Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Struggle to relate to very rich friends

104 replies

Elizo · 23/07/2024 09:12

So I am fortunate enough to not be especially hard-up, but am a public sector worker, bought my house when prices were cheaper. Good at watching money and have never had much disposable but that doesn't really bother me. We were fairly short of money as children and I am naturally very careful with money. Not to the point where I can't enjoy life, but I think about how I can't go out for too many meals etc. I know I am much luckier than most.

I have two friends who are v wealthy. Private schools, extremely expensive holidays, several houses in v expensive locations, domestic help at home - money is no object. I like them both but I feel like it is a barrier to being close. They also seem to forget that for most of us money is a barrier. I've had comments about would my children go to uni overseas, well no because the flights alone multiple times a year would be too much, let alone fees without a loan. I went to one of their parties recently and I left before the end because the boarding school, holiday, ski etc chat got too much. At one point they were laughing about how awful it would be to go to Centre Parcs. Er you should be lucky you can afford it. I have got more brazen about just saying, no, that isn't something that would be financially viable for us

YANBU - it's hard to be close to people who have a hugely different financial situation

YABU - who cares, it's doesn't matter

OP posts:
stayathomer · 23/07/2024 09:30

I think circumstances can be just another thing you don’t have in common, eg I wouldn’t really chat a lot to someone who was eg sports mad unless we found other common ground. It’s whether you have other things in common really, nobody’s fault

CityKity · 23/07/2024 09:28

I absolutely relate to this. As I’m getting older the ‘wage gap’ is becoming more and more apparent in my friendships. Most of my friends are in high earning professions with equally high earnings spouses, and I’m actually really proud that the majority of my female friends outearn their husbands. I’m a recovering academic that chose to follow my passion rather than money in my career, and frankly it was a stupid move made even worse by the fact I was made redundant recently! Funnily enough one of my closest friends fantasises about leaving her corporate job for a creative passion but told me she couldn’t possible live on such a low salary (tone deaf much?!).

I’m really proud of my friends and I have survived the chat about big holidays, second homes, renovations etc. Where it’s standing to bite is with us having small children. It’s easy to say it’s jealousy, but it’s not - I feel guilt that I can’t provide the same experiences for my child that they will be able to and that I should have made different career choices earlier on.

I don’t know what the answer is, and I’m sure it will continue to bite as our preschools get older but no I don’t think you are being unreasonable.

Elizo · 23/07/2024 09:23

I actually think they are good people. They are kind. It feels more like thoughtlessness and being stuck in their own bubble...still a little jarring though, but wasn't sure if that is just me...

OP posts:
Pashazade · 23/07/2024 09:20

Thing is they don't sound like particularly nice people. So I'm not sure I'd worry. I've a friend who is far wealthier than us, although we don't have any money worries. We connect over the kids and general life worries elderly parents etc. she would never look down on people for where they go or what they do. I would be friends with her regardless of how much money she had because she's a good person. Are they really worth having in your life?