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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be amazed at how much money some people seem to have?

275 replies

EverythingTurnsToSkittles · 01/02/2016 16:25

I'm talking about people who just do totally normal, average/low paid jobs, but just seem to have money coming out of their ears!

Someone that I know has one child and lives with her partner, who works in a manual low skilled job. She doesn't work. In the past year they have been to Dubai, flying first class, Cyprus, Center Parcs three times, plus several foreign weekend mini breaks in Europe. They also live in a really nice house and certainly don't seem to go without in terms of clothes, eating out, cars, etc.

Do a lot of people who live like this on a seemingly low income have family money? I have come across quite a lot of people like this recently and am intrigued about how they do it?!

OP posts:
cuntycowfacemonkey · 01/02/2016 16:27

Credit cards? loans? Family money/inheritance? Maybe he isn't as low paid as you think.

Who knows

cupcakesarah · 01/02/2016 16:27

It could all be on credit cards and loans...

allegretto · 01/02/2016 16:28

I know a few people who like that who have no mortgage so basically even a low salary goes a long way.

SoleBizzz · 01/02/2016 16:30

Are they on benefits too? Defrauding the system?

araiba · 01/02/2016 16:32

Are they on benefits too? Defrauding the system?

are they killing people for money?

jeebus

PiperChapstick · 01/02/2016 16:32

YANBU. A friend of mine has 3 children at 25, she was a uni student and her DP works as a salesman in carphone warehouse - so not well paid, still young and big outgoings with 3 kids.

They have a huge house in a nice area, holiday twice a year to the likes of Dubai and St Lucia, 2 cars, and the kids all have the latest toys. I've known her since I was tiny and her family isn't particularly well off (that I know). It completely baffles me.

I think a lot of people probably go mad on credit cards and pay minimal amount on bills, if anything at all. DHs sister has weekend breaks to London every month just about, and eats out at nice restaurants probably twice a week - yes she had a high court sheriff take one of her three cars last week because she didn't pay council tax on her last property and ignored the CCJ. The water company also knocked 59% off her rate because she apparently couldn't pay her bill and she's been forced to have a meter installed for not paying her electric bill

DrDreReturns · 01/02/2016 16:32

There may be another source of income you're not aware of - e.g. a rental property.

Xmasbaby11 · 01/02/2016 16:32

I feel the same. We are on a reasonable income, both working, but over 1/4 of our income goes on mortgage and over 1/4 on childcare. By the time we pay bills, there's almost nothing left for days out and holidays. We haven't been abroad since the DC were born. I don't know how other people manage it and DH and I often discuss how we must be going wrong somewhere!

I think there are a lot of factors, such as family providing free childcare, and people having lower mortgages. I also know a lot of friends whose parents give them money even though they are married with kids!

In the case of your friends, you might be surprised how much he earns. My BIL has a low skilled job but earns about the same as me, as an experienced teacher.

Babyroobs · 01/02/2016 16:33

Most likely inheritance, or family giving them money or possibly bought their house years ago and have no mortgage !!

MagicalHamSandwich · 01/02/2016 16:33

When I worked in a rather low paid job during my uni years I used to know tons of people who basically racked up a fortune in credit card debts. My ExH did this and declared bankruptcy twice. He also always had money for electronics and holidays with his mates but never for the rent or the bills. Yes, he's a major idiot and I'm an even bigger one for waiting ten years before dumping him.

TBH I also don't see how people do it. I'm alone, make around 100k and live very comfortably - but there are definitely things that I can't afford or could only afford at the expense of something else that's more important to me and hence don't buy.

I reckon you can spend very little on food, clothes etc. if you don't care all that much about what you're getting. Wouldn't work with my lentil weaving, tree hugging ways.

PiperChapstick · 01/02/2016 16:33

*50%

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 01/02/2016 16:34

manual low skilled job what's his job?

Whatdoidohelp · 01/02/2016 16:34

I think there is something you don't know about your friend. The flights to Dubai in first class would be 5k per person before adding in hotel and all the other trips.

Lottery win, inheritance etc. It could be anything.

OurBlanche · 01/02/2016 16:34

They could live like BIL/SIL - every day like it's a gift. Cos that's why it is called The Present.

I kid you not, at 40+ years of age, those were the words SIL used when trying to explain why they needed to borrow thousands.

Apparently they had no intention of saving for their retirement, they'd take their chances, so they saw no reason why our savings couldn't be allocated to them having a good time - seeing as we weren't using the money, and all!

Don't be jealous, that sort of life usually comes with a terrifying price tag!

PouletDePrintemps · 01/02/2016 16:35

Do they have a relative who works for an airline and can get them cheap flights and upgrades?

PiperChapstick · 01/02/2016 16:36

Sorry Blanche I may have misread but did you just say your BIL and SIL asked for the savings you have saved up?!

shutupandshop · 01/02/2016 16:38

Drug dealerShock

cleaty · 01/02/2016 16:38

I know a number of people like this who have inherited money.

JustWantMyMoneyBack · 01/02/2016 16:39

A friend of mine has a much lower income (same number of dc) and they go on a lot more fun days out and trips than us, because she's an amazing bargain hunter. I don't know how she does it!

AutumnLeavesArePretty · 01/02/2016 16:40

Manual low skilled job with an unemployed partner is likely getting a whole host of benefits. It's astounding how much people get. Likely to be some credit too.

DoesAnyoneReadTheseThings · 01/02/2016 16:42

He might get paid more than you think. A previous poster mentioned someone works as a salesman at carphone warehouse 'so not well paid' but I know lots of people who work at carphone warehouse and their competitors and they are VERY well paid when you take into account their commission and bonuses etc etc if they are good at their job.

ewbank · 01/02/2016 16:43

Pmsl that benefits pays for first class flights Grin

I reckon they're drug dealing. Or she's on the game during the day while the kids are at school.

KitKatCustard · 01/02/2016 16:44

Not me, I'm skint!

jevoudrais · 01/02/2016 16:47

Most I come across like this are in their 30's but rent, don't own, so they can basically buy nice things due to not having scrimped for a desposit to buy. OH and I don't live in a particularly expensive part of the country and our deposit was still 25K, we could have done a lot of lovely things with that. We also own both our cars outright and not on finance, so our cars aren't brand new, but they're completely ours.

Owning our house means it eats cash in terms of odd jobs etc too, people I know who rent also don't need to get their trees cut, or their walls re plastered, the house re rendered, new double glazing etc.

CaptainCrunch · 01/02/2016 16:51

Lol, I knew someone like this. She took in sewing and he was a taxi driver but they were minted. Always had the latest gadgets, fancy cars, holidays up the ying yang. Turned out he was working for a drug dealer, delivering drugs to various people and places using his taxi as a cover.

They got found out and are as skint as the rest of us now.