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AIBU?

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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:
seasidesally · 02/02/2016 18:23

I can't believe people know what their friends earn in relation to them, how much their property is worth, etc.

as somebody said its not hard to find out what a house sells for or it value

i can well believe some MNers dont know what friends earn to be honest

considering that a proportion of MN are agust if a friend or relative turns up on their doorstop without giving 3 wks notice Hmm

ha ha not round here we knock once then walk in the home (only locked when going out)

im sure i should be on NM than MN Smile

cleaty · 02/02/2016 18:28

And if friends buy a house, of course I know at the very least the asking price. Because friends show you the estate agent details of the house they have put an offer on.

thatstoast · 02/02/2016 18:54

To add to the crazy speculation, I know someone who is a nursery nurse and her husband a postman. They started going on big holidays and it turns out the fil had had a big win on the lottery.

UntilTheCowsComeHome · 02/02/2016 19:05

My millionaire aunt and uncle lived in a very select area in a 7 bed house. Their next door neighbour worked nights in Tesco.

The reason he could afford his house was because he won £1m playing online poker.

stumblymonkey · 02/02/2016 19:09

Perhaps we're oddly open in my close group of friends. I doubt there's that much we don't know about each other. They definitely know every single thing about me...finances, salary, sex life, every single skeleton I've ever had in my closet and I'm 95% sure I know the same about them.

In fact, we definitely know more about each other than our DPs/DHs know about us Grin

NeedsAsockamnesty · 02/02/2016 19:59

You may know the value of one house you know they live in, but for all you know they could own a load more or not even the one one they live in.

People could look at say my mother or my sister and assume their financial worth biased on the value of their houses but they would be wrong because I own them

Whatthefoxgoingon · 02/02/2016 20:02

My mother dresses like a homeless person. She's a millionaire many times over! You just can't judge people by appearances.

DadOnIce · 02/02/2016 20:21

"I can't believe people know what their friends earn in relation to them, how much their property is worth, etc."

Well, if they work in the public sector, that information will be easy to work out, especially if you know their age and experience. If they're a teacher you can know it to the last pound, if you really want.

And there are loads of websites where you can find out what someone's house is worth, if you are so inclined.

OhWotIsItThisTime · 02/02/2016 21:54

Those I know who live like this are on interest-only mortgages, hoping they'll hit the big time before they need to pay it all off.

Others are planning on riding the housing bubble, then selling up to pay off the mortgage and downsize.

Funandgamesandfun · 02/02/2016 22:53

I can genuinely say that I have no idea what anyone I know earns and have never ever discussed it. I have no idea what my parents earn, I have no idea what my siblings or their spouses earn. I could probably hazard a guess at a lot of them but none are public sector apart from one doctor so it's a total guess. I know what they paid for their houses as it's public information but anything else is pure speculation.

LuluJakey1 · 02/02/2016 23:30

DH and I have no mortgage and no debts at all. We both had a property when we met and put the proceeds into this hoyse then overpaid the small mortgage until we paid it off about two years ago at 34.
Save every month good amount. I have given up work- lost big salary- to work part-time for friend's consultancy and spend time with baby DS. DH earns good salary (60,000) We are comfortable but could not afford lots of holidays a year to Dubai or wherever, don't have flash car or spend a fortune on clothes.
We have friends who seem to have lots of money to fritter on things every month. We are trying to make sure DS has money for university and a flat when the time comes.mWe enjoy ourselves but don't waste money.

ImogenTubbs · 03/02/2016 05:57

A branch of my extended family all get monthly allowances from rich grandparents. They don't live lavish lifestyles, but also don't really work and just don't have to 'worry' about money.

GreenishMe · 03/02/2016 07:03

....another of these threads Sad

People spend too much time looking begrudgingly over other peoples' shoulders.

cleaty · 03/02/2016 07:14

GreenishMe - Yes people do. Many people work hard to fund themselves, so it is natural to feel a bit envious of those who don't have to because they get allowances or inheritances.

DeoGratias · 03/02/2016 07:25

By the way it costs about £2 to do a Land Registry search which will tell you the name of the registered owner of a house and if it has a mortgage on it. You can also search the Private Eye map of homes which shows which are owned by off shore trusts and name of the trust. You can also do a free search on companies house beta to look up limited companies which will show you who owns shares in companies and from later this year there is a new PSC register coming in for all limited companies which will require not just the owner but the person who controls the company even if they own no shares to be declared.

Mind you I think we have never been burgled (despite lovely large house on private estate) because we have old cars (I have no interest in cars) and in the house there are only children to steal - no gold, no paintings, no expensive furniture (and someone is always in the house).

LaurieFairyCake · 03/02/2016 07:28

I don't understand the story about sad face daily mail woman who's husbands pension didn't go to her Confused

Your pension usually goes to your surviving spouse doesn't it???

GreenishMe · 03/02/2016 07:50

The OP doesn't know for sure whether the 'someone she doesn't. knows' gets allowances or not. I read 'intrigued' as 'they don't deserve it'

Almost everyone seems to have more than I/DC have - it's the way it is and I'm too busy working and sorting out my own finances to be concerned with other peoples.

I envy more, the people who have nothing better to worry about than trivialities - including what their neighbours and acquaintances have.... it must be lovely Envy

Flowerpower41 · 03/02/2016 07:53

I always suspect foul play when people are like this i.e. credit cards/large loans/benefit fraud/cash in hand money coming from unsavoury source/illegal source.

Makes you wonder eh.

Yes people who rent often have more money than home owners as they don't pay repairs/replacements etc.

expatinscotland · 03/02/2016 08:23

I know someone who is fairly successful online gambler. No tax. People think he 'just works from home' and that's true.

Gwenhwyfar · 03/02/2016 09:02

"
Yes people who rent often have more money than home owners as they don't pay repairs/replacements etc."

You mean, have more available cash. They don't really have more money as the home owners have money invested in the house/assets. Also, in most cases, renters have less money by definition as they don't have the 20k or so required to put down a deposit on a house.

As others have mentioned, mortgage payments are often lower than rents anyway and those who manage to pay off their mortgage quite young can then spend their wages on other things.

minesapintofwine · 03/02/2016 09:08

greenish I'm glad you said that. I've only just seen this thread and I don't like it. I think it's mean-spirited. I never ever speculate how people afford this. I just think kudos to them for having a nice life.

A lot of people I know do this-talk about what people claim etc.They end up sounding bitter and jealous

Yabu I'm afraid op.

DerelictDaughter · 03/02/2016 09:10

This thread is so juvenile. Many of you sound quite pathetic and not a little bitter!
"I'm quite rich and these people I don't know everything about can do things I can't - how very dare they!"

Yes you can look up a house price - but how can you know what the loan-to-value ratio was when it was bought? FGS. They might have a tiny mortgage or a huge mortgage, and that will affect their finances on a daily basis. So whatever judgement you think you're making because their house cost £££££££ on paper is worthless.

And in some (admittedly a limited number of) public sector jobs there is room for negotiation. Who talks about that with their friends who may be in the same sector?

Anyway - meh. Who cares? You just want your friends to be good people. It's not a bloody competition.

yankeecandle4 · 03/02/2016 09:18

Credit.

My hairdresser lives in a beautiful house, holidays 3 times a year abroad, 2 flash (new) cars in the driveway. I assumed her husband had a very good job. I recently found out that he is a security guard in a supermarket. In conversation she told me that their life is based on a 3 year loan, that rolls over into a new loan. I don't know how that works but basically their "flush" lifestyle isn't funded by flush means. They are one payment short of losing everything. I could not sleep at night living that way, but it seems that is the norm for many now.

LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 03/02/2016 09:30

All my money seems to go on insurance. If I fall under a bus I'll be a millionaire with no mortgage

TinklyLittleLaugh · 03/02/2016 09:48

Laurie
When you take a pension you normally have the option to take either a larger sum, that stops when you die, or a smaller sum that carries on being paid to your surviving partner after your death. So make sure your DP has ticked the right box.

There are also pension products available now that you can leave to your children. I've yet to investigate those fully though.