There are plenty of stories about the lavish spending of the rich and famous. Athletes, movie stars, and business moguls love to flash their designer clothes, sports cars, and yachts. But some of them, often the most successful, live incredibly basic lives, just like the rest of us do. Just not out of necessity. They have the cash to bathe in splendor and excess; they just choose not to.
There’s a recent discussion on Reddit, that started with a question from a now-deleted user that asked: “They say ‘Money talks but wealth whispers,’ what are the subtle signs of wealth?” and people who have identified them in real life are illustrating the differences between those who desperately want others to know they have money and those who are content with how well off they truly are.
#1
Ohh I can definitely answer this one! I used to do remodeling/carpentry in very wealthy town here in New Jersey. Depending on the job/task at hand I’d spend anywhere from 6 months to a year inside multimillion dollar homes, 8am-6pm, I’d pretty much be a witness to a lot of rich folks entire days. Not to mention I also was able to interact with these folks.
Here are things I noticed beside their beautiful homes & cars that hinted to me they are very well off:
Extremely intellectual conversations.
During my lunch breaks I’d always chat with clients & man when I tell you these people could dive DEEP into almost ANY subject. Especially the more finance/money/economic related topics. These people were all well versed and decently knowledgeable in many areas.
They never raise an eyebrow to any price.
I had one client be quoted $16,000 USD for an exquisite living room rug (including its installation), & with no hesitation he had the check written out within minutes. To this day that experience still numbs my mind.
They dressed like normal people.
I never caught any of these people wearing clothes covered in LV logos, or Gucci signs. If they werent dressed down in a suit for work, they wore solid color t shirts w/ khakis or jeans and running shoes. Though I did have one client who would often wear blazers over his t-shirts.
They traveled… A LOT.
Had one job where the client was traveling the world. Literally. His maid would allow me and the crew access to the home during the day and we would lock up on our way out. We kept contact and communicated job updates through facetime & pictures. Had another client where him and his wife literally would leave the country every week to give me and the guys “space to work”. Talk about F-U money.
Their kids, if they had any, were very well mannered and well spoken.
I’m talking as young as 6 years old. These kids would consistently greet me and the crew properly & be able to hold good conversations. And express no shyness or timid behavior, very well spoken kids. Sometimes it would be so odd to me that an 8 year old would be able to talk to us like a 30 year old.
They have a lot of books.
Every home I worked in there was a library somewhere within it.
I could list so many more but these are just some! If you made it this far thanks for reading!
Image source: Jeterea
#2
They spend money if it saves them time. Time is more valuable than money
Image source: tocksin
#3
I’ve heard it said, a wealthy person doesn’t need everyone in the room to know he is wealthy.
Image source: Appropriate_Chain388
#4
Not hoarding or keeping things. Once you know you have money to replace things, it’s much easier to let go of them. Minimalist decor aesthetics are very rooted in this idea.
Image source: kharmatika
#5
My former boss used to say “either you have money, or you talk about it”
Image source: VxRadiant
#6
They will never complain about the cost of something, but will nitpick the quality of work to death
Image source: weaselpoopcoffee
#7
When you ask them if they’re wealthy or not they always just say “I’m comfortable”
Image source: ExhaustedMD
#8
Wealth is the money you haven’t spent. When you spend money, the only thing it actually tells anyone is that you’re that much less wealthy. An outside observer doesn’t know if you spent that money on credit or with cash, just that you have that much less wealth.
Real wealth is having the freedom and ability to take the time to find what brings you joy. The number that provides that freedom is going to be different for everyone. The mindset of those who have made it to that point is unmistakable.
Image source: probabletrump
#9
Rich people (and wannabe rich) buy T Shirts with big bold letters of designer brands to broadcast they spent $500 for their shirt.
Wealthy people might buy the same brand shirt as the rich guy but it has no logos.
Image source: kukukele
#10
They have good, healthy food — always. Healthy, quality food costs a LOT of money
#11
Their skin. If you see someone with amazing skin and teeth chances are they can afford to take care of it. Atleast thats one subtle sign in the Philippines
Image source: Naki_23
#12
I’m on the Bogleheads forum, which is the best place anyone trying to find investing success should be on. Almost everyone over there is worth $5 mil or more yet drives a 12 year old used car because they know that frugality and avoiding debt and living beneath one’s means while always investing in index funds is the way to wealth.
Image source: peterinjapan
#13
Shoes. Really good shoes.
Image source: DTownForever
#14
It can often be the least obvious person in the room. Years ago I was in a small town near a larger agricultural city. The whole area is either wheat or wine grapes. I was in a tiny little brewery having a beer and there was 6 customers in the room including myself.
I was wearing a suit and tie, 2 young men about thirty are wearing what I’d call very nice business casual, a mid aged couple who drove up in a new Lexus and a older guy wearing muddy rubber boots, Carhart jacket and looked like any other of hundreds of farm hands one would see in the area taverns.
The man who owned the brewery was a client of mine came by, nodded at the old guy in the Carharts and said he was one of the richest men in the area but still worked along side his guys when was around. He left in a mid 90’s Ford pickup that didn’t have a straight panel on it, his usual daily driver.
In the area I’m from, that is a common story.
Image source: Nearly_Pointless
#15
They don’t brag about their money. Mostly because there are loads of people who are gold diggers and will expect them to pay for their stuff. Knew a millionaire who was sick and tired of being invited out to lunch but he was expected to pay the bill, long story short he lost a lot of friends when he refused.
Image source: Melchizedek_Warrior
#16
If you find yourself constantly asking “where’s <insert name of friend or family member>”, and the answer is always something like:
In Barbados
They went to Key West for the weekend
I think they went to see the grand canyon
Probably skiing in Colorado again
Yeah…they didnt say a word but you know they got money.
Image source: BaconReceptacle
#17
I live in a neighborhood where you can play “millionaire or homeless.” If you see someone on the streets that looks slovenly, even if they are stinky-drunk and on a bender, it’s a coin toss if they are a millionaire or homeless.
The tell-tale sign is the teeth. Always the teeth.
I played this game the other day at the park with my wife. I guessed that the haggard old lady was a millionaire based on the teeth. I almost had doubt here. She had sun damaged skin, stained and worn joggers and dirty distressed sneakers. My wife pointed out that the shoes are some fashionable brand I’ve never heard of and sell for over $1,000. They come distressed and dirty.
Image source: unskilledplay
#18
Not talking about it.
Image source: ecksit
#19
Not even asking to look at luxury items or asking the price, just wanting to buy.
My God Sister was friends with a princess, one day they went shopping while the princess was on the downlow and she had to buy presents for her friends. They went to a luxury store where she just pointed out the stuff she wanted and the staff looked at her and laughed, she tried to buy again and they told her she “may want to look in her price range” as soon as they found out who she was they basically all shat themselves
(no idk who she is, I remember I was told the name but I can’t remember her for the life of me and this was years ago)
Image source: Pr3ttynp3tty
#20
In a church setting, the person will use an envelope and discreetly place it in the dish. Other people will make a show of openly their wallets
Image source: Daxortrey
#21
I live in a city full of wealthy landowners, and let me tell, you, you’ll never see the rich folks flaunt their wealth, they always wear the simplest clothes, and wear only a watch ( a simple necklace if they’re women), but the moment you meet them, you know they’re rich without them having to show it to you.
Image source: shikikan6678282234
#22
I live in an area in the U.K. where everyone is wealthy. Landowners, financiers etc. Let me tell you, the richer they are the more busted their car is, they get it fixed but won’t buy a new one. Usually hoarders of some capacity, clothes are just kinda shabby and they have all the time in the world to pursue what actually interests them and that’s normally something niche that costs a bit to maintain the hobby. The more busted they look the richer they are usually.
Image source: Interesting-Cold8285
#23
The clothes they wear, doesn’t matter if it’s designer or thrift shop, everything fits them well and is clean. They can afford tailors, dry-cleaners, and stylists, and always look put-together.
Image source: Pentimento_NFT
#24
Quality of the food they eat or rather the amount of different types of food they have tried without seeing like a foodie
Image source: itshardlyrelevant
#25
Their shoes. Rich people may have designer shoes, but true wealthy people have shined, clean shoes.
Image source: Thirty_Helens_Agree
#26
Never buying furniture. You either inherit old and expensive pieces, or you hire a decorator to do it all for you.
Image source: ButtholeBanquets
#27
An expensive watch that isn’t a Rolex. Rolexes are how rich people, or not even rich but ‘had-a-good-year’ show off wealth to poor people. A truly wealthy person will have a Patek or AP Royal Oak or a Mueller, and not necessarily even a flashy one
Image source: LaurenRhymesWOrange
#28
Casually saying stuff like it’s not the amount you earn, it’s how minimise the amount you spend. Whilst spending above 500 quid (GBP) on drinks for everyone on a night out from work.
Image source: allw
#29
I semi-regularly get taken to fancy restaurants as a perk of my job. Just from my observations:
Wearing fancy clothes, getting ‘dressed up’ = not rich, has been taken somewhere expensive for work and/or can afford to be there for a special occasion (i.e. Me).
Wearing understated but very well-cut clothes, groomed hair and makeup = Rich. Nothing to prove, this is their everyday lifestyle.
Wearing shorts and flip flops, a t shirt and a bucket hat = Truely wealthy. They can wear whatever the the fuck they want, money talks!
I was in a London high end hotel restaurant a few weeks ago and several customers seemed to fit these patterns.
Image source: thesoulstillsings
#30
They have a Steinway concert grand piano in their spacious living room that is perfectly maintained and tuned, even though no one in the house plays it. It sits discreetly and subtly in a corner of the room, like just another piece of furniture to fill the vast space
Image source: Back2Bach
Follow Us
