Things rich people dont know

[Anonymous]

I think that one thing that many "rich" people don't know about being poor is how hard it can be to do some basic things. For most financially stable people, it is pretty easy to make a payment on the phone bill or the electric bill because the financially stable people can use a credit card over the phone if they discover that the bill is overdue and they are about to be shut off. But a poor person usually doesn't have that option -- either the poor person doesn't have a credit card or the limit is so low that the credit card basically is unusable or the credit has been maxed out because the limit is so low.

The first time I ever realized any of this was about 25 years ago when my secretary needed to take a half day off of work. It came as a huge surprise because we were very busy that day preparing for a big presentation. But she was adamant to the point of tears from embarrassment and stress when I asked her if she could take the half day on the following day after the big meeting was over. It all came out that she needed to go get a money order and then take 2 busses to get to the water company offices so that the water wasn't turned off at her home where she lived with her son. She was paid a very good competitive salary and it isn't like she was a spend-thrift or frivolous or anything like that but she did live close to the wire because of her circumstances of supporting herself and her son on only her salary. (And, yes, of course, if you're wondering, I did give her the half day off as well as let her borrow my car so she could save a couple of hours and the hassle while getting her water bill paid.) But the experience was a huge eye-opener to me.

These days I volunteer with an organization at my church that helps people with emergency financial assistance. Even though it is 25 years later after my first experience, I am still stunned by how little access that members of the "working poor" and just plain poor people have to resources like credit cards or checking accounts or things that can be such simple time savers.

[Anonymous]

Not having a fixed address/proof of residency/money to get a new license/ID when yours expires.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rich people don't know that meritocracy is a myth.

I know a lot of very smart, very hardworking young people who will never achieve as much as they deserve to, and many wealthy and entitled young people who will be given jobs just for breathing and occupying space.

This times one million!

Rich people have zero idea how easy they have it in most aspects of life.

True true true

If you are not rich, how do you know their lives are easy? If you are rich, how do you know that you aren't romanticizing the poor?

Because, genius, I was poor and now I'm not. But I remember where I came from and what powdered milk tastes like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a highschool teacher and this week we had some career volunteers/ life couches come and talk to the kids. One guy made his speech about being a first generation college grad and did a list of "things poor kids dont know but need to." My kids liked it and there has been a lot of chit chat about it this week. I decided to reverse the topic and ask them what they think might be some things rich people dont know and these are some kid bits of that convo...

1.) flatbread is really just pizza. "I was so confused about that word but every time its literally just been pizza."
2.) its awkward/embarrassing when you associate having a license to having a car. "Me turning 16 means nothing, Im poor"
3.) We dont grieve not having a father. We dont know another family structure. "Thats like crying because I dont have a brother, when Ive never had a brother. No one does that."
4.) One kid thought it was odd that the people who have the most clothes usually have washer and dryers at their house so in reality they need the least clothes. "If i didnt need quarters to wash I would only need like 3 shirts"

How time-sucking being poor is. Waiting for the bus. Having to take clothes to the laundromat instead of being able to throw them into a machine downstairs while you do something else. Walking because you don't have the money. Not ever being able to afford the "right" tool, container, anything so every job takes twice as long and is never done quite right. The bureaucracy. I could go on...

To add onto my initial post. Being poor is expensive. When you have no or poor credit everything costs more. If you bounce it costs a fee. If you rent because you can't buy it's costs tons more. It is way more expensive to wash clothes at the laundromat than at home (in a non-rural environment - h/t to the rural poster that was eye opening even for me). Late fees are expensive. Money orders are more expensive than checks. Cabs because you have no car are expensive. Getting groceries because you have no car is expensive. Working instead of school is opportunity cost expensive. I could go on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Rich people don't know that meritocracy is a myth.

I know a lot of very smart, very hardworking young people who will never achieve as much as they deserve to, and many wealthy and entitled young people who will be given jobs just for breathing and occupying space.

This times one million!

Rich people have zero idea how easy they have it in most aspects of life.

You just described white privilege too.

Same thing I just said. If you have not been white, how do you know how hard their life is? If you are not white, how do you know that the problems you have experienced in your life are due to your skin color?

Because, you complete jagoff, I have ridden in a car while a very dark-skinned person was driving. Got pulled over and harassed in a way I never have when my pale ass was driving.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a phlebotomist is.

Huh? This one I don't get. Plenty of people go to a phlebotomist, regardless of income.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What it means to truly not have enough food and go hungry. There were many nights I went to bed with my stomach growling when I was a kid.

To never enjoy a present from your mom because you know how much she had to sacrifice to get you that toy or a new coat.

Your parents didn't parent properly free food is everywhere

Why do you assume I grew up in the US?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What a phlebotomist is.

Huh? This one I don't get. Plenty of people go to a phlebotomist, regardless of income.

It's from another post where someone didn't know.

[Anonymous]

That expensive face creams aren’t necessary and don’t work.

[Anonymous]

What it means to have grit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Emergency fund? Bitch this is the emergency!

Exactly. There is a random internet stranger sending you good thoughts. Been there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a highschool teacher and this week we had some career volunteers/ life couches come and talk to the kids. One guy made his speech about being a first generation college grad and did a list of "things poor kids dont know but need to." My kids liked it and there has been a lot of chit chat about it this week. I decided to reverse the topic and ask them what they think might be some things rich people dont know and these are some kid bits of that convo...

1.) flatbread is really just pizza. "I was so confused about that word but every time its literally just been pizza."
2.) its awkward/embarrassing when you associate having a license to having a car. "Me turning 16 means nothing, Im poor"
3.) We dont grieve not having a father. We dont know another family structure. "Thats like crying because I dont have a brother, when Ive never had a brother. No one does that."
4.) One kid thought it was odd that the people who have the most clothes usually have washer and dryers at their house so in reality they need the least clothes. "If i didnt need quarters to wash I would only need like 3 shirts"

I am going to assume that these kids are urban, right? In poorer rural areas, my experience has been:

1) WTF is flatbread anyway? we've never even had the chance to TRY it or even SEE it on a menu because it's not sold at any restaurant or store around here.
2) You learn to drive early (without a license on dirt roads) because you literally need it to go anywhere and if there's an emergency, families need a backup driver. You might not have a car, or a license, but you sure as hell can handle the basics of driving (though not city driving).
3) Grieving is pretty common because a lot of families know what it's like to have one, but lost their father due to poor health, drugs, etc.
4) Most people have washer-dryers but need clothing because the water and electricity are expensive and you can't afford to run the washer-dryer that frequently!

This.

I started driving a tractor at age 6. I drove a 34' trailer on my 16th birthday. I drove a loaded trailer to florida and back by myself when I was 17.

things my rich DH didn't know: that you cut the rotten parts out of food and eat it anyway. How do to...everything. How to change a tire and plant a garden. How to can and preserve food you grew yourself. Which wild plants you can eat and which are poisonous. How to hot wire a vehicle. That you should keep jumper cables in the car and know how to use them. A thousand other things.

Will your kids know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

To never enjoy a present from your mom because you know how much she had to sacrifice to get you that ...

That hit home. And I can’t say I grew up poor.

[Anonymous]

How much a loaf of bread costs (from another DCUM thread)

That poor people don't see dentists or doctors regularly. They end up just getting teeth pulled vs getting dental work.

That violence at home happens all the time. There are exceptions of course, not all affluent homes are peaceful/non-violent. But I grew up MC/UMC with a poor nanny and remember being shocked at her stories of violence perpetrated mostly by her father but also by her mother, uncles, brothers, etc. For her it was normal.

[Anonymous]

The feeling of really having to pee, but someone else is locked in the one bathroom in the house.