If you own these 7 items, you're wealthier than 90% of the world (even if you feel average)

I was reorganizing my apartment last weekend when I had this weird moment of clarity.

I kept moving from room to room, putting things away, and suddenly it hit me: I own stuff that would have blown my grandparents' minds. They're not even fancy or luxury items, just regular things sitting around my Venice Beach place.

My grandmother raised four kids on a teacher's salary. She volunteered at the food bank every Saturday. She wasn't poor, but she was careful with every dollar. And yet here I am, complaining about wanting to upgrade my camera gear while surrounded by possessions that represent wealth she never had access to.

Here's the uncomfortable truth: if you own certain everyday items that most of us consider totally normal, you're wealthier than the vast majority of people on Earth. Not because you're rich. But because global wealth distribution is more skewed than we realize, and our baseline for "average" is completely off.

Let's talk about seven specific purchases that, if sitting in your home right now, mean you're doing better than you probably think.

1) A laptop or personal computer

That laptop you're maybe reading this on? It costs more than many people around the world earn in months or even years.

According to the World Bank, nearly half the global population lives on less than $6.85 per day. A decent laptop runs anywhere from $500 to $1500. Do the math.

For billions of people, purchasing a personal computer would require saving every penny for months while somehow still paying for food, shelter, and other necessities.

I've been working from my MacBook for years now, writing articles from coffee shops around LA, editing photos, managing my whole freelance career from this one device. When it started acting up last year, my immediate thought was "I should upgrade" not "how will I work without this?"

That assumption that I could just replace it? That's wealth talking.

The ability to own a computer outright, rather than sharing public terminals or borrowing devices, gives you economic advantages that compound over time. Remote work opportunities, online education, digital skill building, all of it requires that initial investment that most of the world can't make.

2) A reliable vehicle

Whether it's a car, motorcycle, or even a decent bicycle, personal transportation is a massive wealth indicator.

I'll be honest, I don't own a car anymore since moving to Venice Beach where everything's walkable and parking is a nightmare. But I did for years, and I took it completely for granted.

The freedom to go where you want, when you want, without depending on inconsistent public transit or expensive ride shares is actually a privilege that shapes your entire life.

Transportation affects job access, healthcare access, social connections, and emergency response. Research shows that lack of reliable transportation is one of the biggest barriers to employment for low-income populations, even in developed countries.

Globally, personal vehicle ownership is concentrated in wealthy nations. In many parts of the world, a bicycle represents a significant investment, and a car is an impossible dream.

If you own a vehicle that reliably gets you from point A to point B without constant expensive repairs, you're holding an asset that most humans can't access.

3) A smartphone less than three years old

You'd be surprised to know this: if you own a relatively recent smartphone, not a decade-old hand-me-down held together with hope and a cracked screen protector, you're sitting on serious wealth.

A new iPhone costs over $1,000. Even budget smartphones run several hundred dollars. And we replace them every few years like it's nothing, creating electronic waste while much of the world is still trying to access their first device.

When I upgraded from my iPhone two years ago, I barely thought about it. My old one worked fine, but it was slow and the camera wasn't great for the photography work I do. So I bought a new one. Just like that.

The fact that this was even an option, that I had the disposable income for a non-essential upgrade, still kind of blows my mind when I really think about it.

The smartphone market has created this weird expectation that devices should be replaced regularly, but globally, that's an incredibly wealthy person's problem to have.

4) Kitchen appliances beyond the basics

Open your kitchen. Do you have a microwave, coffee maker, blender, toaster, maybe a stand mixer or food processor?

Each of these represents a purchase that billions of people will never make. In many parts of the world, cooking happens over open fires or simple stoves. The idea of owning multiple single-purpose appliances that make food preparation more convenient is a signal of abundance.

My kitchen is ridiculous when I think about it objectively. I've got a high-powered blender for making cashew cheese and coconut milk desserts. A rice cooker because I batch cook grains every week. An electric kettle for my morning oat milk lattes. A food processor for chopping vegetables because apparently I can't be bothered to use a knife like humans have for thousands of years.

These aren't necessities. They're conveniences that I've purchased because I had the disposable income and the assumption that my kitchen should make cooking easier. 

5) Books, streaming services, or entertainment subscriptions

How much do you spend monthly on Netflix, Spotify, Amazon Prime, maybe a few other subscriptions you've forgotten you're paying for?

Entertainment spending is a luxury expense by definition. It's what you buy after your survival needs are met.

If you're regularly purchasing access to movies, music, books, games, or other media for enjoyment rather than necessity, you're wealthy enough to prioritize pleasure and leisure.

The global entertainment and media market is massive, but it's concentrated in wealthy populations. Discretionary spending on entertainment is a clear marker that your basic needs are covered with room to spare.

Books fall under this category as well. I'm always reading behavioral science research and psychology books, and I buy them without thinking twice. But book ownership has historically been a marker of wealth and education. Personal libraries are still luxury items globally.

6) Clothing beyond immediate needs

How many pairs of shoes do you own? How full is your closet?

If you have clothes for different occasions, seasonal wardrobes, or items you bought simply because you liked them rather than because you urgently needed them, you're displaying wealth through consumption.

I cleaned out my closet last month and found vintage band t-shirts from my blogging days that I haven't worn in years but can't bring myself to donate. Multiple jackets for different weather even though I live in Southern California where it's 70 degrees most of the year. Clothes I bought, wore once, and forgot about.

The global fashion industry thrives on this overconsumption, but it's concentrated in wealthy markets. In many parts of the world, people own a few outfits that they wear repeatedly, repairing them until they're literally falling apart. The idea of buying clothes for fashion rather than function is a wealthy person's game.

According to various sustainability studies, the average American throws away about 81 pounds of clothing per year. We're not throwing away clothes because they're worn out. We're discarding them because we bought too many and our tastes changed. That's wealth.

7) Furniture and home goods you chose

Look around your living space. Did you choose your couch, your bed, your desk? Do you have decorative items that serve no functional purpose except that you like looking at them?

Furniture ownership beyond the absolute basics represents capital investment in comfort and aesthetics. If you've purchased furniture because you wanted something nicer, more comfortable, or better looking than what you had, you're engaging in wealth-building behavior that most of the world can't access.

My apartment has my photography equipment scattered around on shelves I bought specifically for display. I've got plants in decorative pots on my balcony. I own multiple pieces of furniture for my home office because I wanted to create a productive workspace with a view of the neighborhood.

None of this was strictly necessary. I could work from the floor. I could sleep on a mattress without a frame. I could eat standing up instead of owning a dining table. But I had the resources to invest in comfort and aesthetics, so I did.

In many parts of the world, furniture is minimal and purely functional. The idea of buying a couch because it matches your aesthetic or a bookshelf because you like displaying your vinyl collection is a level of discretionary spending that indicates significant wealth.

Conclusion

Here's what this inventory taught me: I'm not rich by American standards. I'm a freelance writer living in an expensive city, watching my budget like everyone else. But by global standards? I'm absurdly wealthy.

Understanding your actual position in the world changes how you see everything. It's influenced how I think about my spending, what I consider "needs" versus "wants," and how I respond when I'm feeling financially stressed.

The goal isn't to stop buying things or to feel bad about what you own. It's to recalibrate your baseline for what's normal. To recognize that if you own most of these seven items, you're not struggling to get by.

You might be stressed about money. You might feel stretched thin. But you're operating from a position of global wealth whether it feels like it or not.

For me, this perspective shift has been weirdly freeing. It's easier to feel grateful for what I have while still working toward what I want. It's easier to distinguish between actual financial problems and the feeling of not having as much as people around me.

And maybe, if enough of us recognize how much we already have, we'll make different choices about how we use our resources and who we're willing to help along the way.