Acting rich is not the same as feeling rich

The typical idea of acting rich is to drive a huge Mercedes or BMW, live in a posh condo in downtown Manhattan, or a huge McMansion in Silicon Valley.

The only problem is that people who aren’t millionaires, and own huge McMansions with BMWs on a $100,000 – $250,000 salary aren’t really rich.

We don’t drive around with our net worth on the side of our car, plastered on our foreheads, or painted on the side of our modest homes, but maybe we should.

I may not be a millionaire, billionaire or gazillionaire, but I feel rich without having to show off and act like I am.

At least, I don’t think I wear, use or drive what people would consider “rich”.

(10+ year old minivan, no designer logos or clothing of any kind..)

My idea of being rich is having everything I could possibly need and want, and just being happy & relaxed.

What I don’t need, is the stress of having a fancy car and home that I can’t really afford without the job that I have to work to pay for all of it.

I wouldn’t have the delicious freedom of being able to quit my job at any time and saying: “See you later“, and having the option to move to another part of the country, or the world!

To me, that’s the way I feel that rich people live — they’re able to pack up, get on a plane and go anywhere they want, and to do anything they want.

And that is exactly what I am able to do now.

Even if I had billions in the bank account, I am not sure I would change my feeling about not having to be tied down to anything.

Perhaps I’d just live out of a very nice, fancy hotel and just rent fancy cars every week to drive, ordering specially prepared meals for every whim and fancy.

I’d probably just upgrade my life but the principles of my life, and my attitude would stay the same.

Do you feel rich? Act rich? Combination of both?

What does being rich mean to you?

About the Author

Just a girl trying to find a balance between being a Shopaholic and a Saver. I cleared $60,000 in 18 months earning $65,000 gross/year. Now I am self-employed, and you can read more about my story here, or visit my other blog: The Everyday Minimalist.