*snort* at the idea that 40K makes one rich... I'm 24, single and make ~65K at my tech job (which is like my version of cocktail waitressing- a way to pass time and support myself while trying to figure out what I'm passionate about and how to make money doing it). I feel like I'm just able to comfortably afford my simple life renting a room in a house while saving for retirement and tithing to charity. My grandparents on the other hand are probably what I'd consider the low end of "rich"- for example, they bought a new car, it was stolen, so they bought another new car without waiting for insurance. Yet... they are very far from the Paris Hilton version of "rich"- they live in a house my granddad built with his own hands, and spend only about twice their social security checks each month, despite the capacity to spend much much more. I think being "rich" is a matter of feeling that money is never the limiting factor in your life, that lack of funds never stops you from pursuing your goals. People may make high 6-figure salaries and not be "rich" in my definition if they are paying a large mortgage or pursuing other large material goals like fancy clothes or fancy cars. My grandparents are "rich" because they have enough money to spend on the things they care about- on frequent travel, on generous gifts, and on any unexpected emergencies.
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