How much money do you need to be rich? One million dollars? Three million dollars? We tend to think about being rich as having a large amount of money. This quote reminds me that I am rich if I have much more than I need. So, the fewer things that I think of as necessities, the richer I become.
A necessity is something I think I can’t live without. When I think something is a necessity, I don’t feel particularly happy about having it, but worry about losing it. If I think of the same thing as a luxury, then I really enjoy it and don’t get angry when I can’t have it.
As a simple example, I used to think I needed to have soda pop or milk with lunch. I spent a lot of money of beverages at restaurants, without getting much pleasure from it. Once I broke that habit and starting having a glass of water with most meals, I became richer. Not only did I save money, but when I treated myself to a soda pop, it was an enjoyable luxury.