What is considered rich these days??

[Soccermomsavestheday]

So my husband and I live a pretty decent life but not one that warrants being called ‘financially out of touch’ and ‘how the other half live’ in my opinion which is just a couple of example of my sil many comments towards us.

My husband earns around £250k a year, I don’t have to work so don’t. We live in a nice 4 bedroom detached house with a lovely sized wrap around garden. We’re lucky enough to send our children to private school. We don’t go on extravagant holidays or wear high end designer clothes etc. We both drive Range Rovers but one is second hand (5 years old). And bottom line we have worked really hard to be where we are but don’t consider ourselves ‘Rich’ more so comfortable that we can live a modest life without financial restraints

it really bugs me when she says stuff like ‘you wouldn’t know what it’s like to budget’ and ‘it’s alright for some’ etc. I do budget monthly and am very much aware of how much things costs etc

Am I being unreasonable in this situation?

Op doesn't work.

Your SIL’s got the measure of you I’d say.

But someone in their household does, so the household/ family isn't rich. Anyone can not work and live off benefits, doesn't make them rich. It's how they get their money when they don't work that signals rich.

So sorry just to be absolutely clear when you said "my husband is a barrister" you meant "my husband is a solicitor"?

What an odd thing to lie about.

8 times the national average wage = rich

Not understanding this = thick

the bitterness is strong on this one.

Feeling better to insult posters?

The whole barrister/solicitor thing is enough for me to call bullshit. That’s not a mistake anyone actually married to a barrister or solicitor would make.

Can I ask (genuinely) how you think I’ve lost touch and how I seem ignorant?

I suppose I never viewed myself as being ‘Rich’ financially. I’m aware that we live a comfortable life but that we remain modest in some ways and not flash. I view luck as in winning the lottery or having wealthy families to help you along financially and not where you have worked to become better yourself stable financially.

My sil can be rude and expectant on times and I feel she thinks we should be giving her money as she’s not financially stable. I’m more than happy to help her and do so financially many times but she gives us the energy that she’s not grateful as weee rich and can afford it . It’s more the comments she makes that has bothered me but by the looks of it she’s been right and I need to maybe change my reception of the things she says

Care to point out what's incorrect about what I said?

Honestly, if you don't think having an income 8 times the national average is rich then you've got no real understanding of money.

Maybe OP's sister in law is actually a barrister (maybe a hard working poorly paid criminal one) and doesn't like her brother pretending to be one too lol

Agree. If he did the LPC and training contact and works at a solicitor firm not a barristers chambers then he's a solicitor not a barrister. Is OP making this stuff up as she goes along?

I’ve stated why I said that as its hard to explain an equity partner as they’re self employed so I thought a barrister is similar in that way for people without law knowledge (if you were a barrister you’d know that and know they work within chambers)

I apologise if that’s upset you

I’ve explained why I said that. Sorry if it’s confusing. It wasn’t a mistake.

if you are too narrow-minded to realise that someone having more than someone else automatically makes them "rich", then I can't help you. And frankly, I don't really care what you think.

I was just asking if you felt better by calling people thick when they have a different opinion. Obviously you do!

It didn't upset me at all I thought it was hilarious.
I am much less confused about why your SIL thinks you're pretentious now I know you go around describing your solicitor husband as a barrister.

I never fully understand what people want from these threads.

Do you want everyone to say you're not rich?

Ok, you're not rich.

Better?

Not just more, 8 times as much. Maths not your strong point?

And yeah, pointing out foolishness does amuse me. So thanks for your posts. Cheered me right up.

To be fair, if you're already a solicitor with experience, you can sometimes be exempted from the training requirements for the Bar, although you might have to take the transfer test.

Not saying that's what the OP's DH did, but it's not that uncommon. I'm a lawyer, DH is a solicitor (also an equity partner in a firm) and he went that route.

All the barristers we know aren’t on nearly as much money. Probably because they don’t work as hard 😉

Yes that's true. But he didn't do that. He's (allegedly) a solicitor and EP like your DH, and for some reason she described him as a barrister. Maybe she's got a thing for the wig? (They are very fetching tbf)

It hasn't "upset" rather than baffled and aroused suspicion. There seem to be several solicitors on the thread including me, possibly some barristers too. Most people are well aware that equity partners are self employed within a law firm. That isn't the same as a barrister being self employed within chambers.

What is this 'bonus "? Do you mean the drawings? How is that extra to the 250k "salary" which isn't really a salary at all. Isn't it all drawings?

I am sure your amazing Maths skills gave you the key to the best paid jobs so you are one of the "rich" people, good for you!

You are obviously not bitter, enjoy your big salary 😉

Thank you for the helpful responses.
I guess I need to give my head a wobble and try not to be bothered by the comments of my sil. I guess it annoys me because she’s always wanting a handout and has the attitude of ‘they’re rich it’s nothing to them’ and is quite ungrateful and then the rude comments on top of it hurt my feelings.

I’ll let it slide more in future ❤️

Is that a Royal “We” have worked very hard?