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Hiding Your Wealth (NOT a poll) :)
Old 05-09-2016, 08:40 PM   #1
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Hiding Your Wealth (NOT a poll) :)

All these self-disclosure polls recently made me think of a recent article I read...

The Rise Of Stealth Wealth: Ways To Stay Invisible From Society If You Have Money | Financial Samurai

I'm certainly not anywhere near that level, but I thought there were a lot of good ideas to think about in that article. Some interesting discussion here as well:

Should We Conceal Our Wealth? | Root of Good
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Old 05-09-2016, 08:46 PM   #2
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Nice articles.

Yes, gets my attention and imagination only seeing one leg .
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Old 05-09-2016, 09:48 PM   #3
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Total stealth baby.

My lawn is weedy and needs mowing. My other lawn is dirt.

But I'm a good guy and there is drought in CA -
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:09 PM   #4
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I'm so poor I mow my own lawn because it's cheaper than a gym membership.
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Old 05-09-2016, 10:17 PM   #5
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Talks about living in a slummy place so contractors won't overcharge you for repairs. There is something wrong with that logic, but I'm too tired to think of it just now...
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Old 05-10-2016, 04:37 AM   #6
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Which is why I feel a little "dirty" when meeting someone for the first time and they ask what I do....I always respond that I am "broke and unemployed."

Well.......at least it is only a half lie.
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:07 AM   #7
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I've rarely owned any sort of designer product, and that is unlikely to change, but I like the idea of owning a fancy watch or purse and then telling people it's a knock-off or fake - whispering it to them in confidence, as if you're proud of the fact. So now you're pretending to be a poor person who is pretending to be rich. Ha!
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:21 AM   #8
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We don't hide our wealth... we just don't disclose it... if you were to look at our lifestyle, the cars we drive (Subaru Outback and GMC truck) and all you would think we are just another upper middle class couple... we don't work (other than volunteer work) and do belong to the local country club and golf but even the club is very modest (but nice).
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:23 AM   #9
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Great articles- thanks for posting! I use the "act stupid" routine quite a bit. That and wearing jeans and t-shirts go a long way in establishing that I'm a poor person.
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:24 AM   #10
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It might be safer to say, "I'm unemployed" than "I'm retired."

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Old 05-10-2016, 05:30 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed_The_Gypsy View Post
It might be safer to say, "I'm unemployed" than "I'm retired."
Just tell them you are "post-employed."
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:31 AM   #12
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I hide my wealth all the time. My landlord clothes consist of a pair of Dickies, in Carthart brown, with the hammer loop. A few paint spots, a few holes.

I almost 100% of the time wear a Menards t-shirt, when I feel like dressing up it's one without paint spots on it...

Even a few friends have mentioned to be when speaking about FIRE, "You really do not have a lot of expenses"...

The lawn generally needs to be mowed, and I have an old furnace, a snow plow, and a old 16-slot mailbox in the driveway. Which has major asphalt holes in it.

Of course, if I wanted to work until I am 90, I could have a better appearance.
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:46 AM   #13
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Quickly browsed the first article, still open in a tab to read later. I notice it suggests to watch "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" to stay up on pop culture. I'll take my chances and pass on that suggestion.
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Old 05-10-2016, 05:57 AM   #14
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I don't try to hide any wealth we might have. I certainly don't flaunt it either. Probably pay more than necessary for certain things like home maintenance/repairs/ management but this isn't much of a concern to me. Pretending to be poor seems a little weird to me?
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:00 AM   #15
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I wear jeans and sweats because that's what I like. I could care less what others know and even less what they think. If I want to do something nice that others may notice, oh well, they notice. We don't flaunt what we have but we don't go out of our way to hide it either. Enough things to concern ones self.

I guess trying to hide it to pay less taxes is another story but we don't do that either...........
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:20 AM   #16
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The last thing I need is friends and family thinking I'm a potential piggybank for them.
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:23 AM   #17
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Great article and I'm a shorts and t-shirt guy, usually with a few holes in the shirt. Neighbor lady recently complained to me about my old tennis shoes, so the next time she saw me I had them wrapped up with some duct tape just for effect.

I think in this day and age many people want to flaunt their so called wealth to impress others as to how well they are doing. There is a word in Websters for that "insecurity".
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:26 AM   #18
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In Austin folks knew the young guy/gal in old jeans and t-shirt could easily be a millionaire.
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:41 AM   #19
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I drive a low-end 2007 Corolla and dress a little like a slob. To people who see me around the neighborhood a lot during the day during the week but don't know me well I must seem like an enigma. And that's just fine with me.


Like RunningBum, I'll pass on the Kardashians, too. I once stumbled onto that show for a few seconds (by mistake) and felt my IQ drop a few points by the time I got to the remote and changed the channel.
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Old 05-10-2016, 06:56 AM   #20
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We don't really try to hide what we have- we just don't spend a lot. So other than someone who gets a look at our accounts (CPA?) who would know? I don't have to lie about my "Diamond" earrings. They really are fake. I suspect that most of the people we hang out with make less than we do- not sure if they have any idea how much we make- or if they care.
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