To think people with money would never understand

[Canfeelamozzieflyingaround]

I live in an affluent area, we have a nice, but average house, I’m from a middle class background (I think!) but one parent from a working class background, all very down to earth.
I have a good job, degree educated, but it’s not a well paying job. In the holidays I supplement by doing some childcare/babysitting. I often babysit for wealthy people. Just being in their homes and everything about the way they are and the things they have is so different.
They would have no idea, for example that we live basically month to month and these little nights working for them pay some small bills or afford a small treat for my dc…to them it would be nothing.
Even the things they fill their fridges with and the sun creams and toiletries used (not snooping! Some on tbe coffee table, on the toilet etc)
I don’t know..I always feel less of an adult when I leave and wonder why my life didn’t go like this and theirs did

you are well educated so you could have chosen a more lucrative job.../career..and still could.

They might understand. For most, it didn’t happen by accident. You don’t know what drove them to have what they have.

I hear ya. I do a similar ‘too up’ job and I am baffled when I leave. Absolutely baffled.

One house I go to - their weekly shop (which I unload) is more than my monthly mortgage. We’re talking £800ish.

You sound like you are doing better than a lot of people.

Comparison is the theif of joy. Be grateful for what you do have.

I’m sure they do know that you’re working to pay bills etc- they don’t imagine you’re doing it for fun.

Not sure you can make assumptions about people. Plenty of wealthy people have ordinary backgrounds.

An example was me relying on one parent paying me last week and they had no cash, so apologised and said was it ok if they transferred it to me. I had to pretend it was fine, but was really relying on that money for the weekend for food. The transfer didn’t come in until after the weekend, they’d have no idea and I wonder if they’ve ever had to live like that, I imagine lots of savings in the bank. It makes me feel crap for not having savings to rely on and wonder why we can’t with both of us working hard and degree educated, it seems so unfair.

Wow.

There's a bit more to life than that

You really need to rethink the job that you do. You can't expect to live so you are wealthy when you are not earning much. Do you live alone? That is so much more expensive than living with someone else who is also working.

What’s you incomes op? If there’s two of you and you are both degree educated and working full time there must be more potential for you to be more comfortable. Could one of you go into a higher paying area?

You live in an average house in an affluent area so probably doing better than the average person.

Do you work in a job that isn't highly paid? Eg teacher, nurse In that case a ociety has benefitted from your choice of career over wage.

OP I know what you mean. I’m not in that situation myself at the moment but yes I think some people have no idea what it’s like to literally have no money until the next paycheque or in your example you were relying on the cash to pay for your shopping.

What do you hope will change? You can always let them know that you need a cash payment, otherwise you can’t offer the service. Don’t assume they know your situation, how could they if you don’t tell them? Help them open their eyes.

Laughing at the previous posters missing the point...

You're right though OP, some people have no clue whatsoever.

I am not middle class but not jealous of wealthy people. Each to their own. Just be content with your own lot in life, don't compare yourself to others.

Money isn't the be all and end all of everything.

Don't feel.crap. I'm.sure you are doing the best yiu can. I.in my 50s and think life was simpler when I was younger.all.my friends were working class like me. I'm.a teacher and find I work with some people who have got no idea about not having money. I don't think less of myself because they had more than me. Be kind to urself OP

Try not to compare your life to theirs, as the previous poster said, comparison is the thief of joy.

Also, when I had babysitters (or visitors),I always makes the house as presentable as I can.

Also, you don’t know what’s going on in anyone’s lives. They could be heavily in debt, have an unhappy marriage, suffer from domestic abuse etc. How do you know that to them it would be nothing - they may think the same of yours.

Also, other people probably look at your house, located in an affluent area, and am doing well.

@BoohooWoohoo Yes, teacher.

Its only now I’m a little older that I wonder if I should have gone into a different career when young

YABU to assume they're thick.

I work with many middle class people, helping families in London through the most awful poverty and all the problems it brings with it.

They understand perfectly and see the terrible effects of it day in, and day out.

Next time you need to be clearer - I need the money transferred today as I have bills to pay

I’m not missing the point. I’m just tired of OPs complaining about how the other half apparently live without any idea other than the stuff they see and the assumptions they make. If she wants the cash then she can ask ahead of time for a cash payment instead of hoping it will be there.

@NewPinkJacket No, I don’t assume they’re thick, they’re obviously not to have got to where they are in life. I mean it more in a..they wouldn’t know as I walked out of the door breezily saying it was fine to pay by transfer, how worried I really was.

What is the main issue, is it your mortgage? Two teachers should be able to afford food, so is there high outgoings?

This!

If someone did this I'd wonder if they had a cash flow issue themselves tbh!

Bank transfers should be pretty much instant so no excuse for them not to have done it on the spot

You really should have said that's fine, if you don't mind I'd like you to do that now. It's just not fair of her to delay payment.

How old are you?