Are you afraid to look poor?

[Bikerdude]

I would say I'm afraid to look wealthy. People tend to take advantage of you if they think you have money. When I go to bid on something I want to buy I always drive my old truck and wear my most used clothes .

[calmloki]

Used to read a New Zealand board a bunch and kept running into "the tall poppy gets cut down", which is akin to the Japanese "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down". Sounds like a bunch of us are concerned about standing out from the crowd and are reveling in anti-ostentation. Interesting read on the subject here: Tall poppy syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[innova]

Quote:

I would say I'm afraid to look wealthy. People tend to take advantage of you if they think you have money.

I agree.

I'd rather be inconspicuous. It seems those who want everyone to think they are wealthy via conspicuous consumption rarely are.

Quote:

But I think it is just bad policy to look poor.

I don't want a surprise visit from the 'what not to wear' show. Good call.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by chinaco The older I get, the less I care about what anyone thinks...

Same here.....I couldn't give a rat's @ss what other people think of me or the way I dress!

Quote:

Originally Posted by clifp Folks if you aren't out there consuming how is American business going to continue to make increased profits and allows us to continue our retirement.

That's why God created the Joneses and the Yuppies....they'll pick up the slack, and keep buying!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawg52 ....I bought several nice golf shirts late last fall for $9 a shirt at Dillards. These were nice shirts too. At the pro shop of my club, a similar shirt would cost $50-60.

I went to a Beall's Outlet while I was in FL last month, and bought several very nice (name-brand) golf shirts for $7-8 each....and like you said, regular price on them was $50-60.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeD My wife says I dress to look like a central park bum.

One of the nice things about dressing like that.....when I go for a walk through the park, the homeless people and the town drunks never try to hit me up for 'spare change'....they figure I'm one of them!

[Bultacoman]

I wear hand-me-ups from the kids. At work, it's jeans, t-shirt and fleece during the winter. In summer, it's shorts and t-shirt. We now have a dress code due to the ex-COO's clothing habits-no holes in the t-shirts or jeans.

[dumpster56]

Oh man the Vanity Fair Outlets in Reading PA! Shirts 3 dollars jeans Lee brand 7 dollars all new those seconds!! Walked out of there with enough clothes for a few years spent 100 dollars.

[Ronstar]

I dress down as much as possible. I dont search for the deals like some do because I rarely have to buy clothes. I keep my clothes for a long time. Old jeans and sweatshirt for Easter at the SIL's. Today at work I'm wearing pants that are least 10 years old, shoes about 6 years old.

[Notmuchlonger]

Some things I spend money on. I dont like cheap suits. I also spend the money on good shoes because I hate my damn feet hurting from PF. But then on the other hand just about every other piece of clothing I look for the best deals on.

[A854321]

As long as Costco and LL Bean are in existence, I am one well-dressed dude.

[Zoocat]

One thing I've learned by mistake is that clothes from places with the words "Old" and "Navy" in the the title do not last long. They shrink and loose their shape almost instantly. I don't like to wear shabby clothing but I do get good use out of what I buy and wear pieces for many years.

I try to buy quality clothing at sales prices. In Feb I bought two cashmere sweaters (originally $110 each) for $30 each. Similar deals can be found in any store toward the end of the seasons, which is always in the middle of the season these days!

One thing I won't scrimp on are shoes. Good quality equals high prices equals happy feet.

[Midpack]

I'm not retired yet, but I already strive only to look clean and presentable and no more. I'd rather friends and strangers think I don't have any money ("the richer your friends, the more it will cost you"). I'm finding it enjoyable going through life with people underestimating me in every way possible. And like innova posted above, about 2/3rds (recalling from the Millionaire Next Door) of the people who are conspicuously wealthy are a paycheck or two from bankrupt.

[CuppaJoe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bruce1 $9.99 for a shirt! Far Far too much....

Yeah, the old ones are good enuf.

[CyclingInvestor]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oldbabe Good quality equals high prices equals happy feet.

For me only bare feet were happy feet, as they were for most of my career (as
a programmer). I kept a pair of flip-flops in the office for meetings or walking
around in, or just slipped back into my very loosely tied riding sneakers.

[hogtied]

My DW always says "if it's clean and paid for" it's OK.

[barbarus]

See we've got a lot of married guys here who can get away with looking "poor". The single fellows are not going to get a second look from the ladies garbed in such a manner.

The same can be said for the basic premise of frugality.
Be prepared to give up the comforts of intergender companionship if you follow such a path guys.

[W2R]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbarus See we've got a lot of married guys here who can get away with looking "poor". The single fellows are not going to get a second look from the ladies garbed in such a manner. The same can be said for the basic premise of frugality. Be prepared to give up the comforts of intergender companionship if you follow such a path guys.

When I first met Frank, I thought I had the ugliest, trashiest looking car in the world (my old, banged up, worn out K-car). It was so bad that I tried to keep him from seeing it. I was SO RELIEVED when I finally saw his car, which was not all that pretty either. Then I knew I didn't have to hide mine any more.

Just saying.

[Notmuchlonger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbarus See we've got a lot of married guys here who can get away with looking "poor". The single fellows are not going to get a second look from the ladies garbed in such a manner. The same can be said for the basic premise of frugality. Be prepared to give up the comforts of intergender companionship if you follow such a path guys.

If I was single Id rather find someone who had similar interests regarding finances. Not what clothes, car or house I had.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by brewer12345 The saleslady looked at me as if I had just pulled a dog turd out of my pocket and (after composing herself) politely said that they sold no such thing.

I had a very real-looking plastic dog turd that was a lot of fun. I'd sneak it into the silverware drawer when we had company. DW became annoyed though....

[Notmuchlonger]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 I had a very real-looking plastic dog turd that was a lot of fun. I'd sneak it into the silverware drawer when we had company. DW became annoyed though....

I dont know why. But fake poo is funny. Fake critters also ranks up on the fun factor.

[playaman]

Over the past few years, my wife and I have discovered that we can look fully presentable in clothes from the likes of Target and Kohl's. And, as few clothes as I'm actually buying, $10 for a shirt doesn't seem outrageous at all. She's already FIRE'd and I'm just months away.