Are you the “poor relations” within your family?

[IntelligentInputDarling]

I’m one of four.

Economically, I would say we are as the other three have/had their own businesses.
But work and life satisfaction wise, I think we are probably slightly better off as obviously, less stress.

It's weird. We (me and DH) are very much seen as the most financially well off and stable by one of our families. They have no idea what we earn and it isn't anywhere near well off by mn standards but we are very much a 'buy good quality so you only buy it once' people and have bought a few big ticket things in the last few years.

In the other family there is a company director, accountant, senior civil servant etc, and we are very much the poor relations in comparison.
This isn't mentioned at all but it's clear when you see the difference in the houses we live in etc.

That’s an interesting question. Historically, yes, definitely. Both my parents are eldest children who were taken out of school aged 12/13 by parents who needed their income, and their younger siblings stayed on, got better jobs and had far more prosperous lives. So growing up we were always much poorer than our cousins, who were prosperous aspirant lower-middle-class, with holidays, golfing fathers and holiday homes., while we had an outdoor loo and knew not to ever ask for anything.

However, my siblings and I were academically far higher-achieving than the cousins, and DH and I are probably the richest/highest status of our generation in terms of my family, though not of his. My siblings and I are definitely also considered ‘quirky’ for our life choices by the family at large — three of us are childfree, two unmarried, and have chosen life paths they consider non-standard.

We were - definitely. Now much more on an even basis, on the surface anyway, although part of that is because we are very careful what we spend our money on. One of my siblings has had much more than us but their circumstances, poor decisions, and choices mean we are much better off (as in no debt). The other has always had more than us but probably always spent more than us, better car, more/better holidays etc., but I'm pretty sure they have credit card debt etc. that we don't have. We no longer have a mortgage, we live within our means, we have no debt, and we have savings.

Kind of.
We live in London so have the smallest house and seem to have less disposable income even though our jobs are still professional and probably better paid in real terms but it's relative to our location.