I used to think being rich was simple: big salary, nice car, maybe some Bitcoin. But as I grow up, I am not sure anymore
In some countries, the numbers are enormous (such as Singapore, Switzerland), and yet everyday life is stressful: long working hours, high rent, and a lack of free time. Meanwhile, other countries such as Norway and Germany are working on making life easier to ordinary citizens: less work, more leisure time, healthier, more trust
I see more and more people (including me and my friends) wondering: Is all the money worth anything when you are tired, stressed, or anxious about the future? In others, youths are unable to secure decent employment and resort to crypto to stay alive, such as in Nigeria. In Guyana, new oil money is helping some, but only if it is managed well
So I ask you:
- Has your life changed with the "growth" of your country?
- Do you feel more secure, or less?
- If you could choose, would you want more money, more time, or more trust in people?
There are definitely different grades to being rich, which also vary with life expectations. If you have a million euros invested and returning 50k a year as "salary", it's quite possible to live fairly comfortably in many European countries. However if you are a high flying executive that has built a career and created expensive tastes, then that kind of money will not stretch very far. The majority of people would be very lucky to hit that kind of wealth though and take a lifetime to put it together. For the average person having a paid off house will reduce the stress in their life and give them freedom to do a lot with their remaining income.