Who is the poorest person in your family and why?

[PassingStranger]

Just being nosy?
Whose the poorest and Why?

It's been through phases. When I was the first to have kids it was me for quite a while, then when my sister got divorced. It's turned back again now mine are older teens and my career has really progressed in the last couple of years.
But then I'll retire when they are in their earning prime (I'm a fair few years older).
Seasons of life.

I'm not that poster but this is true in my house! I am basically the sole breadwinner but my husband is very well regarded in his field and has won some really prestigious awards.He makes so little money though, his income is basically comprised of prizes won from his art. He also does all the housework though so it works for us.

I wonder if the question is more 'do you work to live, or live to work, and is that a family trait or are you an outlier like me' or something along those lines. It's a question that I've mildly wondered occasionally, as I come from a family who 'work to live', but I married (and then divorced) a man whose whole family 'live to work'.

I have wondered in the past if it makes it difficult to be a 'work to live' person in a family of 'live to work' types.

Me.
All the rest of my family are very comfortable financially.
I didn't marry and I'm single, so I lost out on a second wage.

Me, as the single one there is only one income coming in; everything costs more as supermarket promotions tend to reward volume; my mortgage, energy standing charges and internet costs are absorbed only by me; my council tax is subject to a 25% discount, but is only paid by one person; I buy presents for 7 family members through the year, but only get 2 back.

Quite frankly after decades of this I am exhausted by it all. The presents issue is possibly the most trivial, but the most galling

Jobs in the arts. Actor, theatre director, artist, composer. All CAN pay huge amounts but most people doing those jobs are not paid huge amounts and have big gaps in employment.

My friend is playing a lead in the West End at the moment. He hadn't worked in theatre for 9 months before he got the job, so he was a delivery driver on minimum wage.

no idea

That would be an interesting starting point for a thread, but I'm not seeing such a thoughtful approach from the OP of this thread who has hardly said anything on the subject so far!
I'm more of a worker-to-live myself, though I've enjoyed most of my working life. And I have a horror of being in debt so I've always been careful to earn enough to live.

I have no idea!

What do you mean by poor though? As in who earns the least? Or poor as in who has the most debt in relation to their income? Or who has the least disposable money? You'd have to know a lot about people's finances to be able to answer any of those questions.

The dog. Never had a job, still chooses premium food.

I'm finding the replies interesting and sometimes thought-provoking. Also enjoying all the freeloading cats!

I don't really care why OP asked. It's an unusual conversation starter, and it works.

Brilliant question.

My dog. Don’t tell him though… #freeloader

Me.
Because you know getting ME/LC sort of put a huge spanner in the works.
Havent been able to work full time for about 20 years….. and totally unable to work for 5 years….

Well, doctors, academics, research scientists, aid workers, much of the arts - there’s loads, no? Impressive careers that pay poorly.

Oh, same here.Started with the food, always assumes there'll be something in the fridge, NEVER pays a penny rent. Not a bean.Happily accepts new balls at Christmas and Birthdays, wouldn't dream of reciprocating, not even a card or a bunch of flowers. Haircut and blow dry every eight weeks, while I go months and months.And now he's racking up vets bills. I've put them on my credit card on the understanding he'll pay me back. We've sat down and had a chat, made a repayment deal, shaken paws on it. I'm not convinced though.

Either the dogs or the cats, none of them bring any money in at all…freeloader the lot of them

Are you me? Was literally about to post the exact same thing.

The people who haven’t managed a successful relationship so have always footed bills alone. Though SIL is probably the worst as she has had a succession of men live off of her so worse than no relationship.

Me 🤣🤣🤣 I have 3 wealthy siblings. All are older than me (if that's relevant)
Im not ridiculously poor but also not as comfortable as them. However they've worked hard for what they have and I'm happy none of us struggle.

Ah ok. I think I have interpreted 'prestige' as a bit 'showy', in a way that those jobs are not.

No one, we're all doing ok thankfully.

No idea as we don’t really talk money. Everyone has at least 6 figures saved and a couple of brothers have property in London that they rent out.

Our relatives have 7 kids spaced out- first when the mum was 18 and last at around age 36.

Neither mum not dad has ever worked full time and haven’t developed skilled careers.

So they are poor, obviously. Very happy though, has to be said!