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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think people who grew up with money haven't a clue sometimes??

175 replies

Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:13

I work in a profession which is traditionally full of MC or monied people. I'm from a regional,WC, scholarship background - grew up on an estate. Cos of the regional accent my 'class' isn't recognisable to most English people.

Anyway. Chatting with a colleague who's just been ski-ing, and it came up that I've never been skiing. He was properly - what NEVER? what about as a kid? What about with school? You MUST have been. I jokingly said 'not many mountains where I'm from' and he said, but that's why you go to the Alps, silly.
So I told him not only did I not going ski-ing as a child I'd also never went abroad til I was an adult. His response? Did you family have a place in the UK then? Is that where you summered? He had an eccentric uncle who insisted only only going to the hse in Cornwall etc
He then told me it was practically child neglect that we weren't taking our kids skiing now. EVERYBODY skis.

And this was the week after I told one girl at work I needed to try to pop to Argos at lunchtime, wasn't sure if I could get there and back though in time for a meeting. Her suggestion was to open an account at the Harvey Nichols and pop there ( it's closer) that where's she gets all her household stuff. An account?
Yes, just like at Argos. Turns out that she thought Argos let you put things on 'account' and pay at the end of the month. She'd never used one, been in one. Had no idea what a catalogue shop was. It's another world...

OP posts:
Greatly · 22/02/2023 12:17

I think you've just been unlucky. I know a lot of very wealthy people and I've never been skiing and didn't get on a plane until I was 28. Not once has anyone mentioned it!

Dd goes to a private school with lots of wealthy kids and they seem very competitive about how little money they've spent on anything tbf.

UnluckyPennsatucky · 22/02/2023 12:19

You can open an account at Argos and pay at the end of the month. High interest rates though

UnluckyPennsatucky · 22/02/2023 12:20

Oh and I’ve never been skiing either, neither have my kids and they grew up middle class (I was brought up WC)

lazycats · 22/02/2023 12:20

Anyone who uses 'summered' as a verb is operating on a different plane of reality to the rest of us.

Chickenly · 22/02/2023 12:24

I’m a lawyer at a US firm in London and I’ve previously worked at a MC firm. I’m from a low socio-economic background. No scholarship, I went to a state comprehensive school and then a non-RG university.

Whilst I admit that the majority of people I work with and encounter are from wealthy backgrounds and are privately educated, I’ve never met anyone with the beliefs you’ve outlined in your OP. Never. Not once. I have never encountered someone who doesn’t realise many people don’t ski, can’t afford to ski or just don’t want to. I’ve never met a British person who uses the word “summer” as a verb, ever. I’ve encountered many odd and offensive opinions in my time, but I’m very skeptical here.

Also, if they’re your colleague then why can they afford Harvey Nichols but you can’t? Being working class growing up doesn’t mean you can’t afford things as an adult in a high-salaried position.

Greatly · 22/02/2023 12:25

lazycats · 22/02/2023 12:20

Anyone who uses 'summered' as a verb is operating on a different plane of reality to the rest of us.

Or American. Or made up.

TomatoSandwiches · 22/02/2023 12:26

Sounds like a Catherine Tate skit tbh, although honestly the Harvey Nicholas advice was good.

PuttingDownRoots · 22/02/2023 12:26

You must work with some clueless people!

Most of the people I know learnt about budgeting at university/in the first few years of independence.

Saying that... DH was once told his car was an embarrassment in the work car park. The big boss found out... and told the person who said it looks that he was very welcome to buy DH a new car. Funnily enough... nothing more was said.

Original poster
Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:26

Early in my career I did work at a company where most of the staff didn't need to work for money, it was for the prestige ( arts) etc. And one of the marketing girls who;d lived in London all her life had never, and I mean NEVER, used buses or the tube. She either walked - lived centrally - or used a car service and back cabs.
That absolutely blew my mind. We took her on the tube home after a night out just because. She wasn't very impressed but admitted it was quicker than a taxi through central London wold have been!

OP posts:
Ericaequites · 22/02/2023 12:26

Even Americans find the users of summered affected.

Greatly · 22/02/2023 12:27

Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:26

Early in my career I did work at a company where most of the staff didn't need to work for money, it was for the prestige ( arts) etc. And one of the marketing girls who;d lived in London all her life had never, and I mean NEVER, used buses or the tube. She either walked - lived centrally - or used a car service and back cabs.
That absolutely blew my mind. We took her on the tube home after a night out just because. She wasn't very impressed but admitted it was quicker than a taxi through central London wold have been!

Hmm.

CrapBucket · 22/02/2023 12:27

I get this a lot, some people literally have no idea how the other half live. I didn't go to uni which seems to blow people's mind, you can pretty much see them thinking 'but you look like one of us how has an imposter pleb snuck in'.

Sohappyrun · 22/02/2023 12:28

I am from a MC background and went to a private school. Never had to worry about money as a child. I agree with @Chickenly , I’ve never been skiing and never been asked. I have friends from my home town wealthier than me and they’ve never asked if I E been skiing. Also, ‘summered’ I’d associate with the royal family or aristocracy 😂…what circles do you move in?!

Original poster
Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:28

'Most of the people I know learnt about budgeting at university/in the first few years of independence.'
Many of my colleagues are Oxbridge, St Andrews, Ivy League and I can assure you not one of them had to worry about budgeting at Uni! They're more the 'mummy and daddy bought a flat in the uni town while I was there because it just made sense' type!

OP posts:
ChipsAreLife · 22/02/2023 12:30

I saw a TikTok this week and it was literally word for word that conversation about skiing

Original poster
Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:31

'although honestly the Harvey Nicholas advice was good'
Much as I would love to just open an account in Harvey Nicks for all my essentials, the WC girl in me refuses to pay more money for stuff because it's from HN or Selfridges or whatever.
Same reason I don't do the weekly BIG shop at Waitrose when the Coop or Tesco is there...

OP posts:
HappyHolidai · 22/02/2023 12:32

Just for info, Waitrose is often cheaper than the Co-op.

Chickenly · 22/02/2023 12:32

HappyHolidai · 22/02/2023 12:32

Just for info, Waitrose is often cheaper than the Co-op.

Absolutely. Co-op is very expensive and poor quality.

Original poster
Herroyal · 22/02/2023 12:33

'I saw a TikTok this week and it was literally word for word that conversation about skiing'

really? Well that's uncanny or just not true. Even when I told him there weren't many mountains etc which was actually my attempt to move the convo on in a jokey way without saying, look mate, people from inner city estates can't afford to go skiing when I was a kid? weird. Same uncle who like to spend summers in the UK? wow, really weird.

OP posts:
2bazookas · 22/02/2023 12:34

I think your colleagues are winding you up; perhaps they are bored with that chip on your shoulder.

Chickenly · 22/02/2023 12:35

2bazookas · 22/02/2023 12:34

I think your colleagues are winding you up; perhaps they are bored with that chip on your shoulder.

That’s the only possible explanation if this is true.

OdeToBarney · 22/02/2023 12:37

lazycats · 22/02/2023 12:20

Anyone who uses 'summered' as a verb is operating on a different plane of reality to the rest of us.

This!

elodiesmith · 22/02/2023 12:37

This whole thread is bizarre

nova99 · 22/02/2023 12:40

Your colleague told you it was practically child neglect to not go skiing?
Are you in Ugly Betty or something?

I've met many wealthy people and none of them, and I mean none of them, talk about wealth

PeekAtYou · 22/02/2023 12:40

I went to a boarding school but never heard anyone talk like that either. People went on skiing but didn't do the spiel about not going being child abused. Maybe it's because it's a girls school. It was the days of Assisted Places so some people were from ordinary homes.

Does Argos not offer Klarna or credit system (like Next)? I pay for same day delivery from Argos which is fab

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