How rich are the Gilmores?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least 50 million in “those days” dollars. I assume Lorelei also had access to a family trust to buy her house and pay for her life. I doubt she had access to the trust before 18–having a kid may have given her access to some monies, though. Quite possibly the trustees are not her parents, which supports the whole estrangement storyline.

“Trust fund teen mom” would not have made much of a show, though, so the viewer gets to assume she was self made.

IMO Lorelei could have afforded the private school tuition but it wasn’t her value. (In fact there was probably a family educational trust to pay for educational expenses, so it wasn’t exactly Richard and Emily paying for it, either)

Think about it: only a trust fund kid could live Lorelei’s lifestyle of quaint bed and breakfast run by a high school dropout! And it explains Rory’s weird sense of entitlement and continual upward trend in life despite having no skills

I don't think she had a trust fund or at least not one she had access to without meeting certain conditions ie marriage or college etc.
At the start of the show I think Lorelei was supposed to be making an average 50 to 60 k salary maybe a little less. Chilton was modeled after old money schools like Choate that are easily 60 k in tuition a year no way was she affording that on her own without loans and scholarships

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least 50 million in “those days” dollars. I assume Lorelei also had access to a family trust to buy her house and pay for her life. I doubt she had access to the trust before 18–having a kid may have given her access to some monies, though. Quite possibly the trustees are not her parents, which supports the whole estrangement storyline.

“Trust fund teen mom” would not have made much of a show, though, so the viewer gets to assume she was self made.

IMO Lorelei could have afforded the private school tuition but it wasn’t her value. (In fact there was probably a family educational trust to pay for educational expenses, so it wasn’t exactly Richard and Emily paying for it, either)

Think about it: only a trust fund kid could live Lorelei’s lifestyle of quaint bed and breakfast run by a high school dropout! And it explains Rory’s weird sense of entitlement and continual upward trend in life despite having no skills

It is on Netflix. Go watch it and then come back to us. From the start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not that much.

+1. Maybe $10M tops.

More for naming rights to a building at Yale.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Think about it: only a trust fund kid could live Lorelei’s lifestyle of quaint bed and breakfast run by a high school dropout! And it explains Rory’s weird sense of entitlement and continual upward trend in life despite having no skills

She worked as a maid at the inn and lived with baby Rory in a shed in the backyard, probably for free, subsidized by the nice lady who owned the hotel. I'm sure she lived for many years rent free and most of her meals free at the inn. She saved up all her wages and put down a modest downpayment on her nice house.

She ate out all the time but just at the diner or a few other takeout places where everyone knew her, so of course they gave her discounts, and probably she and Rory got free food from Sooky at the inn all the time when she was manager.

Went to community college for her business classes - very low cost.

She and Sooky saved up to buy a decrepit building and then Luke if I recall correctly also helped with the downpayment (as a silent partner?) It needed tons of work to fix it up but didn't Luke provide a lot of that for free?

Yes, Luke fronted a lot of the money for the Dragonfly purchase and reno. Also, her house is suitable but not fancy. It’s only two BR right? One downstairs and hers upstairs? Living room and kitchen. Not a lot of extra space. Could’ve easily bought that for under $200k in 1996 or whenever we are supposed to think she bought it.

She has an old Jeep that she keeps forever and between her parents (paid for a Hilton, some of Yale, and all of the parties, social events of her growing up), Christopher (ends up paying for Yale and giving her money), and Luke (fronting thousands of meals at the very least), Rory’s education and other living expenses as a young adult are covered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At least 50 million in “those days” dollars. I assume Lorelei also had access to a family trust to buy her house and pay for her life. I doubt she had access to the trust before 18–having a kid may have given her access to some monies, though. Quite possibly the trustees are not her parents, which supports the whole estrangement storyline.

“Trust fund teen mom” would not have made much of a show, though, so the viewer gets to assume she was self made.

IMO Lorelei could have afforded the private school tuition but it wasn’t her value. (In fact there was probably a family educational trust to pay for educational expenses, so it wasn’t exactly Richard and Emily paying for it, either)

Think about it: only a trust fund kid could live Lorelei’s lifestyle of quaint bed and breakfast run by a high school dropout! And it explains Rory’s weird sense of entitlement and continual upward trend in life despite having no skills

I don't think she had a trust fund or at least not one she had access to without meeting certain conditions ie marriage or college etc.
At the start of the show I think Lorelei was supposed to be making an average 50 to 60 k salary maybe a little less. Chilton was modeled after old money schools like Choate that are easily 60 k in tuition a year no way was she affording that on her own without loans and scholarships

That seems right - though Lorelei def lives as if she has access to more money than that (or at least isn't saving anything). The constant eating out, constant shopping. That house is really nice - though she might have gotten a good deal on it.

[Anonymous]

Rory wasn’t a really a bad person—it’s just that the masses watch shows like this and get really jealous and don’t understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rory wasn’t a really a bad person—it’s just that the masses watch shows like this and get really jealous and don’t understand.

did you watch the follow up shows. rory turned ouut to be a disappointment

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Rory wasn’t a really a bad person—it’s just that the masses watch shows like this and get really jealous and don’t understand.

I think the problem with Rory is that we're constantly TOLD how amazing she is - a sort of once in a generation intellect and talent; everyone in Stars Hollow is obsessed with her, she was reading Heidegger at age 3 or something - but we don't actually see her acting that way. She's smart and a hard worker, but brilliant? Like we never see her pitch a great newspaper piece. We never really see her acting like she's brilliant.

Paris, yes - she's wild and weird and def brilliant. Even Jess seems to have some brilliance. Rory seems like a smart, hard working kid who'll probably do well in life if she keeps working that hard but isn't going to change the world.

Then she starts acting really bratty once she's at Yale - esp once she's with Logan. You can't really blame her - she's been so buttoned up for her whole life that of course she'd blow at some point. But she's not very sympathetic while she's doing it. And she's def dazzled by her grandparents' world - the DAR stuff and all that - while also seeming to think that she's better than all these things. She's also pretty self-centered a lot of the time.

And again - characters would be v boring if they were perfect. And you can't deny Rory needing a little crisis and rebellious stage.

It's the schism between what we're told she is - and how we're supposed to think of her - and what we actually see, that makes Rory a tough character to like sometimes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rory wasn’t a really a bad person—it’s just that the masses watch shows like this and get really jealous and don’t understand.

I think the problem with Rory is that we're constantly TOLD how amazing she is - a sort of once in a generation intellect and talent; everyone in Stars Hollow is obsessed with her, she was reading Heidegger at age 3 or something - but we don't actually see her acting that way. She's smart and a hard worker, but brilliant? Like we never see her pitch a great newspaper piece. We never really see her acting like she's brilliant.

Paris, yes - she's wild and weird and def brilliant. Even Jess seems to have some brilliance. Rory seems like a smart, hard working kid who'll probably do well in life if she keeps working that hard but isn't going to change the world.

Then she starts acting really bratty once she's at Yale - esp once she's with Logan. You can't really blame her - she's been so buttoned up for her whole life that of course she'd blow at some point. But she's not very sympathetic while she's doing it. And she's def dazzled by her grandparents' world - the DAR stuff and all that - while also seeming to think that she's better than all these things. She's also pretty self-centered a lot of the time.

And again - characters would be v boring if they were perfect. And you can't deny Rory needing a little crisis and rebellious stage.

It's the schism between what we're told she is - and how we're supposed to think of her - and what we actually see, that makes Rory a tough character to like sometimes.

I agree with this analysis and it's part of what I like about the show. Rory's character arc is very believable to me. Of course she would be entitled and self-centered, with the upbringing she had combined with having family money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What I really want to know is how rich Lorelai was. She’s 32 when we meet her, and owns a SFH in a “good” town in Connecticut (aka crazy property taxes). She’s lived there for at least 5 years, so since she was 27 or younger, while working at a bed and breakfast. She eats out multiple times per day.

Do they ever address whether Lorelai got child support from Christopher? I don't remember. I think we're supposed to think she just saved up from her job at the inn and bought the house. It's not impossible - she had free room and board at the inn, right? And she started working there at 17, so 10 years to save up for the down payment. It's a pretty small house and the town is not supposed to be fancy (although it is very nice and apparently an easy drive to Choate and West Hartford).

I mean, I think it's pretty unrealistic but in the show's universe it is at least possible

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What I really want to know is how rich Lorelai was. She’s 32 when we meet her, and owns a SFH in a “good” town in Connecticut (aka crazy property taxes). She’s lived there for at least 5 years, so since she was 27 or younger, while working at a bed and breakfast. She eats out multiple times per day.

Do they ever address whether Lorelai got child support from Christopher? I don't remember. I think we're supposed to think she just saved up from her job at the inn and bought the house. It's not impossible - she had free room and board at the inn, right? And she started working there at 17, so 10 years to save up for the down payment. It's a pretty small house and the town is not supposed to be fancy (although it is very nice and apparently an easy drive to Choate and West Hartford).

I mean, I think it's pretty unrealistic but in the show's universe it is at least possible

Yes, somewhat plausible in that area of CT in the 1990s assuming she was living rent free at the inn, and receiving some support from Christopher which I don’t believe was ever addressed but since there is no contentious relationship between him and lorelai, kind of just assume.

The Gilmores seem like old money. My guess is $50-$75mil net worth. Some of it from richards successful enterprises but much of it from inheritance and his or Emily’s own trust funds.

[Anonymous]

At least $50M

Folks with a net worth of $10M don't just buy buildings at Yale lol

Or spend money so freely the many ways they have over the years

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least $50M

Folks with a net worth of $10M don't just buy buildings at Yale lol

Or spend money so freely the many ways they have over the years

Definitely not 10 mil.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least $50M

Folks with a net worth of $10M don't just buy buildings at Yale lol

Or spend money so freely the many ways they have over the years

My ok but not great SLAC just renamed a building following a $50M donation. I'd assume Yale costs more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rory wasn’t a really a bad person—it’s just that the masses watch shows like this and get really jealous and don’t understand.

I think the problem with Rory is that we're constantly TOLD how amazing she is - a sort of once in a generation intellect and talent; everyone in Stars Hollow is obsessed with her, she was reading Heidegger at age 3 or something - but we don't actually see her acting that way. She's smart and a hard worker, but brilliant? Like we never see her pitch a great newspaper piece. We never really see her acting like she's brilliant.

Paris, yes - she's wild and weird and def brilliant. Even Jess seems to have some brilliance. Rory seems like a smart, hard working kid who'll probably do well in life if she keeps working that hard but isn't going to change the world.

Then she starts acting really bratty once she's at Yale - esp once she's with Logan. You can't really blame her - she's been so buttoned up for her whole life that of course she'd blow at some point. But she's not very sympathetic while she's doing it. And she's def dazzled by her grandparents' world - the DAR stuff and all that - while also seeming to think that she's better than all these things. She's also pretty self-centered a lot of the time.

And again - characters would be v boring if they were perfect. And you can't deny Rory needing a little crisis and rebellious stage.

It's the schism between what we're told she is - and how we're supposed to think of her - and what we actually see, that makes Rory a tough character to like sometimes.

I agree with this analysis and it's part of what I like about the show. Rory's character arc is very believable to me. Of course she would be entitled and self-centered, with the upbringing she had combined with having family money.

She had a pretty standard MC/UMC upbringing