TromboneAl
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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So far? BB, I'm guessing that if you don't have any siblings by now, you can stop holding your breath.
Birth Order and Financial Success
- Thread starter Gumby
- Start date
So far? BB, I'm guessing that if you don't have any siblings by now, you can stop holding your breath.
scrabbler1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
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I am 5 years older than my only sibling, a brother.
He was the more driven, outgoing jock (but still smart and savvy as he did skip a grade in elementary school) while I was the nerd who was a star in the Math and Chess clubs. I never wanted kids and remained single and parlayed that into retiring in 2008 having accumulated close to $1M. He has his own business and makes a lot of money but lives in a McMansion with his wife (who works from home) and 6-year-old boy. I don't know much about his personal finances as he lives out of state and we are not that close. But we have surely achieved our own personal financial successes, just not the same types of successes.
He was the more driven, outgoing jock (but still smart and savvy as he did skip a grade in elementary school) while I was the nerd who was a star in the Math and Chess clubs. I never wanted kids and remained single and parlayed that into retiring in 2008 having accumulated close to $1M. He has his own business and makes a lot of money but lives in a McMansion with his wife (who works from home) and 6-year-old boy. I don't know much about his personal finances as he lives out of state and we are not that close. But we have surely achieved our own personal financial successes, just not the same types of successes.
bbbamI
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
So far? BB, I'm guessing that if you don't have any siblings by now, you can stop holding your breath.
It would be pretty strange having a brother or sister 52 years younger than me...and I think mom would be more than a little miffed....
old woman
Full time employment: Posting here.
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My brothers and I are 15 months apart each so now 60,61,62. I am middle child. Oldest is a loser. I am divorced with a net worth about 600K. Little bro is married 61 years to same girl she is 58 now. I don't know net worth but they both have pensions, he retired at 58 she will in a year or two. They own a business in the garage. The house is 5 bedrooms 3 bath with a 5 car garage but they have a mortgage. They didn't have a mortgage on the former house so may not be huge. Mom gives them 1,500 a month for room and board. They seem well off.
So not the oldest and probably the youngest. His kids the oldest is clearly the worst off.
So not the oldest and probably the youngest. His kids the oldest is clearly the worst off.
kyounge1956
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
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- Sep 11, 2008
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I am the second of four children, and all of us are college graduates. My older brother by four years is a typical firstborn—straight A's, college grad, M.D., 2 high-achieving daughters. Though I've never actually asked him, I am sure he is the highest in both annual income and net worth. His wife is in the upper echelons of a large non-profit and I am sure is nothing to sneeze at either in the earnings department. I think she is also a firstborn. They might well be able to buy the other three of us lock, stock and barrel.
I'm not sure which of the other three of us comes next, and it's an apples to oranges comparison anyway. My sister (not quite a year younger than I am) married, had two daughters, then was divorced/single mom for more than ten years, and has recently remarried, acquiring two teenaged step-children in the process. One of her daughters is a college grad and teaches elementary school. The other is studying nursing (following in Mom's footsteps). Our other brother, the youngest of us four, has had serious health challenges the last several years which I'm sure have drastically affected his finances and future job outlook. His wife is a college professor (also a firstborn), and they have three daughters, one currently in college, one in high school and one in elementary school.
I'm pretty sure that both my sister's and younger brother's household annual income is higher than mine, but I have never married and have no children, so I've probably been able to save a larger proportion of my income than any of my siblings. It wouldn't surprise me if I am putting more money into retirement savings than either my sister or my younger brother. My-brother-the-doctor is probably ahead of me on actual dollars, if not by percentage. OTOH it also wouldn't surprise me if they are all wondering why I took me so long to get a clue, because I've only been saving at that level for two years.
I'm not sure which of the other three of us comes next, and it's an apples to oranges comparison anyway. My sister (not quite a year younger than I am) married, had two daughters, then was divorced/single mom for more than ten years, and has recently remarried, acquiring two teenaged step-children in the process. One of her daughters is a college grad and teaches elementary school. The other is studying nursing (following in Mom's footsteps). Our other brother, the youngest of us four, has had serious health challenges the last several years which I'm sure have drastically affected his finances and future job outlook. His wife is a college professor (also a firstborn), and they have three daughters, one currently in college, one in high school and one in elementary school.
I'm pretty sure that both my sister's and younger brother's household annual income is higher than mine, but I have never married and have no children, so I've probably been able to save a larger proportion of my income than any of my siblings. It wouldn't surprise me if I am putting more money into retirement savings than either my sister or my younger brother. My-brother-the-doctor is probably ahead of me on actual dollars, if not by percentage. OTOH it also wouldn't surprise me if they are all wondering why I took me so long to get a clue, because I've only been saving at that level for two years.
Thanks for doing the poll Gumby.
I'm the oldest and most financially successful in my family of 4. I have a brother 3 years younger, a sister 7 years younger and a sister 16 years younger.
I happen to be the first ever person in my extended family to go to university. My brother also went to university and has also done very well financially - owns his own house etc. My older sister left school at 16 and went into the clothing industry and is now a warehouse/inventory manager. My younger sister left school at 16 and went to vocational college for 2 years and attained qualifications to help her get a job at an electronics firm where she started on an assembly line and worked her way up into purchasing.
I'm the oldest and most financially successful in my family of 4. I have a brother 3 years younger, a sister 7 years younger and a sister 16 years younger.
I happen to be the first ever person in my extended family to go to university. My brother also went to university and has also done very well financially - owns his own house etc. My older sister left school at 16 and went into the clothing industry and is now a warehouse/inventory manager. My younger sister left school at 16 and went to vocational college for 2 years and attained qualifications to help her get a job at an electronics firm where she started on an assembly line and worked her way up into purchasing.
Calgary_Girl
Full time employment: Posting here.
I am the oldest (sister is 4 yrs younger). We both have university degrees and married men with University degrees (although my DH has an MBA and my BIL doesn't).
In terms of financial success, I would have to say it's a draw. Although DS always made more than me, she also spent more and lived beyond her means until she met my BIL who is still trying to get her to LBYM. She has a bad habit of comparing herself to the Jones' and justifying large purchases (i.e. bigger house, etc.) because hey, they are both professionals and can afford it, right?
Btw, I taught myself to read because both mom and dad are immigrants and couldn't speak a word of English when they landed in Canada in the early '70's.
In terms of financial success, I would have to say it's a draw. Although DS always made more than me, she also spent more and lived beyond her means until she met my BIL who is still trying to get her to LBYM. She has a bad habit of comparing herself to the Jones' and justifying large purchases (i.e. bigger house, etc.) because hey, they are both professionals and can afford it, right
? Btw, I taught myself to read because both mom and dad are immigrants and couldn't speak a word of English when they landed in Canada in the early '70's.
