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I wouldn't even know where to start, so I'll just pick one and say that I'm tired of hearing people complain about not having enough to make ends meet when they have two (or more) shiny new cars in the driveway that total $600 or $700 a month in payments. Get a decent used car for 1/3 the price of new, pay cash for it, and your budget will magically begin to work. It really is that easy!
I know a family who lost their home due to foreclosure. Their house payment was $1400/month and they couldn't afford it even though the household income is about $100,000/year. When they were forced to move out they rented a house for $1600/month.
I have a friend who lives with his girlfriend of three years, but refuses to get married because her credit is bad. He works six months out of the year, and invests..he lives off of interest. She works full time, pays the rent, and buys food. He buys the big stuff, so he says they're even.
But if she ever wants to go out to coffee or go out to a cheap lunch with friends, he bugs her about it! While he goes and buys tons of high-end crap for the house! Designer toilet seats, I kid you not... He whines and whines about being poor, but he's so lazy...plus has a higher net worth than anyone I know.
I'm frugal, but at least I know how to live and don't fret about my finances to others. Sheesh.
Where does frugality stop and mental illness start?
I know a guy that cries poor mouth, but is quite well off. He gives himself away by showing me bank/investment statements. I'd say he's worth at least high six figures.
But it pains him to spend a dime....little heat (skim ice in the toilet!) in winter, no A/C in summer...no phone, internet or TV...ancient pick-up truck...all clothes from Goodwill.
The real kicker is he goes to a big homeless shelter in DC on Thanksgiving for a free meal!
Years ago I worked with a young single girl who had a baby, and she was constantly borrowing money and complaining about her financial situation. She needed extra time for lunch to get WIC for the baby, she never participated in any collections, she would get the rest of us to pick up the tab if we all went out for lunch, etc. She claimed she couldn't buy the most basic necessities for the baby, so we often pitched in to get things like diapers, and even gave her a few big ticket items we weren't using any more.
The funny thing was she stopped at Starbucks every day--but we looked the other way, figured it was her one vice. Then after about a year she started showing up with expensive outfits. We figured they were gifts.
But then one day she came in to work bragging about how she had gone to Ethan Allen and bought a china cabinet for $1500. Not even a necessary piece of furniture like a table or a bed. No, it was a china cabinet. At the time most of my furniture came from IKEA or Goodwill, I think my entire apartment cost less than $1500 to furnish. When people looked askance she tried to explain that it's important to buy top quality furniture that she didn't want her neighbors to think poorly of her.
Needless to say, that was the last time we pitched in to buy her diapers.
I have found that some of my friends who cry poor all the time are the ones with FAT SAVING ACCOUNTS...and own the latest in everything that come out new in the stores.
They smooch from me by coming to my home when I am cooking and taking food home...the same way she does it to me, she does it to our other friends.
When ever she comes over, she always ask me, are you cleaning your closets today? If you are REMEMBER ME, before you donate Items.
I find people like this sooooooooo CHEAP!! They Make me sick!!
My SIL and her dh... sent out a Christmas letter one year that "things are tough" and they've had to cut back and couldn't afford to participate in the family gift exchange for the kids because
(cue the violin music here)
...their plane needed new leather seats.
Really sad... the old ones were fabric and just not comfortable anymore.
Things are tough all over.
had to add another one...
My uncle was hurt at work, severely, several years ago through no fault of his own. The company he was working for filed bankruptcy the week after the door fell on his head. The insurance company they were using sold the policies... now no one will pay. He's spent every dime he had saved for his medical costs and the bills are STILL piling up. He is having a hard time finding new employment now (years later) because his injury limits him physically, plus he's almost 60. When he stopped being able to send his kids $$ for every little thing, they cut him off.
It took me 1 1/2 years to convince him to see a lawyer. Smelling money, his kids are back around.
His daughter, my "lovely" cousin has called him for the following in the last 6 months:
3 months worth of car payments for both her and dh's SUV (09s... her dad drives a 94 pickup)
mortgage payments (or they'll FORECLOSE and YOUR grandchildren will be HOMELESS!)
$$ for the hunting license (the children need to eat and they can't afford groceries...a $300 tag for venison though would help out)
and the clincher...
$5k for "emergency liposuction"... apparently she has been diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes and liposuction is the only thing that will save her LIFE!
There have been more.
Unfortunately for her, her dad calls me when she tries to pull these guilt trips on him. As I was the only relative that didn't cut him off after the divorce and the accident (which happened just weeks after the divorce was filed) I am also the only one he trusts. I usually point out that she's well over 30 and fully capable, then google whatever scam she's trying to pull... she got away with two before I caught wind and called him myself to ask WTF.
I was married to someone who had to have "top of the line" items on a "bottom of the barrel" income. I'm talking everything, even mundane stuff. It was a relief after we got divorced.
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