• elephantium@lemmy.world
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      3 days ago

      Eh, there are levels.

      1. Rich enough that you can fill your cart at the grocery store without agonizing over whether you can pay for it.
      2. Rich enough to afford a mortgage.
      3. Rich enough to have a yacht.
      4. Rich enough to buy your own island.

      Some people wouldn’t call the first two “rich”.

        • elephantium@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Yeah, probably. It’s a little tempting to say that if you can’t afford a yacht, you’re not actually rich. That might be too rigid as a divider, IDK.

            • elephantium@lemmy.world
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              2 days ago

              The prevalence of loans makes me question that standard. Lots of people have big mortgages and big car payments, but then it all comes crashing down with one layoff.

              To me, the line is more like, enough saved to never need to work again. Even that comes with levels, though.

              Keep the same housing?

              Move to rural Mississippi?

              Be able to upgrade to the nicest house in your city?

              You can have the savings to “retire” to the sticks without being anywhere near “rich” IMO. Unless - did all middle class kids in the late 1900s qualify as rich?