Summary

The author contrasts the richness of life in Spain, emphasizing non-material wealth and fulfillment, with the challenges of living in hyper-capitalist countries like the US, highlighting the importance of time, community, and affordability in achieving a truly wealthy lifestyle.

Abstract

The article "What It Means To Live Rich In Spain" discusses the author's perspective on the meaning of a rich life, which extends beyond monetary wealth. The author argues that in Spain, they experience a sense of richness through daily activities such as reading, writing, engaging in hobbies, and spending quality time with family and community. This is facilitated by the affordability of living expenses, which contrasts sharply with the high costs and stress associated with life in places like New York City. The author points out that despite not being wealthy in a traditional sense, they feel a profound sense of fulfillment due to the ability to meet human and social needs, as well as engage in self-expression. The article also touches on the mass exodus from NYC due to issues like high taxes, lack of space, and a decreasing quality of life, which are exacerbated by the pandemic. The author concludes that the richness of life in Spain is attributed to having time for passions, living in an affordable country, and being part of a close-knit community.

Opinions

The author believes that material wealth does not equate to happiness or fulfillment, and that a truly rich life is one filled with human connections, community engagement, and personal expression.
Living in Spain offers a more fulfilling lifestyle due to its affordability and slower pace of life, which allows for more time to be spent on activities that bring joy and satisfaction.
The author suggests that the American lifestyle, particularly in cities like New York City, can lead to stress, depression, and a sense of emptiness due to the high cost of living and the demands of a hyper-capitalist society.
The author values the ability to engage in hobbies without financial strain, citing the example of furniture restoration costs being significantly lower in Spain compared to the US.
Community and social connections are seen as crucial to a rich life, with the author describing regular gatherings with friends and neighbors in Spain as a key aspect of their fulfillment.
Family time is highly valued by the author, who appreciates the opportunity to work fewer hours and live off the grid, allowing for close family interactions.
The author takes pride in self-sufficiency, such as cooking homemade meals, baking bread, and gardening, as part of their rich lifestyle.
The article conveys a critical view of the American Dream, suggesting that the pursuit of wealth and material success often comes at the expense of personal time and well-being.

What It Means To Live Rich In Spain

Money plays a minor role here since you’re fulfilled every day with human, social needs and self-expression.

A few days ago, I received a response to one of my articles discussing the difficulties of being happy in hyper-capitalist countries. The reader said:

Don’t spread negativity or hopelessness. I’m living for my hobbies/dreams/learning in New York City. In Manhattan, to be exact. I am not technically rich. Not even close. But I sure feel rich.

At first, I wanted to respond to her, but I didn’t want to take away someone’s joy or their dream of living in NYC.

As you know, I often write about the effects of hyper-capitalism and why so many people are unhappy, struggling, and even depressed under this draconian capitalist system.

Especially in NYC, which has seen a mass exodus of citizens for reasons like the high cost of living, long commutes, and the stress of city life.

One of the articles describes the NYC situation:

Even before COVID-19 hit and the government pummeled the economy with its lockdowns, New York was losing people. More than a million people left the five boroughs in the past decade citing excessively high taxes, lack of space, failing infrastructure, and decreasing quality of life.

Those existing problems were exacerbated during the pandemic.

Also, while I am throwing data and stats, we know according to APA, close to 70% of Americans are stressed, constantly.

I know that I am not the only one who was unhappy in the hyper-capitalist country and I do not mean to be pessimistic. All I’m doing is relating my own experiences, as well as those of others that I’ve read about.

But that wasn’t the reason I wanted to write my thoughts today.

What sparked my curiosity was whether it would be possible for me to have the same rich life in the US as I do here in Spain.

Living a wealthy life is highly subjective and means different things to different people.

You’ve probably figured out that I don’t mean wealth in terms of materialism or luxury items; the richest man can be incredibly unhappy.

What I have learned, though, is that depression, feeling empty, and loneliness are impossible when you lead a truly rich life.

Money plays a minor role here since you’re fulfilled every day with human, social needs and self-expression.

To experience a rich lifestyle requires three components: time, living in an affordable country, and having a close community.

Let me explain.

Hobby

I dedicate at least three hours to my love of reading and writing each day, plus an additional two to play, run, or train my dogs.

Often I take on restoration projects, and the chalk paint required for one kilogram of furniture usually costs around 8–12 Euros.

So, it is still relatively affordable to give a new life to old, unwanted pieces.

My friend in DC attempted something similar last week and the same materials set her back close to $300.

My daughter, on the other hand, can’t get enough of club sports; she swims at Granada Swim Club, rides horses, snowboards through Club Surfin, and mountain bikes every Friday at the La Zubia MTB.

All in all, these activities cost about 2000 Euros, annually.

In the US, this will be a monthly cost.

Community

I enjoy getting together with my neighborhood friends every week for tapas. We usually eat out about three times per week, which we can afford.

For instance, the other day when I went out with my friend, four drinks cost me 11 Euros — that’s one drink in America!

Plus, neighbors and friends have lots of time to meet up whenever, whether it be for lunch or dinner or just to socialize and hang out for hours without needing to check each other’s calendars.

That’s rich.

Family

I have a lot of quality time with my family since I only work freelance for fifteen hours weekly, and my husband is a traveling nurse who’s gone twelve weeks out of the year.

We don’t need much to get by; our expenses are low since we live off the grid.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, we go out for lunch in Granada for two hours, after which my daughter goes swimming.

We live in a yurt and cabin, meaning that we’re nearly always together. Most of the time, all of us even sleep in the same room.

We do everything together, and although my daughter is fourteen years old, she never asked once for her own room or privacy. She seems content to be around us, and this makes my life rich, too.

Eating homemade meals

I am passionate about cooking from scratch and baking my own bread and pasta. I even preserve the fruits of our harvest for jams, jellies, and tomato sauce. Daily, I spend a few hours in the kitchen cooking, as well as tending to our garden, where I harvest herbs for seasoning.

Slow Life

My life moves at a slow pace, and I devote little of my time to work.

This leaves me with plenty of hours in the week to partake in various hobbies and activities.

There is no need for competition or a busy life, but instead, a relaxed atmosphere that is not weighed down by stress and pressure.

Thanks to the affordable place I live in, I can afford all the time for activities and hobbies I enjoy.

And that makes my life richer.

I know for sure, I would never be able to do them if I lived in America.

Because America is extremely expensive with little time left over for such a rich life.

That will be a luxury.