To think that people with money really have no idea what life is like for the average person

[Increasinglydisillusionedwithlife]

Especially in the current climate. Those that are wealthy don't tend to be aware or understand?

I am degree education in a good job, which unfortunately doesn't really pay well, but it's a worthwhile occupation. Dh has worked his way up in a manual trade to a managerial role, we both work hard, but are still feeling the pinch and money is carefully accounted for the majority of the time. I am self employed and a few of my clients are very wealthy compared to the average, I don't know if they recognise this, but they are. One client sometimes doesn't pay properly and i'm left short, it's happened this week and now I stress as I have my child's clubs, kids events at the weekend etc to pay for. I'd allocated the money for these things. I feel too embarrassed to ask for the money (even though I shouldn't!) as I don't think it would even cross their mind that families live in this way and that waiting a week can sometimes mean I can't afford what I had planned, not always but sometimes

Is it just me? I feel that no matter how wealthy I became I hope that I would still recognise that we're not all the same and that we rely on our wages!

I don't know why you are embarrassed to ask for money for work you have done? That's basic business surely?

Not really. I expect it's more of a personal admin issue. I'm fortunate not to worry about money now, but I've been on benefits in the past so it's not as if everyone who is wealthy has always been that way. Many of my friends who are comfortably off have come from similar backgrounds.

Generally I'll always pay by a deadline especially if there's a penalty for late payment. Personally I always prefer some kind of automatic payment like DDs, as manually doing a bank payment is harder to remember.

I agree @Increasinglydisillusionedwithlife

You need to be ruthless with pushing for payment. My partner is self employed and works for people with multiple houses, homes abroad, kids in boarding school etc, they often forget to pay him or wait for him to send a reminder and I honestly think they dont care and have no insight into the fact this is his livelihood. He was reticent to chase payments at first but he actually got a lot of motivation out of our anger and just the unfairness and thoughtlessness of it.

I agree. I work in a sector where there are are many of us on the same salary, not v high, but quite a few are well off due to a higher earning partner. This means they don't seem to see our salary as significant. We have chance to apply for temporary promotion which works out about £300 extra a month. Hardly anyone applies and openly say it's nothing, it's no money at all, not worth it. I said I'd do it for the money as it makes a difference to me, and I was so embarrassed the rest of my team laughed the idea. OK it may not be much to them but they should be more sensitive. DH has been out of work a while so we need the money, though of course my colleagues don't know this.

I became 'wealthy' when my husband died. Believe me there are no shortage of people waiting to tell me how lucky I was.

Oh my word - I hear this. DH is a music teacher and fortunately is exceptionally good at managing his money but the amount of parents who seem to think it’s his hobby and not his career is baffling. You would never treat e.g a hair dresser like this - just pay the bloody bill!

OP - demand payment when it is late and threaten small claims court if necessary- it’s outrageous when people don’t pay what they have received a service for.

We are fortunate that I work in a very unworthy but generally lucrative industry in a fairly well paid job so if he has parents he knows struggle with paying genuinely he has let stuff go, but they do need to speak to him first not just ignore the flipping bills!

The ability to budget with a buffer is in itself and privileged position. It's great that you have been raised and stuck with that mindset, I'm not trying to take away from thst but I think your post illustrates OP's point.

Many people don't have that buffer because it just isn't there in the numbers. They haven't done the maths wrong, it just isn't there. You can only shave so much off, not put the heating on, skip lunch so much.

No offence, but is it really a good job if it's not well paid? Given that the entire purpose of a job is to fund the rest of your life. Appreciate that some jobs have other perks like lots of time off.

Presumably you looked into the top salary level for your role / sector before you invested in doing your masters?…

Interesting that that the OP is ignoring posts from those of us who as self employed advising on how to get paid and being assertive about it. Because she’s “too embarrassed” to chase. She just wants a bitch about supposed rich people.

I think you are overthinking this, and attributing motives to your clients (they think it doesn't make a difference when I'm paid) that you don't know to be true. They may be very forgetful or thoughtless. Being thoughtless isn't a great trait but it doesn't necessarily mean they don't gave a clue about money.
I sometimes forgot to pay my minder when my kids were babies. I drove home with an envelope of money for her just never handed it over! It happened a few times. I was just a busy stressed mum parenting on my own as OH worked away. She texted to remind me, I drove back up and paid her. There was no need for explanations like what she needed the money for, it wouldn't have entered my mind that why couldn't she wait till Monday. I just apologised profusely and paid. So I think that your clients wouldn't expect any explanation beyond an email/message saying - you forgot to pay me, please pay today Thanks.

I’m with you as well. We were getting yearly pay rises and I always worked hard to get a good one. Also did a course to get into another job at work. Recruitment was cut so just where I am now on the money I’m on.

Agree.... people don't spend any time thinking why are you asking to be paid, what will you do with the money, why can't you wait etc.

Terms should be payment in advance or on the same day .. then message to remind next day of they haven't paid, and ask for payment in advance next time.

Yes that’s what irritates me , imagine if people’s salaries were not paid every month and you had to pop a few reminders over -what many forget is a lot of companies have outsourced many functions to freelancers, so they are often very much ‘part of the team’ and often with 1 or2 clients who take up much of their day - we have that situation- - we aren’t necessarily talking personal services like Gardner, window cleaner, your cleaner etc - all of whom would expect to be paid on the day or as close as!!!

It was not a vocational qualification so I didn't have a specific role in mind when I started. I'm sure most people at 16yrs old (as I was when I started my course) don't have a specific career or job role in mind when they start at uni. We're over 20yrs down the line from then and a lot has changed in the job market in that time too.

For those who say 'just get a better paying job' if everyone had that out look there would be no nurses, teqchets, support workers, supermarket workers etc. Not everyone needs to or wants to be a high flyer chasing cash, the op is just asking for people to have a bit of compassion and understanding for those who are not so well off and are relying on their money at the end of each month. When an extra unexpected bill, school trip or car repair or delay in being paid can really fuck things up for you.

I don't think people look at an invoice and think i better pay that because mrs x will need the money to pay their bills. Most people will expect a business to run an overdraft or have money in the bank to cover their credit period.

I think if an invoice is wrong its not unreasonable to send an email pointing out invoice was x amount, payment was y amount and they are short by whatever it is. As a professional you wouldn't point out you need the money for petrol or a club or whatever because you business is separate from your home life.

I would think if you are running on a shoestring and reliant on payments to the extent you go without your business may not be viable.

It’s all relative isn’t it.
im with you OP and similarly I do a worthwhile job but it doesn’t pay lots and my DH is also doing something very worthwhile on a similar wage.

I have travelled extensively (for years) and what I have learned is that in comparison to most of the world we are rich beyond their wildest dreams

I have found some of the wealthier people are the most stingiest! It's frustrating and wrong when they can afford it, yet cut you short. Mistakes can happen but also some try their luck. Especially because of the impact it is having on your financial situation and your family, don't hesitate going back asking for the shortfall.

Like the PP I grew up working class in poverty so I know what it is like to live on the breadline. I'm very fortunate to earn well and not have that all pervading worry about money anymore. I always pay for services on time but I don't really think about their financial circumstances, I don't think many people do whether they are good or bad payers.

Having said that I do have a wealthy friend who purposely pays as late as possible (often overdue) because she wants to hold on to the money. She's selfish and doesn't care how her behaviour affects others as long as she benefits.

You shouldn't have to chase payment but as you are self-employed you need to as people like my friend and disorganised people will otherwise not pay you.

IME you get very generous people and very stingy people, regardless of how much they themselves earn. Just like you get wealthy twats and skint twats

iow, being a twat about money isn't related to how wealthy you are, it's related to being a twat

Well that's life isn't it, none of us know what it's like to have experiences that we haven't had, although you should never assume that people's circumstances have always been the same. The only thing we can do otherwise is listen and read widely and do our best to understand and have empathy for people in different circumstances.

It shouldn't be too hard for anyone to understand the reasons you need to pay promptly for goods and services.

I think there are two separate things going on here.

One is, how aware are people of the challenges faced by people whose circumstances are different to their own? That’s going to vary, but tbh unless someone is seriously wealthy, like multi million wealth and six figure income, how are they going to know that your circumstances are significantly different to theirs? Most of us tend to assume others are broadly similar to ourselves, unless it’s very obvious they are not.

The other is: how ever rich or poor you are, if you use a service, you should pay for it in accordance with the terms you agreed. Whether someone doesn’t do that, they are out of order, irrespective of how much money they have.

So, contact the client and remind them that payment is overdue. Don’t be embarrassed about that, they should have paid.

That reminds me - my window cleaner came today, I’ll just go and pay his invoice.

I grew up in poverty and spent part of my 20s really struggling. So my life now feels like a lottery win. I have tried to remain grateful for everything. Food in the fridge, being able to have a hot bath, working washing machine, being able to put the heating on etc. It may be stuff most people don't think of but so may in the world don't have it.

I feel for people who are genuinely in poverty. Its horrible. But if you have options then take them, I'm not really that sympathetic. Some of the crap people moan about wanting and not being able to have on here is ridiculous. No one needs to attend multiple clubs, go on holiday, have meals out etc. Just cut back to what you can actually afford.

You are not being unreasonable.

I have to confess that if someone was degree educated, with a "good job" I would probably assume that paying this week or next wouldn't make a real diference. I would assume they would have at least a bit of a buffer. I would realise that they need the money, but not that they need the money now. But maybe that is unreasonable of me. In fact, I should know this as a close relative is a barrister and their partner is a tradesman I know that they have been really struggling with cash flow this month, even though overall their income is not low.