The casual things that wealthy people take for granted

[KaleQueen]

Inspired by a thread that’s gone totally off topic….where someone suggested a £400 watch was cheap.

What’s the most casual (even accidental) brag you’ve ever heard a wealthy person say?

I can start as I know someone who celebrated a big birthday recently and is an absolutely lovely person but during their party (in the wonderful house) they said “oh! Here comes the string quartet. I had completely forgotten about them!”

^www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5174898-to-feel-slightly-suspicious-of-dp?page=35&reply=138771616^

Ex-DH, who grew up poor and worked his way up to a hefty salary by being good with computers, has a Rolex watch that apparently cost him £15k, used (he couldn't afford the new one). I can't imagine the point of something like that for myself, but for him it represents a big 💩to everyone who ever looked down on him for being poor. He still dresses like a normal person (well, like a man who has no idea what he's wearing, probably bought ten of them ten years ago from an Asda bargain bin, and hasn't thought about clothing since) - so he says that when he flashes the Rolex to supercilious customer service people, he enjoys their double-take and swift change in tone.

I don't even think that makes sense even if you can afford it - all the stuff has to fit in your bin and be carried there and then there's all the effort of shopping for all the stuff you chucked - or maybe it's just me that finds shopping to be a chore and then there's all the disposing of the packaging and washing it all before you use it - it's stupid solution even for the very wealthy. I thought you were going to say - they got in a emergency maid service or something.

Not if it’s an Apple Watch 😳

at one point, my parents rented a property on the estate of a local ish stately home. they invited all of the tenants and their families (so that included us, even though we didn't live there) to the castle (no joke, Ince castle. it's a small one, but very lovely) to their Christmas party. it was lovely. lots of canapes and champagne. the entrance with the rounded staircase had an ENORMOUS Christmas tree, and the room where they held the party, I actually found it rather charming they'd put clingfilm on the antique, leather topped tables to protect them from food damage, rather than using plates and trays.
their adult children were serving everyone champagne, and the Lord was telling anyone that would listen about what a great bargain it was, because they'd bought it from Lidl, because it came out top in one of the Telegraph taste tests that year. he was extremely proud of his thrifty bargain.

that seems to be very much the difference between old and new money.

I've got pots if dosh. I love what it lets me take for granted - that's why I love having it, because I can buy my way out of shit. Just a for example ... say you're
On holiday and want or need to get back earlier? Buy a ticket no worries. He snores on holiday? Get two rooms.
Plane flies to a different airport where you parked your car? Get a taxi.
Object to the walk to the airport from the long stay? Pay for short stay for a week.

Money takes stress away. It means
I never have to worry about money. And god knows, without money there is so much to worry about.

I thought same, rather a condescending answer!! £20 is a cheap watch to me, £400 is expensive!

one of my best handbags is a Fly of London Satchel I got for £2 at a carboot YEARS ago. I've also got quite a few from Zatchels, including one I won in a facebook competition, but all the ones I've bought from them were under £100, and they definitely all count as "decent"
so no, a handbag doesn't have to be over £400 to be "decent"

I think there's a world of difference between knowing that some people buy expensive watches as investment pieces and being well acquainted with the ins and outs of the tax implications of those investments.

Anyway, you're entitled to continue to believe that everyone who has made a tongue-in-cheek remark about cheaper watches being as good at telling the time as more expensive ones is just a bit naive. I'll continue to read the sarcasm into those comments that I'm certain was intended.

That is a good life lol!

Just because low paid jobs will always exist, doesn't mean that somebody shouldn't attempt to better their situation and earn more money.

The best route out of poverty is work. Once you're in work, you need to try and improve your pay.

My first adult job paid less than the local McDonald's. I'm now on £97k. There are people on Mumsnet earning vastly more than me, but I don't sit around moaning about how unjust it is. Good luck to them.

@Disappearedwife why do you keep putting rows of 😂😂😂😂😂 after your outlandish statements, like the whole concept of someone finding a £400 watch and a £50 handbag is ridiculously amusing and you cannot for the life of you, imagine a different opinion/situation?

You often find (not always) that those with alot of money are extremely cautious at spending it

A work colleague (very well off) once said to another work colleague (less well off) while both were going through a divorce. Oh divorce is much easier for you as your poor less things to sort out.

Anyone else jealous of the Volvo? Any takers?

Not where I come from. A cheap watch is £20-30 out of the Argos catalogue. And I WOULD pay £50 for a handbag but I would have to really love it and would consider it a big purchase.

Whatfreshhellisthis2

I think she’s allowed to spend money on something that makes her feel happy. You voluntarily paid her double what she asked for … are you saying she should be walking around in a sack cloth?
(inane comment...)
Getting your nails done in London can be as cheap as £15.
($200 for dreads?)
you just use your money on different things- it sounds like your money has allowed you to buy a home and get a cleaner…she will perhaps never earn enough to buy a house, so why should she save it? May as well spend it
(on a giant $1,500 dog?And crippling vets' bills?)

And there we have it. "May as well spend it." The casual things that EVERYONE takes for granted."

Of course everyone is entitled to spend their money as they wish if it makes them happy. Just don't blame the wealthy as the only offenders of casual spending. Everyone does it. Pointless post then.

Not sure if you are joking re the bag but it's not a laughing matter really is it that someone can't afford a 50.00 bag. I have a nice one that I got from primark for 8.00. Get loads of comments about it.

Yes, this... DH and I have to choose between visiting adult children (who have no room to put us up) and holidays because everything is so prohibitively expensive. Travelling to them, a couple of nights away and paying for a family meal or other modest treat and that's easily £500 gone....😕

I think this is an urban myth.
no one is that stupid.

Superb narcissistic remark!

I would invest in a tent and visit more in the warmer months. And don’t go out for dinner.

In colder months, you can surely find a cheap caravan or B&B in to stay in for <£100 per night. Travel v early on first day, stay overnight for just one night and travel back late the next day?

Or are they hundreds and hundreds of miles away?

Comments with laughing emojis about people who have spent thousands on a watch being 'had' and how 'they saw you coming' aren't really tongue-in-cheek or sarcastic in my book...but as you say we're entitled to believe differently😃.

Well maybe. But I think the regular takeaways probably wipe out the savings from Lidl and the cruise funds must come from a different pot.
but anyway they are happy with their choices and I am happy with mine.

Firstly, they are a lot cheaper than Swiftie or Oasis tickets. Some Opera companies will refund if they can resell.

Secondly, she paid for them unlike the new government ministers, who got freebies, they could well have afforded, if they could secured through the correct process.

I had no idea people bought watches as investments. Why in earth would I know that? I have wealthy friends but none that buy watches or cars as investments. In fact you wouldn’t really know they are wealthy. I have never seen it mentioned anywhere. I think you are being a bit egocentric there.