Have you ever lived next door to someone much richer or poorer than you?

[ColdcoffeeHotface]

As I posted on another thread, my neighbour had an extended rant at me today. He kept repeating that I was 'in a bubble' and didn't understand 'real life' and also that I 'flaunted my wealth.' We live in a house identical to his, my children have a second hand trampoline and swing set. We sometimes buy them toys for their birthday. I have a ten year old car.
But it made me think, is there anyway of not 'flaunting your wealth' or lack of it? People earn varying degrees of money, yet in many areas we all live side by side (especially in cities.) Can you really not show in any way that you have £500 more disposable income per month than your neighbours? And what would flashy look like? My relatives just bought a hot tub but I would be mortified to put it up in my area, especially after today, same with getting an Ocado delivery. Is this why people move to 'naice' areas?

No idea.

The only people who hive us a hard time about our economic status and flaunting it is family. I just tell them to get a job and stop harrassing me about it. We don't usually hear from them again until special occassions and thwn rinse and repeat

Your neighbour is bizarre. Our neighbours have a portfolio of houses in glamorous areas where they like to do winter sports. They have a boat somewhere and a super car and a big 4x4 beast. We just paid off our credit card debt for the holiday we can’t go on and my vehicle is from 2011. We get along splendidly - all still parents and people.

I have had neighbour friend insinuating that we wouldn’t be able to afford certain things, despite both men having similar jobs, me having a better one than hers (professional v non P).

We are late 50s, 7+ yrs older than neighbour, and didn’t meet until our 30s, so both bought individual houses young, and have been mortgage free most of our marriage. We have since had an inheritance, some compulsory share-sale windfalls and endowments maturing. The combination of these and us not being big spenders mean we have substantial savings and investments. Neighbours house is bigger than ours, but bought years later, for almost 4x cost, and with large mortgage from what she has said.

I cycle regularly with her and some other women. When I have asked about their branded gear, where to get it etc, I have always got the response (From neighbour and others) that “it is very expensive....”. I never commented, as I find it vulgar to talk about money, but I have no idea why they think I couldn’t afford the gear. Neighbour has made other such comments too. Baffling!

Had similar experience at work years ago. Colleague had borrowed money off in-laws to buy a sports car (think it was an Audi TT) and was arrogantly talking about it. He actually commented to me “Bet you will never know what it’s like to drive a £XXK car”. I was totally gob smacked at his sheer arrogance, given that it was no secret he had borrowed the money. I still kick myself for not pointing out that our Volvo estate cost about the same, paid for in cash, Oh and we could buy a few more for cash too.

Never make assumptions about people’s wealth, good or bad.

We have a nice house. Opposite us is a family of Five, illegal immigrants, living in a cellar.

There had been a trend recently for 'luxury' items to be much more easily available: second hand designer clothes and accessories on Ebay, even quite high end cars potentially available for a few hundred a month, holidays potentially much cheaper due to Air b and b and budget airlines. So over the last decade or so, someone having those things really didn't mean anything other than them not being on the absolute bones of their arse. I think that's likely about to change though, air travel is about to get more expensive and difficult and the arse is going to fall out of the luxury car lease market because people are much less likely to both have the spare few hundred a month and think it a worthwhile spend.

Also I'm surprised that anyone wouldn't get how much variation there is in housing costs over the generations, and how much this would have an impact in some areas.

Yes, best not to make assumptions. My neighbour (old, no carpets etc) I remember called me up after the 2008 financial crisis worried about how much money was protected in a bank in Jersey in case of bank collapse. She had more money than I had although a much much lower income as she lives on a tiny interest rate on savings and a state pension and I work full time (although that wasn't saying much as soon as I get savings it goes on something like a divorce or a child buying a property)....