Exhausting To Pretend I’m Poor

[Anonymous]

I'm a regular old GS-14 fed and haven't had a car note in 10 years. I dress very nicely, and my only debt is my mortgage. Your story is not that unique. It wouldn't occur to me that my coworkers would care or that struggling financially is the only way to bond with people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting really tired of hiding my financial situation at work to avoid making people uncomfortable. It’s perfectly fine for people to talk about how bad their finances are, but people definitely hold it against you if you are doing well. I don’t have a car payments, bought them with cash. No debt other than mortgage and my parents and in-laws regularly give us money. It’s really annoying to pretend like I have a car payment and credit card debt, and struggling to pay my mortgage. Does anyone else have any tips on how I can be more convincing at pretending like I am struggling financially?

I’m actually pretty surprised by the poster. In my mind, a lot of people in the DC area, aka DMV, are financially comfortable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting really tired of hiding my financial situation at work to avoid making people uncomfortable. It’s perfectly fine for people to talk about how bad their finances are, but people definitely hold it against you if you are doing well. I don’t have a car payments, bought them with cash. No debt other than mortgage and my parents and in-laws regularly give us money. It’s really annoying to pretend like I have a car payment and credit card debt, and struggling to pay my mortgage. Does anyone else have any tips on how I can be more convincing at pretending like I am struggling financially?

OMG, you are an insufferable nouveau riche prick.

[Anonymous]

Well bred people do not discuss or disclose their financial being.

[Anonymous]

OP - it’s probably more exhausting to actually be poor. Maybe you could try that out and report back?

[Anonymous]

It’s no one’s business. I don’t share any of this info with people. You are sharing too much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never worked anywhere where my coworkers and I regularly discuss our personal finances. Why does this keep coming up? Just don't participate in this.

Because it probably never happened. This sounds fake.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well bred people do not discuss or disclose their financial being.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never been in this situation. No one at work has ever asked me about a car payment. If they did I would say my cars are paid off (and also they are older). If someone complains about their car payment I would just listen. Why do you feel like you need to pretend to be in the same situation? You can be sympathetic without lying.

NP - I have a coworker who drives and seems to really enjoy their electric car, so as a conversation starter I mentioned it to them when we got one recently. First they asked what kind it was, and the very next question was whether we leased it. For a moment I wondered if there was some kind of pro-electric car lease rebate or something we missed out on. But anyway, it happens! I have another coworker who constantly seems to be apologizing for the house they live in because their mortgage interest rate is one of the super-low ones they locked in during the pandemic. Seriously, don’t care! Know nothing about their home, sure it’s great! But they are constantly bringing it up. I get the sense they feel like they are outgrowing it.

There is in that everyone gets the $7500 tax credit on a lease, regardless of your income. If you buy, only those that earn below a certain level get the $7500 rebate.

This is why many electric cars have very low monthly lease payments.

Only a couple of models qualify for that and unfortunately most of them are made by America’s First Nazi.

[Anonymous]

You sound pretentious OP. I have a paid off house, put my kids through private college, and aside from a car loan that will be paid off in twelve months have zero debt. We also have millions saved for retirement. But I can still relate to those who are scrimping and saving because even though we are well off we have noticed inflation just like everyone else and have changed spending habits etc. Also I remember what it was like to be 34 with a young child paying daycare! You probably wouldn't know how much I had if you worked with me just by looking at me I don’t dress fancy and the workplace is fairly casual, so no you aren’t unique, there are next door millionaires everywhere. Get over yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m getting really tired of hiding my financial situation at work to avoid making people uncomfortable. It’s perfectly fine for people to talk about how bad their finances are, but people definitely hold it against you if you are doing well. I don’t have a car payments, bought them with cash. No debt other than mortgage and my parents and in-laws regularly give us money. It’s really annoying to pretend like I have a car payment and credit card debt, and struggling to pay my mortgage. Does anyone else have any tips on how I can be more convincing at pretending like I am struggling financially?

I’m actually pretty surprised by the poster. In my mind, a lot of people in the DC area, aka DMV, are financially comfortable.

You’re absurd. No one cares and you don’t know anyone else’s situation. I have a normal, not high paying, mission focused job. In my private life, my family flies private- it’s really really not that hard to keep your mouth shut.

[Anonymous]

Op writes like a 16yo troll. Idiotic

[Anonymous]

I find it exhausting to actually be poor. I’d gladly switch places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Never been in this situation. No one at work has ever asked me about a car payment. If they did I would say my cars are paid off (and also they are older). If someone complains about their car payment I would just listen. Why do you feel like you need to pretend to be in the same situation? You can be sympathetic without lying.

NP - I have a coworker who drives and seems to really enjoy their electric car, so as a conversation starter I mentioned it to them when we got one recently. First they asked what kind it was, and the very next question was whether we leased it. For a moment I wondered if there was some kind of pro-electric car lease rebate or something we missed out on. But anyway, it happens! I have another coworker who constantly seems to be apologizing for the house they live in because their mortgage interest rate is one of the super-low ones they locked in during the pandemic. Seriously, don’t care! Know nothing about their home, sure it’s great! But they are constantly bringing it up. I get the sense they feel like they are outgrowing it.

There is in that everyone gets the $7500 tax credit on a lease, regardless of your income. If you buy, only those that earn below a certain level get the $7500 rebate.

This is why many electric cars have very low monthly lease payments.

Only a couple of models qualify for that and unfortunately most of them are made by America’s First Nazi.

Not true…and the Teslas have sold too many so none qualify.

Nearly every other model gets the $7500 credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't have debt besides mortgage and make enough to be comfortable and travel multiple times a year. I have never pretended that finances are rough. I just don't talk about it or brag. I don't understand the need to pretend.

+1 but we have paid off our mortgage.

How often does this come up? When someone complains about money, I just sympathize.