Hiding Your Wealth (NOT a poll) :)

[NW-Bound]

To me it's just a picture of somebody who keeps their legs in proper shape. "Flaunting" legs would be if she wore a skirt up to her hoo-hah and 5-inch heels on her feet.

It was a joke. I often post poor jokes that are not read as such.

My apology to Athena53 if she took it the way I did not mean it to be.

 

[brett]

It is not a problem for me. I dislike shopping-especially for clothes or cars. I do the former mostly on line, the latter once every fifteen-twenty years. Not a clothes horse, don't really care about cars or being car proud. Besides, vehicles depreciate. I don't like that.

We travel frequently for longer periods of time.. No one we know sees us do this. They just know we are gone and assume that we are spending our capital and will end up as wards of the state. Fortunately our financial advisor does not believe that this outcome will become our reality.

Everyone needs to live their life in their own way.

 

[NW-Bound]

Anyway, back on conspicuous consumption, I think most of us are secure enough that we are not bothered if someone pulls up in a fancy car costing 1/2 million, or feel envy anytime we drive by a mansion. Why should I be bothered by that?

What is the point of working and saving to accumulate wealth if we do not get to enjoy some of it? And we enjoy our money in different ways. I do not care for fancy cars, but someone may think of my enthusiastic talk of travel as bragging. We cannot go through life trying to please every stranger.

That said, I do think that one needs to be discreet in certain circumstances. There are many reasons why people like to live in a neighborhood more commensurate with their economic status. Don't we all do that? We would feel more at ease, that we would not stand out so much. One reason I do not like to visit 3rd world countries is that the poverty I observe would make me feel bad.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Speaking of wealth and toys, a few years, I found myself on Larry Ellison's Gulfstream V. Being a flyer-dude, I was impressed with his ride...but it looked like every other GV I have seen over the years. What WAS impressive was the R/C airplane he had in it. Apparently, he's a HUGE R/C plane guy (well, I think he likes all things flying, since he also owns a Mig-29!) It was one of the coolest toys I have EVER seen!

Also, someone mentioned consumerism in our country and I can't quite understand the "sticker" craze. It started with Apple stickers on cars, then it was Mossy Oak (at least here in the south) and now I am seeing Yeti cooler stickers everywhere. I don't get it? You like Apple products and Yeti coolers, so you advertise for them for FREE? I guess I will just put it in the column of "Don't get it".

 

[2017ish]

...

Also, someone mentioned consumerism in our country and I can't quite understand the "sticker" craze. It started with Apple stickers on cars, then it was Mossy Oak (at least here in the south) and now I am seeing Yeti cooler stickers everywhere. I don't get it? You like Apple products and Yeti coolers, so you advertise for them for FREE? I guess I will just put it in the column of "Don't get it".

I really don't get it--didn't know yeti was a cooler; figured it was extreme outdoor gear. (Despite living in the south, I don't think I've seen "Mossy Oak.")

 

[athena53]

Anyway, back on conspicuous consumption, I think most of us are secure enough that we are not bothered if someone pulls up in a fancy car costing 1/2 million, or feel envy anytime we drive by a mansion. Why should I be bothered by that?
.

Totally agreed; I'm practical enough to look at a mansion high up on a hill with an immaculately-maintained lawn and realize I wouldn't want to be tethered to a place where upkeep is so expensive. I can admire a piece of jewelry in a Bulgari ad and realize I have no occasion to wear something that showy.

You mentioned travel; we did have an annoying experience on a small (70-passenger) cruise ship in Alaska. This was our second time with them and for the most part they were people like us- curious, outdoorsy, not looking for royal treatment, bacchanalian feasts or treatment as if we were deposed European royalty. In private conversations I met one guy who was headed for the international court in The Hague the next month and a woman whose engineering degree came from MIT but they didn't wear their accomplishments on their sleeves.

BUT... The first night we had dinner with another well-traveled couple. The husband would always quietly turn the subject back to THEIR travels. You've been to Dubrovnik? So have they, and they've been to Antarctica, too. Usually I enjoy this type of conversation; you exchange interesting stories, each learns about some place they might want to visit in the future- but it was so one-sided there was no exchange. We avoided them the rest of the trip.

 

[W2R]

I really don't get it--didn't know yeti was a cooler; figured it was extreme outdoor gear. (Despite living in the south, I don't think I've seen "Mossy Oak.")

Me either! Never even heard of Mossy Oak I wonder if perhaps it is something specific to FlyBoy5's local community that hasn't reached New Orleans. I'll ask Frank if he has seen those stickers but I sure haven't ever noticed any here.

I did know that yeti was a cooler, but I think I heard about that on another forum. I've never actually seen a yeti cooler AFAIK.

 

[NW-Bound]

...The first night we had dinner with another well-traveled couple. The husband would always quietly turn the subject back to THEIR travels. You've been to Dubrovnik? So have they, and they've been to Antarctica, too. Usually I enjoy this type of conversation; you exchange interesting stories, each learns about some place they might want to visit in the future- but it was so one-sided there was no exchange. We avoided them the rest of the trip.

He might be just lacking in the art of conversation: to have an interest in the other's stories in order to have a two-way exchange. The subject of travel was just because of the cruise ship environment, and not because he was bragging about it.

 

[6miths]

I wouldn't say that we do anything to hide our wealth. It's just how I became financially secure. Habits become traits and all that. As well, we have our children to think of and our goal has always been to keep them grounded and be able to take joy from the smallest things in life.

 

[kcowan]

We have three different environments to adapt to. Vancouver, PV MX and Europe. Every one has its own standards. Wearing shorts is only common in Vancouver. Elsewhere it targets you as an American tourist. Modest cars are OK everywhere, mostly Toyota class. No jewels.

 

[marko]

BUT... The first night we had dinner with another well-traveled couple. The husband would always quietly turn the subject back to THEIR travels. You've been to Dubrovnik? So have they, and they've been to Antarctica, too. Usually I enjoy this type of conversation; you exchange interesting stories, each learns about some place they might want to visit in the future- but it was so one-sided there was no exchange. We avoided them the rest of the trip.

We had a guy like that at work. No matter what you did, where you went or how you got there, he did it before you and did it bigger and better. One-upmanship to the max.

We called him "Kidney" because if you ever told him you had a kidney removed, he'd likely say he had BOTH his kidneys removed.

 

[Amethyst]

Some people say this like it's the worst thing in the world, but I never worried about it (then again, if I've had occasion to visit places where Americans might be harmed, I've stayed in the American compound). There is no way I can avoid being identified as an American, and I am not at all ashamed of it either. Heck, I've had French people correct my French in the nicest way, and thanked them for it. I've even had English people correct my English!

Elsewhere it targets you as an American tourist. .

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

Me either! Never even heard of Mossy Oak I wonder if perhaps it is something specific to FlyBoy5's local community that hasn't reached New Orleans. I'll ask Frank if he has seen those stickers but I sure haven't ever noticed any here.

I did know that yeti was a cooler, but I think I heard about that on another forum. I've never actually seen a yeti cooler AFAIK.

Mossy Oak is a distinct southern "thing". Some folks will spend quite a bit to "wrap" their trucks. And of course, they have to spend $300+ on a Yeti cooler to keep their PBR cold!

https://www.google.com/search?q=mos...KHW24C8gQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=mossy+oak++truck

I also see the "Salt Life" decals, which I laugh at because my DW and I SWEAR that it looks like "SLUT LIFE".

Edit...I see that you can BUY the Yeti decal. So, you can PAY for privilege of advertising their overpriced cooler. SMH.

http://yeticoolers.com/window-decal/

 

[easysurfer]

Mossy Oak is a distinct southern "thing". Some folks will spend quite a bit to "wrap" their trucks. And of course, they have to spend $300+ on a Yeti cooler to keep their PBR cold!

https://www.google.com/search?q=mos...KHW24C8gQ_AUIBygC#tbm=isch&q=mossy+oak++truck

I also see the "Salt Life" decals, which I laugh at because my DW and I SWEAR that it looks like "SLUT LIFE".

Thanks for the clarification. I had thought the decals did indeed say "Slut Life" .

 

[Racer X]

We had a guy like that at work. No matter what you did, where you went or how you got there, he did it before you and did it bigger and better. One-upmanship to the max.

We called him "Kidney" because if you ever told him you had a kidney removed, he'd likely say he had BOTH his kidneys removed.

I dated a woman like that once. Glad to be free of that!

 

[tmm99]

We had a guy like that at work. No matter what you did, where you went or how you got there, he did it before you and did it bigger and better. One-upmanship to the max.



We called him "Kidney" because if you ever told him you had a kidney removed, he'd likely say he had BOTH his kidneys removed.

Makes me think of SNL skits by Kristen Wiig
https://youtu.be/sX9xNn2f1Go




Sent from my iPad using Early Retirement Forum

 

[ponyboy]

I was always in awe about guys like Buffett and Walton driving old pickups and living simply. Said if I ever made money i'd live the same as those guys.

When you're in the 1% of the 1% of the 1% there's not many things you can buy that people in your category are impressed with. Thats why a lot of these people buy companies for 10's of billions of dollars. Its one of the few things they can purchase that someone with $500 million cannot.

Anyone with money can buy an expensive car...even cars priced at $10 million can be had by a lot of wealthy people, same with yachts, homes, planes, etc etc.

Sure some billionaires flaunt their money but people in their circle that they associate with can do the same thing.

Hopefully this made some sense. I heard this years ago and thought it was pretty cool.

 

[DrRoy]

What do you class as "putting your wealth on display" and how do you figure doing that will result in losing it?

I don't try to "hide any wealth" I may have, nor would it even be possible in most cases. Certainly don't think I "flaunt" it either. Have been increasing any such wealth throughout. Do you think I should be doing something differently?

I only meant that there are people who spend high for their homes, cars, and other bling in order to impress others. Some who do are outspending their means.

 

[FUEGO]

Also, someone mentioned consumerism in our country and I can't quite understand the "sticker" craze. It started with Apple stickers on cars, then it was Mossy Oak (at least here in the south) and now I am seeing Yeti cooler stickers everywhere. I don't get it? You like Apple products and Yeti coolers, so you advertise for them for FREE? I guess I will just put it in the column of "Don't get it".

If I spend $800 on a tablet or a phone or $400 on a cooler, you better believe I'm going to advertise it with a bunch of stickers to let everyone know how high status I am.

 

[FUEGO]

We had a guy like that at work. No matter what you did, where you went or how you got there, he did it before you and did it bigger and better. One-upmanship to the max.

We called him "Kidney" because if you ever told him you had a kidney removed, he'd likely say he had BOTH his kidneys removed.

Oh yeah, I've got you beat. We had a guy we called "Two Kidneys". If you ever told him you had two kidneys removed, he'd likely say he had ALL FOUR of his kidneys removed.

 

[NW-Bound]

I only meant that there are people who spend high for their homes, cars, and other bling in order to impress others. Some who do are outspending their means.

I think a lot depends on their demeanor. I do not care about cars, but someone with a lesser networth than mine but who loves cars may spend a lot more money for a car than I do. Just because he buys a fancy car does not mean that he is trying to impress me (and I am not that easy to impress with any car, by the way).

And do we really know if someone is overextending himself? People have different priorities, and spend their money on what brings them the most pleasure and they may cut back elsewhere.

Both my wife and I like to cut back on most things, but then people will call us cheapskates (if they know how much money we have). We just like to keep that number at the bottom of the Quicken screen, and I don't care what people say (they say nothing, because they do not know).

 

[haha]

I'm somewhere in the middle. There is such a thing as liking nice stuff for its own sake. Why does everyone always point the finger at people who have nice things, accusing them of being "insecure" and "trying to impress people" and the like?

That is not everybody. It is actually fairly rare other than on this board.

I've been around the track a few turns, and i don't know anyone in real life who needs these "Oh, they can't be rich, look at the wife's pretty clothes and the Targa, they must be up to their eyeballs in debt, no doubt we will soon hear they are in bankruptcy court!" My Dad carried on like this, and he was not always but usually wrong as are I would guess many people on this board who have this attitude.

There are just many very well to do people in America. I know and have known plenty of self made rich, and some hereditary rich, though they are harder to get to know. By rich I do not mean a few million dollars, though I will take any that might come my way. The fact that they do not have to cut coupons or drive old cars does not diminish the successes of those of us who as I do, need to live carefully.

Ha

 

[RobbieB]

It's hard to embrace "the dark side" after a lifetime of saving. I really have to stop beating myself and just do it. I did something last year that was totally unlike anything I have ever done before. Bought 2 first class airplane tickets to Detroit for my buddies daughter's wedding. Took my girlfriend too. Paid 3X the coach fair just to have bigger seats and cocktails on the runway. But I'm 6-2 and wanted for once in my life to not have to worry about the guy in front of crushing my knees.

I don't travel a lot and I don't think it was worth it but hey...once before I die eh?

I'm gonna buy a brand new car in a year or so. Never did that before either. Just go through the checklist and get exactly what I want and built for me, call me when it's ready. Yeah I know, that's the most expensive way to buy a car but I'm gonna do that once before I die too.

Have fun!

 

[braumeister]

We had a guy like that at work. No matter what you did, where you went or how you got there, he did it before you and did it bigger and better. One-upmanship to the max.

We called him "Kidney" because if you ever told him you had a kidney removed, he'd likely say he had BOTH his kidneys removed.

There is a recurring character in the Dilbert strip called Topper who personifies this.

 

[NW-Bound]

... I don't travel a lot and I don't think it was worth it but hey...once before I die eh?...

The problem may be that

"A luxury once sampled becomes a necessity" -- Anon

We have had international business class seats a few times, and first class once, but all were courtesy of megacorps. Man, oh man, it was tough going back to the peasants' crowded seats. I have been saying, if I had more money, better airline seats would be the 1st thing I spent money on, particularly for long international flights. Domestic flights? Meh, as I can endure it for a couple of hours.