Some people just seem to have unlimited money

miss_independent

Spider girl, firstly welcome I know you are a newbie to MSE. There is loads of really great and helpful information on the site and when you post a question 9 times out of 10 you will get a helpful answer. However, I have never seen a thread where everyone agrees and sometimes things can get a bit heated, some posters can have a very abrupt posting style, there are the odd one or two who like to turn every thread they post on into an argument, others like to pick holes in whatever you write whether from a moral point of view or a grammatical one and then there are the ones who just plain disagree with your opinion. What I will say is that I am a pretty sensitive individual and through my time on MSE, I have developed a thicker skin and know whatever I post on here will be scrutinised and dissected and I take the risk that some people will disagree with me and perhaps even be a bit nasty because overall the majority of people are nice and are helpful and I can honestly say the information I have learned on this website has enhanced my life. Please don't be discouraged from posting. Just rise above any posts you don't like, don't feel the need to address people who you feel are being intentionally rude either. Just take what helpful information you can and ignore what isn't helpful. It isn't worth getting upset about.

For what it's worth, this thread has actually inspired me to look at how I manage my money and I am going to look at my own unnecessary spending. I'm in my 20's, no kids yet etc, and I know my friends tend to think I have nice clothes, holidays and a "posh" lifestyle etc but I have never had a credit card or taken debt and wear designer clothes but rarely pay full price. I don't waste money on clothes in Primark which don't last but instead I invest in higher priced timeless items. I shop at outlets and abroad when the exchange rate is good. I don't smoke or drink alcohol and I do my own beauty treatments when I feel like it ( ie all my friends spend a fortune on fake tan and fake nails, if I want a tan I apply it myself and I take vitamins for my skin hair and nails and learned to do nail art and a good manicure myself rather than paying someone else lol). I manage my money very well, didn't take a student
loan but instead went to a local uni and worked full time whilst
studying. I food shop at Aldi and use cash back websites for online
purchases. I shop around for the best prices and research before making major purchases. I save change and use coinstar machines or put it in the bank. I cook from scratch and maximise my freezer. I join every loyalty system from boots, to air miles to the cinema. I only go to the cinema on Orange Wednesdays and have a PAYG phone rather than a contract. I drive an environmentally friendly car which is extra cheap on diesel. I keep a regular check on my bank account and try to save as much as I can in ISA. And that's about all I can think of. I don't think my friends have any idea how bargain savvy I am! They probably think I don't give money a second thought. They are wrong!

ab.da54

miss_independent wrote: »

However, I have never seen a thread where everyone agrees and sometimes things can get a bit heated, some posters can have a very abrupt posting style, there are the odd one or two who like to turn every thread they post on into an argument, others like to pick holes in whatever you write whether from a moral point of view or a grammatical one and then there are the ones who just plain disagree with your opinion. What I will say is that I am a pretty sensitive individual and through my time on MSE, I have developed a thicker skin and know whatever I post on here will be scrutinised and dissected and I take the risk that some people will disagree with me and perhaps even be a bit nasty because overall the majority of people are nice and are helpful and I can honestly say the information I have learned on this website has enhanced my life.

Some good comments, miss_independent.

I would also say that you get people who make posts and then don't like the responses that are far from rude, so end up trying to argue, themselves.

Although this is a forum, it's like real life - if you raise an issue amongst a group of people, you will get varying responses, some which agree and others which don't. How you handle the topic can also alter how the discussion fares.

There are many more nice people than not, on here, and the information given can be very helpful.

There's no need for rudeness - off anyone, really, whether they have started a topic or replied to it, and yes, sometimes, it is better to ignore

MarilynMonroe_2

Spidergirl76 wrote: »

I do hope you're not threatening me. I'm certain that that is against the rules of this forum.

Just put them on your ignore list like I did months ago x

ZARA

Spidergirl76 wrote: »

I do live my life to the full. I'm not bothered about keeping up with the Joneses. I am entitled to be curious about how they afford it all though.

entitled to be curious? what do you mean? exactly what entitles you to stick your nose in your mates finances?

chanie

My theories:

1) they are good at budgeting or may have much lower outgoings e.g. mortgage paid off etc
2) its all going on credit
3) they are involved in illegal activity*

*have a few ideas.......

richardvc

Spidergirl76 wrote: »

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a jealous thread, more a curious one.

I know several people that have an average - slightly above average income but that seem to have unlimited money and just spend and spend. A friend of mine seems to have a totally luxury lifestyle. She says her DH earns 50k per year, which is similar to my DH's earnings but they just seem to live in the lap of luxury. She is always dressed beautifully, not in "cheap" labels but labels such as Cath Kidston, White Stuff, Fat Face, etc, as are her children. She recently posted Christmas photos on Facebook and the piles of presents were enormous. Their house is also luxurious and looks like it's been decorated by an interior designer, with everything bought in more expensive stores.

Another friend of mine is on her own with 2 children; she works part time and again seems to have an unlimited budget. She is always buying clothes for her and her children, she updates her car every year or so. She recently decorated her kitchen and spent £500 on new accessories and things like a new microwave. Her children also do every activity imaginable and she has spare cash for constant nights out.

Then there is a woman I've recently got to know at the school; her husband is a postman, she doesn't work but again they live in the lap of luxury, all dressed in really nice clothes, a brand new car and a recently renovated barn conversion.

Like I said, I'm really quite curious as to where people get their money from. It seems like we are going wrong somewhere. Don't get me wrong we have a nice lifestyle but certainly not a luxury, constantly spending lifestyle like some seem to have. Part of me says it must all be on credit, but surely at some point the availability of credit for a person would run out? Are these people fantastic budgetters? I can't imagine any of them, for example, skimping on their food bills, or walking instead of driving somewhere.

It's all a mystery to me!

This is something that has always been a mystery to me and my other half. We both have well paid jobs and no debt (apart from the mortgage) yet everyone else seems to holidaying in the Seychelles etc, driving newer cars and doing just what they want when they want.

One thing we have found out is that some of them have been left some serious sums of money by their late parents but theothers - well it is still a mystery !!

GobbledyGook

richardvc wrote: »

This is something that has always been a mystery to me and my other half. We both have well paid jobs and no debt (apart from the mortgage) yet everyone else seems to holidaying in the Seychelles etc, driving newer cars and doing just what they want when they want.

One thing we have found out is that some of them have been left some serious sums of money by their late parents but theothers - well it is still a mystery !!

New cars can be easily explained by finance though. Lots of garages do new/newish cars for £150 a month. People then change them a couple of years later refinancing them.

You can save a fortune on holidays if you take your time and plan it out. When we took our girls to Disney it cost us less than it cost a couple we know to take their 2 children to Eurodisney for a fortnight because I searched and researched every part of the holiday and booked it all seperately.

*Redhead*

Well. She hasn't really stuck her nose in anyones business, and it isnt like she revealed loads of intimate details, so i wouldn't say she's done anything wrong.

All she asked was where she was going wrong.

Surely relevant responses would be tips on how to free up more money, rather than posts telling her to be less nosey.

Our family has a smaller income than most. Yet we manage to go out places (using tesco vouchers/2 for 1 ticket vouchers), have regular takeaways (using pizza hut/dominos codes/restaurant vouchers/tesco vouchers) and save up for Xmas/birthdays throughout the year.

If our DD needs something, we make sure she gets it before me and OH buy anything, the same goes for our baby due next month.

Our car is 10years old but extremely well looked after, so its lovely, no need to change that. We'll have it till it dies.

We have no credit or store cards. (I had one once but paid it off and destroyed it)

And I make sure we're on the best tariffs for gas/electric so that costs as little as possible.

It can be done. Take a look at your outgoings and see if you can cut back anywhere. Xx

bestpud

I used to have endless comments from a family member about us affording to go to the cinema/days out/holidays so often and was always told we can't be as hard up as she was.

When we sat down and did some number crunching, our income was significantly lower than hers.

The main differences were:

we get our butts out of bed and go to Kids AM at the cinema, taking sweets with us or just going without any food/drinks while there.

we are happy to stay in Travelodges and take food and drink with us for short breaks.

we drive older cars.

we spend less on food shopping for a week then she spends on one trip to the local shop for crap to go in packed lunches for a couple of days.

we plan days out and ways of going places on the cheap.

we know what our utility bills are and make sure we always have the cheapest suppliers whereas she couldn't even name her suppliers, let alone how much she paid.

There was lots more, of course, but it came down to her not budgeting at all. That put a stop to her telling me I don't understand how difficult it is and also accusing me of fraud 'because I do too much for someone on a low income!'

It's likely they have some form of debt too, but there is loads of other explanations.

foreign_correspondent

victory wrote: »

You have just made me think, I know a person that has 'designer clothes' gets them from charity shops and proudly tells if asked how much it cost and whre she got it from and it is always beautiful and she looks just perfect, sure they are last seasons (sometimes TKMAK has the latest up to date things at the fraction of cost) but wherever they came from she enjoys them, they cost less than would be expected and from that saving she can spend more on something else or save towards a hol etc, every penny counts:D

I always tell people when I am wearing a charity shop bargain but I do wonder if some people keep it quiet - last week I picked up a brand new woollen, beautifully fitted next coat in a charity shop for less than a tenner - loads of people have complimented me on it, and it really is very nice... it goes very well with a jasper conran scarf that I picked up from another charity shop for £3, and I have some lovely winter boots that were £30, reduced from £80 in a sale... so, I have smart winter clothes that cost me about £40... when they could have cost me about £200...

I recently bought a monsoon evening dress for a fiver, and often find nice, good quality clothing very cheaply - I do wonder if some people keep this stuff quiet?

However, I also think lots of people are up to their eyes in credit, and buy everything on tick - I never have, the mortgage is the only debt I've taken on, no catalogues, no credit cards, no HP...

However, I think £50k is a very good wage, and that if managed well could go a long way!