In your mind, what's the difference between being rich and being wealthy.

How would you define a wealthy woman? What would you say are the characteristics of a wealthy woman vs. a rich woman?

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I think they are the same thing meaning you have more than enough money to satisfy your needs and desires.

I don't think there is much difference but I'm certainly not either of these!!

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In my mind, a person is rich if they have lots of money. A person is wealthy if they have money and are good managers of that money so that the money continues to grow and support their needs.

A person can be temporarily rich (win the lottery, make it big) but wealth lasts. I also think of a wealthy woman as a person who buys quality over quantity. She may have beautiful furniture or jewelry but the things she has lasts throughout her life. She may be well dressed but with a simple quality wardrobe rather than an abundance of things. I often think of a wealthy woman as someone who gives of her time and her resources, who knows where her money is and where it's going but never has the desire to flaunt her wealth. She lives in the security that she has more than she'll ever need and has no need to prove herself to anyone. She buys what she does to make her life better, not to prove anything to anyone.

Those are just my thoughts. In many ways 'rich' has a negative connotation in my mind but 'wealthy' has positive connotations.

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I don't know why I've always made this distiction, but I've always considered wealthy to mean you have lots of money in the bank, whether you spend it or not. "Rich" to me always meant someone who spends/flaunts money, whether they have lots of it or not. Rich seems extravagant, whereas wealthy seems long-term.
Interesting question--I never really thought about it before now!!

I always thought it a matter of scale. Growing up I got called Rich a lot but never wealthy. We lived in a big house in the nicest neighborhood that went to my school so comparitively we were rich but at the same time my parents worked hard. I think of rich as an attainable status enough money to do what you want when you want. Have all the extra's like a boat, RV, Summer place, Nice vehicals and not have to worry when something extra comes up. True Wealth however is more like long term wealth. I relate it to be old family money or being famous and just having it. I have a few cousins who I would consider wealthy and many who would be just rich. The Difference the Rich ones have jobs to continue being rich. The Wealthy ones live off of inhearitance and might work if they feel like it.

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Kimberly Proud Mommy to Bethany Rose April 2006

Well few people use the phrase 'filthy, stinking wealthy'. I don't know of any women who have been called 'a wealthy *itch'. Because of those phrases, I think wealthy has a more positive connotation.

In my mind, rich people are financially better off. In my definition, they have very high incomes.

However, wealthy people have assets in addition to an income. As a matter of fact, in my definition, a wealthy person can have only a moderate or low income but a lot of assets of worth and a wonderful standard of living.

I've known lots of rich people. I know only a few whole are truly wealthy.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."