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

[Anonymous]

I have an old money friend. Her grand and great parents are wealthy landowners in Pakistan. Her father is a retired Ambassador. They live in a large farmhouse back home. But she is so thrifty and frugal. She wears clothes from target and TJ max and wears a cloth tote. All of their family wealth is tied in their land and real estate investments. She isn’t flush with cash but grew up in beautiful homes around the world and has a posh education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

This is such a sad and disrespectful post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

Haha I turn over plates all the time in restaurants if I think they’re handmade or something close, because I’m a potter and I’m curious. Worse, if they have food on them I lift them up and look!

I do that sometimes too, out of curiosity if I think I recognize the pattern, or sometimes bc I want to buy it myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire United States is new money. It’s by definition. This country was buffaloes and Indians before the White man came. It’s all new money and anybody that appears wealthy is just 1 or 2 generations from wrangling cattle and planting corn

It’s all relative. I think if it’s more than 1-2 generations, it’s “old money.” To me, the Rockefellers are old money. Same with the Carnegies, Astors, and Gettys. I would never call this new money.

Yes, I would agree. Once the family maintains their wealth for 3 generations they become old money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire United States is new money. It’s by definition. This country was buffaloes and Indians before the White man came. It’s all new money and anybody that appears wealthy is just 1 or 2 generations from wrangling cattle and planting corn

It’s all relative. I think if it’s more than 1-2 generations, it’s “old money.” To me, the Rockefellers are old money. Same with the Carnegies, Astors, and Gettys. I would never call this new money.

Yes, I would agree. Once the family maintains their wealth for 3 generations they become old money.

One line is almost bound to maintain it. Now that investments are more stable (it would be really hard to lose a fortune now, but it was common in the 19th century though the 20s and 30s), I would assume that any family crossing a certain threshold will be able to maintain it in perpetuity through most of their lines

[Anonymous]

Using the word tacky or trashy. Huge tell that you didn't come from money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire United States is new money. It’s by definition. This country was buffaloes and Indians before the White man came. It’s all new money and anybody that appears wealthy is just 1 or 2 generations from wrangling cattle and planting corn

It’s all relative. I think if it’s more than 1-2 generations, it’s “old money.” To me, the Rockefellers are old money. Same with the Carnegies, Astors, and Gettys. I would never call this new money.

Yes, I would agree. Once the family maintains their wealth for 3 generations they become old money.

One line is almost bound to maintain it. Now that investments are more stable (it would be really hard to lose a fortune now, but it was common in the 19th century though the 20s and 30s), I would assume that any family crossing a certain threshold will be able to maintain it in perpetuity through most of their lines

Funny I feel the opposite. Like we're all just a war away from losing it all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Using the word tacky or trashy. Huge tell that you didn't come from money.

What is the old money appropriate way of indicating something is tacky?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

To speak about one's parents like this is very low class, whether or not you have money

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

To speak about one's parents like this is very low class, whether or not you have money

I disagree - on an anonymous message board. It may be a little crass. However, I think having the social know how to recognize when her mom does something and how it turns the air in the room by the host shows her EQ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

To speak about one's parents like this is very low class, whether or not you have money

I disagree - on an anonymous message board. It may be a little crass. However, I think having the social know how to recognize when her mom does something and how it turns the air in the room by the host shows her EQ.

True class is how you chose to act when people aren't watching

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

To speak about one's parents like this is very low class, whether or not you have money

I disagree - on an anonymous message board. It may be a little crass. However, I think having the social know how to recognize when her mom does something and how it turns the air in the room by the host shows her EQ.

True class is how you chose to act when people aren't watching

And here you are lecturing people when the actual point of etiquette is about making people comfortable. 🤷‍♀️

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Using the word tacky or trashy. Huge tell that you didn't come from money.

What is the old money appropriate way of indicating something is tacky?

“I’m not familiar with ____”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My cousin married into some serious new money. At the baby shower her MIL led my aunt and mother into the bedroom to show off her jewelry collection, hand woven rugs, silk clothing and listed the price of every item. My mom was suitably impressed and envious.

This is so tacky.

+1

My mom married my old money father and still does cringey things like this. We went to a dinner party and I remember my mom turning over a bread plate to check the make and commented in it. She will never learn how that makes people feel. At least she was pretty.... dad was a total nerd.

Haha I turn over plates all the time in restaurants if I think they’re handmade or something close, because I’m a potter and I’m curious. Worse, if they have food on them I lift them up and look!

I do that sometimes too, out of curiosity if I think I recognize the pattern, or sometimes bc I want to buy it myself.

Another china lover. Didn’t realize I was new money!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The entire United States is new money. It’s by definition. This country was buffaloes and Indians before the White man came. It’s all new money and anybody that appears wealthy is just 1 or 2 generations from wrangling cattle and planting corn

It’s all relative. I think if it’s more than 1-2 generations, it’s “old money.” To me, the Rockefellers are old money. Same with the Carnegies, Astors, and Gettys. I would never call this new money.

Yes, I would agree. Once the family maintains their wealth for 3 generations they become old money.

One line is almost bound to maintain it. Now that investments are more stable (it would be really hard to lose a fortune now, but it was common in the 19th century though the 20s and 30s), I would assume that any family crossing a certain threshold will be able to maintain it in perpetuity through most of their lines

Funny I feel the opposite. Like we're all just a war away from losing it all.

I agree. I sometimes wonder if all that we enjoy today will be "stories of old" told by our kids/next generation about how people used to live so luxuriously....while they forage for food or try to stay alive in some occupied area of our (former) country