What makes you feel rich?

[Tom Bri]

I feel weirdly rich just after filling the car's tank. I have a powerful urge to floor the pedal and screech the tires. I usually control this urge. But, why does this make me feel rich? Maybe a holdover from younger days when filling the tank was an unusual occasion?
Anything odd make you feel rich?

[misshathaway]

Putting the groceries away from the weekly shopping trip - all the good food needed for the next week. I was never hungry growing up, so I guess it is a carry-over from the first years out of college eating Kraft dinners and alwalys running out of something.

[runrunruneateateat]

Having the time to savor my favorite breakfast on a weekday: a cup of fancy French press coffee, a fried organic free-range egg, avocado on whole wheat toast, and some fresh blackberries. All in it doesn't cost much, but eating good food and savoring my coffee in the morning feels ridiculously luxurious.

[deadlymonkey]

Being able to say Yes.  Growing up we rarely went on a vacation or did anything that might have cost money on the weekends, so when my kids want to go do something or we decide to take a vacation, it is much easier to say Yes! and know that I won't break the bank or have to scrimp and save to make it happen.

[swick]

Having the time to savor my favorite breakfast on a weekday: a cup of fancy French press coffee, a fried organic free-range egg, avocado on whole wheat toast, and some fresh blackberries. All in it doesn't cost much, but eating good food and savoring my coffee in the morning feels ridiculously luxurious.

Definitely this!

Also, every time I connect to skype or can talk to a friend who lives on the other side of the country/planet. I remember when that cost an arm, leg and kidney!

Other people's reactions/money beliefs - Not having to put a car repair on payment plan and having everyone in the auto shops mouths fall open when we pay the balance immediately, in full.  Or buying some used furniture from some older friends of ours and being able to write them a cheque immediately, after they gently tell us "it's okay if you want to pay us over a couple of months."

Just knowing we are in a better financial position and can weather most of the unexpexted things life can throw at us makes me feel rich on a regular basis.

Also, after sorting out some chronic health issues I have had my entire life, being able to wake up in the morning refreshed and without massive pain and being able to move my body, that makes me  feel rich every moment :)

[GuitarStv]

Not worrying about money makes me feel rich.

My investments and spending habits are largely on auto-pilot and have been for quite a while.  I don't have stress about money.  I don't think about money.  It's there if it's needed, but usually it isn't.

[andy85]

All great answers that i can totally relate to...

It is definitely the little things in life and having options.

A freshly stocked fridge with real food
A fifth of good bourbon
Enjoying a massive breakfast
Deciding between sitting on the patio drinking a beer, golfing and drinking a beer, or tinkering in the garage while drinking a beer
Days off work...I mean i'm getting paid to do nothing
Having a decent emergency fund
No crushing consumer debt

[MandyM]

Not worrying about money makes me feel rich.

Mostly this. I think about money all the time and how best to avoid spending it, but its not "worry". I feel rich when I splurge a little and don't have to think twice about the cost.

[Paul der Krake]

Premium cabin travel (not often).

Impromptu trips.

When people call me "Sir".

[Bracken_Joy]

Having the time to savor my favorite breakfast on a weekday: a cup of fancy French press coffee, a fried organic free-range egg, avocado on whole wheat toast, and some fresh blackberries. All in it doesn't cost much, but eating good food and savoring my coffee in the morning feels ridiculously luxurious.

+1 to this. My morning routine just makes me feel like I am basking in luxury.

Other things:
-Being able to work part-time. I still spend my newly-gotten (~1 month) day off per week just basking in the glory of not having to get out the door the second I am conscious.
-Hiking. Any time I stand in the beautiful cascadia wilderness, I feel like the richest person on earth. So many people take trips here just to have a taste of it. I can hop out for a free morning and visit some of the most photographed mountain views ever.
-When we paid cash for our (new to us) 2015 VW. Talk about a head rush. Knowing we had the cash to buy a car like that pretty well rocked my perception of my financial footing.
-A good wine. Which luckily doesn't always mean an expensive wine (thanks Grocery Outlet!). Nothing like sitting in the garden with the dog flopped in the sunshine with my husband, drinking a glass of wine, to feel like life is pretty rich.

I love this thread.

[Duchess of Stratosphear]

This is weird, but my well makes me feel rich. I have an entire well that gets 12 gallons per minute all to myself! In the context of the whole world, that's crazy wealth. When you consider that women in some countries have to walk miles to get water for their families, and I have gallons of the clean stuff gushing out of my faucets anytime I want....just wow. That's some serious wealth right there.

[iris lily]

Not worrying about money makes me feel rich.

My investments and spending habits are largely on auto-pilot and have been for quite a while.  I don't have stress about money.  I don't think about money.  It's there if it's needed, but usually it isn't.

This.


Last week our washing machne broke, the motor crumped. While we couod have fixed it with a new motor and in the big picture thats what I prefer, we were n a time crunch? So, we drove half a mile to the local appliance store where the prices are NOT rock bottom and we bought one off the floor, loaded it up and installed it, all within one hour.

I do think about money now, though, in retirement, as our income is in transition. When working I didnt ink much about it, and I know thats a huge luxury.

I think our net worth will drop $50,000 to $100,000 this year due to low income and a bad real estate deal. I think about it but dont "worry" about it as in the thought doesnt make my stomach clench.

[Warlord1986]

I try to take a few moments every day to appreciate everything, and when I put it in perspective, I realized how rich Americans are. Food the fridge? Rich. An emergency fund? Rich. Clean water? Rich. Roof over head? Rich. Ability to take vacations? Rich. Reliable electricity? Rich.

That's not to say that life is perfect or that I never, ever want anything more than the above, but I do try to appreciate all the things I used to take for granted. It's made me feel obscenely rich.

[ketchup]

Refrigeration.  I have a big nifty electric box in my garage that always keeps its contents below freezing, keeping hundreds of pounds of food preserved for me.  This nifty electric box cost me less than how much I earn in a workday, and costs less than half that each year in electricity to run.

Tap water.  I can pull a lever and clean drinking water comes out of it!  How cool is that?  We have clean water in such abundance here in the first world that we shit in it.

Cars.  I can purchase a gallon of fuel for $2.49 and it can propel a ton of metal and my ass for 20-50 miles at breakneck speed?  Madness.

[Tyson]

Being able to watch movies on the giant screen in my home theater.  I particularly enjoy old movies that have been pristinely remastered.  It gives me the feeling of being able to go back in time.  Fritz Lang and Chaplin movies in particular give me this sense. 

[Norioch]

Not worrying about prices for basically anything except the very largest purchases (cars, housing, etc.). It's probably heresy here on the MM forums which preach frugality, but the truth is my income is so high that it's just not worth my time to worry about prices anymore. Time, not money, is now the bottleneck for my enjoyment of life. I don't comparison shop, I don't bother with coupons (I barely even notice prices when I buy groceries), and I get gas at whatever gas station is most convenient the moment I need it. And if there's some piece of entertainment I want, if I think I'll have time to actually use and enjoy it, then I just buy it even if it costs $1000 on ebay.

Once I retire and have more time (and less money), then I'll start noticing prices again. Right now it's not worth the effort.

[Frugal D]

I remember feeling rich after I had paid off my student loans and had about $200k in the bank. Then I bought my first house and immediately felt poor under the weight of the mortgage.

Now that I'm getting close to paying off the mortgage I'm starting to feel rich again.

Common denominator here seems to be debt so I think I feel rich without the presence of debt.

[galliver]

Not tallying the bill at the grocery store (actually, any store, really). Unlike Norioch I do look at what individual things cost, and consider my choices. But I have no need to keep a running tally like I did in college, when I'd go shopping with $40 in the bank to stock up for a week. Totally doable, and I didn't feel Horribly Put Upon making it work, but it just strikes me fairly often when I grocery shop how freeing it is by comparison *not* to do that.

Flying, renting a car, and renting a hotel room. Especially when it's not for work/reimbursed. Major up the spine adulting/fancy thrill every time!

[Tom Bri]

Wow. Wonderful answers. Thanks.
I am certainly not 'rich' by the standards of many here on MMM, but having lived in the rural third world a few years, and after living hand-to-mouth for many years, I am now certainly rich by some standard. I have no debt, a nice enough house, two fully paid for cars (all cash purchases) and some money put away. I work 3 days a week, 12 hour shifts, and that particularly makes me feel well off. All that free time! Retirement is still years away, but I feel half retired now.

[Vanguards and Lentils]

I get this feeling when I have any cleaning binges, especially with old clothes or food that I let go bad. Nothing reminds me more that I have it better than 99% of the world, than being confronted by how much I own that I don't even want or need.

[pbkmaine]

Remembering what my grandmother used to say: "When you have a roof over your head and bread on the table, you have wealth beyond the dreams of most of the world."

[PAstash]

How poorly I dress at home... now follow me here....

I decided that I based my wealth level on how little clothing I have to wear around my house. I seriously walk around like a Ancient Roman emperor. Togas and leafy hats for all.

[Jschange]

My ridiculously frivolous bathing habits
Buying food and drinks on holiday
Picnicking
Knowing that I can replace any of my belongings if I need to
Being able to treat a friend or relative
Not worrying about if I have enough money to get home or to work
Public transit BOTH ways
taxi rides

[Tom Bri]

How poorly I dress at home... now follow me here....

I decided that I based my wealth level on how little clothing I have to wear around my house. I seriously walk around like a Ancient Roman emperor. Togas and leafy hats for all.

Sorta a classier version of Hugh Heffner's PJs. Cool.

[trashmanz]

Whenever I go out to eat at a Buffet.  There is a sweet tomatoes/soup plantation near here that has isles and isles of veggies, fruits, soups, and dessert all fresh.  It amazes me every time that I can go in and select such an amazing variety and eat to my hearts content.  All for the cost equivalent to less than 10 min. of work.  Amazing. 

[PAstash]

How poorly I dress at home... now follow me here....

I decided that I based my wealth level on how little clothing I have to wear around my house. I seriously walk around like a Ancient Roman emperor. Togas and leafy hats for all.

Sorta a classier version of Hugh Heffner's PJs. Cool.

For sure! I actively encourage my friends and family to leave slippers and lounge wear at my house so they can relax in style while eating grapes drinking box wine and enjoy hand cooked meals made from scratch =)

[MandalayVA]

I think I feel rich without the presence of debt.

This.  There are people at my job who make twice the money I do who are staggering under mass amounts of debt. Meanwhile, I have none, not even a mortgage.  I own everything I have free and clear.  That's a pretty awesome feeling.

[jrhampt]

A couple of others have mentioned it, but I feel rich every time I go to the grocery store.  If I want nuts, berries, smoked salmon, wine, or something else delicious, I buy it.  Sometimes I look at the price and start to put it back, but then I remember that my mortgage is paid off, I can afford it, and if it's good for me and tastes good, I buy it.  Then when I load up my car afterwards, I feel rich and grateful.

[Metric Mouse]

Having the free time to wake up early on a week day, make a cup of coffee, grab my guitar and sit in the sun and play. It's truly a rich life.

[G-dog]

Funny, I was just thinking about this last week.
Strawberries make me feel rich. Maybe because when I was a kid you couldn't really get some produce out of season and so we got strawberries maybe once per year. Even them, mom bought frozen. Now I can get fresh strawberries anytime, and it still feels like a luxury.
And another +1 to having time to not have to rush into the day. Taking time to have coffee and a relaxing breakfast is such a wonderful way to start each day.

[plainjane]

When I replace my socks instead of darning them.

[swick]

When I replace my socks instead of darning them.

Ohh socks are right up there on the top of my list. Except for specific purposes like hiking, I wear fuzzy socks. It's become kind of a trademark. TThere is nothing like slipping a pair of fuzzy socks on your feet and wrapping them in a hug to make you feel wealthy.

[Jesstache]

Having the time to savor my favorite breakfast on a weekday: a cup of fancy French press coffee, a fried organic free-range egg, avocado on whole wheat toast, and some fresh blackberries. All in it doesn't cost much, but eating good food and savoring my coffee in the morning feels ridiculously luxurious.

+1 to this. My morning routine just makes me feel like I am basking in luxury.

Other things:
-Being able to work part-time. I still spend my newly-gotten (~1 month) day off per week just basking in the glory of not having to get out the door the second I am conscious.
-Hiking. Any time I stand in the beautiful cascadia wilderness, I feel like the richest person on earth. So many people take trips here just to have a taste of it. I can hop out for a free morning and visit some of the most photographed mountain views ever.
-When we paid cash for our (new to us) 2015 VW. Talk about a head rush. Knowing we had the cash to buy a car like that pretty well rocked my perception of my financial footing.
-A good wine. Which luckily doesn't always mean an expensive wine (thanks Grocery Outlet!). Nothing like sitting in the garden with the dog flopped in the sunshine with my husband, drinking a glass of wine, to feel like life is pretty rich.

I love this thread.

Hello there fellow Oregonian!  I agree that hiking in the Cascades with my kids is all it takes to make me feel rich.  So many people visit here and only get a little taste of the area, we get to live it every day. 

[Northwestie]

I think looking forward to retirement in a couple years, knowing that I don't have to worry about money.  This is such a different way than I grew up in a large family an rather poor.  It just takes off a primary stressor.

[mrpercentage]

Being able to buy something I actually need without wondering if it violates my budget

[Shinplaster]

Being able to take a long, hot shower whenever I want.  I always feel it's one of the best luxuries in life.

Crawling into a bed with clean, crisp sheets.

[TVRodriguez]

When I replace my socks instead of darning them.

Yes!  As I paid off my student loans and some medical bills and darned my socks to avoid "unnecessary spending," I thought "One day I can buy any socks I want."  And now I can!

Having a backyard in ground pool, I feel rich anytime I'm floating on my back in the middle of it.  Such a huge luxury.

As others have said, being able to buy the groceries I want makes me feel rich.

Knowing that we have prepaid tuition for the 3 kids to go to in-state college/university for 4 years each, I feel rich.

Knowing that we have no mortgage or any other debt, I feel rich.

[rocklebock]

Never worrying about money.

Speaking my mind (respectfully) at work.

Paying for four- and five-figure expenses in cash.

Spending a lot on a one-time expense, and seeing our accounts bounce back quickly because our recurring expenses are so low. Example: We bought a painting last month. It was expensive. I'm not going to say how expensive. The whole way home, I was telling my husband things like, "This is why we drive a used Honda Fit, so we can do this." "We couldn't just buy a painting like this if we ate at fancy restaurants all the time," etc. After a few of these statements, he laughed and said I'd made my point. It sure made our income vs. spending in Personal Capital look pretty bleak for a couple weeks, but we're already back in the black.

[brute]

Realizing I could pay people to do all the yard work, car repairs, cleaning and cooking , and then doing it myself because I have the time and it makes me a more valuable person.

[Tom Bri]

I'm still in the drudge zone. I still avoid pricy foods like high-end meat and fruit. I look forward to being able to buy good fruit any time I want to. In the meantime, I grow a lot of fruit in the back yard. However, no debt and pay for car/house with cash, so there is that!

[TravelJunkyQC]

+1 for the putting away my groceries. I don't buy fancy things, but I love to cook and I love to eat, so I buy good produce and meats and fish. This makes me happy and feel incredibly rich.

[K-ice]

Many have already mentioned deluxe breakfasts. 

I agree, sleeping-in (crisp sheets) and lazy mornings are a sign of wealth to me.

Since I am not FIRE yet I can't do it every day but it is still a nice luxury.

[Rural]

Not worrying about money makes me feel rich.

This. I can pretty well guarantee I'll never again have to choose between feeding someone I love tonight and having enough to money to get to the job that will feed them in the longer term tomorrow.

[doggyfizzle]

Knowing that nearly every single month my net worth increases and being able to afford premium cabin travel on long haul flights and all the groceries I want.  Also, my friends inadvertently make me feel rich when they talk about their poor financial choices.

[lifejoy]

Buying lipstick. Seems so wasteful. But makes me feel so fancy :)

Also lazy mornings where I sit in bed and read while drinking my tea! Sooooo deluxe. Truly luxurious feeling and adds a richness to my life.

[sonjak]

More than 2 weeks of PTO banked
Fresh fruit in season
Being able to pay for surprise car repairs without pulling money from my emergency fund
Increasing my 401(k) contribution %

[Kaydedid]

-Eating a delicious meal with homemade (and homegrown) ingredients.  To have the time to garden and cook fancy meals is a huge luxury.
-A huge mug of cafe au lait, made with the fancy (but much tastier) organic milk
-A clean house
-Writing a check for large expenses that have been budgeted for
-A tidy garden/yard

[Paul der Krake]

-Writing a check for large expenses that have been budgeted for

Very true. For some reason ceremoniously pulling out the checkbook and affixing a signature to a check feels so much more important.

[Jim2001]

Sitting in the hot tub watching the stars roll by four or five nights a week is pretty fantastic! 

[ShortInSeattle]

Sleeping in a comfortable bed.
Living downtown near Pike Place Market.
Buying fresh fruits and vegetables.
Being able to travel.