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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be confused by other people's finances...

314 replies

Haudyerwheesht · 29/05/2017 18:19

I know it's none of my business obviously but still....I want to know!

For example how does my neighbour who only has one adult working in an averagely paid job afford to go to Florida and do Disney / universal etc twice in 6 months?

How does another person I know live in an enormous house and wear designer clothes and have lovely holidays etc when they're 24, with 3 kids and don't work (husband does). I kind of know the answer to this as they're both from wealthy families....but I want to know the ins and outs because I'm nosy!

Why does my friend rent for 1.2k a month and fritter money away when they could ft a mortgage much cheaper if they had a deposit?

How can my sister moan about money when she has no mortgage or housing costs, no council tax and her and her husband both work full time??

Obviously aibu to be so nosey but I'm not the only one am I?

OP posts:
BarbaraofSeville · 29/05/2017 19:27

Blinkyblink Our tiny mortgage is repayment and has 9 years left to go. We would pay it off faster, but the interest rate is about 0.6% so we're just filling up the savings that pay 1.5 to 5%, risk free.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 29/05/2017 19:27

Sorry, high-frequency, wine at lunch innit...

DixieFlatline · 29/05/2017 19:28

S'all Younique according to my mate. Hashtag BOSS LADY!

I'm waiting for Westray to reveal her MLM involvement. Grin

Noofly · 29/05/2017 19:29

ILike Yeah, I'm also keeping an eye on Ripple. Right now I like Ethereum better but Ripple might be an option especially if coinbase doesn't sort itself out soon!

I only buy a small amount in anything like crypto currency or AIM stocks etc. I like high risk but only in small doses.

Blinkyblink No, if in 10 years they are worth, say £25k each, I'll make an awful lot of money when I sell them. It's no different to selling a share than has seen a massive price increase. Of course they may be worth nothing in ten years, but then I'm only out my initial purchase price and I can live with that.

Belindarocks · 29/05/2017 19:29

In some ways i think good on them - at least they are going out and enjoying life. I have friends who are well off (100kish). They live in a small house in a cheap area of the country. Friend penny pinches and is always looking for bargins. They don't appear to spend money on much- no nice hols, clothes, meals out etc. Everything is saved probably. Seems a waste to me.

Giddyaunt18 · 29/05/2017 19:31

Also, some parents think Florida/Disney is a childhood need whereas I view it as a very expensive luxury. We took ours to Paris Disney when they were old enough to appreciate it and spent a day in Paris seeing the real things of interest after 2 days in the park being charged up to the eyeballs for everything. One of my DD's 'friends' actually said to her that my DD hadn't had a childhood if she hadn't been to Florida! Where did she get that little ditty from I wonder?

Noofly · 29/05/2017 19:33

And I should add, I've already watched Bitcoin drop from approx £800 per coin to approx £140. I held on and didn't sell. The one thing I know is that I'm not good at timing either the top or the bottom. I'm not a trader. I'll sell if I think something is really truly going to die, otherwise I hold on and take an income from my more sedate investments.

TinselTwins · 29/05/2017 19:34

Yup, I've heard that one in real life:
You HAVE to take them to proper disney when they're still young.

I've never heard someone who could easily afford it say that though, it seems to be a very working class view. Get there one way or another while they're young or else……….. (I'm not sure what happens if you dont' go while they're young TBH??)

MissBax · 29/05/2017 19:35

I've always wondered it the other way aswell - I've got a friend who has a very well paid job, as does her DH. Yet she always says she is broke. They have an average house, nothing fancy, no children and always moaning about money. My OH and I are on significantly less and seem to be able to do more. It always baffles me!

MyCalmX · 29/05/2017 19:35

Me too Dixie!

QueenOfRubovia · 29/05/2017 19:37

My daughter fritters her money away on additional degree courses and rescue cats. It's expensive. And it takes all sorts

CurlyhairedAssassin · 29/05/2017 19:37

Was very surprised that someone I knew was going to Florida/Disney with their family. Wondered how they could afford it. 6 months later the dad was banged up for a very nasty armed robbery. It had been in the local paper and traumatised the victims but so what? It paid for Disney. Hmm Some people are just scum.

Oldraver · 29/05/2017 19:37

My sister inherited a house ... A family member pays for all costs

I was going to ask how come your sister had no council tax...Do you have your bills paid for ?

Birdsgottaf1y · 29/05/2017 19:38

""My parents have always managed fairly fancy holidays on very average incomes. The answer in their case is completely self discipline in every other area of life. ""

I do the same, I even managed to go to Morocco whilst living on benefits.

My DD scoffed when I said that I wanted to go away for Christmas. I will be on a low wage and I'm single. My reply was that I live on chick peas and lentils, buy as little as possible and don't have heating on/leave lights on etc. So I can do it.

People on the "live well for less" think that they can't afford holidays, but they could, if they stopped spending.

I'm aghast that my DD has no savings, despite her earnings, but her and her DP are head to toe in designer gear, eat out twice weekly and hair/nails/gym/treatments, they could have built up a portfolio of buy-to-lets.

ijustwannadance · 29/05/2017 19:39

But why, if your sis and BIL own the house outright and both work full time, would a family member pay all their bills?

Do you get the same privilege?

TinselTwins · 29/05/2017 19:39

I've always wondered it the other way aswell - I've got a friend who has a very well paid job, as does her DH. Yet she always says she is broke. They have an average house, nothing fancy, no children and always moaning about money.

they might be broke if they're both still repaying stuff from the past. Also people contribute to other family members rent/care etc

Or

I have a friend who is "OMG SO BROKE" if she's not able to pay loads into her already substantial savings as well as having money left over for meals out. "Broke" to her never comes close to what broke means to other people.

ILikeyourHairyHands · 29/05/2017 19:39

Noofly, an exciting market though, think there's about 65 cryptos now, all nice and volatile, some excellent opportunities about I think.

Westray · 29/05/2017 19:40

Ha ha, no MLM involvement.

I work totally alone, no organisation behind me.

Westray · 29/05/2017 19:43

And no- going to the gym doesn't earn me money.

ijustwannadance · 29/05/2017 19:44

I also don't understand why people waste so much money taking babies and toddlers to Disneyland. They won't care or remember!

mynotsoperfectlife · 29/05/2017 19:44

DH would voraciously deny it but has strong WC roots.

He was keen to do the Disney thing.

I thought it was bloody hot and we'd have been better waiting till the kids were older Grin

Belindarocks · 29/05/2017 19:44

Don't fancy Disney - all the queuing, crowds and the heat. My poor child will have to miss out! I honestly think it's more for the parents. My 6 year old is more than happy with playing on the beach on British seaside holidays. Parents put too much pressure on themselves to make everything 'magical'.

mynotsoperfectlife · 29/05/2017 19:47

It is more for the parents.

I think the whole massive elaborate Christmas is working class more for the parents too.

TinselTwins · 29/05/2017 19:48

p.s. I'm surprised it took until curlyhairedassassin's post for crime to be mentioned

There's a lot of ill-gotten-gains about!

applesareredandgreen · 29/05/2017 19:50

Blinkeyblink - some people have a low mortgage because they bought a property and took out their mortgage many years ago when properties were cheaper.