Why I'm not richer than the other guy

[Martha]

But you're not doing it to impress your clients, are you? I've always followed the idea that I shouldn't dress demonstratively better than my clients.

Today at work (am I working?) I am wearing black wool flannel slacks, grey cashmere sweater, with a grey/black tweed blazer. This is typical work clothes. It is close to what my banker clients wear but not much like most of the bankruptcy clients.

But my retired spouse at home is probably wearing old blue jeans with paint splatters and a torn polo shirt. Right now he is probably also on the Internet cruizing his own sites on investing.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I.m not richer than the other guy beacause I am too bloody (sorry) concervative with my investments. Scared of the current state of the markets and our spendthrift president.

SWR

 

[Jarhead*]

I'm going to disagree with the general trend of answers here.  It would seem that not caring what others think can be taken to an extreme.  You can still dress nicely (e.g., inexpensively) and yet not give any hint about how much money you really have.

Hey Jay:

If I remember right from a previous post, you're a young guy and an attorney.
With that in mind, I don't think driving an old rust-bucket p/up and wearing a corn-seed hat would work for you Unless of course you are working for a family owned law-firm, and intended to stay single forever

But by the same token, driving an $80,000.00 car, and wearing $700.00 suits, etc., like a lot of young attorneys do, is falling into an unnecessay trap.

I realize you weren't talking about being excessive, and of course in your position, you're right on.
The fact that this an early retirement board, I think that most posters have a pre-disposition of avoiding the idea that excessive spending to impress anybody is at all worthwhile.
Regards, Jarhead

 

[retire@40]

I'm going to disagree with the general trend of answers here.  It would seem that not caring what others think can be taken to an extreme.  You can still dress nicely (e.g., inexpensively) and yet not give any hint about how much money you really have.

I totally agree. That is why I said previously that a balanced life to me is important. I don't need to buy those expensive John Gotti suits, but I do wear clean clothes with no holes in them, I shower and shave every day, and I keep my old car clean and looking like new as much as possible.

I don't do these things to impress anyone. I just do them for self-respect.

 

[Skylark]

I wouldn't mind moving up to a rust bucket pick up, but I hear they take too much gas.

I like my $2 garage sale Schwinn Continental.

I do need a new pair of Hush Puppies but I will try to stretch out the service life of the ones that I have.

 

[Martha]

I totally agree. That is why I said previously that a balanced life to me is important. I don't need to buy those expensive John Gotti suits, but I do wear clean clothes with no holes in them, I shower and shave every day, and I keep my old car clean and looking like new as much as possible.

I don't do these things to impress anyone. I just do them for self-respect.

I have to jump to the defense of my spouse. I used to try to dress him up on occassion. He just isn't interested and clothes simply aren't important to him. Nor are events where you need to dress up. If need be, he will wear clean and neat clothes (but no suits, heaven forbid). And its not like he doesn't take showers or the clothes don't get washed. He is self respecting but is not focused at all on stuff and that stuff includes clothes.

 

[Bob_Smith]

I'm going to disagree with the general trend of answers here. It would seem that not caring what others think can be taken to an extreme. You can still dress nicely (e.g., inexpensively) and yet not give any hint about how much money you really have.

I totally agree. That is why I said previously that a balanced life to me is important. I don't need to buy those expensive John Gotti suits, but I do wear clean clothes with no holes in them, I shower and shave every day, and I keep my old car clean and looking like new as much as possible. I don't do these things to impress anyone. I just do them for self-respect.

Whoa! Who said anything about not showering/shaving, or not caring what people think, or not having any self-respect? The multi-millionaires I referenced (the ones who can be found in coffee-shops wearing seed-corn caps) don't fit that mold at all. These people are heavy hitters. They dress the way they do because that's how they have always dressed, and that's how many of their friends dress. They care what people think. They not only have self-respect - they are respected by others for being genuine. Now if they started acting like big-shots, (I believe the term that got this tangent going was "big-swinging-dicks"), they'd be viewed as light-weights. Most coffee shops have that type too. They're the ones sitting alone - or with other lightweights.

Also, there's nothing wrong with the way laboring people dress. When I see a tear, oil stains, etc. on a pair of overalls or jeans, I don't see a lack of self-respect, and I don't feel superior - I see a guy who probably works in a dangerous job (like farming) and is dressed for the circumstances. I've been there. Anyone who has done that kind of work will get what I'm saying.

 

[John Galt]

Hello Bob_Smith. You're making sense and I get it.
For many years I was "dressed for success". I spent
quite a bit on my attire, and looked it. Now, I can still look sharp
if I am so inclined. It's just that often I am not so inclined. Like today. In the a.m. I worked around the house (some minor repairs, some daily chores). Then,
I fished until cocktail hour. Kind of a typical day for me.
I never even went into town, and so no reason to
"get squeaky" other than personal hygiene. Also,
when I see someone who obviously got dirty by
performing manual labor (farmers, truck drivers), I have
nothing but respect.

John Galt

 

[Cut-Throat]

Then,
I fished until cocktail hour. Kind of a typical day for me.

John,

Where are you fishing these days? Did you catch anything?

 

[haha]

Re: Kids & money.

It was a great springboard for discussing slimy marketing tactics.

So now we watch the typical Nickleodeon stuff together and nitpick the tactics-- Name-Calling, Glittering Generality, Transfer, Testimonial, Plain Folks, Card Stacking, and Band Wagon.

I missed this excellent thread until today. I think the training that you describe above Nords will pay off big in areas far removed from marketing per se.

Like helping the younger people understand political campaigns

Mikey

 

[Nords]

... but I do wear clean clothes with no holes in them, I shower and shave every day, and I keep my old car clean and looking like new as much as possible.  

I don't do these things to impress anyone.  I just do them for self-respect.

I wear the clean no-hole clothes when I leave the property (or when I'm not surfing). Otherwise EVERYTHING would be dirty & full of holes, and right now the ratio of whole/holes shirts is about 1:10...

Showering has a much greater sense of accomplishment when it's after tae kwon do or surfing. But that "I earned this" attitude is probably a sick carryover from the submarine lifestyle.

Shaving is another matter. I don't think I'm the only ER who has trouble distinguishing one day from another. (Without "OMG, it's Monday" and "TGIF", pretty much every day is Saturday.) So I try very hard to shave ONLY on Mondays & Thursdays. A contemplative rub of the chin can usually determine the day within two guesses.

As for washing cars, my kid does it to supplement a miserly allowance. I'd hate to raise the unemployment rate by washing it more often...

 

[John Galt]

Oops! Just noticed that Cut-Throat requested a fishing
report. I'm a bit embarrassed as I don't fly fish and
a lot of what we catch is not as pretty as Cut-Throat's
stuff. However, I do recall him mentioning fishing for the lowly carp, so perhaps he will cut me some slack

In Texas we fished for fresh water stripers. Three of us
caught about 80, plus one catfish and one sand bass.
We kept 28, but no big ones. Biggest maybe 2.5 lbs.

Around home we have a huge variety of fish, but we usually go after catfish which are plentiful, easy to
catch and good to eat. Quantity is off (cold water)
but size is way up. In the past 2 weeks we have
caught one at 6.5 lbs. and 2 at 4.5 lbs. (channel cats).
That's big for around here. In Texas they would
probably use them for bait

John Galt

 

[haha]

John,
Actually I rank the Carp on the flats of Lake Michigan as the most challenging game fish in the Mid-West! Catfish can be fun on a fly.

You are my betters. I did my catfishing with stink-baits, and my carp fishing with doughballs. Wonderbread was best.

That is when I was using hook and line

BTW, anyone who eats in West Coast Chinatowns will attest that the Chinese can make a heavenly dish out of a carp. Or a "lockfish". Both steamed whole, with a thin sauce.

Aiy!!

Mikey