Rich

Wealth vs Rich

Wealth vs Rich: Do You Know The Difference?

Money Maroon

We throw the words “rich” and “wealthy” around on a daily basis. But have you stopped to think about the differences between the two words? Have you really thought about what it means: wealth vs rich? Which would you rather be, wealthy or rich? Your answer to these questions provide an instant reflection on your true understanding of these words.

Wealth vs Rich
Wealth vs Rich

Wealth vs Rich

Daily, you will hear someone say that they want to be rich. This person may even be you. However, rarely will you hear the pronouncement “I want to be wealthy.”  Why is this the case? I suspect that most people use these words rich and wealth interchangeably. Further, most folks are familiar with the term “rich “ and as such, they use the term as a default.

But the terms are not the same, and should not be used interchangeably. One of the biggest error people make is not noticing the subtle difference between being rich and being wealthy. Wealth vs rich, you must know the difference.

By Definition

According to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, rich is “having abundant possessions and especially material wealth.” Notice that that definition says nothing about time and can but not necessarily reflect value. As such, you can be rich but financially poor. However, wealth according to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary is “abundance of valuable material possessions or resources.” Do you see the difference? The difference is the term “valuable.” It is a matter of having abundant possessions vs having an abundance of valuable material possessions. Which would you rather?

Wealth vs Rich, Know the difference
Wealth vs Rich, Know the difference

Value

Based on the definitions provided, to be rich you necessarily need an abundance of possessions. However, these possessions need not have value. As such, I may have my riches in air, ice or grass for example. All of which have little value in today’s economy. To be rich, your riches need not project great financial value. 

Wealth, on the other hand, is by definition an abundances of valuable possessions or resources. To be wealthy, you must have possessions rich in value. 

So again I ask the question, wealth vs rich? I hope that by this point your aim is to be wealthy, to have possessions rich in value. This may be reflected in your time, or a material possession such as money or property. But, on a basic level, aim to be more than rich. So stop saying that you want to be rich and instead tell the world that you want to be wealthy.

Conclusion

We throw the words “rich” and “wealthy” around on a daily basis. Think about what the words truly mean: wealth vs rich. If you really appreciate the differences between the two words, you will stop saying that you want to be rich and instead proclaim that you want to be wealthy. Aim to be wealthy and have a richness of value on your journey to financial independence.

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Investing to riches

How To Become Rich

Money Maroon

So you want to know how to become rich. Well, who doesn’t. If you perform a quick search, you will find that there are countless discussions and advice for getting rich. While there are ways such as inheriting money or winning something akin to a lottery, becoming rich takes repetitive actions over time. To become rich, you must incrementally increase your riches through actions over time. That’s right, sorry to disappoint, but it will likely not occur over night. Becoming rich is likely a long term endeavor.

Do You Really Want To Be Rich?

How to become rich
Being rich vs being wealthy – Know the difference

Before we jump into how to become rich, do you actually want to become rich? One of the biggest error people make is not noticing the subtle difference between being rich and being wealthy. 

According to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary, rich is “having abundant possessions and especially material wealth.” Notice that that definition says nothing about time and value. As such, you can be rich today and broke tomorrow. However, wealth according to Merriam Webster’s online dictionary is “abundance of valuable material possessions or resources.” Do you see the difference. An abundance of valuable material possession or resources. Therefore, wealth is unlikely to be lost as fast as riches. So, are you seeking wealth or riches?

So You Want To Be Rich

If riches is what you want, as mentioned above, it takes action over time. For example, it is a matter of getting from 50 cents to a dollar and amplifying this effect over time. The more the increase from baseline (in the example, 50 cents) and the more time allowed for compounding, the richer you will become. Typically, to achieve this effect, it requires earning more.

Earning More By Investing 

How to become rich: invest
How to become rich – invest

How do you earn more? To earn more, you need to invest. On a basic level, whether you are an entrepreneur or a salaried employee, to increase your take home pay you must invest in yourself.

To earn more, you can invest your time in finding a higher paying job or take the path of investing in your education. In both cases, you are investing your time and potentially money to increase your chances of obtaining a higher paying job. 

You also have the option of investing in being better at your current place of employment. While there are no guarantees that this will lead to a promotion, performing well in your current role does increase your chances for a promotion and an increased salary.

There are also external opportunities to invest and grow your riches. Whether this is in the stock market or in real estate, it becomes a matter of allowing your money to work for you while you are doing something else. This provides an additive benefit to whatever it is that you are earning from current/future employment.

The Take Home Message

The simple answer to how to become rich is to take small steps everyday to increase your riches and over time you will achieve your goal. That is it. 

Of course, the underlying actions that you take are situational and are up to you. The simple math is riches = assets – debts. As such, if you are able to earn more while lowering costs over time, you will have an abundance. However, we must impress upon you that on this journey, rarely are there short cuts.

Conclusion

While there are many discussions and advice on the topic of how to become rich, do not lose sight of the fact that achieving this goal likely takes repetitive actions over time. To have an abundance, incrementally increase your riches through small actions over time.

Always keep in mind that accumulating riches will likely not occur over night. Becoming rich is likely a long term endeavor. Do not get discourage. Stay the course.

To conclude, becoming rich is a stop on your journey to financial independence, but having wealth may be your ultimate goal.

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