IMHO - life is definitely different.

Before wealth, I felt like I was forever running around each day at top speed to get as much done as possible. I felt like I had to try every possible route to success because the weight of my wife and kids relying on my success was heavy. And my family life revolved around the word "no." No we can't afford to do that, buy that, see that, experience that, have that, etc. No. No. No. No. No.

After wealth, I find I don't need to rush anymore. I drive slower. I pick and choose the opportunities I want to pursue. I can relax much more when on vacation because financial pressures are greatly reduced (Not gone altogether as I have to manage cash smartly - mostly because money has a way of vanishing when not watched). Also, my kids and wife don't need to ask "if we can afford" X item - Or do X thing. We just do what we want to do, when we want to do it. I fear my kids are getting spoiled. I know my wife is.

Life is so much easier with wealth.

But I've found that wealth brings along a new series of stresses. My wife and I can afford to live in a much bigger house, but we can't agree on where we want to live or what kind of house we want to get. It sounds like a small issue, but it's not. Also, my wife has stopped cooking - meaning my kids never feel like they have a home-cooked meal (and we all have a weight issue because we eat only what we want to eat) - so home doesn't quite feel like "home." And we have too much stuff. There's so much stuff that we've run out of places to store stuff - making our home cluttered - leaving me longing for the simplicity and minimalism that my poor college student days contained.

That's about it.

~S