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Photos: You know you're wealthy when...

People out and about in Southern California finish the sentence: "You know you're wealthy when..." All photos by Jolie Puidokas/Marketplace

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"You know you're wealthy when you're happy," a teenager from Australia says. A retiree from Los Angeles says you know you're wealthy when you aren't worrying about what's in your checking account. For a musician and DJ living in Southern California, being wealthy means moving out of an old neighborhood and into a better place.

The Venice Beach boardwalk attracts all sorts, and we got all sorts of answers when we asked people to finish the sentence: You know you're wealthy when...

You know you're wealthy when...

“You know you’re wealthy when you change zip codes,” says Jerome Dyson, a DJ and musician who lives in Los Angeles. Dyson says that when you achieve wealth, you can move up – which means moving out of your old neighborhood. His current zip code is 90929, “but I moved from 90291. So I guess I made it.”

The simple life

“You know you’re wealthy when everything in life brings you joy,” says Vanessa Donatucci, a regional sales manager for a construction company in Pennsylvania. “To be wealthy isn’t necessarily about money. It’s more about living simply and taking pleasure in the small things you do daily.”

You've got it covered

“You know you’re wealthy when you don’t have to worry about your check bouncing,” says Melrose Sprague, a retired textbook coordinator for a public school district in Southern California. Sprague says she’s not worried about bouncing checks at this point in her life. “I do have a six-figure checking account, but it hasn’t changed me. I’m still the same Melrose.”

Doing what you want

Ronald Lentz, a Long Beach retiree, says that wealth is being able to do what you want to do. For Lentz, that means literally searching for wealth with a metal detector at various beaches in Southern California. “I go do what I want to do when I get up in the morning. So yeah, I’m wealthy.”

Safe and secure

Musician Robert “Robot” Knott says you know you’re wealthy when you feel secure. And that goes for money as well as one’s sense of self: “You could be insecure with yourself and I would say that’s not a wealthy person.”

Living happy

“You know you’re wealthy when you’re happy,” says Benjamin Boutros, a student from Sydney, Australia. “If you could choose between having nice things and not having nice things, I would choose to have nice things. But if I’ve got what I need and I’m happy, I’m happy with that.” Pictured: Mariano Meza, left, Boutros, center, and Taylor Maxfield, right.


What about you? Here are some responses we've gotten on Twitter and Facebook. Take to the comments below to finish this sentence: You know you're wealthy when...

And see more from our series to find out what Washingtonians had to say about wealth in the nation's capital and to hear from New Olreans residents about life in the Big Easy.

About the author

John Ketchum is an assistant producer for Marketplace’s wealth & poverty desk.

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Cindy's picture
Cindy - Jan 4, 2013

You know you're wealthy when you don't have to choose to pay a bill or buy something you need and want.

AK Listener's picture
AK Listener - Jan 4, 2013

You know you're wealthy when listening to NPR makes you cringe.

suusan's picture
suusan - Jan 4, 2013

You know you are wealthy when:

The rule that you family lives by is Golden.

YamIhere's picture
YamIhere - Jan 3, 2013

You know you're wealthy when Congress gives you everything you want and makes the plebes pay for it with their blood and sweat.

AmoebaTeether's picture
AmoebaTeether - Jan 10, 2013

doesn't that just mean capitalism works? ha!

squirlyt's picture
squirlyt - Jan 3, 2013

You know you're wealthy when:

- You don't have to ask how much things cost (you may ask anyway, but you don't have to)
- You're not always worrying about money
- You can go to the doctor (dentist, chiropractor, etc.)
- You can go on a vacation without having to "save up" for it, and you can take one at least once/year
- You don't have to "save up" for things (like a vacation)
- You never have to cook!...

...can you tell I've thought about this a lot? Must mean I'm definitely NOT wealthy!

redgryphon's picture
redgryphon - Jan 3, 2013

You know you are wealthy when:
*At least one of your household's cars was purchased new within the past ten years.
*You and your spouse, after 12 years of trying to have children, can afford to pay adoption fees or get fertility treatments.
*You no longer worry about whether you would be able to live on what you pay your employees.
*When cleaning house, you can give or throw away items you have not used in 5 years without worrying about whether you could afford to replace them if you needed them a year from now.

Bonesgin's picture
Bonesgin - Jan 3, 2013

You know you're wealthy when your idea of 'roughing it' is ..............domestic wine.

rttlh's picture
rttlh - Jan 3, 2013

You know you're wealthy when you don't need to check your bank account when you find out that your executive jet needs an engine overhaul.

kashamagic's picture
kashamagic - Jan 3, 2013

"You know your're wealthy when the word foundation follows your name".

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