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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Old money absolutely does talk about money, but they say they don't, because one isn't supposed to (but they do).

In mixed company, only in oblique ways. For example, you can discuss the stock market.

Yes and only among their family and tight social circle.

Old Money is quiet, refined and classic whereas New Money is loud, brash and flashy to gaudy.

[Anonymous]

PP and I happen to have family members who are Old Money. They live a quiet life. The couple each have what I’d call genteel careers. They have a gorgeous newer second home where they live most of the year and generously offer family to stay when they aren’t there. No social media of note. Not “joiners” so no country club, no charity fundraising circles. Intensely private by choice.

They take amazing vacations and travel often all around the world, but no vacation photos on instagram.

DC educated in private schools but nothing fancy or big name private/not one ever discussed on dcum.

[Anonymous]

Do OM people send thank you for your hospitality notes after a dinner party? What if it was catered by Popeyes? Oh, wait...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP and I happen to have family members who are Old Money. They live a quiet life. The couple each have what I’d call genteel careers. They have a gorgeous newer second home where they live most of the year and generously offer family to stay when they aren’t there. No social media of note. Not “joiners” so no country club, no charity fundraising circles. Intensely private by choice.

They take amazing vacations and travel often all around the world, but no vacation photos on instagram.

DC educated in private schools but nothing fancy or big name private/not one ever discussed on dcum.

Old money folks are required to raise money for charity. You have to sit on the board of something, and the whole point of that is fundraising. It's cultural. You have to do it. You can't "take amazing vacations and travel all around the world" while not raising money to help the less fortunate. It's not done. Even if you don't put "vacation photos on instagram."

You are either confused about the cultural status of your "family members" or they do charity work you are unaware of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do OM people send thank you for your hospitality notes after a dinner party? What if it was catered by Popeyes? Oh, wait...

No. You wouldn't send a thank you note for a dinner party, Popeye's chicken or no. You would say "Thank you" before leaving. And that would suffice. Sending a thank you note is redundant under such circumstances. You don't need to thank someone if you already did so. If circumstances were such that you never got the opportunity to thank them in person the night of the party -- it was a large party and they were in a conversation with others when you had to leave, or they fainted and had to be carted off to the hospital, or who knows what -- then you could send a note saying "I'm so sorry that I didn't get the chance to thank you for the lovely party last night. I wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the chicken -- my mother is from New Orleans and she always spoke about how wonderful Popeye's chicken is. It did not disappoint!" Or whatever.

But fifty years ago you might have sent a note to someone who hosted you as a guest, like you are from out of town and stayed with them. But that's because people mailed each other letters to keep in touch back then anyway given how expensive long distance phone calls were, and thanking them again for hosting you would be just an ancillary part of the note. You would have said "Thanks you so much for having us" in person before saying goodbye. You don't have to send a thank you note to repeat it. But if you regularly exchanged letters anyway, it would not be wrong to include "Thank you again for hosting us last month. We miss seeing your lovely cousin and drinking that raspberry lemonade." And might be weird not to. But no one sends letters anymore. So this just really doesn't apply.

[Anonymous]

Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

[Anonymous]

New everything and always talks about what they are spending money on next. Leases extremely expensive cars or cycles car purchases regularly. Never returns to the same travel location twice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

What else do they have to take pride in? They didn't make the money themselves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New everything and always talks about what they are spending money on next. Leases extremely expensive cars or cycles car purchases regularly. Never returns to the same travel location twice.

No one who knows anything at all about money would lease a car. Therefore no one with old money would do so. Only an idiot who fell into new money would do so; the folks who have new money because they are smart wouldn't lease a car. Plenty of people who don't really have money do it, though (they don't have the down payment to buy, and they like fancy cars thanks to poor taste). Ignorance is the market for expensive cars on leases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

Gardening is definitely an old money thing. My grandfather had four vegetable gardens. Four of them. That is so much work, lol. And apple, peach, pear and plum trees. A strawberry patch. Raspberries and blackberries. And even some grapes. My grandmother tended to flowers as well as the vegetables -- I can picture the zinnias and dahlias and peonies. No roses. Not sure why. And their house had an attached greenhouse that many of the plants were started in. Some fancy plants grew in there as well -- there was some night blooming thing? I don't know. All of the extremely wealthy ladies belonged to the "garden club."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

What else do they have to take pride in? They didn't make the money themselves.

Lol. You know nothing.

Old money folks aren't busy spending inherited wealth. They are busy growing it. Which takes knowledge and effort. They are also busy with charity work and creating foundations -- is that not something to "take pride in"?

[Anonymous]

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

Idk but Maryland is the old line state

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

What else do they have to take pride in? They didn't make the money themselves.

Lol. You know nothing.

Old money folks aren't busy spending inherited wealth. They are busy growing it. Which takes knowledge and effort. They are also busy with charity work and creating foundations -- is that not something to "take pride in"?

They have financial advisors for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Painted fingernails

+1

Not to mention gold teeth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Simplest answer: subtlety to the outside world.

The oldest money family I know — 5th Avenue penthouse, Hampton summer home, generations of New England boarding schools — might drive by in their 15 year old Jeep Grand Cherokee (but it’s immaculately clean inside), or go to an NYC restaurant in well-worn boat shoes and a generic polo shirt. The mom and dad might be flying first class to London but they walk out to the street to hail a cab themselves to get to the airport. They occasionally hire a gardener at their weekend home but take pride in potting plants and pruning roses themselves.

Whereas my real estate agent who came from nothing but now makes a killing isn’t caught dead walking around New York in anything less than “horse-bit” loafers and branded belts, and takes black cars everywhere. And he wouldn’t dream of getting his hands in the dirt. He actually doesn’t care what plants are in the garden, as long as they’re “nice.”

What else do they have to take pride in? They didn't make the money themselves.

Lol. You know nothing.

Old money folks aren't busy spending inherited wealth. They are busy growing it. Which takes knowledge and effort. They are also busy with charity work and creating foundations -- is that not something to "take pride in"?

They have financial advisors for this.

Sure.

Do you have someone who cleans your house? Do they clean it the way you would? Not even close, right? If you want something done right, you either have to do it yourself, or stay on top of the people who do it.

If you have a lot of wealth, to a certain extent you are directing the "financial advisors" ... not the other way around. And they aren't really "financial advisors" they are investment banker types, and often an actual member of the family. But whatever.