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!

It doesn't work like that!

I think many people with low expenses or lucky enough to own with small mortgages, if any, have understandably lost track of exactly how much it costs simply to house yourself in many areas of the country, even with 2 incomes- and I don’t just mean London- so people saying you have above average income, OP may well not have - and nor are they usually getting UC tops up -

I’ll be honest that we sometimes forget things. So for example we have a cleaner. The one we had previously we just paid via standing order and she took a max of 4 weeks off a year and we just paid those weeks too. It worked well all round. The lovely woman we have cleaning for us currently takes more weeks off and is sometimes unavailable at short notice or switches days. We almost always pay on the day she has been but occasionally if she comes on a non standard day (particularly if we are away that week ourselves) we might forget to. I think it happened twice this year. She just drops me a message and says “Hey can you just check the payment for yesterday’s
clean please” & I do and I then pay it and I apologise for missing it. I guess I would never intentionally not pay immediately but I’d also just assume if I forgot she would say and I’d sort it out immediately. I also once never got an invoice for some electrical work and it just slipped my mind then I suddenly realised about three weeks later when I was doing a monthly account rec and got in touch to check. Turned out he’d sent an electronic one and my work malware filters had not allowed it through.
I’m sure some people don’t care at all and others are just busy and have a non routine task slip their mind or each think the other adult did it. I suspect it happens more with people who have more money as they simply won’t notice the amount being extra because it feels inconsequential to them. Like if I’d missed paying £2-3k I’d realise my account balance looked unexpectedly high. If I’d missed paying £50 I would only realise when I went through my transactions.

I'm probably someone you'd consider as being wealthy in terms of capital and income. I'm very much aware of how much most people are struggling, and whilst I always have money left at the end of the month, my mind still boggles at how expensive everything has become.

I have friends who are teachers, and know some retired people living on the state pension, and I really feel for them. I also try to help in little ways, like taking them out of a nice meal on me, and make it clear I don't expect anything in return.

Seriously if you are running a business and someone isn't paying you properly you need to address it, this is your income so tell them you expect payment in full.

Aside from that agree, I know someone who has now been working very light part time hours doing admin and taking phone calls at their partners business for years, is paid at higher tax payer levels for a job that would probably get her £15k in the real world. Has no idea of what normal jobs pay and thinks people are being tight if they can't afford regular swanky dinners and multiple cocktails at £15 a pop.

Unbelievable.

I must say that posts like this take my breath away. I don't consider myself poor, but when I learn how much some people are earning, I realize just how much I've been in denial. 😔 But really, what kind of job gets you £13k a month after tax and pension?

Dick response.

A wealthy relative of mine (maybe £300,000 p/a) has recently asked another relative to travel by train to help take care of her newborn. Train costs about £200. I think my wealthy relative would be very happy to pay this cost but has not offered because she is oblivious to what £200 means to other relative. I am urging other relative to point out the issue.

I mean YABU in being self employed but not being assertive enough to ask for the money you're owed.

When I was self employed my clients paid at least 50% upfront.

Presumably this is for two people though not one. My DH is on 145k and takes home around 6.5k a month after tax and pension etc, so if you had two earners on that salary it would get you 13k.

Are you clear with your payment terms and conditions? I buy services from several self employed people and theirs range from ‘on collection’, to 30 days.

I now work in a deprived area and as part of my job I visit people at home. Its been a revelation how some people are having to live at the moment. I am always mindful of what I say and how I behave. But its been eye opening. Its a damning indictment on the state of this country.

Yup

She sounds like a total dick

I do find it somewhat amusing when you come across the posters on here who go on about how wealthy they are, how they are living such a comfortable lifestyle etc and that everyone should be like them, when in fact they have married a high-earner who has afforded them that lifestyle.
I am far more impressed with posters who have worked their backsides off, often on their own, to be financially independent and support their children rather than rely on a man and then think it's something to brag about.

In a similar vein I find myself incredibly frustrated on the new directions section in woman and home ( a magazine I like) it’s always some posh well heeled bint with an amazing home setting up with a friend a bit of a lifestyle business ( there are an odd few exceptions) making party bags or home pressed candles or hand made toiletries with £50k just to risk and clearly there’s either a well off banker type husband indulging them on the scene or a huge divorce settlement or similar. At the end where they list costs, turnover and income, a lot of them are busily turning over £50k but with £20k earnings and £85k set up costs etc - now this isn’t to be sniffed at , but they rarely show some woman with a £3m business from an ordinary background with little external financial support built from £100 and a great idea- and yes there are people like this out there- but often not in nice mainly female lifestyle type businesses.and I say this as someone exactly like that - mainly I should write in and ask them to cover a few more varied ‘new directions’

Haha (I assume you’re being sarcastic)

No, I do not think they are. You see comments like this a lot here on MN. Some people are just clueless.

One would hope so!