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AIBU?

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Original poster

to think my parents are idealistic wallys

37 replies

Fleabie · 30/09/2009 22:03

they drive me md with there dreamy ideals

the complain that the lotto fund is 32 million and say noone wants to win that much

thye complain that pople shouldn't be allowed to buy second homes and holiday homes

some tv programme wasa on, the people had sold there homes to the bank,if the house prices went down they didn't lose out, then when the houses went up in value the people couldn't afford to move, my parents think the bank should say "oh well we've made enough money ot of you so just pay us x amount"

it's like they are in cloud cukooland and have no idea how the world works

OP posts:
scrappydappydoo · 30/09/2009 22:05

Just smile and nod
I would love to idealistic but reality keeps rudely butting in...

Original poster
Fleabie · 30/09/2009 22:18

oh i can't do that.

OP posts:
scrappydappydoo · 30/09/2009 22:31

Coudl you jsut sit and pick holes in their arguements - like 'so if I won 32 million you wouldn't want any money then'?
Sorry I'm being flippant - are you genuinely worried about them or just irritated??

OscarByTheSea · 30/09/2009 22:31

They might win the lotto and it may be too much for them so they might give it to you , then you can buy a holiday home and a second home

piscesmoon · 30/09/2009 22:31

I think the world looks better through rose tinted specs! It is very harmless.

OscarByTheSea · 30/09/2009 22:32

x-posted. Heh!

pranma · 30/09/2009 22:34

They sound really sweet

Original poster
Fleabie · 30/09/2009 22:37

with the lotto, they where saying, noone wants to win that much.
i replied i would.
them, oh no you wouldn't.

i try and explain id give some to my sibs have some for myself etc.

get interuptted with oh it would be terrible you wouldn't know who to trust, everyone will be after your money.
everyiine will send you begging letters

ffs i want to shout stop fucking playing it then

OP posts:
hormonesnomore · 30/09/2009 23:18

My MIL stopped buying lottery tickets because she was scared she'd win! The jackpot was just so much more money than she could imagine coping with. I don't think it ever occurred to her that she could actually give some of it away to me charity or me her family.

piscesmoon · 01/10/2009 08:04

I think she is quite right-it is too much for anyone! Giving it away isn't so simple either-people would fall out about who got what. Two million would be easy, even 5 million but 32 million isn't. I wouldn't want to give my DCs more than a small amount to secure their future. I wouldn't want them not to strive and wait for the things they want. Money does a lot of harm. I think your PIL sound lovely. Mine are elderly and wouldn't buy a ticket-they don't want anything material. The world would be a better place if everyone was idealistic!

diddl · 01/10/2009 08:35

Tell them not to worry.

If they win 32mil, they can have the 2 and you´ll have the 30 so they don´t have to worry about it!!

But you do read so many stories of people whose lives are ruined [sceptical] so I think they have a point.

They sound lovely, tbh.

weegiemum · 01/10/2009 08:38

sounds like me and dh - we are idealistic and my parents think the same as you - but about us!

OmicronPersei8 · 01/10/2009 08:40

They sound quite sensible - I don't play the lottery because I'd never want to win that much! They sound a bit like my parents, who were unsure when DH and I bought our home - every prediction about house prices and the economy that my dad made then came true.

troutpout · 01/10/2009 08:55

I suspect dh and i are also like this

ABetaDad · 01/10/2009 09:25

People playing the lottery, buying second homes, holiday homes. Not the most economically sensible things to do but then again neither is buying a lot of things we enjoy. We used to rent two houses, now that was silly.

Fleabie - are your parents just a bit jealous of other people and feel they should have done better in life or perhaps feeling a bit hard up? A lot of people are often shocked to find out just how much debt their elderly parents are in. Are they really OK financially?

sherby · 01/10/2009 09:29

32 million is an obscene amount of money for anybody to have

ABetaDad · 01/10/2009 09:30

Fleabie - that comment about those special mortgage loan schemes (a verison of euity release) that were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Have your parents done one? It sounds quite a specific complaint. A lot of older people did those when they were in their mid 50s and then got trapped by fast rising house prices over the last 10 years so cannot move house. A particular problem when they reach very old age and their house is no longer suitable or just too big.

OrmIrian · 01/10/2009 09:35

" oh it would be terrible you wouldn't know who to trust, everyone will be after your money"

That doesn't sound idealistic at all

But I don't think they sound that crazy TBH. Why on earth does it wind you up so much?

BlingLoving · 01/10/2009 09:40

My brother can be like this. He also thinks the stock market is bad because "it's just a way for people to make money".

Let it run past you wherever possible. "Well, you don't have to win the lotto but I'll keep trying then, ta. Another cup of tea now?"

Original poster
Fleabie · 01/10/2009 09:40

well there morgage has been paid off, i don't they have big pensions but get by ok.

when we where kids they used to smoke and drink like fish
hmmm great way to waste money imo

abd no they did not do some special scheme, they now own there house outright
standard 3 bed semi

the programme was about people that had sold say 90% of there home to the bank, if the value went down they where fine, but as the prices went up more than expected, if they wanted to move they would have to pay the bank back for 90% pf the value, which was now of there reach.
so mum and dad think the bank should say ok well weve made enough its alright we'll let you off the rest

i try and explain its a bank a business not a charity, those people choose to do that

OP posts:
Original poster
Fleabie · 01/10/2009 09:43

me and dh don'ty even play the lotto, we think its a waste of money given your chance of winning

they play it!!

OP posts:
BelleWatling · 01/10/2009 09:50

I think they sound lovely. What's wrong with being critical of greed and avarice? I agree with much of what they say - although didn't really understand the last bit.

Once upon a time not long ago people would have snorted at the idea of free education for all or free healthcare - not realistic, not how the real world works...it's thanks to a few idealistic wallies that we have them.

iheartdusty · 01/10/2009 10:03

hear hear Belle

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 01/10/2009 10:07

They sound lovely. I'm all for a bit of dreamy idealism.

Dizzyclarebear · 01/10/2009 10:22

oh, that would annoy me too - my parents can be a bit idealistic and 'the world should just be lovely' without thinking it though - for example, 'banks shouldn't evict people who don't pay their mortgage.' So, if why would anyone bother to pay if you couldn't be thrown out ever???? 'oh most people would do anyway.' right.

My parents think banks should act like charities, but will move their savings round to get the best interest rate - where do they think that money comes from? Telling them that interest earned on savings is the banks profits from lending/stock market doesn't seem to compute.

Re the lotto - next time tell them you've thought about it and if you won you'd tick the 'no publicity' box (so no begging letters as no one would know you'd won) and to make sure, you wouldn't tell anyone how much you'd won, not even family and friends to avoid it getting out. See if they look at your suspiciously when you next book a holiday...

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