Do you ever mention investing while at work?

[monalisa]

Those who are not into it, don't want to hear about it
Those who are, don't want to stop talking about it
And rarely will these two groups (of people) ever be found in close proximity of each other!

Let your instincts guide you; if you find that those around you (at work or at play) are comfortable in you talking about a particular topic, then knock yourself out. However if they appear disinterested or (even remotely) peeved by your ramblings then save it for those who will appreciate your words and are desirous of learning of your experiences. With property there are always forums and/or gatherings such as this site that help unite you with like-minded PI souls.

Wise words

 

[weg]

There are a few people with investment properties at my work which most people know about, but they don't talk about them at any great length, even with other investors.

There are others into hobby farms, salsa dancing, and even darts, and they don't talk about those things either, as not too many are interested.

Investment is no different to most other things. Unless you share an interest why would you bore another person?

Disclosing something is different to talking about it.

I'd say the thing that most people at my work have hated hearing (although it hasn't happened for a long while) is people talking about their children all the time.

There must be polite people out there, that 15 years on, still remember the middle names of not so young Johnny, Christopher, Jane and Chloe .

 

[moyjos]

There are a few people with investment properties at my work which most people know about, but they don't talk about them at any great length, even with other investors.

There are others into hobby farms, salsa dancing, and even darts, and they don't talk about those things either, as not too many are interested.

Investment is no different to most other things. Unless you share an interest why would you bore another person?

Disclosing something is different to talking about it.

I'd say the thing that most people at my work have hated hearing (although it hasn't happened for a long while) is people talking about their children all the time.

There must be polite people out there, that 15 years on, still remember the middle names of not so young Johnny, Christopher, Jane and Chloe .

Agree 10000000% When I was at work I didn't discuss much at all in depth. Polite "water cooler" conversation.

I soon worked out what to talk to who about.. eg: Jane could talk about business, Peter could talk about reno's and IP's, Bill could talk about footy etc.

 

[The Y-man]

In the "if they ask me" category, and respond to quesitons/queries.

Make sure you let them know you are up to your eyeballs in debt and barely meeting payements - or else you may end up shouting drinks (or lunch!) as you are "rich one with lot of houses".

The Y-man

 

[zed_kid]

Never. Don’t discuss it with colleagues or friends, why would you, for bragging rights? Maybe to bounce ideas off people, but I have family that have been in real estate all their lives so I bounce my ideas off them, or even SS forum, the anonymity of the internet makes it easy to avoid the evil eye.

One of the girls here at work just bought a house with her partner and she said to me something along the lines of geez it must be tough for you knowing that house prices are going up every month and not being on the ladder. I smiled and said yeah, it sucks to be me.

 

[wylie]

Never. Don’t discuss it with colleagues or friends, why would you, for bragging rights? Maybe to bounce ideas off people, but I have family that have been in real estate all their lives so I bounce my ideas off them, or even SS forum, the anonymity of the internet makes it easy to avoid the evil eye.

I have never worked with anybody who talked real estate for bragging, but I assume they are out there. While I was working there was one chap who was into IPs and we discussed things.

My hubby is not one to brag. He couldn't give much of a toss about what we own and really was dragged into investing by me.

But when you front up at work on a Monday with paint on your elbows and in your hair, and hands with cuts or limping when you fell off the ladder then people want to know what you have been up to. He knew who he could mention our weekend renos to without causing jealousy, and he kept it pretty quiet.

Family...... Hmmmmmm!! We don't tell them too much. My family was different and knew everything, but HIS family knows we kept his house when we married and rented it out, but nothing further and I like it that way. They are a strange mob (except one sibling) and have so many different agendas going on that we keep out of their business and don't let them into ours.

Family are way more jealous than workmates, in my experience.

 

[Nathan]

I use to find it amusing, you can talk about it and they get excited till they stop talking and realise they arent there and get jealous and start down talking to you.

I always think stuff it, do what feels right. If your onto something talk about it. In the early years people always talked it down, told me to buy 1 house, be happy, those houses for 200k will never go up. Years on those people come back and say, how can I do it, etc etc.. the ones I dont talk about it too are the ones who say, " you have heaps of houses, give me one", "Youre lucky" I actually delete them from my life for being dumb and agrovating my placid nature

 

[zed_kid]

I was genuinely asking why somebody would share their financial information with somebody at work. Anybody who is ahead of you will probably not care about that you just bought a 3x1 in Frankston, anybody who is bellow you will get jealous of your 3x1 in Frankston... its a lose / lose, unless you find someone who is on the same level as you and with the same mind set, which is pretty damn hard I reckon. Or if the people that are above / bellow you are good people and are willing to teach / listen, also hard to find these people IMO

 

[Corey Batt]

I don't talk property (except for the old bearish joke), but I do talk shares with one of my colleagues.

The colleague is also an avid share investor, with similar goals and investing approach, so other dinner etc we often bounce ideas off one another.

This has proved hugely successful, with twice the set of eyes and ears to find, research, disseminate and come to conclusions resulting in some excellent profits.

There are other colleagues however who get a little whiney about us doing this. I tell them as much as I loathe their discussions about VN commodores, the local footy and get 'slizzerd', I don't go other to them and have a whine.

 

[wylie]

I was genuinely asking why somebody would share their financial information with somebody at work.

Sharing your "financial" information is different IMO to sharing the fact that have an investment property (even if you have six, they just need to know you have one) which you have painted on the weekend (hence the paint in your hair on Monday morning and the bunged up knee from the fall off the ladder).

If hubby didn't have paint in his hair and a bung knee, nothing would be asked, and nothing would be said, except the few good friends who know what he gets up to when we are renovating. But people do get curious when they see something physical on Monday that they see wasn't there on Friday. Same as wanting to know how you broke your arm (playing football) or something else that is clearly visible and wasn't there on Friday when they last saw you.

He never discusses our "financial" information. Heck..... he doesn't really know our financial details. He leaves all that to me .

 

[Kaz111]

He never discusses our "financial" information. Heck..... he doesn't really know our financial details. He leaves all that to me .

Here here.

With hubby and I its the Brain (me) and the Brawn (him)

 

[mary&mat]

Nah, don't even try to discuss it anymore...not like when I first became completely absorbed with investing in property.

Too many naysayers, doom & gloomers & general negativity from people who can provide you with a million reasons why it's a risky, stupid idea.

Prefer to talk about it on here with more uplifting, positive SS'ers

 

[jaycee]

Nah, don't even try to discuss it anymore...not like when I first became completely absorbed with investing in property.

Too many naysayers, doom & gloomers & general negativity from people who can provide you with a million reasons why it's a risky, stupid idea.

Prefer to talk about it on here with more uplifting, positive SS'ers

this is true, but I wonder if it's more true about property investing than any other area of life that someone is trying to make an improvement in ?

 

[mary&mat]

I think perhaps it is jaycee.

For some reason, I see people who are trying to lose weight/give up smoking etc get more encouragement than when people talk of property investing.

As other have said it tends to invoke emotions of jealousy for some reason. Or that 'Gee, you're lucky'...this one makes me mad as it's sooo not luck. As we all know, it can be bloomin hard work & involve sacrifices others are not prepared to make.

 

[jaycee]

I think perhaps it is jaycee.

For some reason, I see people who are trying to lose weight/give up smoking etc get more encouragement than when people talk of property investing.

As other have said it tends to invoke emotions of jealousy for some reason. Or that 'Gee, you're lucky'...this one makes me mad as it's sooo not luck. As we all know, it can be bloomin hard work & involve sacrifices others are not prepared to make.

"For some reason "

That would suggest you can't understand why that is (?)

Surely you can stretch your mind and understand ppeople, of which you & I arand the rest of us investors are still part of and behave EXACTLY the same, wheter we like to admit it or not !!!

I ahve seen some very surprising immature behaviour form people who are succesful in one or more areas in life, when talking about aontehr aras which they have less itnerest in and less involvement... even property investors!!!!

I'm sure fitness fantaics talk about how everyone who isn' t a fitness fanatic is annoying to discuss fitness with cause of their pre conceived ideas and their laziness etc, just like we investors do.

I somehow really believe that at the end of the dya, investing is not that different to everytting else !

 

[Wunderbar]

Nah I don't discuss investing with rat-race participants. They don't get it - and tell me how 'risky' it is.

 

[jaycee]

Nah I don't discuss investing with rat-race participants. They don't get it - and tell me how 'risky' it is.

I am a rat race participatn, so I acan;t take the high & mighty road others have the option of... I'm nbearly 40 yrs old and too stupid to have doen anythingabout getting out of it - stupd stupid dumb bloody idiot of a man !

Perhaps that's why some people get shirty when the topic gets brought up, cause they know the what other person who brought up the conversation thinks of them (?) just asking.....

 

[Wunderbar]

haha well the ones I've talked to just have their PPOR and that's it....there's not much left to invest after paying for the kid's private school fees and the wife's burberry outfit

 

[Deltaberry]

Well I guess comparing investing to fitness is like comparing investing to taking drugs or graffiting...

eg "oh so boring to talk to these normal people, taking drugs is soooo funnn... wee I see aliens" or "bah I hate talking to these guys who don't appreciate my art, now let me spray paint your car"

There comes a point when you go to be sensible. Comparing fitness to investing is like that...

 

[jaycee]

Well I guess comparing investing to fitness is like comparing investing to taking drugs or graffiting...

eg "oh so boring to talk to these normal people, taking drugs is soooo funnn... wee I see aliens" or "bah I hate talking to these guys who don't appreciate my art, now let me spray paint your car"

There comes a point when you go to be sensible. Comparing fitness to investing is like that...

How the hell did I become an investor when I have do so much wrong, I mean, I don't even know how to be sensible.