are you wealthy?

[Thesiger]

Apparently, I'm in the top decile for UK income*, so I'm 'wealthy'. I have two school age children and a wife who works part time. I'm in my mid-50s and have been in continuous full-time employment since 18 August 1978. I own my own detached home in a nice area (we've paid off the mortgage now) and have no significant loans. We had a one week chalet holiday earlier this year near Barcelona. We eat out with the kids once a month.

* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13633966

[Penk!]

List of 10 to 'happiest'* countries in the World

6. Israel

Really?

[Bungo the Mungo]

List of countries with the smallest gap between rich and poor.

6. Czech Republic

[Jimbo]

List of 10 to 'happiest'* countries in the World

6. Israel

Really?

And they're happier than Sweden.

[Limpin' Jez McKenzie]

I consider myself wealthy by most standards. I save half my net salary every month. My wife saves something like 8 tenths of her monthly salary (we get paid about the same). We don't leasd extravagant lives, but at present we can spend money (on, say Olympics tickets) if we want to. I still have a mortgage, but could pay it off this afternoon. We are about to become slightly better off because little dude (currently in full time child care) is about to go to state school. I note Martha's comments about health bills - my wife suffers from a very rare condition which requires her to be on very expensive drugs, for which of course she pays hardly anything (at source) because of the health system in the UK. Both my wife and I of course pay tens of thousands in tax every year, but we do not resent it.

[The Prof]

List of 10 to 'happiest'* countries in the World

6. Israel

Really?

Seems a bit odd but....


"6. Israel
> Life satisfaction score: 7.4
> Employment rate: 60% (11th lowest)
> Self-reported good health: 81% (7th highest)
> Employees working long hours: 18.92% (3rd lowest)
> Disposable income: n/a
> Educational attainment: 82% (tied - 12th highest)
> Life expectancy: 81.7 years (6th highest)

Israelis have a life expectancy of 81.7 years — sixth highest among OECD nations. The country also has a low obesity rate of 13.8%, while 81% of those surveyed report their health to be “good” or “very good.” By comparison, Americans’ life expectancy is 78.7 years, and they also have a higher obesity rate of 33.8% among adults. Despite the constant security concerns in the country, the homicide rate in Israel is in line with the OECD’s average of 2.1 murders per 100,000 people. In addition, 70% of Israelis surveyed feel safe walking home at night. Although Israelis work long hours, with 18.92% working at least 50 hours a week, life satisfaction remains high."

[Zong]

I'm willing to bet i'm the least wealthy here and would probably be on the streets if the rest of my family were as utterly screwed as I am.
This could change any second if I stopped failing a record number of job interviews though. I haven't got a clue how the hell I'm ever going to get to "well off" mind.

[Thesiger]

List of 10 to 'happiest'* countries in the World


1. Denmark
2. Norway
3. Netherlands
4. Switzerland
5. Austria
6. Israel
7. Finland
8. Australia
9. Canada
10. Sweden

I seem to recall that much of the commentary and analysis correlated this happiness ranking with smallish developed countries which have a high degree of linguistic, ethnic and racial homogeneity.

[Duncan]

I have no assets (no home, no car) and no savings, but I also have no debt and no-one depending on me, so I can afford to do fun stuff regularly but I wouldn't say I was that financially comfortable. I probably earn significantly less than most people of my age with the same qualifications, but that's mostly my choice because I'm also significantly lazier than most people of my age with the same qualifications.

[Nikki Gradual]

Nope.
According to all those tests I am and should be phenomenally grateful for what I have, but at the moment it isn't enough.

[the hanging monkey]

I'd trade it all for a little more

[Nolamike]

My wife and I make a decent amount, have good health care coverage for the family, are fortunate enough to have a great home and a fairly new car, typically have one family night out each week (to a pizza or burrito place, usually), and will spend about $100 on a date every five or six weeks. We'll occasionally buy frivolous things, like CDs, or an article of clothing, but that's not often.

On the downside, we have several thousand dollars of credit card debt, and we don't really have any savings to speak of - if one of us lost our jobs (as happened to me in 2011), we'd really be screwed. My dad could help out - after my mother passed away, I helped him go through his finances, and discovered he was in much better shape than I expected. He's certainly not wealthy, and if he developed any conditions that required constant care, it wouldn't last too long, but it is nice to know that if we ever faced a major financial crisis, he could send us a little to help out. My in-laws used to have more money, but lost much of it in the stock market crash, and live in a home that isn't worth what they owe on it.

[sloopjohnc]

No.

And even though I'm grateful for the basics, and a few luxuries every once and a while, I'm finding it hard to keep my momentum financially. I bought a car using a line of credit last year, and have not put a dent in the debt. I would like to move to a larger place so that my daughter can have a room of her own when she visits, but I'm not sure when that's going to happen.

Worrying about money sucks.

As that philosopher Biggie Smalls noted, "Mo' money, mo' problems."

[soundchaser]

No, not in any way wealthy, but considering I don't have to work any more, own my own house in one of the most beautiful parts of England, have savings, no debts, and generally live the life of Riley, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't extremely fucking comfortable...and happy.

[Dr Markus]

No.

[Jimbo]

Is wealthy the right word? Have you heard the Chris Rock rant where he says highly paid basketball players are rich. The team owners who can pay them are wealthy.

When I was a kid and I asked my mother if so and so were rich she'd say they were "comfortable." Are you comfortable?

[Clippernolan]

No.

And even though I'm grateful for the basics, and a few luxuries every once and a while, I'm finding it hard to keep my momentum financially. I bought a car using a line of credit last year, and have not put a dent in the debt. I would like to move to a larger place so that my daughter can have a room of her own when she visits, but I'm not sure when that's going to happen.

Worrying about money sucks.

As that philosopher Biggie Smalls noted, "Mo' money, mo' problems."

Well, that's certainly a theory I'd like to test.

[copehead]

Didn't Joe Moody win the lottery too?

They say things come in 3s so I reckon this Saturday someone else from BCB will win.

The Slider won a few bob a year or so ago, didn't he?

My brother won £50k the spawny get!

Bloody wasn't it was £190,000 split about 20 ways.

I got about £9500

Which was nice but hardly life changing

[copehead]

Wait a minute! Am I the only one on bcb NOT to have won the lottery?

I won £50 back in the '90s when it started, but it's a tax on stupidity isn't it

If there is a syndicate at work you have to join because avoiding the consequences of not joining and the syndicate winning is worth a couple of quid a week

As those who weren't part of my ship syndicate discovered.

[John Mc]

Materially? No.

But I know how to survive.