How are people affording this lifestyle?

[AmusedTaupePlayer]

Just curious if anyone can shed liJust curious if anyone can shed light on this. I know a couple a few years older than me (late 20s/early 30s) living in Newton-le-Willows. He works as an admin/warehouse inventory clerk at some small frozen and she did not go to uni, she has no LinkedIn, never mentions any kind of work or side hustle.

And yet they’ve been on a couple of holidays in the last year, seem to eat out occasionally, and post pics of family days out etc. It’s not luxury by any means, but still — two kids and one modest income??

Are they just really good with money? Family help? Universal Credit top-ups?

Genuinely trying to understand how people make it work on paper when everything is so expensive these days.

Loans, credit cards Id guess, if they’re savvy maybe they use vouchers and savings and the like. Holiday wise if you’re willing to move outside popular areas you can get great deals, we stayed in a mobile home in Italy in a eurocamp outside of Naples for a week for cheaper than we could find anything in Ireland, flew with Ryanair

A lovely shade of chartreuse there ....

When I read the thread title I thought the 'lifestyle' described would be wild and extravagant living: luxury holidays, flash cars and designer handbags.

How far have we fallen as a nation when the ability to go on a family day out, eat out occasionally and take holiday is a) seen as some kind of incredible lifestyle and b) sparks resentment and jealously from people who make it their business to stalk and judge other people's lives.

There are threads are here almost every single week from people burning with anger because someone they know who doesn't work or who doesn't work hard enough (he's a warehouse worker...she isn't on LinkedIn...shocker) has a 'lifestyle' they don't deserve. The usual targets are the single mum on benefits who dares to have nice nails or take her DC on a break. And how dare the mother of disabled child choose not to work and take from hardworking taxpayers...she could tag team with her husband, work a shift from midnight to 6am and then take over childcare when he goes to work.

It's beyond depressing!

Wasn't there some statistic that 1 in 5 baby boomers are millionaires? There are a lot of that generation who will spend all their money on cruises and gold-plated bathrooms but there are also a lot who pay it forward to their younger relatives.
Maybe the man gets loads of bonuses and has more responsibility than you think and/or works very hard and the company recognises that.
There does seem to be increasingly a lot of legitimate ways to make money online too. I've just started a YT channel. My niche isn't hugely original, but I have a slightly different take to the main popular ones in my niche, and I am trying to make my channel look and sound professional from the start to give me an edge.
I'm not sure I'd have posted the exact area they live in OP, it's quite small (I googled) and may be identifying.

This could be us, though I have no idea where Newton on whatever is. 😂

Dh works in a traditional trade. I don’t have LinkedIn (does everyone? Certainly it isn’t the norm in my industry) and I doubt anyone knows what sort of work I do. As I do most of the school runs, I think people assume I don’t work at all. Even when we meet new people, they’ll ask Dh what he does for work, but 80% of the time, no one even asks me!

In actuality, Dh started a company (yes, in what you’d consider a ‘trade’) that now has over £1mil turnover per year. He still comes home dirty every day looking like a chimney sweep 🤣 but he’s the boss. We have a lot of celebrity clients and it’s a very profitable business. I’m a PhD level scientist. We have over £100k household income and a house worth nearly a £1mil and we hope to pay off the mortgage in our late 40s.

I suspect people think very similarly about us. We certainly get a lot of comments about the size of our house, if we rent, if it’s our parents’ house. The reality is we just earn quite well but in non-traditional industries and have made some wise financial decisions. But we don’t generally splash the cash. We have expensive hobbies, but we drive old bangers by choice, go on camping holidays, buy secondhand. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Are you for real? 🙈😂

It doesn’t sound like you genuinely want to work out how they manage their money so well. It sounds more like you’re shocked that working class people with basic jobs can do nice stuff and it’s not fair!

Don’t dress it up, embrace the ugly side of your nature 😁

fwiw my granddaughter doesn’t work (age 23) due to disabilities. Her partner works full time to keep her and their daughter. They have a mortgage and two cars, go on holiday, go to gigs and festivals and have a great life. No, she doesn’t get benefits but they’re very careful with what they spend and prioritise saving for doing nice stuff. Is that ok with you?

I personally know of two sets of people who outwardly have low income roles yet live very well.

One has couple the man has inherited a lot of money and property.

The other couple - the husband receives “an allowance” from his ex investment banker dad.

It’s NOT any of your business. Maybe if you focus on your life, you would be doing well too 😊

People make it work by being frugal, keeping a tight rein on their budget and not spending their hard-earned money on unnecessary shit.

I have friends who don’t work, own their houses outright and put three kids through private school…it’s none of my business how they did it but good on them for managing it! Perhaps stop being envious and be happy when others do well for themselves..

What the fuck does LinkedIn have to do with the price of fish?

The gasp I just gusped realising how much time and energy you have put into a family that you don’t even know. And I have questions.

Do you have a hobby?

Do you work?

Do you have things that can take your mind of what others might be earning or doing?

Do you have FOMO?

Going on holidays and trips out are normal things that families do. You say they eat out occasionally, what a creepy detail to notice.

OP If you can’t afford a holiday, a day trip or a meal out at a pub once in a while then that’s on you. Stop being completely weird imagining where other people get their money from. Ick 🤮

That’s all well and good @LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnyway , but how do you manage it?

Can’t have a good old stalk and gawp about what kind of job provides enough income for <checks notes> occasional holidays and meals out 🤓

I’m the opposite to a lot on this thread, I earn slightly above average but spunk way too much on coffees, nails, shoes and stupid shit for a dopamine hit (thanks, ADHD) so I hardly go on Instagram-worthy holidays because I can’t afford it.

They have meals out occasionally? High rollers then 🙄

I do not have a degree, my highest qualification is a cert in higher education. I have done very well financially. A grafter that worked their way up( I had 3 PT jobs at one point) and was very savvy with investing, happy to haggle. I’m also happy to do reciprocal favours. Cat sitters are a tenner a day, my neighbour looks after mine and I look after hers.

DH and I have also taught ourselves lots of DIY and house stuff on you tube, we are pretty good. Fitted an entire kitchen and saved 3.5k.

I live near Newton-le-Willows. It's not an expensive area. You also don't know whether they're "affording" things or putting them on credit.

I have no idea what Newton-le-willows is like. But if their mortgage is not insane, they dont pay for childcare then it is possible to live on one income if you are frugal.

I dont think op suggested that linked in is a sign of not having a job. Since she doesn't have a linked in, she can't Internet stalk her to see if she has one.

I know you'll get a lot of shit and people are right. It is none of your business. However, i have a friend and I wonder how she/her family has all the money. I've known her for 20+ years and know her family and her husbands family and I am very confused. It is ok to wonder quietly.

they live in warrington, cheap houses probably inherited

well I joined the civil service instead of going to university, it is possible to get a job without going there.

Oh my god no university? I didn't go and I am poverty struck - oh no wait a minute I earn £90k plus a bonus. Sorry I wouldn't usually say my salary but what a stupid narrow minded post.

Inheritance, lottery, good investments? Whatever it is it's none of your business.

I don’t do much on linked in as I personally think it’s a load of nonsense - but have senior job and have had a variety of high level roles in my career. Im a single parent, but go on hols with my kids a few times a year and we go out for dinner / the day / the theatre as and when. Does this mean I have a secret life? Embezzle public money? Am a high class hooker (or indeed a low class one?) it’s no one’s business!

but out of their life and concentrate on enjoying your own !

I'm sure my neighbours think similar. A double whammy: I am an Eastern European immigrant AND a single mother. Oh, and I outwardly don't work (looks like that) and I do go on a lot of holidays (AND have a huge fuck-off TV). They must think I'm on Only Fans for sure and on massive benefits.

In reality I do WFH, have irregular hours do to time differences (absolutely nothing to do with sex work of any kind), so I can be seen in and out of the house in the middle of the day, for example (hence, don't work). I'm not on benefits, except for a child benefit. I have one child.

I earn decent money, not loads, but not a pauper. Live in a cheap, but well-connected area. I prioritize travel and experiences for DD and me. Don't do nails, hair, botox, lips and such, no makeup (can't be arsed-ness+frugality+decent looks already). Hunt down bargains on Vinted for DD and me, buy good brands and good quality/cut clothes for both of us, so we might look like we spend a lot on clothing/footwear - we don't. Don't have tons of pointless (to me) subscriptions: sky, spotify, etc (my downfall are Kindle books). Cook from scratch, food is simple enough, no fancy products, but I'm a good cook and we eat well. Etc. I'm frugal and prioritize my spending, in short.

We love sightseeing, people-watching, architecture, galleries and museums on holidays, so never go AI (Maldives, Barbados, etc). We do self catering/air bnb/hostels/cheaper hotels as hotel itself is not important to us, we just sleep there. The experience is what counts. So we don't need to spend 2-5k a pop. My parents own multiple properties in my own country and a few abroad, so we sometimes stay in those for free.

Funny thing is, I have a next door neighbor similar to me. No partner or children, a single man, but also (outwardly) doesn't work, as he's usually home. Just did a full on house renovation, owns his home, bought a new-ish bmw. He's British though, if that matters. Our other neighbors must be perplexed, some of them must be frothing, I'm sure.

Please excuse the essay.