Why would you pretend to be poor?

[Sndhehjzugwvs]

Someone recently disclosed to us their annual income. This was done very intentionally to make a point that they were struggling financially... This worried and concerned us.

We have been head scratching as to why they told us this because they absolutely know we do not have spare funds given our income.

Fast forward a couple of months and we find out that they have released very high six figure sum towards a business venture.

Why do some people play the poverty card when they are clearly anything but poor? Sadly, I bet we are not alone in knowing people like this.

We cannot fathom the reason for this disclosure. To be honest, we found it a bit sickening given the concern it caused us when in fact they are clearly more than ok financially. It is true: there is nowt so strange as folk!

We have some family members who are genuinely struggling financially and this false plea of poverty is just horrible when we know the reality of people who ARE struggling.

Why on earth do people not think before causing others unnecessary worry!

Wishing all a peaceful Christmas and a lighter, smile-filled 2022.

@MyrtlethePurpleTurtle but its not poverty. They are choosing to spend the money they have in a certain way to improve their future. They are not poor. And it is offensive for people to claim they are.

Incomes doesn't equal lifestyle anyway.
Someone who owns their house outright could maybe live fairly well on a £18k job. Someone who has to pay rent will struggle (to say the least)

And yet still you are a fan of them despite thinking they are scrounging off people who ”will never own their own homes”?!

Or is your user name an utterly arbitrary one?

[quote RoyalFamilyFan]@MyrtlethePurpleTurtle but its not poverty. They are choosing to spend the money they have in a certain way to improve their future. They are not poor. And it is offensive for people to claim they are.[/quote]
They told the OP “they were struggling financially”

Not in poverty

@oftenbaffled it is a private joke really. My view is off with their heads.
"struggling financially" usually means being poor. Otherwise, they are being disingenuous. I mean I could buy a new car every few months and I would be struggling financially as I would be up to my eyeballs in debt. But it would be a choice.
Anyway, I just avoid liars, I really have no time for games like this anymore.

I hate people who plead poverty when they have lots of capital/assets that could be turned into income.

My sister in law and her husband are like this. Due to his parents generosity (they have average incomes, but live v modestly) they have had four houses bought for them. They live in one and rent out the other three. Yet are always pleading poverty - heating always on low if at all, spending hours online trying to find something for £2 cheaper etc.

Once when they’d been going on and on about their lack of money my husband finally snapped ‘why don’t you sell one of your other houses?” They looked completely shocked - as though this had never occurred to them!

So if you struggle financially

You are poor?

Righto

Well what does struggling financially mean otherwise? You cant afford to buy a castle? It is bloody meaningless if it doesn't mean poor. Nearly everyone has less money than they ideally want. I could say I am struggling financially as I cant afford to buy a holiday home.

Struggling financially absolutely doesn’t mean poor. It mean they cannot make ends meet but the ends might be very expensive tastes! Depends totally on context! Struggling to push school fees or struggling to pay the food bill? Struggling to keep up the payments on the Range Rover or struggling to pay the bus fare? Very different forms of struggling financially but both are true. Only one is poor .

Maybe you should read the first line of the OP again. These people are making it OP’s business.

Did they? They didn’t ask for money, did they? OP seemed not to do anything with her “concern”

@romdowa same! I lived with someone who pretended to be poor and accepted free food, drinks and things.
Looking back now I consider it stealing, like a charity fraud, she’s still up to her old tricks now.

I struggled financially last year when my boiler blew and needed to be replaced. I’d not factored in the sudden £5k needed to cover. So during the months that followed, I had to be frugal.
But it passed

Was I “poor”? Absolutely not

Not really your business but they did mention this. One can only assume they thought you were going to ask for £££
There are plenty assuming poor and sadly many genuinely poor and struggling.

One family I know with Husband and Wife working in good careers. Take home about 100k combined - refused to buy their child shoes that fit 2 weeks before the end of term. Their shoes had lasted a full year and were much too small. I know it’s annoying so near the end of term but!!!! Other peoples lives.

I have a friend, senior public sector job, but is always claiming poverty. They will walk three miles to buy something 10p cheaper at Aldi rather than use the nearer and dearer Tesco.
Their parents don't realise how well-off this friend is, which makes me very sad (and enraged on behalf of the duped parents).

Being skint but not wanting to spend your savings are two different things
I’d a collegue and she was always complaining about being poor and then one day she’s bought a house with 20k deposit she had in savings.
I grew up poor. Poor means no savings etc no nothing for a rainy day.
Also had another who was same pay grade as me, complaining about being skint and crap wage and how hard it was to buy a house etc. Her fiancé had a huge savings also and they bought a house well over our salary.
Pissed me right off. I’d don’t decry anyone’s good fortune , but don’t pretend

@EyesAsGreenAsAFreshPickledToad

I thought this thread was going to be about that time multi millionaire Xenia got caught larping as a poor person 😂

Oh yes, I remember that.

@Mummyoflittledragon

Do you have a link??

This is the 5 kids multi millionaire Xenia? Does larking mean pretending?

I get this a lot at the charity I'm a manager of. Big Christmas giveaway for kids toys this week. People coming who I know have good jobs and holidays abroad and live in better home than I do, even posh cars in car park. We don't discriminate, who knows what's going on, but it grates.

@oftenbaffled
Thread was deleted.

Some people are arseholes and best avoided - I swerve people like that and never have anything to do with them ever again - cut them dead. Simples

Funny we were talking about this the other day. Our extremely rich friends always talk about being skint and we think it's because they don't want to show off or make us feel inadequate. But giving an actual fake figure if earnings as a lie is properly weird tho, that's different but not sure why anyone would do that

It isn't worth a single second of anyone's time trying to figure out why arseholes are arseholes - nice people cannot fathom them, and are best just avoiding them - they won't change and you can't make them, understanding them won't help even if you could, just walk away fast and never look back

I am much more wealthy than people know. Reasons I play it down are;

I don't want people thinking I will give them money

I don't want to be alienated as a result

More money more problems - people treat you differently as a result (which I don't want)

For the above reasons it's easier to play it down

People are nuts. Every time we see a certain friend he’s telling us he’s got no money. Despite thrn spending £40k on a garden refurb!! Some people are indeed insane. Attention? Craziness? Wanting to feel normal? Who knows but I’m done with people tbh

Why would anyone think you would give them money? Surely people who are not family who ask for money are people you want to avoid?