In the excellent book, Your Money or Your Life the authors define wealthy as, “having what you need plus a little more.”

That’s all most people want. Since inheriting enough from my parents a few years ago to retire, the relief I constantly feel from not worrying about money is a treasure beyond value. Through my whole career I always looked forward to retirement simply for the free time it would give me. But the major effect has been freedom from thinking about money. It’s like going from treading water to sitting in a lawn chair. I’ve always been a fan of things like universal healthcare and UBI, but this experience has solidified that. Everyone should have this level of peace and security, not just those of us who are lucky enough.