Expensive boots

It's hard to put a hard definition on something like this, but there are parts which you can define for sure. Someone who lives paycheck to paycheck is not rich. A millionaire with a steady job is rich. Someone who rents their house is probably not rich. Someone who can afford two houses is rich.

Two small houses in a place like The SF bay could modestly be 5+ million dollars where as two houses in parts of the country like New Jersey can be under $100k for large properties. A first house can be mortgaged for a down on a second, both rented out to pay the mortgages while living in a cheap rental but being with millions on paper while struggling with debt. Someone like a star may get moderate and unpredictable income and live check to check but much of their expenses are paid and they are given free lavish gifts. If still call them rich even if they don't meet your description. Many Americans with high payin jobs have so much debt they use their income to pay down debt while amassing more, pay check to paycheck. You can not make much but have the credit to live very big. Rich is always relative. We have no way to know someone's finances and just see they have more than us or more than we think they need and say "they're rich." But to many countries poor Americans look rich.

If you're getting most of your expenses paid, are you really living paycheck to paycheck? And can you really afford something if it means falling deep into debt?

So what qualifies as getting your expenses paid? Could you then not be poor on welfare, or if you live at home with your parents? What if they helped pay your school, you got a scholarship, or they help with food, phone, car etc? Some people have paid for everything they own and been given nothing, but most people had help at least to start in life in some way. As for debt- how many people pay their homes upfront in cash? By the common modern definition you only can't afford it if you aren't keeping your debts up to date. In fact many of those who are seen as living the best are doing so by carrying very large debts. A student loan to get a good job, a car payment which also builds credit for a mortgage for their home which provides a home and further credit and income sources as well as tax advantages. Retirement funds which take money now but allow you to keep more for later by lowering taxable income, loans against those accounts which aren't taxed and are paid back to yourself.....

..... but can be used to buy a home or for other investments. What you can "afford" in liquid cash is not the primary or only measurement of wealth. Your assets and other intangibles all play in and you can make much and have a horrible standard of living, or make little and live very well. Location and leveraging assets makes a huge difference. How people use their available credit and earnings plays a big part as well as what other advantages they have which may not have an on paper dollar value or technically add to their personal wealth. Even things like employee discounts make a huge difference, a high end paint job can cost tens of thousands of doallars but someone who works in the industry can get it for the cost of materials or even free. You may see their nice car and assume they spent what the same would cost you, but being well connected in any industry can give you perks within that would be exorbitant or even unachievable to most people. It's all relative and contextual.