How to appear rich?

[happyasharry]

I know this is crazy and it's a million miles away from how I normally think but I have a reunion coming up soon and I don't want to be the 'poor' one.
We have a 3 bed semi, a 3 year old Volvo and we're really strapped at the moment. I have a college reunion soon and most of my friends have travelled the globe, found rich spouses and live the dream.
Anyway, for one night only I want to appear like them. I love my life and I am proud of what we have achieved as a family but this is playing on my mind. Any idea how I can achieve this and just fit in a bit?

If you can’t be yourself and enjoy it, don’t go!

I get it. People you don't think twice about normally but at a reunion you want to put your best self out there. Get your hair done, nails done, be impeccably groomed. Your most flattering clothes. Smile. You got this!

Buy some really expensive clothes, leave the tags on and pray they don't get damaged.

Then just tell loads of lies. People do it on here all the time!

You've "only" got a 3 year old car?!

And you're worried about that!?

3 years is pretty new, compared with many people's cars.

Consider yourself lucky.

Old money wear Barbour coats with battered Subaru estate cars.

New money goes all bling and showy-off, and this reunion sounds like it's all completely new money, sadly.

Oh cmon, warren buffet is mind 90s! And in his younger years was always suited and booted.😂

Wow. Very good!
(I'm not British, but it "looks" so true).
😃

In my world, a 3 year old Volvo is rich/posh 😂

Just be yourself
or you risk looking a prat

My cousin is a multi millionaire, starts up businesses and then sells them. He’s very good at what he does, very business savvy and one of the scruffiest people If you met him you would never know he or his wife have a lot of money. They both look scruffy, they’re very modest and not remotely flash in any sense. But they like a nice restaurant and she fills her days looking after her horses at their stables.

It’s in the details.

Wealthy family I know have the scruffiest children (who are lovely, well mannered, well spoken and a tad eccentric) and buy their uniform from the second hand sale at school. But their oldest child goes to a £20k a year secondary school and their other two will do the same. That’s £60k a year school fees!

They holiday in Scotland - where they shoot! They drive an old Land Rover.

I agree, classy like Boden (I’m not rich so I think that’s a fancy brand) not like Gucci. Aside from that I guess you’ll have to lie. Fine if it’s for one night but remember people will think you’re doing well for being a nice kind friendly person even if you’re poor

Get a bouncy blow dry 😁

Don't try to be someone you're not
You're happy with your life, so tell that to the " rich crowd"
In my opinion money can't buy class

i’m quite sucessful, i always dress nice. I know which fabric is good fabric and which one is not. sucessful people use designer bag and designer watch. Sometimes when i go school run or shopping i dont bring my designer bag but watch definitely. rich people most likely to use that. Even if sometimes they use normal bag but watch definitely expensive.

but to be honest they wont care OP. But if you really want to fake it. Then bought clothes from reiss, its not designer but its quite classy. If you cant afford designer bag dan buy from reiss aswell. But watch is tricky. I dont know if you can borrow or not. And please dont use any h&m or accesorize jewelery. I can spot it from far its cheap eventhough its cute.

They are cheap and cheerful night at the pub wear
They don't suggest well off.

A three bed semi and a three year old volvo and you're strapped.

Righto.

We rent, because we can't afford a mortgage deposit, we have a 16 year old pick up truck, a 15 year old People carrier, we both work full time and I have own business too.

And I'm damned proud of that.

We have no debt and I'm not gonna pretend I'm a rich bitch for anyone.

Why fake it??

They are indeed more likely to drive an old car and wear an old Barbour jacket. The genuinely wealthy. Read The Millionaire Next Door.

all the seriously loaded people I have met dress like tramps (mostly)

Have fun. Have your hair professionally blow dried. Wear expensive shoes. Keep your story simple. Any time for some acting or confidence building classes? Look people in the eye. Read the Financial papers for a few weeks beforehand. Keep up to date on people and events in the social calendar. Treat it like a game and enjoy yourself.

Please get off Instagram and go outside and touch some grass or something

And if that doesn't work and you still want to 'appear rich' you could always drive your 3 year old volvo to your nearest homeless shelter and show them photos of your 3 bedroom semi?

What will this achieve? I really don’t get it. If they’re people you want continually in your life, you’re going to have to keep on lying. If they’re people you’re only going to see once, and they weren’t important enough to you to keep in touch outside a reunion, why do you give a shit? What’s going to be the great prize at the end of an evening of going to great lengths pretending to be someone you’re not? Cressida from sixth form thinks you’re rich like her when you’re actually not? If that’s genuinely your goal in going, I’d just stay home.

Why do you think that? It’s based on actual research on millionaires. The authors spent 20 years studying how the average person becomes a millionaire (those not through inheritance and not the super rich which are comparatively rare).

It doesn’t mean every single one is like that. But the point is they are more likely to save and invest money rather than consume and consume and portray a materialistic outwardly wealthy lifestyle. They live well below their means and accumulate assets rather than spend on things. They believe achieving financial independence is far more important than displaying high social status and are typically low key. Maybe they own a few properties they rent out or have other investments. This is your average financially independent millionaire living in your neighbourhood that you would never actually know that they were.

You are rich if you have

Family
Friends
A home
Health
Time
Food
Laughter
Gratitude for what you already have

Material things do not make you rich