To think there must be dodgy financial activity going on with this couple?

[TurkeyTeethLookAwful]

A couple that we know (but are not friends with as such) both seem to have a very extravagant lifestyle that is totally at odds with the jobs that they do.

The husband works as an assistant manager at a shop; not a superstore or anything like that, just a small branch of a chain store in the local town. The wife works two days a week as a hairdresser. They have four children aged between 16 and 2.

In the past five years they have:

Totally renovated their semi detached house to a very high standard. They have an instagram account about their home (not many followers, less than 200 so are not earning from that) and have tagged many high end products and tradesmen, such as a bespoke bed and 2k chandelier type light for the bedroom.

Taken multiple luxury foreign holidays per year; not budget holidays but five star holidays. And regular weekends away at Disney Paris, too.

They, and the kids always have very high end designer clothes; the woman wears dresses that cost £400+ when she goes on nights out, and on the holiday they are currently on she has posted on social media that she and her two daughters are all wearing matching swimsuits that cost £100+ each.

The woman has hair extensions, brow lamination, lash extensions, botox, fillers, nail extensions, and probably loads more stuff on a regular basis. All done at high end salons.

They have very regular expensive family days out and weekends away, such as travelling on the train first class to London to see a musical and then staying overnight in an expensive hotel.

In the past, I've known of a few other couples who live that kind of lifestyle and it's turned out that they are earning money drug dealing. This couple both absolutely do not have rich families; both of their families live in council housing. I feel like they probably have not had a lottery win as I feel that if they did, they'd buy a massive house, seeing as they like extravagance. I can't imagine a mortgage could be obtained or a house bought on drug money...

And yes, I know it's none of my business, but I'm curious.

AIBU to think they must surely be doing something illegal to have this lifestyle?

She doesn't own a salon. She works two days a week renting a chair in a salon, which I know can be lucrative too but not lucrative in line with their spending!

Income from somewhere, sure but it doesn't have to be illegal.

Maybe they have enough of an online presence that they're being paid. Only Fans. Maybe stripping or escort.

I am a sahm but throw nothing away. All mine and the 3dc outgrown clothes, shoes, books, games go on eBay and it makes a decent amount. From that "fun" money, in July and August, I've bought a big Christmas door garland. New BBQ. New expensive shoes. Redecorated one kids room, which looks much more expensive than it actually cost us.

That's kind of frittering it on non essentials, I appreciate, but earlier this year, after saving that money we bought a new car. Well, 4yrs old, but a large 4x4.

You can generate decent money from just clearing out constantly... Which I appreciate is easier to do as a family of 5 who inherently have a lot of "stuff."

They don't have to be drug dealers to generate notable extra money.

I'd say mind your own business. It is absolutely nothing to do with you

People thought this about one of my friends. She’d won £15 million on the lottery - and continued with her part time job at M&S.

Have you asked them to break down their income and spending for you?

Crime is a common one, it's rife so I'm not why so many thinks is not a thing.

The family that lived in my parents rental house are like this. In reality they are broke. They max out credit cards, take out loans, borrow from the bank of mum and dad and, most importantly, don't pay their bills.

It's amazing how much luxuries you can buy when you don't pay your rent and mortgage (yes they had a mortgage on a house they rented out too) and refused to make any repairs to, gas/electricity, car insurance and tax and loans. She is banned from all the local hairdressers as she goes to get her hair and extensions done then says "oh I forgot my bank card I'll come in tomorrow and pay it" but blocks the salon and changes her phone number. Same for beauty treatments.

Yup they have an Instagram account and Facebook group for their house and cooking.

Why is it any of your business?

Where I live most families buy on credit to keep up with what they perceive as normal. It’s quite sad but it’s their choice and not my business.

Maybe they have a trust fund or a big inheritance.

I bet you have net curtains

Could be so many reasons...some dodgy, some not like an inheritance. Are they married? Could she be claiming as a single parent so his wages are effectively spending money? Drugs, fraud/theft from work? What does his company sell? Cash in hand jobs eg private hairdressing/beauty clients?
On the game/only fans...

Ooh do find out. Ha ha. Poor things. It's probably just aunt Edith's inheritance.

Maybe they won one of those '£30 grand a year' for life scratchcard things.

Inheritance. My cousin inherited from a Great - aunt on the other side of her family that had no children of her own. Her sister (cousin's grandparent had died, as had her mum) so she inherited the whole estate including an expensive house but in an area of the country she didn't live. She had already inherited from her grandparents too as her mum predeceased them.

Or Lottery.

The reality is you simply don't know other people's lives or finances.

My hairdresser (mobile) is renovating a large farmhouse, goes on multiple foreign and UK holidays a year, drives a Range Rover, has occasional spending sprees in all the luxury shops in London and has a luxury motor home. Husband is an electrician. She legitimately won a Million on the lotto and has invested EXTREMELY well, to the point she doesn't really need to work, but enjoys what she does and likes to get out and see her clients.

Money laundering / people trafficking ..... the 2 day a week chair rental is to have a legitimate cash income and the job in retail allows for vans to be moved around the country carrying "goods".

OK, I'll play. Hit men for Frey Bentos?

Inheritance doesn’t only come from parents. I have a friend who received a significant inheritance from a grandparent. The grandparent had fallen out with my friend’s parent (only child) and so the will left the house and assets to be split between the 2 grandchildren. I have another friend who received a sizeable sum of money (double figures) from a distant aunt. If you’re not close I’d assume you don’t know all of the family dynamics, for example maybe one of the ‘parents’ is actually a step-parent and one of them received inheritance from a biological parent.

Sometimes people come into large sums of money through other routes as well such as compensation, insurance payouts, payouts from employers etc. If you’re not close to the couple obviously there will be lots you don’t know. I’m not saying it couldn’t be drugs or some other dodgy endeavour, but it’s certainly not the only possibility.

I know I few people like this. Their lifestyles just do not appear to match their jobs etc.
Who knows? Could be debt, drugs, sideline hustles which bring in a lot of money or inheritance etc.
A young guy dh works with is loaded, all down to the fact his great uncle left him a huge amount of money. He lived in Australia, had no kids of his own and owned a farm which was worth millions, dh colleague hadn’t even met the guy!

Get to know them then ask?

Green eyed monster

I knew a family like this; private schools, expensive home, expensive cars and holidays etc, but seemingly normal (part time) jobs, turns out one of their parents is in property and supporting them. I understand the curiosity, but doesn't mean dodgy!

Friend of mine from school that I still see from time to time, his parents ran two local taxis and lived on a council estate. Suddenly moved from there to a 3 bed detached down the road from us.

They have two Merc CLs worth over £100k each and change them often, power boat in the marina, but still do the taxi's.

How do they do it? Well I asked him, they won £3 mil on the lottery.

I was surprised at the house, but he said as it's only the two of them, the house is fine, they love their cars and boat, go on nice holidays and do the taxis part time, as they enjoy it.

I know a family like this. Family were never well off and no one appears to have a well paid job. But they all have a nice lifestyle. I do wonder.

filthy grubby ones that are twitching constantly!

maybe apply yourself to your life instead of writing a 3 page essay on theirs.

You might just be able to afford botox/holidays/floral wreaths costing £1k!

I think it's likely to be either drugs/something like OF or scratch cards/lottery- enough to live a flash life but not enough to get a way bigger house/mortgage -as someone else said the £10k a month for life kind of thing- not sure if you could use that for a new mortgage application.

Why would anyone assume jealousy?
I knew a girl, I went to school with her. Herself and her DH had a REALLY extravagant lifestyle, far beyond what her and her DH did for a living. It used to pique my curiosity when I would see her house, or her new car or her fabulous holidays, lots of them. I wasnt eaten up with jealousy, but i did wonder crikey how does she do that.
Turns out her little baby clothes boutique was a front for the drug money her Quartermaster of a husband was funnelling through all those Marbella holidays she had with her girlfriends.
It didnt end well and her kids grew up without her once the CAB came for her.
Horrendous.
And not a bit of jealousy.