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I have a cousin that is the biggest hyprocrite when it comes to being "poor".
He complains constantly about having to pay child support - although he is only ordered to pay an astronomical total of . . . . $300 a month.
Now on months where it doesn't get paid, I just sit back and laugh because his monthly budget of things that he could do without and then pay his child support is huge.
$300 in child support
vs.
Monthly expenses he could do without and then pay his child support:
$280 / cigarettes
$250 / Coors Light
$350 / going to bars and eating out at restaruants
$120 / XBox 360 games (average: two per month)
So those items combined come to $1,000 a month and in his world take priority over paying the $300 in child support, so in order for the child support to get paid, he has to have an extra $1,300 a month with the first $1,000 going to the crap listed above first.
And note: he has a truck that his dad paid for and bought for him (no payments required) and his dad pays for the insurance on the vehicle every month.
I have this person who constantly complains to me how he lives from paycheck to paycheck supporting two wives and two kids. OK, he eats out everyday including dinner and then he shows up with this brand new car with shiny custom wheels (about $35-40K all together).
Ask any two self-described broke / frugal living people to analyze each other's spending habits and they'll find something excessive or unnecessary in each others lives. I think everyone has cried "poor mouth" at least once. I know I have, while sitting in a bar playing with a 4 year old busted iphone (the one time I went out that month). I knew exactly how it sounded and looked, but hey a man needs to vent every now and then when the money is tight. I would agree the flat screen tvs and $40k cars are excessive, but I can understand why someone would depend on smokes and beer to deal with life.
I wonder if "frugal fatigue" is a driver behind these seemingly huge splurge purchases? You scrimp and save for so long while people around you acquire more and more STUFF, and finally just cave and buy something nice that you can't really afford. I suspect it's a fundamental complication of human psychology, not so much that people are just lazy and entitled.
I have a cousin that is the biggest hyprocrite when it comes to being "poor".
He complains constantly about having to pay child support - although he is only ordered to pay an astronomical total of . . . . $300 a month.
Now on months where it doesn't get paid, I just sit back and laugh because his monthly budget of things that he could do without and then pay his child support is huge.
$300 in child support
vs.
Monthly expenses he could do without and then pay his child support:
$280 / cigarettes
$250 / Coors Light
$350 / going to bars and eating out at restaruants
$120 / XBox 360 games (average: two per month)
So those items combined come to $1,000 a month and in his world take priority over paying the $300 in child support, so in order for the child support to get paid, he has to have an extra $1,300 a month with the first $1,000 going to the crap listed above first.
And note: he has a truck that his dad paid for and bought for him (no payments required) and his dad pays for the insurance on the vehicle every month.
That's because he gets nothing for that $300, he won't see it until he has an adult heart.
It's his call whether or not its OK for him to expense it; I'd argue its fraud too, but far as I was concerned thats between him and his employer. What bugged me most was that he basically took money from his friends.
If you think thats offensive consider this: The guy makes well over $100k...
But the worst part of the story? He's a lawyer. Seriously.
No, he didn't take money from his friends, his friends ate food and paid for it.
I have a relative who is constantly complaining about no money when she owns three houses,
goes travelling whenever she wants and basically lives the LIFe of Riley. Get tired of it.
That's why it's probably good to at least at some point to have been really broke so you know what it means. It means you turn down an invite to go for $1 beers because you really can't afford even one. Any chance to earn a few dollars sounds like a good opportunity. You start actually listening to those who talk about getting still warm and wrapped hamburgers a fast food restaurant is going to toss - just in case things get worse.
I have a friend of 37 years who is always crying poor. She's 76, works full-time and part-time, draws Social Security and was getting alimony until her ex died last yr. Her house is paid for as is her 13 yr old car. She has literally travelled the world over the years, but she can't afford decent shoes or clothes. Whenever she tells me she "can't afford" something I just say, "Sure you can!!" Even her financial advisor has told her she's nuts. I think she likes the attention.
I wonder -- is this an American cultural trait? Is it as common in other cultures to pretend to be poor?
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