--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been rich and I've been poor. It's…" description: "\"I've been rich and I've been poor. It's better to be rich.\" — Gertrude Stein" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/gertrude-stein-667_been_i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-it-s-b_2109114.jpg" --- # I've been rich and I've been poor. It's better to be rich. ![“I've been rich and I've been poor. It's better to be rich.” quote by Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/gertrude-stein-667_been_i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-it-s-b_2109114.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/gertrude-stein-667_been_i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-it-s-b_2109114.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/gertrude-stein-667_been_i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-it-s-b_2109114.jpg) > “I've been rich and I've been poor. It's better to be rich.” [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Experiencing both wealth and poverty, the speaker prefers wealth. **In simple terms:** Richness is preferable to poverty. Key Takeaway Value the advantages of financial stability. Themes wealth poverty preference Mood contemplative neutral Type philosophical sociological When to use this quote - career choices - financial planning - social status Key Concepts economic sociology personal values Questions to Reflect On - What truly defines a good life? - Can wealth be a source of fulfillment? A Different Perspective Wealth does not guarantee happiness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) ## Related quotes > [“I don't think the poor are any better than the rich. Not at all. They're exactly the same,except that they are broke. Hell, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matz/i-don-t-think-the-poor-are-any-better-than-the-rich-not-at-all-they/) [Matz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matz/) > [It is a good thing to know what it is to be poor, and a better thing if you can do it in company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/it-is-a-good-thing-to-know-what-it-is-to-be-poor-and-a-better-thing/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [In Detroit, at least in my household, you might be poor, but you better be honest. You work for what you get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-bettis/in-detroit-at-least-in-my-household-you-might-be-poor-but-you-better/) [Jerome Bettis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-bettis/) > [“I've been rich and I've been poor, and rich is better.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-west/i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-and-rich-is-better/) [Mae West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-west/) > [“I've been been rich I've been poor Rich is better I've been young I've been old Young is better”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/i-ve-been-been-rich-i-ve-been-poor-rich-is-better-i-ve-been-young-i/) [Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/) > [I've been broke more than I've been rich. I like being in the middle way better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reagan-gomez-preston/i-ve-been-broke-more-than-i-ve-been-rich-i-like-being-in-the-middle/) [Reagan Gomez-Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reagan-gomez-preston/) > [I've been rich and I've been poor. Rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-tucker/i-ve-been-rich-and-i-ve-been-poor-rich-is-better/) [Sophie Tucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-tucker/) > [I've been poor and I've been rich, and rich is better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bessie-smith/i-ve-been-poor-and-i-ve-been-rich-and-rich-is-better/) [Bessie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bessie-smith/) > [It's better if you get a rich heart than to get a rich pochet.. BAM](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bewar-bam/it-s-better-if-you-get-a-rich-heart-than-to-get-a-rich-pochet-bam/) Bewar BAM > [“It is better to be rich in love than to be wealthy in gold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/it-is-better-to-be-rich-in-love-than-to-be-wealthy-in-gold/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/it-is-better-to-be-rich-and-healthy-than-poor-and-sick/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [You know the funny thing, I don't get along with rich people. I get along with the middle class and the poor people better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-know-the-funny-thing-i-don-t-get-along-with-rich-people-i-get/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Conservatives believe the economy functions better if the rich have more money and everyone else has less. But they're wrong. It's just the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/conservatives-believe-the-economy-functions-better-if-the-rich-have/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [You breathe better when you're rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/you-breathe-better-when-you-re-rich/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [for someone such as myself, who is kind of feckless and immature, it's better to have rich friends than to be rich yourself, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/for-someone-such-as-myself-who-is-kind-of-feckless-and-immature-it-s/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) ## More by Gertrude Stein > [I certainly do care for you Jeff Campbell less than you are always thinking and much more than you are ever knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-certainly-do-care-for-you-jeff-campbell-less-than-you-are-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Americans are very friendly and very suspicious, that is what Americans are and that is what always upsets the foreigner, who deals with them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/americans-are-very-friendly-and-very-suspicious-that-is-what/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“When is there some discharge when. There never is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/when-is-there-some-discharge-when-there-never-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [There is no such thing as repetition. Only insistance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/there-is-no-such-thing-as-repetition-only-insistance/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I am I because my little dog knows me but, creatively speaking the little dog knowing that you are you and your recognising that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-am-i-because-my-little-dog-knows-me-but-creatively-speaking-the/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [How likely are definitions to be pleasurable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/how-likely-are-definitions-to-be-pleasurable/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [ “What is the answer?" \[ I \[Alice B Toklas\] was silent \] In that case, what is the question?” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/what-is-the-answer-i-alice-b-toklas-was-silent-in-that-case-what-is/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [More and more I like to take a train. I understand why the French prefer it to automobiling it is so much more sociable,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/more-and-more-i-like-to-take-a-train-i-understand-why-the-french/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Adventure is making the distant approach nearer but romance is having what is where it is which is not where you are stay where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/adventure-is-making-the-distant-approach-nearer-but-romance-is-having/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Forensics is eloquence and reduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/forensics-is-eloquence-and-reduction/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [Eating and sleeping are not like loving and breathing. Washing is not like eating and sleeping. Believing is like breathing and loving. Religion can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/eating-and-sleeping-are-not-like-loving-and-breathing-washing-is-not/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I write for myself and strangers. The strangers, dear Readers, are an afterthought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-write-for-myself-and-strangers-the-strangers-dear-readers-are-an/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [“A bag which was left and not only taken but turned away was not found. The place was shown to be very like the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/a-bag-which-was-left-and-not-only-taken-but-turned-away-was-not-found/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [I don't envisage collectivism. There is no such animal, it is always individualism, sometimes the rest vote and sometimes they do not, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/i-don-t-envisage-collectivism-there-is-no-such-animal-it-is-always/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) [Explore all 418 Gertrude Stein quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) ## More Been quotes > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. 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Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. 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