What Are the Tell Tale Signs of 'New Money' People?

[Anonymous]

Old money races chariots.

New money races BMWs

[Anonymous]

They struggle with written communication, such as writing "tell tale" instead of "tell-tale."

[Anonymous]

Their benjamins are crisp with sharp edges fresh from their local reserve bank, instead of crumped and worn after being in the washer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Old money: you show up at their multimillion oceanfront compound and are greeted by who think is the maintenance worker- or better yet, the owner is riding his bulldozer to move some of his boulders imported from Montana. Because he took a 60-day heavy machinery training program.

There is some truth to this. Newly rich people have an attitude that doing anything themselves is for the poors, often because they, their parents, or grandparents were poor laborers and now that they have money they think they should hire labor. But people who have never experienced not having money still have an assortment of helpers in their Rolodex for all sorts of tasks, including operating heavy machinery on their land. It doesn’t mean they’re always called upon, but they are hired.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up generic umc but went to waspy sleepaway camp with some old money in New England. I feel like their heyday was in the 80s and the culture started dying out closer to the new millennium. I always associated old money with old Volvos, llbean/old clothes, alcohol, cheap food when hosting, clambakes in summer at the Martha’s Vineyard house, extreme non showiness, decorum, tasteful $$ old houses, family compound summer houses in Maine / Nantucket / mv, liberal arts degrees (college is not vocational school),prep school, men not showing their toes (ie boat shoes instead of flip flops). I’m not sure though to what extent this culture even exists anymore

You just haven’t been around these folks since camp—nothing is dying out.

Agreed. I’m new money but seriously this is still Nantucket today. Not the tourist areas.The only thing appealing to me is connections and the same summer memories - seems cute. Everything is else is bland. I rather just enjoy myself than adhere to silly rules.

[Anonymous]

Driving an Escalade.

I judge so hard with that.

[Anonymous]

Asking / debating this topic on DCUM is new money..

Myself included — both DH and my families had generational wealth 3 generations back but it was lost (political revolution for my family, alcoholism for DH’s family). We’re now proudly “new money” from our careers and doubt I would be on DCUM otherwise…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well no hope for me. My nails are purple and I had pasta salad for dinner. 😟

No no, new money hates pasta salad because it might give them away as former LMC. Old money doesn’t care if someone eats pasta salad.

What if you just don’t like f’ing pasta salad? What does that make you?

Well do you just not like it, or do you also need to act like it’s vulgar and trashy, and constantly post on DCUM asking if things are classy or not? The insecurity about not seeming low class is what gives it away.

[Anonymous]

I’m curious where the posters using the term “old line” are from. I’m from Richmond and I’ve never heard it before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our money is new money because we earned it and didn’t inherit it. But our values about money really come from our MC upbringing. We can afford any high end car but I drive a Subaru Forester because it’s reliable, practical and can carry all the junk I tend to gather. I’m sure we’d be classified as ultra high net worth but I doubt most people would know it.

What's your NW?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well no hope for me. My nails are purple and I had pasta salad for dinner. 😟

No no, new money hates pasta salad because it might give them away as former LMC. Old money doesn’t care if someone eats pasta salad.

What if you just don’t like f’ing pasta salad? What does that make you?

Well do you just not like it, or do you also need to act like it’s vulgar and trashy, and constantly post on DCUM asking if things are classy or not? The insecurity about not seeming low class is what gives it away.

The reputation for pasta salad isn’t “low class” so I don’t know why hating it would somehow be putting on airs.

It’s sold at the deli counter of grocery stores to the masses, by poor and WASPy grandmas alike, and as a side at hard to access country clubs and yacht clubs.

The problem with pasta salad isn’t what social class it’s associated with - it’s what it’s disgusting.

[Anonymous]

Pasta salad is bad, but the real problem is that without primogeniture, you’re going to need descendants to regularly marry or make new fortunes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Driving an Escalade.

I judge so hard with that.

Driving any newer, fully loaded large SUV is so new money it's not even funny.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can we just have a new forum called “class” for these questions sothey don’t clutter up the financial advice forum?

Agree! Better title would be “Class Warfare”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:New everything: new house with new cars and lots of showy new toys like a pool, a custom installed playground and or sport court for the kids, hosting lots of big parties for every occasion. Vacationing in “prestige” locations to see and be seen. Joins country club. Loves to participate in fundraisers and auctions but never as an anonymous donor. Joins the right church, gets DC in right sports, right schools always with social engineering a priority.

Also: new - friends. Their best friends are their new neighbors/country club members/maybe new church friends but few if any childhood friends and typically family is on periphery kept hidden so as to keep appearances and mystery alive.

You’re never entirely certain how this family gained all of this wealth and that’s part of the mystique. Maybe he’s some sort of wealth manager and maybe she does really well in sales but no one knows for sure. You’re not to ask.

This is an oddly specific post.

I find this spot on, and very Nova and to a lesser extent, some in Bethesda. I fact, I think that’s why there is so much Bethesda hate on this board- it’s very old money and annoying; and NOVA is very new money and annoying.

Both are annoying. I guess I’m in camp old money since I live in Bethesda, but sometimes I look over at Loudoun and that looks fun too. But then my colleagues that live there tell me it’s NOT the best and too much keeping up with the Joneses.

With Old Money, you ARE the Joneses.