s/o what made you realize someone was wealthier

[sonrisa]

than you expected? This is a bit of a spin off of the earlier thread. What has a friend, colleague or acquaintance done that either made it clear they had more money than you expected, or just had much more money than you?

This post was inspired by a kind friend from my SAHM play group who dropped off dinner for us the week after DB was born. So thoughtful and tasty. When I thanked her I asked about the recipe. She said she'd as her cook for it. We always meet at the park so I didn't realize how much wealthier she was than the rest of us. Oops.

[melindafelinda]

A friend from high school when I went to her house. It was right on the beach and glorious. Our high school was super shitty so I assumed everyone was poor.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

I grew up with a lot of friends that had a lot more money than we did. It is kind of ingrained in me to think that everyone is richer than us. LOL

I had a moment of "holy shit they have a lot of money" when I was still dating my H. I was helping him organize his office and came across an article about his dad and the amount of money he sold his first company for. It was very unexpected and way more than they really show they have.

[Saint Monica]

When I saw their quarterly estimated payments

[circa1978]

I freelance for a CFO who has a hand in a lot of different projects. He's almost always in beat up jeans and a hoodie. Today, I was in his office and he had an invoice for a cute Smart car he bought as a toy but hadn't mentioned to his wife yet. Then he tossed out that he sold his Aston Martin this morning and couldn't decide on which convertible Bentley to get. The whole thing is LOL-worthy, because he is the nicest, most down-to-earth guy that you totally forget he could buy and sell you until something that bizarre comes out of his mouth.

[ECB]

My friends DH (her 2nd marriage) - I knew he did well, but when I realized he was paying for both of his DDs college, their apartments (one in NYC), AND he was paying his ex $90k in alimony a YEAR.... I realized he was doing a lot better than I had previously known.

And he doesn't blink twice at spending $400 to get a hotel at the Four Seasons for a night out drinking and he just doesn't want to take a cab home (that would cost $50)

[ginap]

When I was arranging travel for a past boss and had to book them on a private charter so they could take their nanny/maid who was not allowed to travel out of the state. I mean I knew he had money but spending 30k just on the transportation portion of their family vacation blew my mind (also notable, it was more than I was making a year).

[lissaholly]

On my third date with DH we want to a jimmy buffet concert! ( fun!). Driving in, there was a limo in front of us. I asked DH if he had ever been in a limo confessing the one time I had. He causally replied, "yeah i took a limo to kindergarten everyday." I felt a little awkward because I though we might have very different backgrounds.

We dated a solid month before I learned that a neighbor had a limo business and took over the carpool;). Otherwise, it is always the house that does me in. I also had an uncle buy a private plane and I didn't know they were wealthy until then.

[mariafromnj]

An ex co-worker and I were really friendly. She worked really hard and lived in this tiny apartment and drive an older honda.

She got engaged and invited me to her engagement party. She gave me the address and it was in some wealthy town in CT.
I pull up to this amazing house... like crazy large at least 8000 sq feet maybe larger. The valet guys park my car.
When I find my co-worker I tell her how beautiful this house they rented is and she laughs and tells me it is parents house and how they gave her hard time about driving her car there so they sent a driver to bring her up.

OH wow, that is more money than I can understand.

[Deleted]

When it finally dawned on me in college that my friend who had the same last name as one of our libraries was, in fact, a scion of that family.

[Moe]

I don't know any wealthy people.

[bonquiqui]

Feb 14, 2014 18:55:37 GMT -5 lissaholly said:

On my third date with DH we want to a jimmy buffet concert! ( fun!). Driving in, there was a limo in front of us. I asked DH if he had ever been in a limo confessing the one time I had. He causally replied, "yeah i took a limo to kindergarten everyday." I felt a little awkward because I though we might have very different backgrounds.

We dated a solid month before I learned that a neighbor had a limo business and took over the carpool;).

This made me lol

[Amy]

I had a client who I had known casually my entire life (one grade apart all through school, same schools). She decided she wanted to order her invitations in Dallas and talked about flying down for the day. She asked if I'd go and advise and I said sure I'd check on flights. She paused and said ... 'oh well, we can just tell our pilot when we're ready.' Yeah, they have a plane - I had no idea she was super rich ... the wedding turned out amazingly though it's got a pretty big spot in my portfolio

[Amy]

I also grew up showing horses and there were a lot of wealthy families but one 'oooooh' moment was when Erin Bradshaw's dad wandered in to watch her show and ya know, it was Terry Bradshaw

I also showed with the Upton girls (I am older than both and mainly showed with the older sister Laura) - DH showed too so when Kate Upton became a household name we were both like 'huh...that's weird'

[thebreakfastclub]

I realized my 30 year old coworker was driving a $100k Mercedes. Then I found out her dad was good friends with our company's billionaire CEO.

[DotAndBuzz]

When I found out her maiden name was that of a major department store. Because it is her family. And I realized that the big gaudy ring on her necklace was a world series ring, because she was part owner of that team. She's dating my friend's dad, who is a retired teacher, and you'd never have a clue about her wealth otherwise.

[toepick]

When my college roommate's mother called freshman year and when I took a message, told me to let her daughter know that "they were on the island." The island they own.

[peachdragon]

Our neighbors (friends of ours) across the street live in a house slightly smaller house than ours. I just assumed they were in the same financial boat as we are. However, last year they took several really nice vacations (including Hawaii and a week in Denver to ski and another week at a luxury camp style place - like in Dirty Dancing) bought a boat, and recently bought a new Yukon. They also send their kids to an expensive private school.

You go, neighbors! Good for you. Had no idea. I'm guessing they bought in our neighborhood before their jobs started paying them coin.

[Deleted]

The last name normally. Always coupled with just enough references to their family to be clear they're in that family.

My clients are all super rich, but i know their job titles going in and I know how much c level officers make at public companies, so there's never any confusion there.

And it's clear which of the senior partners are rich by their office size.

[muppetinma]

When I was about eight and had a friend asked me to go on a play date, to Costa Rica. Her family had a private plane and a vacation home there, so she got to bring a friend with her.

[cville]

When she flew home for break.






In her own plane.

[WOT?*]

One of my friends, who has a son in GD1's grade, lives in a gated community. It's out in the sticks rather than "rich waterfront burbs" and her kids go to public school in the 'burbs. Their old home was paid for when it caught fire. When they decided to rebuild they went "dream" and it's gorgeous. Turns out her husband worked for a company my husband represents, left and started the US branch of a very large international company. She drove a GMC Yukon (until her son got in an accident at Christmas) and wore regular clothes. He's pretty much the "owner" of the US division, however that works. She's a former RN and her husband was a former paramedic before he worked his way up into C-level status.

[Jermys]

Feb 14, 2014 18:58:39 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

When it finally dawned on me in college that my friend who had the same last name as one of our libraries was, in fact, a scion of that family.

In boarding school, one of my schoolmates had the same last name as a large sports arena, and when I found out he was from that city, I jokingly asked if he got free tickets, and he was like "Well it's named after my grandfather, but I don't get free tickets." He was a pretty regular guy for being that hugely wealthy.

[Deleted]

I didn't know my parents were loaded until one day my mom came home freaking out that she'd lost 20k. Then I knew.

I guess I could have put it together before that, second home, private school for my brother, but I hadn't because I didn't feel very well off at all, not compared to my classmates.

[brighton]

My work friend owns a vacation home.

[Deleted]

Feb 14, 2014 20:39:58 GMT -5 @awesometothemax said:

Feb 14, 2014 20:36:15 GMT -5 @imback said:

I didn't know my parents were loaded until one day my mom came home freaking out that she'd lost 20k. Then I knew.

I guess I could have put it together before that, second home, private school for my brother, but I hadn't.

How did she lose 20k?

I don't know. I just remember the freaking out. I was very, very surprised by the amount. With me she always cried poverty.

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 14, 2014 20:42:56 GMT -5 Que? said:

My Grandma. I found out how much she's worth on the news. Not sure if I'm in the will or not, I guess we'll see.

My twisted sense of humor has me telling H we should just off his parents when we have an unexpected bill pop up. I'm obviously kidding. He laughs and says at least we have them because there won't be cash when my parents go. Twist the knife, H. Twist the knife. LOL

[thinkofthesoldiers]

Feb 14, 2014 20:43:39 GMT -5 brighton said:

My work friend owns a vacation home.

Just one?

[lissaholly]

Feb 14, 2014 19:02:12 GMT -5 bonquiqui said:

Feb 14, 2014 18:55:37 GMT -5 lissaholly said:

On my third date with DH we want to a jimmy buffet concert! ( fun!). Driving in, there was a limo in front of us. I asked DH if he had ever been in a limo confessing the one time I had. He causally replied, "yeah i took a limo to kindergarten everyday." I felt a little awkward because I though we might have very different backgrounds.

We dated a solid month before I learned that a neighbor had a limo business and took over the carpool;).

This made me lol

DH has a great dry sense of humor.  While dating ( and sometimes still!). I will think he is the biggest jerk in the world until I realize he was joking.  It is like reading an email without a "". No tone!

[zoidberg]

I don't think I know any rich people IRL.