Believe It or Not, You're Rich

Aug. 13, 2009— -- You're a lot richer than you think. Seriously.

One British Web site is pushing that message and trying to not-so-subtly guilt you into giving some of that hard-earned money to charity.

Many families in America might not be feeling so rich these days, but the site compares your salary with those of workers around the world. There is a reason, after all, that companies like to manufacture clothes, cars, TVs and just about everything else overseas.

Global Rich List asks users to simply plug in their salary and then see how rich they actually are.

Make $50,000 a year, and you are the 59,029,289th richest person in the world. Not quite a Bill Gates or a Warren Buffet, but you are doing better than 99.02 percent of the world. But remember, there are more than 6.7 billion people living on this planet.

Now, let's say you make $200,000 a year. It's not too bad by American standards but not quite millionaire status. But at that salary, the site pegs you as the 786,570th richest person in the world and in the top 0.01 percent of the population.

The site then asks you how you feel about learning your relative wealth.

"A bit richer, we hope. Richer and ready to give some of your newly found wealth to those who need it most," the site says. "It's not hard -- just slip your hand in your pocket and pull out something special. Something that can help redress the balance -- and also make you feel uncommonly good."

The site then prods you to donate just one hour's salary to start making a difference and gives visitors examples of how the money could be put to use. For instance, it says $8 could buy you 15 organic apples or 25 fruit trees for farmers in Honduras to grow and then sell the fruit at their local market.

Currently, Global Rich List supports CARE, a humanitarian organization that works to improve global poverty.