Bragging and Proud ... such a fine line

[Sesq]

I've always been overly cautious not to brag, or to be seen as bragging. When I was employed I never really talked about my job or what I did to people who didn't already know. I always played it down, because even the job description denoted high pay. When asked what I did, I couldn't answer without the other person knowing that I made a lot of money . . . so even answering the simple question "What do you do?" seemed like bragging.

I have this problem now. My wife and I just tell people I work in the tax department. Not that I am the VP. My title is probably inflated anyways, so I avoid mentioning it like the plague. You can kind of do the math since my wife stays home with the kids.

 

[unclemick]

Nah! UncleMick is anything but a 14-yr old girl. Why would a 14-yr old girl want to masquerade as a, ahem, frugal geezer? Lack of motives here, madam.

Why to coax a 'real frugal' - read rich - to come forth so she can nail him and marry rich - when she gets old.



heh heh heh - a stretch but the best I could come up with B.S. wise this time of day.

 

[brewer12345]

Driving a (functional) beater has another advantage you don't hear much about. About 20 years ago, a man followed a local couple home from a restaurant and shot them dead in their bed, then robbed their house. Detectives learned that he picked them out to rob because of their fine car.

Amethyst

Plus you don't give a rat's patoot about getting a ding, scratch, whatever. I am happy to treat myself to a new car every 10 or 12 years (or longer if it lasts), but once it is past the 5 or 6 year mark is when we get to the truly worry-free stage.

 

[Alan]

I've always been overly cautious not to brag, or to be seen as bragging. When I was employed I never really talked about my job or what I did to people who didn't already know. I always played it down, because even the job description denoted high pay. When asked what I did, I couldn't answer without the other person knowing that I made a lot of money . . . so even answering the simple question "What do you do?" seemed like bragging.

Now that I'm no longer employed, I have a different "problem". I have a hard time saying "I'm retired" without sounding like a braggart. I know I shouldn't care, and I'm actually surprised that I do, but I haven't yet gotten comfortable with the idea of telling people I'm retired.

When I was working I used to just say I worked in IT or that I was an engineer for the same reasons. I was never a flashy dresser or drove anything other than run-of-the-mill cars so there was usually no reason for further questions. There was one funny occaision when we were buying some furniture and they had a deal going for 0% interest for 12 months. I couldn't convince the salesman to give us a discount for cash so I said, okay I'll take the free credit. We had to sit with a lady to fill out the credit application and when I told her how much I earned she said "PER MONTH?". "What do you do? I want a job there!". I just told her I was an engineer.

I have no problem saying that I'm retired if asked what I do. I don't look that young so I figure it doesn't come over as bragging, particularly at the current time with unemployment so high.

 

[freebird5825]

Bragger.

I had a couple of work buddies who enjoyed talking about their big...

Be glad it was about things with wheels and windows.

 

[Leonidas]

Plus you don't give a rat's patoot about getting a ding, scratch, whatever. I am happy to treat myself to a new car every 10 or 12 years (or longer if it lasts), but once it is past the 5 or 6 year mark is when we get to the truly worry-free stage.

I keep hoping some teen driver will run into the passenger side of my old truck - its needed painting on that side since I didn't get through a gate quick enough at the ranch several years ago. Family thinks I'm crazy, because whenever somebody starts edging over into my lane I stay the course and mutter encouragement, "C'mon, hit me, just a little more."

 

[growing_older]

I have found it almost impossible to have discussions about either kids or FI without being seen as bragging, except on semi-anonymous internet chat boards and with a very few select friends with similar interests. Managers younger than I and in more lucrative positions are often discussing their new shiny mobiles or the crazy degree of leverage they are achieving with McMansion purchases. I really never found anything constructive to say. They don't want advice and I don't envy their position in any way. I just quietly keep driving my paid for, mechanically reliable, older model vehicle and park a little far away from the shiny row of nearly new money pits. I'm buying FI with my paycheck, and it's a lot more valuable to me than the toys they seem to prefer.

Kids have been problematic. I have a very small group of people with kids in some of the same programs as mine, so we can have discussions about issues and questions. Anyone else is quickly turned off by what is seen as bragging. Makes it very difficult to talk about normal parent conversations when they come up, so I usually find it hard to discuss anything of substance and steer around to something generic or a minor interest of the kid where they are average participants. Awkward, but keeps the contacts and friendships on a much more workable level. Unless someone needs to go to battle with the local school system. Then they know I'm a veteran and we can talk more openly about how to work the system to get what is needed.