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AIBU?

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AIBU to be baffled by colleague on same wage living lavishly?

362 replies

Cherryred2 · 29/03/2026 09:26

AIBU to think that some people are so unaffected by the COL and to find it strange. A woman at work is just living a life that seems so alien to me and the others. She is just back from a weekend in London (not for any reason), went to a show, had dinners, shopping spree etc. last year bought a new house and a new car!! Is doing a Disney Paris and Paris holiday this summer! Is going on another trip to Budapest with her sister,spa weekend with her mum and sister, a few days to Rome with her DS because “he loves history and would love to see the colleseum and is thinking of where to go with her dd because she has to make it fair. I asked her if she had plans this weekend and they were out for dinner Friday night and Saturday night for two different celebrations. I’m constantly thinking WTF! The crazy thing is we earn the same which is approximately 50k, I mentioned a credit card last year and she said “oh no I don’t do credit cards, never had one, I hate them, I’m so fearful of debt, mortgage is my only debt and I overpay on that!” I’m baffled!

OP posts:
Hopefulsalmon · 29/03/2026 09:32

First post nails it! Some people have income/capital outside of what they earn.

SunSparkle · 29/03/2026 09:32

CatsAreCool222 · 29/03/2026 09:28

Low mortgage? Inheritance? Husband earns ££££££?

Basically this.

I have a high mortgage and high childcare costs. When I compare myself to those who have grandparent help for childcare or who got on the property ladder earlier than me and have mortgages of £500 versus mine at £1400 it’s easy to see how with those two things combined they’ve got £1000-1500 extra spare cash than me every single month. That’s a huge difference between two families earning the same.

also some families have help from their parents financially chuckin them bits of cash here and there. And other families have an exceptionally high earning other half or have passive income eg renting out property etc.

it can be frustrating to compare but it’s not really about their £50k a year - it’s life circumstances

maslinpan · 29/03/2026 09:31

Do you seriously think that two people on the same wage must therefore have identical other resources such as inheritance/wealthy partner/generous parents/countless other factors which you don't know about??

IAxolotlQuestions · 29/03/2026 09:30

if she avoids debt she has probably saved a fair bit over time to us now. She could also have received some inheritance. Maybe a settlement.

She may have a cheaper house and/or better mortgage rate. She may live frugally day to day in order to be able to splash out. Perhaps she’s a Groupon Queen.

She could be the head of a massive underground crime syndicate, and living off illegal means - just using her day job as a front for respectability.

Or she might just handle money better than you do. It’s a bit hard to know really.

SkinnyOatFlatWhiteForMePlease · 29/03/2026 09:30

CatsAreCool222 · 29/03/2026 09:28

Low mortgage? Inheritance? Husband earns ££££££?

Exactly, what’s baffling.

Bombombomtralala · 29/03/2026 09:30

Do you both have partners? Maybe her partner is earning more than yours.

Do you have debts? Maybe her fear of credit means that her wage goes on living rather than paying off debts.

I’m a planner, things like holidays would come from my holiday savings. I spend only what I have.

Sartre · 29/03/2026 09:30

She’s lying about the debt obvs. People rack up tens of thousands of pounds in loans, credit cards, buy now pay later etc to fund this sort of lifestyle. You can also pay for holidays in instalments.

SuzyFandango · 29/03/2026 09:29

She probably has a DH earning a lot. There's a low earning assistant at my work who's absolutely rolling in it. Turns out her husband is a big shot lawyer

Statsquestion1 · 29/03/2026 09:29

Everyone spends differently, maybe she just has great savings and her dh earns well too?!it doesn’t matter how or why! Our mortgage is 2k and we still manage to save 2.5k per month

Ireolu · 29/03/2026 09:29

She's clearly a drug dealer.

Evaka · 29/03/2026 09:29

Well paid other half or inheritance?

CatsAreCool222 · 29/03/2026 09:28

Low mortgage? Inheritance? Husband earns ££££££?