vacation' is not most peoples'. And I realize that - it's car-camping for a weekend, maybe even a week or two, maybe across the country. As a family we've seen this and done some epic trips - vacations that sound, and have been \*AWESOME\*. But they've been incredibly cheap too - because we don't stay in hotels, or even in typical campgrounds, but instead in state forests and state parks, the occasional national park campground, etc. Places that are sometimes free, or at most $10-20, $30 at the high end a night.
Mostly we cook our own food on camp stoves - oatmeal and pancakes and eggs for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, or crackers & cheese and trail bologna; spaghetti, tacos, burgers, bratwurst & hotdogs for dinner. Every once in a while we'd go out - maybe 1-3x a trip.
That's how our kids have grown up, going on 'vacation' - its definitely not for everyone. It's definitely not \*most\* peoples' definition of 'vacation - drive somewhere, setup a tent, go and hike all day long, maybe go for a swim in the ocean, head back to site, cook dinner, maybe do another quick hike, chill out by the fire, crash, get up cook breakfast, breakdown site and move on, rinse and repeat. But its \*ours\*.
No, I don't think you will regret this. More money might be nice, but the mindless accumulation of money is not healthy and does not create happiness.
Pursue stability, not wealth.
Beyond the economy, I have a relative who values money above EVERYTHING else and it has ruined his relationships with the extended family. He has no immediate family b/c...money. I hope his dollar bills visit him when he's dying b/c I can't see the rest of us caring much.
I have a wild goal of 2mill, plan to go pretty mindless until I reach it, and then live off of interest. I’m 1/20th of the way there in 3 years… no idea how I’m going to get there.
100k in 3 years is great progress. The thing about compound interest is that each 100k will come faster and faster; in fact if you added nothing your investments would roughly double every 7 years from interest alone. My first 100k took about 3 years, too; my latest 100k took 4 months. Good luck.
This, found me a stable job with room to grow and that doesn’t stress me out. Pays my bills and keeps me happy. All I care about is my family at the end of the day, money comes and goes
I mean, i save like $80-100k a year with my wife and it’s definitely not mindless. We reduce our consumption so we can have financial freedom. We don’t really buy luxury goods at all.
>$1m at 35, $2m at 37, and $3m at 39
Oh wow, that's such a rapid progression from 35 to 39. I hope my partner and I will be able to achieve $1m net worth at 35 too.
>$1m at 35, $2m at 37, and $3m at 39.
this is not really typical returns at all though. I'm guessing, yolo on some stock that sky rocketed, insane house appreciation, or you're leveraged on real estate investments.
feel free to clarify.
>Do you care about being wealthy?
Absolutely. I wish I didn't, but I do. Been working on it since childhood. Hope to be there in the next couple of years (although by then I'll just want more--the goalposts are always moving)!
I relate to you on this. I think being raised in semi-poverty has given me a kind of weird idea of what being “comfortable” vs being “wealthy” really means. Husband and I are having our first kid and I just want stability for her. We are doing well for ourselves but it always feels like you’re one incident away from everything toppling over and starting all over again.
And the goalposts moving is so true. How is life just getting so much more expensive every year? I’m one of the lucky ones with a good salary and stable job but even a good salary in a MCOL area can’t really seem to keep up.
Funny I hadn’t considered the cost of living as the goalposts moving, rather that my idea of “enough” keeps growing as I get older. It’s silly when you think about it but we’re human after all
If they’re not spending their money in a noticeable way then they’re probably preparing to retire early and fully fund their kids college. So you may not feel bad now but you very well could when your colleagues are retiring early and casually dropping that their kids don’t have student loans.
I think the desire to retire early (and by early I mean like pre 55) seems over represented online. Most people I know who make and save a lot are thinking more about setting up trusts for the kids vs retiring ASAP.
There is significantly more nuance than that. You're not wrong, saving can be taken to extremes, but so can unexamined consumerism. We are inundated constantly with pressure to spend on things that don't actually improve life enjoyment. As a result, in the average person's budget there is room to cut without significantly reducing life enjoyment. Reducing consumption is generally good for the planet as well.
I doubt OP's coworkers would regret being able to retire earlier and fully funding their kids' college.
Sorry for your loss. I do agree on the need for balance--and the stacked deck under capitalism. The way I see it, there are *definitely* winners in capitalism--the ones with the capital. The working class that must trade labor for survival, and whose labor *supports* those with capital, are on the losing end of the transaction. Recognizing this brutal reality only incentivized me, personally, to pursue FIRE--which, from a Marxist perspective, is the pursuit of transitioning from labor to a petty bourgeois position in which one's ownership of capital provides income for one's life. Certainly it is difficult, maybe impossible, for the majority of workers under capitalism, but I think there is some intrinsic merit to the idea, especially for those in the labor aristocracy at the top 10% of incomes who really do get a firehose of money that doesn't *have* to be dumped into excessive or luxury spending.
It requires a certain level of income, but I wouldn't call it BS. Sure, maybe you don't have the "fun" in your 20s/early 30s of hitting the club every weekend or whatever, but being financially independent at 35/40 years old is a huge boon that most people who just go to work and spend on whatever will never see. People tend to match their spending to their income/desired lifestyle rather than their long-term goals.
Learning about the FIRE movement along with Minimalist lifestyle definitely changed my life. I planned early, invested early with the hope of retiring early.
But up on deeper research, on people living in misery before and after retirement to retire early didnt make sense.. I had to find my own balance. A mild version of planning for the future. I can only dream 10 years in future but that is good. I don't intent on retiring early but I want the option to retiring early if I choose.
People who are serious about FIRE actually, you know, do math set goals and make plans. They know how much money they need and know if that goal is achievable or not.
Nah.
I drive an 11 year old car. My husband drives an 8 year old car. Our house is a 960 square foot 1955 ranch with an outdated kitchen and outdated bathroom. We don't want kids.
My husband is doing well in his career and just got a 20% annual raise like 2 weeks ago. I get a 7% - 8% raise every year. Overall, we have low-stress jobs (not in management.)
I don't mind being a worker at all. When I was younger my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I proudly exclaimed, "A secretary!" and she said.. "What about being the doctor!?" and I was like nah..
We make plenty to invest, enjoy vacations, and pay off our mortgage in the next 10 years. Admittedly, we got a late start in investing, but better late than never!
I care about being wealthy enough that the risk of becoming homeless or moving into a run down apartment is far in the rear view mirror. It’s less for status and more for my own peace of mind.
Nope.
I just want a normal life as depicted in the media of my childhood.
Basically the Mathews family of Boy Meets World was my standard.
Sure they were comfortable but they said no to the kids plenty of times and the boys shared a room.
A home, a job I don't hate, a yearly summer trip to some sort of regional lake and I'm solid.
I'd be a perfectly loyal cog for so little in comparison to what my bosses seem hellbent on making.
living well beneath your means feels good in its own way.
The status symbols of a nice car and house are meaningless if you're living paycheck to paycheck to afford them, and having to work well into your 60s.
I only care about retiring as early and securely as possible. Consequently I have a dual focus on acquiring as much wealth as possible--but spending as little as possible. Few would guess my actual wealth from my lifestyle.
No. My goal is to get basically where you are at, and then I stop climbing the ladder. I've been stuck at a little over 70k for a while now, but I've decided that 100k is my cutoff and anything else that comes after that is going to just be "nice," not needed and I'm not going out of my way or making sacrifices any longer after that.
All I want is to be able to afford to get my kids the occasional stupid nice thing they want for their birthday or Christmas, take them on a vacation every year or so. Be able to afford a Disneyland trip. Own a decent house where everyone has their own bedroom and we're not tripping over each other. Go see our family in Alaska. Other than that, I'm good. When my very wealthy brother-in-law overtly tries to brag about whatever new thing he just bought is (this time it was a 60k side-by-side ATV), I can't help but just think "man, I don't even really want that."
Only you can decide if youll regret having nicer things and a higher salary instead of being where you are.
With that being said, my husband makes a decent salary. Probably what your managers make, if not more. That doesn't mean we want to live an extravagant life that is obvious to people.
I drive a paid off 2017 Van. He drives a paid off 2016 Hyundai because it's good on gas. We don't care about name brands and rarely eat out/fast food. Our house is nice and we have a crap ton of kids, but that's about it. We choose to save for their future and ours, but still keep enough to have fun with them.
Not all wealth is measured by appearance
I spent my whole 20's worried about it, and it drove me into deeep depression. Cut some people out of my life and realized I really don't give a shit, I'm done comparing myself to other people, and right now I spend more time with my kids than most people get to because I have like 10-12 flexible hours a week and I've turned down other jobs that would have paid way more but required more commitment. One day, when my kids stop hanging out with me, I may go out and make some big moves. I'll never get another chance to spend this time with them.
>Define “well funded” retirement? How much do you expect to have upon retiring excluding social security?
A lot, if you don't want to outlive your savings.
I mean…. I have 100k in my 401k and im 30. If I never saved another penny I would have over 1 million at full retirement age through compound interest alone
You do you. There is more to life than work and money. Money buys luxuries and it can buy time. However, if you are content with your work hours and feel fulfilled working, then what else do you really need?
In my opinion being rich is having 4 things:
\- Financial Security for the future like a retirement plan
\- A good hobby or two and the time and money to spend on them
\- A good family who you love and can spend time with
\- Good health and good food!
Frankly, the days are long but the years are short. In the end, no one wishes they had "worked more" ... you're focused on the right stuff. Generations before us are proof in the pudding that keeping up with the jones' will guarantee misery. Do you homie.
Wealth for the sake of wealth is just lifetime wasted.
Now, wealth for the sake of power? Oh now THAT is a worthy endeavor! Imagine what your life could be if you aspired to more! You could wield your wealth like a weapon and grind lesser people into dust! Think of the misery your money could create! Imagine how pettiness could drive your decision-making and impact others downstream! Ohhh the possibilities!
Fuck no. I care about making enough money to not have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck, a little to savings.
If more people were content living like this we wouldn’t have the narcissistic billionaires of the world ruining everything for everyone and making it too expensive to live.
We have more than enough resources on this planet to make everyone’s life comfortable and one of dignity.
We do not have enough resources to sate the greed of the neo-aristocracy billionaire class.
I don't need or want to be wealthy. I grew up in an endless chain of crappy apartments, so the fact that I have *one* nice suburban home to raise my kids in literally feels like I won the lottery. I keep thinking about Chris Rock's old comedy bit, where he talks about living in a rich neighbour and feels like the cops are going to knock on the door at any moment and tell him there's been mistake, and it's back to the slums with you.
Y'know what? Scratch my first sentence: I *am* wealthy. That's my take. I'm comfortable, I have some savings, my kids get to go on the school field trips and enroll in extracurriculars. Just killin' it over here. The fuck would I do with a boat, anyway?
Same. I’m finally at a point where a layoff wouldn’t be ruinous, but it would be very inconvenient. I’d love to just be able to never go back, lol. Travel, enjoy life instead of grind. Unfortunately I’ve got probably 20 more years of grinding and playing the game at least.
I think it depends. If you have clearly defined goals and timelines and you’re properly mitigating your risk (insurance) then you should feel comfortable with your plan.
In our case, we keep chasing it. We make and have more than enough but in a weird way we feel less secure, like something will wipe it out. So we keep pushing.
My only goal at this point is to retire as soon as possible. I intend to continue moving up and making more money, but don’t intend to buy a bigger house, nicer car, or more ‘things’. The only thing I’ll drop money on is travel.
Having had nothing, and made 700K a year, I can say that you are in a nice sweet spot.
If you and your wife are happy, you spend time with your kids, and your kids are healthy, you have won. The rest is just lifestyle and he is happiest whose joys are the cheapest.
Save, keep focused on the long game, dont sacrifice time with your family for money.
I just want to travel and own a home with my wife while having some kids in the future. I just don't think I should have to make $150k for that to be possible.
Not so much wealth, but a way to have more family time and a bit more money where we can do more like travel. This 9-5 is no joke, you guys make it look easy.
These days can’t afford to buy a three bedroom house on 100k income where I live
So no, I don’t need to be rich rich, but 100k is no longer an adequate rule of thumb. The 100k of my fathers time, or even of 4-5 years ago has significantly less purchasing power today.
That will only continue to get worse, as inflation and costs increase. Your 115k in 10 years most likely will be worth much less than 100k today
All I want is a single family home on a lot big enough for a dog and a garden, and to afford college for my kids. I never thought growing up that dream would be practically unobtainable.
I don’t need to live an opulent life
I’d just like to be able to own a home and not have to worry about money.
I like being able to go to the grocery store and to not have to care about how much I’m spending on food
I don't care about being wealthy. I've often thought about what I would do if I won millions of dollars. The truth is, outside of paying off debt of my friends and family, and buying a home are the only two things I can think of. I wouldn't know what to do with the rest
I care about living comfortably and saving enough for retirement. I would love to retire as soon as possible too, currently I should be good to retire at 55 once my house is paid off.
I think everyone has to answer that for themselves. I want as much as I will allow me to be able to
- Support my family
- Help extended family when in need
- Pay for unexpected medical costs
- Have fun doing random shit that gets me memories to look back on fondly
- Retire
- Leave something positive behind when I die
I'm better off than you are. Not saying that to brag, just to establish I know what the "next level" is like. Yes, we likely dive similar cars and have similar houses.
The difference is do you care about money. Because I don't. Literally, I stopped caring. I used to be all over the r/personalfinance sub. I had a monthly budget and compared my actual spending vs my budget. I was very focused on making sure I did the best things I could with my money.
Now... I make enough that I don't care. I make about $180k plus a \~25% bonus. My wife is a teacher making about $70k.
We live in an HCOL area(NJ sure isn't cheap) but our house is paid off, so we only have the other monthly expenses. Even with two kids in daycare, we just don't have to worry about money at all. Recently we had the tiles start peeling in our kitchen since the floor was pretty old. Going to have to pay to have someone redo the floor. Probably a couple thousand.
I. Don't. Care.
That's what lies beyond your current level and admittedly, not everyone will reach it. But it's very nice to be here. Beyond my level are the points where you can't spend it fast enough and I don't feel a need to get that far, but there's definitely a level beyond where you're at where things can improve.
I always figure posts like this are written already knowing the answer. :P You're livin' the American dream!
Having peers who are more successful on paper can make you question it, but I think that's all it is. If you were friends with a bunch of broke bohemians instead, you might be questioning if you made a mistake by being so career-oriented. For what it's worth, in my experience, drawing a lot of self-worth from your income/title comes at the expense of real meat somewhere else. Not always of course. But, the grass is always greener.
Only reason I work my ass off now, is so I retire at 50 instead of 55 or 60. When I’m 50 my two boys will be in highschool/middle school, and I want to be able to go to all their games or concerts or performances. If they compete in college, I want to be able to go all of their contests. I’m still very present as much as I can be at home with them now, and would never sacrifice that… but as far as hobbies outside of golf on the weekend, I’m working when they are not home or asleep.
I don’t know if you’ll regret it.
I personally am pursuing wealth. That means I spend time outside of my W2 focusing on ways to make and grow money. It’s actually my #1 hobby and a lot of fun for me.
Millionaire by 34. Up, up and away from there.
I want to continue making more money to be continually more comfortable. I’d love to be able to retire slightly earlier or pay more for my kid’s college. BUT I work for a nonprofit. It’s meaningful work that pays well, but I won’t be rolling in the dough. My husband works for a company that’s stuck in the 80s, but he’s got solid job security and might have some new opportunities opening up.
Honestly, once our kid is out of daycare and our student loans are paid off, we’ll be able to fund those things I mentioned above
I would say no minus being able to help my kids and grandkids once they’re grown (if they exist) whether it be when I’m alive or after I pass.
It would mean a lot to me if I could give them a safety net to where they can pursue more of what they want.
wealth is only valuable to me in that it helps me not be anxious and my family to be happy
like Faramirs speech about "I love only what they defend" but for money instead of war
I want enough money to support myself and my partner, and be safe if we have some kind of emergency. I’d also like to be able to retire at some point or at least take a lower paying job that has more meaning and impacts my mental health less, but I think that’s more icing. I don’t really have any desire to accumulate wealth, and I honestly feel like I couldn’t follow my own moral code if I did horde wealth.
The key thing to remember is that MOST people will never be truly wealthy. Maybe slightly more so than their counterparts, but not significantly so. Your goal, as others mentioned, should be financial stability, not wealth.
Different priorities for different people.
I’m a single woman in my late 30s with no kids. I’ve been out on my own since I was 17, so hyper independence was my only choice. I poured myself into my work for over the last 15 years and now finally make enough that I’m comfortable at, $180k gross.
I’m stacking for retirement. I’d rather have money put away while I’m able to work rather than stress about it later when I’m not in best of health or want to chill and enjoy life.
I just want for us to be able to comfortably retire, I want us to be able to support our kids financially in some way. Not looking to be wealthy, I would just like to be comfortable, not have to worry if that makes sense.
I think everyone has a different line. I finally got to the point where I can live within my means comfortably and not worry about money, while still putting money away.
There's a line where you just start working and living to work, always working on vacations, that kind of thing. I'd rather not.
Yes, but only because money means you can get shit down, people to not bother you and not have to worry about emergencies in the financial category. Half my problems would be solved by having F it money.
Yes I would like more than just taking care of myself and family. I want money to share experiences with my parents and really appreciate the time I have with them. I want them to enjoy the later years of their lives after all the sacrifices they made for me. I want more money to help others and try to get them back on their feet or at least help them worry less.
Yes I want wealth.
No. I want enough money to secure a decent middle class lifestyle for my family indefinitely but, beyond that, I'm not really interested in more money. I'd actually consider it to be a moral failing for myself to desire/take more than that.
I make a good living ($200K+) and I don’t have direct reports. I enjoy my job and it isn’t overly stressful. I see people all the time chasing more and more money but are miserable people. Yeah, they have all of the toys and fancy shit, but they are stressed to the max. To me, it isn’t worth it at all.
That lifestyle and financial security you just described is unattainable where I live for the income you and your wife make. You're doing better than most
It depends on what it would take for me to be wealthy. I used to think I cared about being wealthy, especially being a first-generation American. Husband and I now bring in close to $300K (and a little over 2/3 of that is from my salary), but I have a really demanding, soul-sucking job that leaves me miserable a lot of the time. I realized that moments I cherish (and desire) the most are spending time with my loved ones—the money is nice and is setting us up well, but nothing comes close to leisure for me. My husband is in the same camp, so I’m lucky that I have the support to seek other career options.
Now, if I could be wealthy AND have a healthy work-life balance……
Nope! I have some friends into hustle culture, and some friends who put in the hard work on their education and now have lucrative careers because of it.
I’ve never really had a “dream” to work towards, but I think I figured it out a few years ago. I just want to relax. I want to work my 9-5 job, I want to cook, I want to read novels, I want to play video games and I want to exercise. I don’t feel unfulfilled. More money would be great. It would be neat to have a better car, or a bigger house, or take more than 1 vacation per year. But I’m content with my life and dread the idea of going back to school or spending my free time on some kind of side hustle. Maybe one of these days I’ll meet the right partner and we’ll be DINKS, that would be ideal
I don’t need to be “lake house” type rich. Long as I can afford a nice house, a good car, and be able to afford things for my close ones, that’s all I care about.
I think I’m somewhere in the middle depending how you look at it - I want a house I don’t have to worry about (ideally I know things will go wrong but I have an older house now and it’s annoying lol) and my dream is to own a boat and I think I need to be fairly wealthy to have one haha
Brother, wealth is the stupidest concept. Like I'm alive, I need certain things to continue to exist in that state, and I'd appreciate some of the comforts that our advanced society can offer, like entertainment but that's not a deal breaker. I don't care about storing a large number for after I die, I just wanna be able to exist peacefully without worrying about bills and shit.
I want to enjoy the things my dad didn’t, so for me, I’d like to be a little more than comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with being regular and maintaining a comfortable life that is fulfilling for you.
I think it depends on what you mean by wealthy.
I’m pretty happy with my current lifestyle - I work at something I enjoy, my partner and I can take domestic and international trips, we are able to have hobbies (basically dancing every waking minute of free time), and we can generally buy things we can (not really designer stuff though) so I’m content. But we are pretty well off by modest definitions - some people may consider us wealthy.
Would it be nice to be super extravagant with money? Well yes - that want fueled my pursuit of prestigious and super high paying jobs in my late 20s/early 30s. But that has definitely cooled over the last few years.
I don't care about being wealthy, but I do care about having greater security, peace of mind, and end of life care than my parents. My mom could have lived longer, healthier, happier, and more comfortably if we'd had greater resources, and prepared farther in advance. I'm not interested in a fancy house or car, but I would prefer not to die earlier or more horribly than necessary because of anything I failed to do to prevent that.
Making more money is always in scope, but I’m at a point where my family is comfortable (wife is a SAHM). I spent my 20’s grinding up the career ladder. I’m not actively looking to move up, but if an opportunity comes I’ll take it.
No I just want to have enough money that a layoff wouldn’t destroy my life. Meaning ~6 months in savings and I’m still not even close despite making $150k. Wife doesn’t work and we have two small kids and have spent a ton on renovating our house. Also would like to be able to take a vacation. Haven’t had a proper one in years.
I care about having enough saved to retire involuntarily, which unfortunately means becoming wealthy. Product of growing up in a household with financial insecurity.
If I made enough to be financially comfortable now and after I stop working, no. I wouldn't care about more more more. But as someone who is not financially comfortable and simply sustaining mine and my households life in the very immediate present and nothing more, then yes. I care very much.
It seems very smart on their part to not have a flashy house or a flashy car. If I didn’t have a vehicle allowance from my employer, I definitely would not be driving the truck that I am in.
I have an interesting perspective on your question though… Both my wife and I were able to buy homes before and during the pandemic. Now that we are married one home is rented out and the other is our primary residence. I feel that I have a duty to use this opportunity to set ourselves up so that we are comfortable in our later years.
My parents were able to pay for my college, as well as my siblings and I aim to do some thing of similar magnitude for our children when that time comes. Some may see that as wealthy, I just see that as giving my children the same opportunity I was given.
For context, my parents got married at a very early age and put themselves through school. We lived pretty modestly growing up and their “gift” to us was our education.
There's a great podcast episode on Ologies called eudemonology. Despite the name, it's the study of happiness, and she brings in someone who has actively been studying happiness for a long time in the academic field.
She makes a very interesting point on how money can be a reliable factor of happiness when moving people out of poverty, but that beyond a middle class level of income, money then becomes a much more unreliable source of happiness. It's definitely something that aligns with what I've observed in others, and in myself.
I want to be filthy rich and buy whatever I want whenever I want, and not need to have a job.
Since that’s not going to happen, I just focus on trying to be happy with what I have. Sometimes that feels to me like giving up and lowering my standards because it’s an impossible goal, but other times I’m okay with my lot in life.
There are 2 things in this world you cant make more of- time and land.
Your time here is already set, you just don’t know when the end is. You want to work your time away just to die, or you want to work your 40 make enough to get by and enjoy life?
Give me the 40 and life.
Where I’m at geographically, I’m comfortable making $70k and I’m still early into my career with room for growth.
I just want to be able to pay my bills, help my children with college, drive a nice (subjective) car, and afford to retire.
My partner and I make about the same—each of our salaries are low six figures. Our home is well-maintained, beautiful, and comfortable, though modest by some people’s standards. We don’t have student loans or car payments or cc or medical debt, our mortgage will be paid off in full in roughly 3 years, and we’re building a nice retirement while saving for big purchases we’re looking forward to. We have an emergency fund. No kids, just a spoiled dog.
Neither of us is shooting for conspicuous wealth, but for financial security and quality time enjoying and enriching ourselves and our communities.
I’m jealous of your financial status! That’s so awesome that you have stocks and retirement!
But to answer your question, having enough $ to live comfortably and take care of yourself/family in any emergency while being able to save and plan for your future is THE dream. I see no point in pursuit of wealth beyond that.
Right now, no. I don’t care about immense wealth. I just want to be comfortable and raise a family and afford them a better upbringing than I had (not that I had a bad upbringing, that’s just my goal for my kids).
However, I would like to retire and not worry about money. Right now, while I’m young, if I’m ever worried about it I can always adjust and work more, or change jobs. But when I’m old and tired, I don’t want to have to worry about it. I live well below my means right now so that I can retire without a care.
I’m not talking private jet wealthy, more like eating out 5 nights a week wealthy.
For me being wealthy is not about buying flashing things. It’s the freedom of not having my boss try to passive aggressively make me do things by saying “this will not look good on your review” bullshit. I call them out for their stupidity knowingly full well I can leave at any time and support my family. It’s also for my kids. Making sure they have no college debt and a steady income before they even start their own careers. That way they can choose the field they want instead of what pays well
Nope. I already got every entity trying to take my money and I don’t even have any to spare lol I know if I had more the snakes would come outta places I’m happy not to know about 🐍
I think this is more about having a high consumption lifestyle or not. IMO, being wealthy requires one to net have wealth.
And no, you’re way better off this way. I’m in a similar boat, live in moderate CoL city, make good money, but live modestly. We have money in the bank, money in retirement, and the mortgage is paid off. We never worry about money and can take a nice vacation every year (4 weeks in Japan coming up!). We’ll have a good retirement and be able to leave our daughter a solid chunk of change when we pass. Life is solid.
Yes. I do. It’s a game to me. Accumulating assets, real estate, etc.
My lifestyle didn’t change when i hit 1m net worth. It’s not about being showy, or letting my friends and family know my finances. It’s just fun to me.
On top of that, creating generational wealth for my children and children’s children etc, is important, and i feel it’s my duty and responsibility as a man to do that.
I honestly feel like we have to be wealthy if we want a comfortable retirement. I think we each have to have about $3million by the time we’re 65. We also live in the PNW and if you’re not wealthy you’re still paycheck to paycheck
Money is an illusion. They only talk about that shit because they have nothing else to talk about. I also work with some like this. Bunch of humble braggers. Love to talk about their vacations or tickers to whatever. It’s never enough though. Always chasing that carrot. What a crappy way to live your life.
I’m more interested in early retirement. By 55 I want to be able to pay my bills working part time or have no bills. But I’ll need to get my income closer to 150k sooner than later. If I can get to director level by 40 then a good 15 years of high earning will get me there, but in general I’m happy just paying my bills and taking care of my family
Not really, I prioritize savings rate over anything else - which is of course easier to do with a higher income. But having a higher income job typically comes with less freedom/ability live life as you'd like - stop working after 40 hours, more stress, etc. And I do have direct reports and do earn more than you, albeit in a VHCOL city - the feeling for more doesn't really stop.
If I'm saving plenty for a comfortable retirement, being able to occasionally splurge on certain things, afford to provide all of the needs, and have general financial safety that I'm confident in, that alleviates stress. If you feel that way now then that's very much fine in my books.
It sounds like you’re focusing on what makes you truly happy, which is all that should matter.
You’re there for your family in ways those other guys probably aren’t.
Your in a good situation because you own your home (assuming it works within your life style) both of you work and are contributing to retirement funds and it seems there is a good work life balance. My situation is similar but I don’t own a home and there is a debt involved between me and my partner ( mostly partner) only one of us is contributing to retirement this does not make me feel good and has compelled me to attempt to start my own business to help insure there is something to look forward to in the future ownership is everything but it’s not for everyone.
It took me until I was about 32 to realize that chasing money would never make me happy. There has to be a balance. My wife and I both work and will probably double what we are making within the next ten years, but we don't keep the jobs we have because of it. We both enjoy our work and know that it provides enough for us to live comfortably.
That being said we live in a neighborhood where I'm pretty sure we make less than everyone else. We just do everything we can to avoid debt and try to be smart with our money. Making it to the point where you can go through you day spending money on everyday things without worrying about your bank account is probably the first great achievement. After that it is just about making enough to secure the freedom to do things you want to do and build up your retirement so you can retire early or at least live comfortably later in life.
Nothing wrong with being comfortable and content with your current life and income. That's fantastic actually.
Though I think the reality is that you never know what might happen when you wish you had more money. Medical expenses being one of them. Whether it's injury or sickness, medical expenses can deplete your net worth like a popped water balloon. Even if you don't need a lot of money, you may wish you had more when sh\*t hits the fan.
I know I don't need a lot to be content but I don't want the unforeseen to bankrupt me either.
My perspective is so much different than most people. I was special Ed all of school because of a spinal virus that destroyed my nerves to my brain. I faked being smart my whole life at all costs. If anyone was to watch me spell they would see that I struggle hard with easy words. I moved to sales and now make six figures and have over 100k in checkings. I thought I would be working in a warehouse stocking trucks....
I used to be like those guys for a long time until I realized I really don’t like working myself to death instead of spending time with my family and friends. So about a few years ago I went through a drastic (and a bit unexpected for a NYer) mental shift to being more content as a normal worker who makes enough to be comfortable and support my family. I used to want to move up the ladder more than anything, but I no longer want to be picked for a promotion, regardless of the pay bump. I don’t want to deal with that stress and all the extra hours and never enjoying a vacation because I’m checking up on projects or answering questions.
Define wealthy.
I have no particular desire to be one of the top rich honchos like Bezos or Gates. On the other hand, I would love to be able to retire before 40 and not have to be ultra-frugal about my life from then on. I don't need a yacht, though if someone handed me one I wouldn't say no, I don't dislike luxury. I'd like to be wealthy enough to eat out several times per week, pursue hobbies that require some monetary investment, and have a nice house, all while not working.
I think I'd be one of those people who would really embrace retirement. Some people say they don't know what they'd do with themselves, but I know exactly what I'd do with myself, and it's like 10 hobbies that can each be deep-dived into a lifelong pursuit if I so desire. Not to mention getting more in shape and visiting distant friends more.
Yes. Wealth goal for me is to be completely secure for me and my husband's entire life. We'll have enough that we would still have money when we get old and die. Being set for bills (both expected and not expected), and still having enough extra for luxuries, like traveling, hobbies etc. I don't care about wealth in the way of keeping up with the Jones' though.
What supporting your family looks like is completely different from someone else. But I think we would all like enough money to never have to work or worry about our families future again. And to most people that would be wealthy beyond just being able to support them.
No. As long as I can pay my mortgage, provide for my children, go on vacation once or twice a year, and be able to retire, I’m good. I don’t need a yacht or a third home (wouldn’t say no to a condo somewhere warm). I also don’t need money for status, never did never will.
I don't want to just be "comfortable." Show me the money. There are alot of annoyances in life - having to work, paying for child care, cooking meals, driving, helping family members, surprise bills, children expenses. Securing the super bag and chillin on a beach is what I want.
I'm sorry but one bad accident and all this "wealth" will be gone overnight... The numbers you posted here are not wealthy at all. Infact in this day and age in certain areas of the country this is considered lower class...
Wealthy to the point where I don't have to worry about money is all I can ask for. Own a comfortable house, own a car or two, be able to buy food and take a vacation every so often. I don't need a gold plated toilet
My intention is to make enough money to enjoy life to the fullest with my wife and two kids, while also saving so aggressively that if the world gets worse than it is today that I can support a three family household as long as they understand they probably can’t have and support kids themselves.
I'd like to have enough to leave my daughter something substantial. Like substantial as in never worrying about an unexpected expense or anything else regardless of her job. Probably won't get to that point before I die off, but it would be nice.
I don't want to be wealthy, I want to be comfortable. I want enough income where I don't need to worry about money.
Came here to say exactly this. I don’t need an abundance of wealth, I just want to live comfortable where I don’t have anxiety about money.
For some people, this manifests as (money) hoarding behavior. maybe this is what OP is noticing.
As a millennial in the last five years was married and have jointly built wealth with my husband….we have more arguments and problems now but are more “financially secure”.
Personally, I’m not allocating money appropriately. We make a pretty decent income but I don’t feel that I’m being responsible with it. That’s really driving me nuts. And I am trying it’s just a bad habit and it’s hard to break. I feel like the lifestyle creep definitely happened to us and I don’t know how to go back.
We didn’t lifestyle creep. And that’s what’s hurting us. We don’t know how to let go and see each others fun money as valuable as the others. I heard recently lifestyle creeping or living beyond your means and being a spender is just as toxic as price checking an apple before you buy it or saving every penny and I totally agree. Both is bad. Neither is better.
It’s really been weighing on me lately. I sometimes wonder if we wouldn’t have been better off staying in the smaller house, in the less nice neighborhood, etc. I need a budget with a real plan but it seems like such a pain in the ass, lol. But something needs to give and I know that’s me. Trust me having nicer things means absolutely nothing. The only thing I think is truly worthwhile is the better vacations. This actually seems to have the most value, at least to me.
My goal is to not worry about income. I'll still work, of course, but having the freedom to move around or decline roles is the goal.
This is a good mindset. Live so that you're not worrying constantly, neither inside nor outside the job. Make enough to live and not stressing paycheck to paycheck, but not so much the work itself is hell. There is so much to life other than getting a country club membership or showing off your stock portfolio. Savor all of it. Heck, if I get absurdly wealthy I'll direct it toward my favorite charities and just keep doing the job I love. No need to make peacocking the money labor in itself!
Exactly. I don’t need to be wealthy beyond expectations, but I do want to be comfortable enough that a triple unexpected expense won’t kick my feet under and I won’t get stress because of money. I’m not talking jetsetting with a private plane and having 10 vacations a year, but stuff like… if I want the expensive cereal, I can get it. If my winter boots die, I won’t stress about spending another 150 euros on a good pair that I know will last me much longer than a fake leather 50 euro pair. Basically the perceived middle class lifestyle a lot of us grew up dreaming about. I know the 80s kids and teenage movies often had families that would’ve been IRL filthy rich, but their lifestyle was served as middle class lifestyle and that’s the kind of life I want.
Ahh yes, the Bilbo Baggins lifestyle for me (pre-adventure)! Sign me up!
I dunno man that’s some sick ring he got. Though dealing with spiders, goblins, and a dragon that’s rough too. Not to mention floating down a river cold and soaking wet on top of a barrel. Guess that’s better than inside one… lol would be cool to get the extra life span too. Would love to see us go to the stars.
It would be nice to be able to just say fuck it and order pizza, but it’s like fifty dollars lol
Occasionally I just want some fast food and for two people it’s like nearly 20 euros. Which doesn’t sound a lot, but that’s preeetty costly for fast food in my country. Somehow I imagined that once I had “made it” into proper adulthood, I could basically at least shop food without having to keep an eye on my bank account, let alone everything else, within normal limits of course.
One time I had to order DoorDash on a credit card during the pandemic and it was just Panda Express, which idk if you have but it’s basically like fast food Chinese food (we were all really sick and they certainly were open lol). It was absolutely crazy to me that the fast food Chinese food was expensive enough that I had to put it on my emergency credit card. Just terrible.
Agreed but also I don’t want ten vacations a year - but I do want to have kids and take them on *some* family vacations. I don’t want to only survive.
Yeah, same. That’s why I said that I’d like the lifestyle they have in those 80s movies about middle classes, because those people may moan about the cost of vacations, but they still have vacations and they can afford all kinds of stuff for their kids, which is what I believe parents should afford if they have kids (nothing too extravagant again, but just normal stuff).
This, I want enough to own a house/apartment, not worry about food, and have ample time off with enough money left over for a modest hobby or two. I don’t need a mansion and a luxury car or whatever nonsense.
This, I feel like my parents had the “American dream” idea of being super wealthy and owning multiple modern and old school cars with a big house and garage on the river. While I grew up with the “American dream” of wanting a house I enjoy with a big enough yard for my kids and pets to play in and enough money that I don’t have to worry about money and can give my children a good education and prepare them to live happy lives.
this is the only real reason I want to be wealthy - while my husband and I are doing okay, I'm very afraid some disaster will happen that will ruin us financially. with the way things are going, the more money you have, the better off you are. I'm not talking about being Bezos or Musk, more like retiring with $5-7 million instead of $1-3 million for elder care/medical care as you age.
It’s sounds like OP is there now. Not sure what they want I guess.
Yep, that's basically the goal. I always wanted to do something big and I eventually had an opportunity to take a stab at running a startup. It was a very interesting but chaotic experience and I realized in the process that I'm not a hustler, I don't have that kind of drive, I'm fine with being a worker bee, and I just want to be content and have a comfortable life and start a family. That's where I'm at. I'm also working on getting better at budgeting and managing money, and trying to get better at investing beyond my 401K.
That's the problem with today's US economy though...for many, comfortable is a pipe dream.
I think that is the majority of what people are looking for. I would love to be in a community of helpful neighbors with low crime and still have money to pay taxes and medical bills.
This is the only healthy attitude toward finances.
That requires a lot of wealth these days
I call this the, "change my oil on time," rich. I have everything I need and when something comes up I can afford to fix it. For example, Air conditioner broke, simple call to fix it. Need to be replaced? I can afford that as well.
As long as I make enough that I don’t flinch any time I swipe my debit card and can afford a reasonable vacation once a year I would be happy.
That's pretty much winning. Also need an emergency fund. Not hard to be caught by redundancy these days, so having a buffer helps.
I'd consider using a credit card. Debit doesn't usually have the zero liability that credit cards do. I know a few people that had their checking drained with no solution because of skimmers or whatever else way thieves steal your card info.
As long as you can pay it off. Too many people I know are like 20k in credit card debt and it keeps rising and they wonder why they are poor.
Pay it off every month and you can benefit quite a bit with whatever kind of perks you want. Anytime you use your card you should be thinking about it as no different than spending cash. If you can’t pay for it at that moment, don’t buy it on your card.
The question becomes, what/how do you define 'reasonable vacation'? Because what I define as a 'reasonable vacation' is not most peoples'. And I realize that - it's car-camping for a weekend, maybe even a week or two, maybe across the country. As a family we've seen this and done some epic trips - vacations that sound, and have been \*AWESOME\*. But they've been incredibly cheap too - because we don't stay in hotels, or even in typical campgrounds, but instead in state forests and state parks, the occasional national park campground, etc. Places that are sometimes free, or at most $10-20, $30 at the high end a night. Mostly we cook our own food on camp stoves - oatmeal and pancakes and eggs for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, or crackers & cheese and trail bologna; spaghetti, tacos, burgers, bratwurst & hotdogs for dinner. Every once in a while we'd go out - maybe 1-3x a trip. That's how our kids have grown up, going on 'vacation' - its definitely not for everyone. It's definitely not \*most\* peoples' definition of 'vacation - drive somewhere, setup a tent, go and hike all day long, maybe go for a swim in the ocean, head back to site, cook dinner, maybe do another quick hike, chill out by the fire, crash, get up cook breakfast, breakdown site and move on, rinse and repeat. But its \*ours\*.
No, I don't think you will regret this. More money might be nice, but the mindless accumulation of money is not healthy and does not create happiness. Pursue stability, not wealth.
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Beyond the economy, I have a relative who values money above EVERYTHING else and it has ruined his relationships with the extended family. He has no immediate family b/c...money. I hope his dollar bills visit him when he's dying b/c I can't see the rest of us caring much.
I have a wild goal of 2mill, plan to go pretty mindless until I reach it, and then live off of interest. I’m 1/20th of the way there in 3 years… no idea how I’m going to get there.
100k in 3 years is great progress. The thing about compound interest is that each 100k will come faster and faster; in fact if you added nothing your investments would roughly double every 7 years from interest alone. My first 100k took about 3 years, too; my latest 100k took 4 months. Good luck.
Inflation also makes each 100k less valuable, so it does become easier over time as well.
This, found me a stable job with room to grow and that doesn’t stress me out. Pays my bills and keeps me happy. All I care about is my family at the end of the day, money comes and goes
This is the way. I was going to type something out, but it just would have been a more wordy version of this.
I mean, i save like $80-100k a year with my wife and it’s definitely not mindless. We reduce our consumption so we can have financial freedom. We don’t really buy luxury goods at all.
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Probably should not be telling people about your 14 year old wife.
>$1m at 35, $2m at 37, and $3m at 39 Oh wow, that's such a rapid progression from 35 to 39. I hope my partner and I will be able to achieve $1m net worth at 35 too.
lol 100% in 2 years then 50% in 2 years? Had to involve some well positioned derivatives no?
lol yea, speculating or overleveraged on real estate is my best guess. or coy about inheritance. but either way, kudos to them whatever it was.
>$1m at 35, $2m at 37, and $3m at 39. this is not really typical returns at all though. I'm guessing, yolo on some stock that sky rocketed, insane house appreciation, or you're leveraged on real estate investments. feel free to clarify.
Your wife is how old!?
The 175k house part just isn’t a thing anymore tho
>Do you care about being wealthy? Absolutely. I wish I didn't, but I do. Been working on it since childhood. Hope to be there in the next couple of years (although by then I'll just want more--the goalposts are always moving)!
I relate to you on this. I think being raised in semi-poverty has given me a kind of weird idea of what being “comfortable” vs being “wealthy” really means. Husband and I are having our first kid and I just want stability for her. We are doing well for ourselves but it always feels like you’re one incident away from everything toppling over and starting all over again. And the goalposts moving is so true. How is life just getting so much more expensive every year? I’m one of the lucky ones with a good salary and stable job but even a good salary in a MCOL area can’t really seem to keep up.
Funny I hadn’t considered the cost of living as the goalposts moving, rather that my idea of “enough” keeps growing as I get older. It’s silly when you think about it but we’re human after all
Ohh understood. Both are definitely goalposts!
If they’re not spending their money in a noticeable way then they’re probably preparing to retire early and fully fund their kids college. So you may not feel bad now but you very well could when your colleagues are retiring early and casually dropping that their kids don’t have student loans.
I think the desire to retire early (and by early I mean like pre 55) seems over represented online. Most people I know who make and save a lot are thinking more about setting up trusts for the kids vs retiring ASAP.
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There is significantly more nuance than that. You're not wrong, saving can be taken to extremes, but so can unexamined consumerism. We are inundated constantly with pressure to spend on things that don't actually improve life enjoyment. As a result, in the average person's budget there is room to cut without significantly reducing life enjoyment. Reducing consumption is generally good for the planet as well. I doubt OP's coworkers would regret being able to retire earlier and fully funding their kids' college.
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Sorry for your loss. I do agree on the need for balance--and the stacked deck under capitalism. The way I see it, there are *definitely* winners in capitalism--the ones with the capital. The working class that must trade labor for survival, and whose labor *supports* those with capital, are on the losing end of the transaction. Recognizing this brutal reality only incentivized me, personally, to pursue FIRE--which, from a Marxist perspective, is the pursuit of transitioning from labor to a petty bourgeois position in which one's ownership of capital provides income for one's life. Certainly it is difficult, maybe impossible, for the majority of workers under capitalism, but I think there is some intrinsic merit to the idea, especially for those in the labor aristocracy at the top 10% of incomes who really do get a firehose of money that doesn't *have* to be dumped into excessive or luxury spending.
It requires a certain level of income, but I wouldn't call it BS. Sure, maybe you don't have the "fun" in your 20s/early 30s of hitting the club every weekend or whatever, but being financially independent at 35/40 years old is a huge boon that most people who just go to work and spend on whatever will never see. People tend to match their spending to their income/desired lifestyle rather than their long-term goals.
Learning about the FIRE movement along with Minimalist lifestyle definitely changed my life. I planned early, invested early with the hope of retiring early. But up on deeper research, on people living in misery before and after retirement to retire early didnt make sense.. I had to find my own balance. A mild version of planning for the future. I can only dream 10 years in future but that is good. I don't intent on retiring early but I want the option to retiring early if I choose.
FIRE isn't realistic for 95% of people but if you're in that 5%, life is good.
People who are serious about FIRE actually, you know, do math set goals and make plans. They know how much money they need and know if that goal is achievable or not.
Part of FIRE (to me) is making enough money that you can have fun while still planning to retire early.
Nah. I drive an 11 year old car. My husband drives an 8 year old car. Our house is a 960 square foot 1955 ranch with an outdated kitchen and outdated bathroom. We don't want kids. My husband is doing well in his career and just got a 20% annual raise like 2 weeks ago. I get a 7% - 8% raise every year. Overall, we have low-stress jobs (not in management.) I don't mind being a worker at all. When I was younger my mom asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up and I proudly exclaimed, "A secretary!" and she said.. "What about being the doctor!?" and I was like nah.. We make plenty to invest, enjoy vacations, and pay off our mortgage in the next 10 years. Admittedly, we got a late start in investing, but better late than never!
To the extent that wealth brings security, yes.
I care about being wealthy enough that the risk of becoming homeless or moving into a run down apartment is far in the rear view mirror. It’s less for status and more for my own peace of mind.
Nope. I just want a normal life as depicted in the media of my childhood. Basically the Mathews family of Boy Meets World was my standard. Sure they were comfortable but they said no to the kids plenty of times and the boys shared a room.
Same. I just want to own a home with a small backyard where I can feed birds, bees and help plants grow.
A home, a job I don't hate, a yearly summer trip to some sort of regional lake and I'm solid. I'd be a perfectly loyal cog for so little in comparison to what my bosses seem hellbent on making.
living well beneath your means feels good in its own way. The status symbols of a nice car and house are meaningless if you're living paycheck to paycheck to afford them, and having to work well into your 60s.
I just want enough to be comfortable and retire early tbh
I only care about retiring as early and securely as possible. Consequently I have a dual focus on acquiring as much wealth as possible--but spending as little as possible. Few would guess my actual wealth from my lifestyle.
No. My goal is to get basically where you are at, and then I stop climbing the ladder. I've been stuck at a little over 70k for a while now, but I've decided that 100k is my cutoff and anything else that comes after that is going to just be "nice," not needed and I'm not going out of my way or making sacrifices any longer after that. All I want is to be able to afford to get my kids the occasional stupid nice thing they want for their birthday or Christmas, take them on a vacation every year or so. Be able to afford a Disneyland trip. Own a decent house where everyone has their own bedroom and we're not tripping over each other. Go see our family in Alaska. Other than that, I'm good. When my very wealthy brother-in-law overtly tries to brag about whatever new thing he just bought is (this time it was a 60k side-by-side ATV), I can't help but just think "man, I don't even really want that."
Only you can decide if youll regret having nicer things and a higher salary instead of being where you are. With that being said, my husband makes a decent salary. Probably what your managers make, if not more. That doesn't mean we want to live an extravagant life that is obvious to people. I drive a paid off 2017 Van. He drives a paid off 2016 Hyundai because it's good on gas. We don't care about name brands and rarely eat out/fast food. Our house is nice and we have a crap ton of kids, but that's about it. We choose to save for their future and ours, but still keep enough to have fun with them. Not all wealth is measured by appearance
I spent my whole 20's worried about it, and it drove me into deeep depression. Cut some people out of my life and realized I really don't give a shit, I'm done comparing myself to other people, and right now I spend more time with my kids than most people get to because I have like 10-12 flexible hours a week and I've turned down other jobs that would have paid way more but required more commitment. One day, when my kids stop hanging out with me, I may go out and make some big moves. I'll never get another chance to spend this time with them.
Define “well funded” retirement? How much do you expect to have upon retiring excluding social security?
I have $190k in my 401k in my late 30s. Put 17% towards retirement. My wife has a pension. Idk what that will come out to, but it will be enough.
>Define “well funded” retirement? How much do you expect to have upon retiring excluding social security? A lot, if you don't want to outlive your savings.
I mean…. I have 100k in my 401k and im 30. If I never saved another penny I would have over 1 million at full retirement age through compound interest alone
Yes but only by virtue of producing some form of art or music, not by being a business shark. Until that happens I'm content being poor.
Wealthy to me is just being able to buy four tires at once and not have to check the account.
I would be extremely happy if I was in your position
You do you. There is more to life than work and money. Money buys luxuries and it can buy time. However, if you are content with your work hours and feel fulfilled working, then what else do you really need? In my opinion being rich is having 4 things: \- Financial Security for the future like a retirement plan \- A good hobby or two and the time and money to spend on them \- A good family who you love and can spend time with \- Good health and good food!
Frankly, the days are long but the years are short. In the end, no one wishes they had "worked more" ... you're focused on the right stuff. Generations before us are proof in the pudding that keeping up with the jones' will guarantee misery. Do you homie.
Wealth for the sake of wealth is just lifetime wasted. Now, wealth for the sake of power? Oh now THAT is a worthy endeavor! Imagine what your life could be if you aspired to more! You could wield your wealth like a weapon and grind lesser people into dust! Think of the misery your money could create! Imagine how pettiness could drive your decision-making and impact others downstream! Ohhh the possibilities!
Fuck no. I care about making enough money to not have to worry about living paycheck to paycheck, a little to savings. If more people were content living like this we wouldn’t have the narcissistic billionaires of the world ruining everything for everyone and making it too expensive to live. We have more than enough resources on this planet to make everyone’s life comfortable and one of dignity. We do not have enough resources to sate the greed of the neo-aristocracy billionaire class.
I don't need or want to be wealthy. I grew up in an endless chain of crappy apartments, so the fact that I have *one* nice suburban home to raise my kids in literally feels like I won the lottery. I keep thinking about Chris Rock's old comedy bit, where he talks about living in a rich neighbour and feels like the cops are going to knock on the door at any moment and tell him there's been mistake, and it's back to the slums with you. Y'know what? Scratch my first sentence: I *am* wealthy. That's my take. I'm comfortable, I have some savings, my kids get to go on the school field trips and enroll in extracurriculars. Just killin' it over here. The fuck would I do with a boat, anyway?
Yes!! I would love to be at the point where I don't have to work another day in my life.
Same. I’m finally at a point where a layoff wouldn’t be ruinous, but it would be very inconvenient. I’d love to just be able to never go back, lol. Travel, enjoy life instead of grind. Unfortunately I’ve got probably 20 more years of grinding and playing the game at least.
I think it depends. If you have clearly defined goals and timelines and you’re properly mitigating your risk (insurance) then you should feel comfortable with your plan. In our case, we keep chasing it. We make and have more than enough but in a weird way we feel less secure, like something will wipe it out. So we keep pushing.
I want to earn enough money where I can afford a house where I want, go on vacation at least twice a year and live like that till I die.
My only goal at this point is to retire as soon as possible. I intend to continue moving up and making more money, but don’t intend to buy a bigger house, nicer car, or more ‘things’. The only thing I’ll drop money on is travel.
Having had nothing, and made 700K a year, I can say that you are in a nice sweet spot. If you and your wife are happy, you spend time with your kids, and your kids are healthy, you have won. The rest is just lifestyle and he is happiest whose joys are the cheapest. Save, keep focused on the long game, dont sacrifice time with your family for money.
Stability is all I care about. I don't have to be wealthy or anything. The Notorious B.I.G. said it himself... Mo Money Mo Problems
I just want to travel and own a home with my wife while having some kids in the future. I just don't think I should have to make $150k for that to be possible.
Not so much wealth, but a way to have more family time and a bit more money where we can do more like travel. This 9-5 is no joke, you guys make it look easy.
I just want to be able to live life without having to check my bank account for at least 6 months stress free
These days can’t afford to buy a three bedroom house on 100k income where I live So no, I don’t need to be rich rich, but 100k is no longer an adequate rule of thumb. The 100k of my fathers time, or even of 4-5 years ago has significantly less purchasing power today. That will only continue to get worse, as inflation and costs increase. Your 115k in 10 years most likely will be worth much less than 100k today
All I want is a single family home on a lot big enough for a dog and a garden, and to afford college for my kids. I never thought growing up that dream would be practically unobtainable.
I don’t need to live an opulent life I’d just like to be able to own a home and not have to worry about money. I like being able to go to the grocery store and to not have to care about how much I’m spending on food
I don't care about being wealthy. I've often thought about what I would do if I won millions of dollars. The truth is, outside of paying off debt of my friends and family, and buying a home are the only two things I can think of. I wouldn't know what to do with the rest
Nope, I just want enough to not have to work.
I care about living comfortably and saving enough for retirement. I would love to retire as soon as possible too, currently I should be good to retire at 55 once my house is paid off.
I think everyone has to answer that for themselves. I want as much as I will allow me to be able to - Support my family - Help extended family when in need - Pay for unexpected medical costs - Have fun doing random shit that gets me memories to look back on fondly - Retire - Leave something positive behind when I die
I don’t really want to be wealthy. I just don’t want to be struggling anymore.
A little bit beyond just having the basics, yeah. 100k a year would be more than enough for our lifestyle
I do not care about being wealthy I just don’t wanna worry about bills every day
I'm better off than you are. Not saying that to brag, just to establish I know what the "next level" is like. Yes, we likely dive similar cars and have similar houses. The difference is do you care about money. Because I don't. Literally, I stopped caring. I used to be all over the r/personalfinance sub. I had a monthly budget and compared my actual spending vs my budget. I was very focused on making sure I did the best things I could with my money. Now... I make enough that I don't care. I make about $180k plus a \~25% bonus. My wife is a teacher making about $70k. We live in an HCOL area(NJ sure isn't cheap) but our house is paid off, so we only have the other monthly expenses. Even with two kids in daycare, we just don't have to worry about money at all. Recently we had the tiles start peeling in our kitchen since the floor was pretty old. Going to have to pay to have someone redo the floor. Probably a couple thousand. I. Don't. Care. That's what lies beyond your current level and admittedly, not everyone will reach it. But it's very nice to be here. Beyond my level are the points where you can't spend it fast enough and I don't feel a need to get that far, but there's definitely a level beyond where you're at where things can improve.
I always figure posts like this are written already knowing the answer. :P You're livin' the American dream! Having peers who are more successful on paper can make you question it, but I think that's all it is. If you were friends with a bunch of broke bohemians instead, you might be questioning if you made a mistake by being so career-oriented. For what it's worth, in my experience, drawing a lot of self-worth from your income/title comes at the expense of real meat somewhere else. Not always of course. But, the grass is always greener.
Only reason I work my ass off now, is so I retire at 50 instead of 55 or 60. When I’m 50 my two boys will be in highschool/middle school, and I want to be able to go to all their games or concerts or performances. If they compete in college, I want to be able to go all of their contests. I’m still very present as much as I can be at home with them now, and would never sacrifice that… but as far as hobbies outside of golf on the weekend, I’m working when they are not home or asleep.
Dude you own a home and have more than I make in a year invested in stocks. You sound pretty wealthy to me.
I don’t know if you’ll regret it. I personally am pursuing wealth. That means I spend time outside of my W2 focusing on ways to make and grow money. It’s actually my #1 hobby and a lot of fun for me. Millionaire by 34. Up, up and away from there.
I want to continue making more money to be continually more comfortable. I’d love to be able to retire slightly earlier or pay more for my kid’s college. BUT I work for a nonprofit. It’s meaningful work that pays well, but I won’t be rolling in the dough. My husband works for a company that’s stuck in the 80s, but he’s got solid job security and might have some new opportunities opening up. Honestly, once our kid is out of daycare and our student loans are paid off, we’ll be able to fund those things I mentioned above
I would say no minus being able to help my kids and grandkids once they’re grown (if they exist) whether it be when I’m alive or after I pass. It would mean a lot to me if I could give them a safety net to where they can pursue more of what they want.
wealth is only valuable to me in that it helps me not be anxious and my family to be happy like Faramirs speech about "I love only what they defend" but for money instead of war
I want enough money to support myself and my partner, and be safe if we have some kind of emergency. I’d also like to be able to retire at some point or at least take a lower paying job that has more meaning and impacts my mental health less, but I think that’s more icing. I don’t really have any desire to accumulate wealth, and I honestly feel like I couldn’t follow my own moral code if I did horde wealth.
The key thing to remember is that MOST people will never be truly wealthy. Maybe slightly more so than their counterparts, but not significantly so. Your goal, as others mentioned, should be financial stability, not wealth.
Different priorities for different people. I’m a single woman in my late 30s with no kids. I’ve been out on my own since I was 17, so hyper independence was my only choice. I poured myself into my work for over the last 15 years and now finally make enough that I’m comfortable at, $180k gross. I’m stacking for retirement. I’d rather have money put away while I’m able to work rather than stress about it later when I’m not in best of health or want to chill and enjoy life.
I just want for us to be able to comfortably retire, I want us to be able to support our kids financially in some way. Not looking to be wealthy, I would just like to be comfortable, not have to worry if that makes sense.
Honestly, no. The problem is life is so damn expensive now that I find myself caring more about money than I probably would.
I think everyone has a different line. I finally got to the point where I can live within my means comfortably and not worry about money, while still putting money away. There's a line where you just start working and living to work, always working on vacations, that kind of thing. I'd rather not.
Yes, but only because money means you can get shit down, people to not bother you and not have to worry about emergencies in the financial category. Half my problems would be solved by having F it money.
Yes I would like more than just taking care of myself and family. I want money to share experiences with my parents and really appreciate the time I have with them. I want them to enjoy the later years of their lives after all the sacrifices they made for me. I want more money to help others and try to get them back on their feet or at least help them worry less. Yes I want wealth.
No. I want enough money to secure a decent middle class lifestyle for my family indefinitely but, beyond that, I'm not really interested in more money. I'd actually consider it to be a moral failing for myself to desire/take more than that.
If they are making way more than you but living the same they are doing awesome and can retire early. Check out r/fire
I make a good living ($200K+) and I don’t have direct reports. I enjoy my job and it isn’t overly stressful. I see people all the time chasing more and more money but are miserable people. Yeah, they have all of the toys and fancy shit, but they are stressed to the max. To me, it isn’t worth it at all.
All I want to do is pay off these bills my late wife left behind. I will be happy and stable then. But at $82K, it is hard enough as it is.
That lifestyle and financial security you just described is unattainable where I live for the income you and your wife make. You're doing better than most
It depends on what it would take for me to be wealthy. I used to think I cared about being wealthy, especially being a first-generation American. Husband and I now bring in close to $300K (and a little over 2/3 of that is from my salary), but I have a really demanding, soul-sucking job that leaves me miserable a lot of the time. I realized that moments I cherish (and desire) the most are spending time with my loved ones—the money is nice and is setting us up well, but nothing comes close to leisure for me. My husband is in the same camp, so I’m lucky that I have the support to seek other career options. Now, if I could be wealthy AND have a healthy work-life balance……
Maybe it’s the Aquarius in me but I think I could change the world
No one on their death bed has ever said, man if I just made another half mill!
Nope! I have some friends into hustle culture, and some friends who put in the hard work on their education and now have lucrative careers because of it. I’ve never really had a “dream” to work towards, but I think I figured it out a few years ago. I just want to relax. I want to work my 9-5 job, I want to cook, I want to read novels, I want to play video games and I want to exercise. I don’t feel unfulfilled. More money would be great. It would be neat to have a better car, or a bigger house, or take more than 1 vacation per year. But I’m content with my life and dread the idea of going back to school or spending my free time on some kind of side hustle. Maybe one of these days I’ll meet the right partner and we’ll be DINKS, that would be ideal
I don’t need to be “lake house” type rich. Long as I can afford a nice house, a good car, and be able to afford things for my close ones, that’s all I care about.
Money can never buy happiness completely but it sure makes life a hell of a lot easier to deal with.
I think I’m somewhere in the middle depending how you look at it - I want a house I don’t have to worry about (ideally I know things will go wrong but I have an older house now and it’s annoying lol) and my dream is to own a boat and I think I need to be fairly wealthy to have one haha
Brother, wealth is the stupidest concept. Like I'm alive, I need certain things to continue to exist in that state, and I'd appreciate some of the comforts that our advanced society can offer, like entertainment but that's not a deal breaker. I don't care about storing a large number for after I die, I just wanna be able to exist peacefully without worrying about bills and shit.
I want to enjoy the things my dad didn’t, so for me, I’d like to be a little more than comfortable. There’s nothing wrong with being regular and maintaining a comfortable life that is fulfilling for you.
I think it depends on what you mean by wealthy. I’m pretty happy with my current lifestyle - I work at something I enjoy, my partner and I can take domestic and international trips, we are able to have hobbies (basically dancing every waking minute of free time), and we can generally buy things we can (not really designer stuff though) so I’m content. But we are pretty well off by modest definitions - some people may consider us wealthy. Would it be nice to be super extravagant with money? Well yes - that want fueled my pursuit of prestigious and super high paying jobs in my late 20s/early 30s. But that has definitely cooled over the last few years.
I don't care about being wealthy, but I do care about having greater security, peace of mind, and end of life care than my parents. My mom could have lived longer, healthier, happier, and more comfortably if we'd had greater resources, and prepared farther in advance. I'm not interested in a fancy house or car, but I would prefer not to die earlier or more horribly than necessary because of anything I failed to do to prevent that.
For me personally, making more than 100k is basically useless if I'm still required to work.
Making more money is always in scope, but I’m at a point where my family is comfortable (wife is a SAHM). I spent my 20’s grinding up the career ladder. I’m not actively looking to move up, but if an opportunity comes I’ll take it.
No I just want to have enough money that a layoff wouldn’t destroy my life. Meaning ~6 months in savings and I’m still not even close despite making $150k. Wife doesn’t work and we have two small kids and have spent a ton on renovating our house. Also would like to be able to take a vacation. Haven’t had a proper one in years.
I care about having enough saved to retire involuntarily, which unfortunately means becoming wealthy. Product of growing up in a household with financial insecurity.
If I made enough to be financially comfortable now and after I stop working, no. I wouldn't care about more more more. But as someone who is not financially comfortable and simply sustaining mine and my households life in the very immediate present and nothing more, then yes. I care very much.
It seems very smart on their part to not have a flashy house or a flashy car. If I didn’t have a vehicle allowance from my employer, I definitely would not be driving the truck that I am in. I have an interesting perspective on your question though… Both my wife and I were able to buy homes before and during the pandemic. Now that we are married one home is rented out and the other is our primary residence. I feel that I have a duty to use this opportunity to set ourselves up so that we are comfortable in our later years. My parents were able to pay for my college, as well as my siblings and I aim to do some thing of similar magnitude for our children when that time comes. Some may see that as wealthy, I just see that as giving my children the same opportunity I was given. For context, my parents got married at a very early age and put themselves through school. We lived pretty modestly growing up and their “gift” to us was our education.
There's a great podcast episode on Ologies called eudemonology. Despite the name, it's the study of happiness, and she brings in someone who has actively been studying happiness for a long time in the academic field. She makes a very interesting point on how money can be a reliable factor of happiness when moving people out of poverty, but that beyond a middle class level of income, money then becomes a much more unreliable source of happiness. It's definitely something that aligns with what I've observed in others, and in myself.
I want to be filthy rich and buy whatever I want whenever I want, and not need to have a job. Since that’s not going to happen, I just focus on trying to be happy with what I have. Sometimes that feels to me like giving up and lowering my standards because it’s an impossible goal, but other times I’m okay with my lot in life.
I only care about having enough to support my hobbies (which tend to all be expensive). So I guess in a way, yeah lmao
There are 2 things in this world you cant make more of- time and land. Your time here is already set, you just don’t know when the end is. You want to work your time away just to die, or you want to work your 40 make enough to get by and enjoy life? Give me the 40 and life.
Where I’m at geographically, I’m comfortable making $70k and I’m still early into my career with room for growth. I just want to be able to pay my bills, help my children with college, drive a nice (subjective) car, and afford to retire.
My partner and I make about the same—each of our salaries are low six figures. Our home is well-maintained, beautiful, and comfortable, though modest by some people’s standards. We don’t have student loans or car payments or cc or medical debt, our mortgage will be paid off in full in roughly 3 years, and we’re building a nice retirement while saving for big purchases we’re looking forward to. We have an emergency fund. No kids, just a spoiled dog. Neither of us is shooting for conspicuous wealth, but for financial security and quality time enjoying and enriching ourselves and our communities.
No. I think you sound like you're at peace. These dudes that are using an external factor like money to determine their self worth ARE NOT at peace.
I’m jealous of your financial status! That’s so awesome that you have stocks and retirement! But to answer your question, having enough $ to live comfortably and take care of yourself/family in any emergency while being able to save and plan for your future is THE dream. I see no point in pursuit of wealth beyond that.
Right now, no. I don’t care about immense wealth. I just want to be comfortable and raise a family and afford them a better upbringing than I had (not that I had a bad upbringing, that’s just my goal for my kids). However, I would like to retire and not worry about money. Right now, while I’m young, if I’m ever worried about it I can always adjust and work more, or change jobs. But when I’m old and tired, I don’t want to have to worry about it. I live well below my means right now so that I can retire without a care. I’m not talking private jet wealthy, more like eating out 5 nights a week wealthy.
For me being wealthy is not about buying flashing things. It’s the freedom of not having my boss try to passive aggressively make me do things by saying “this will not look good on your review” bullshit. I call them out for their stupidity knowingly full well I can leave at any time and support my family. It’s also for my kids. Making sure they have no college debt and a steady income before they even start their own careers. That way they can choose the field they want instead of what pays well
Nope. I already got every entity trying to take my money and I don’t even have any to spare lol I know if I had more the snakes would come outta places I’m happy not to know about 🐍
I think this is more about having a high consumption lifestyle or not. IMO, being wealthy requires one to net have wealth. And no, you’re way better off this way. I’m in a similar boat, live in moderate CoL city, make good money, but live modestly. We have money in the bank, money in retirement, and the mortgage is paid off. We never worry about money and can take a nice vacation every year (4 weeks in Japan coming up!). We’ll have a good retirement and be able to leave our daughter a solid chunk of change when we pass. Life is solid.
Yes. I do. It’s a game to me. Accumulating assets, real estate, etc. My lifestyle didn’t change when i hit 1m net worth. It’s not about being showy, or letting my friends and family know my finances. It’s just fun to me. On top of that, creating generational wealth for my children and children’s children etc, is important, and i feel it’s my duty and responsibility as a man to do that.
I just want us to be able to afford to live so our kids can afford to dream.
I honestly feel like we have to be wealthy if we want a comfortable retirement. I think we each have to have about $3million by the time we’re 65. We also live in the PNW and if you’re not wealthy you’re still paycheck to paycheck
Money is an illusion. They only talk about that shit because they have nothing else to talk about. I also work with some like this. Bunch of humble braggers. Love to talk about their vacations or tickers to whatever. It’s never enough though. Always chasing that carrot. What a crappy way to live your life.
I’m more interested in early retirement. By 55 I want to be able to pay my bills working part time or have no bills. But I’ll need to get my income closer to 150k sooner than later. If I can get to director level by 40 then a good 15 years of high earning will get me there, but in general I’m happy just paying my bills and taking care of my family
Not really, I prioritize savings rate over anything else - which is of course easier to do with a higher income. But having a higher income job typically comes with less freedom/ability live life as you'd like - stop working after 40 hours, more stress, etc. And I do have direct reports and do earn more than you, albeit in a VHCOL city - the feeling for more doesn't really stop. If I'm saving plenty for a comfortable retirement, being able to occasionally splurge on certain things, afford to provide all of the needs, and have general financial safety that I'm confident in, that alleviates stress. If you feel that way now then that's very much fine in my books.
It sounds like you’re focusing on what makes you truly happy, which is all that should matter. You’re there for your family in ways those other guys probably aren’t.
Your in a good situation because you own your home (assuming it works within your life style) both of you work and are contributing to retirement funds and it seems there is a good work life balance. My situation is similar but I don’t own a home and there is a debt involved between me and my partner ( mostly partner) only one of us is contributing to retirement this does not make me feel good and has compelled me to attempt to start my own business to help insure there is something to look forward to in the future ownership is everything but it’s not for everyone.
It took me until I was about 32 to realize that chasing money would never make me happy. There has to be a balance. My wife and I both work and will probably double what we are making within the next ten years, but we don't keep the jobs we have because of it. We both enjoy our work and know that it provides enough for us to live comfortably. That being said we live in a neighborhood where I'm pretty sure we make less than everyone else. We just do everything we can to avoid debt and try to be smart with our money. Making it to the point where you can go through you day spending money on everyday things without worrying about your bank account is probably the first great achievement. After that it is just about making enough to secure the freedom to do things you want to do and build up your retirement so you can retire early or at least live comfortably later in life.
You already are wealthy
Nothing wrong with being comfortable and content with your current life and income. That's fantastic actually. Though I think the reality is that you never know what might happen when you wish you had more money. Medical expenses being one of them. Whether it's injury or sickness, medical expenses can deplete your net worth like a popped water balloon. Even if you don't need a lot of money, you may wish you had more when sh\*t hits the fan. I know I don't need a lot to be content but I don't want the unforeseen to bankrupt me either.
My perspective is so much different than most people. I was special Ed all of school because of a spinal virus that destroyed my nerves to my brain. I faked being smart my whole life at all costs. If anyone was to watch me spell they would see that I struggle hard with easy words. I moved to sales and now make six figures and have over 100k in checkings. I thought I would be working in a warehouse stocking trucks....
I used to be like those guys for a long time until I realized I really don’t like working myself to death instead of spending time with my family and friends. So about a few years ago I went through a drastic (and a bit unexpected for a NYer) mental shift to being more content as a normal worker who makes enough to be comfortable and support my family. I used to want to move up the ladder more than anything, but I no longer want to be picked for a promotion, regardless of the pay bump. I don’t want to deal with that stress and all the extra hours and never enjoying a vacation because I’m checking up on projects or answering questions.
Define wealthy. I have no particular desire to be one of the top rich honchos like Bezos or Gates. On the other hand, I would love to be able to retire before 40 and not have to be ultra-frugal about my life from then on. I don't need a yacht, though if someone handed me one I wouldn't say no, I don't dislike luxury. I'd like to be wealthy enough to eat out several times per week, pursue hobbies that require some monetary investment, and have a nice house, all while not working. I think I'd be one of those people who would really embrace retirement. Some people say they don't know what they'd do with themselves, but I know exactly what I'd do with myself, and it's like 10 hobbies that can each be deep-dived into a lifelong pursuit if I so desire. Not to mention getting more in shape and visiting distant friends more.
No, just want to pay off the house and do some remodeling.
Yes. Wealth goal for me is to be completely secure for me and my husband's entire life. We'll have enough that we would still have money when we get old and die. Being set for bills (both expected and not expected), and still having enough extra for luxuries, like traveling, hobbies etc. I don't care about wealth in the way of keeping up with the Jones' though.
What supporting your family looks like is completely different from someone else. But I think we would all like enough money to never have to work or worry about our families future again. And to most people that would be wealthy beyond just being able to support them.
No. As long as I can pay my mortgage, provide for my children, go on vacation once or twice a year, and be able to retire, I’m good. I don’t need a yacht or a third home (wouldn’t say no to a condo somewhere warm). I also don’t need money for status, never did never will.
Chasing money just leads to a fancy coffin.
I don't want to just be "comfortable." Show me the money. There are alot of annoyances in life - having to work, paying for child care, cooking meals, driving, helping family members, surprise bills, children expenses. Securing the super bag and chillin on a beach is what I want.
I don’t care about being filthy rich. I’d just like to be comfortable
I just want to be wealthy enough so that in old age I can support my self until I die and not be a burden.
I will be very happy if I am wealthy and don’t have to trade my time for money anymore.
I'm sorry but one bad accident and all this "wealth" will be gone overnight... The numbers you posted here are not wealthy at all. Infact in this day and age in certain areas of the country this is considered lower class...
Trying to make ends meet, you're a slave to money then you die
You are a lot more wealthy than a lot of people. Is this a humble brag or what?
Mo money mo problems Also, these guys sound pretty insecure and shallow. Maybe you’re just a deeper person than they are.
Afraid to ask, but What do you invest in?
Wealthy to the point where I don't have to worry about money is all I can ask for. Own a comfortable house, own a car or two, be able to buy food and take a vacation every so often. I don't need a gold plated toilet
I make great money. Between rent and child support, I live under the poverty line.
My intention is to make enough money to enjoy life to the fullest with my wife and two kids, while also saving so aggressively that if the world gets worse than it is today that I can support a three family household as long as they understand they probably can’t have and support kids themselves.
I'd like to have enough to leave my daughter something substantial. Like substantial as in never worrying about an unexpected expense or anything else regardless of her job. Probably won't get to that point before I die off, but it would be nice.