keeping "down" with the jones'

[shuggy]

why aspire to ignore beauty? The Lamborghini is incredible.

Yes they're incredible cars but if i was going to spend $250-300k on a car i think i'd get something different from what all the other rich toffs get (yawn, look there goes another red Lambo / Ferrari) and fork out for the new McLaren P11..

on topic, i also think downgrading is in vogue and people are trying to show others that they can tighten their belts and cut back on indulgences ..... but maybe some are doing it more out of empathy than need.

caught-mclaren-p11-spotted-during-testing

 

[jaycee]

I don't agree at all. My favorite artist is monet. I can't afford to buy a Monet but the ones of his that I like are purely for their beauty, just because they cost millions neither enhances or decreases my perception of their beauty. I used to think that "waterlilies " was my favorite until I saw it in the flesh now I have a completely different one, because it is (to me) more beautiful. No idea what it would cost and it's probably not for sale anyway.

And I think lambo are beautiful too, much nicer than ferari, but my favorite would be an Etypr Jag from the 60s, love that body shape. Nothing to do with power, fear or snobbishness. (Datsun 260z is similar in body shape to etype but has a shorter bonnet and half the cylinders)

I think we (most people I guess I mean) can be guilty of buying things not for the true reason, but becuse we're told tht it is the right one to buy to point... who buys perfume or fterhsve knowign thata the near $100 is buying them proper perfumes, mde from rich oils etc etc... bs.... we buy armani / burberry / d&G cause they're the ones in the shops that aren't cheap ones, they're the ones internationally eveywhere the same, so they must be the best.... who has time to work out everything ? do people buy them when they don't need to buyt them and may be better served by something more suitable and less costly at the same time ? probably....of course we're influenced, look at kids and how they get effected. they're not another species to us, we all do this.

same with cars to a point too, I dont have th time nor inclination to learn about them & the subtle differences between all sorts of models & makes I cant afford. I get a passing interest when I see one though, they stand out, you know thye cost a packet, so suspect someone put insome sort of effort & got it to pay off.. and they actually are pretty decent engineered cars from what I understand (not much). When I did see one take off in the lane next to me on a freeway on ramp you could see what he fuss was about. When this black lamborghini chnged down a gear & put hi foot down you herd a roar that ws different, and it just moved real quick as soon s you heard the engine change... that was impressive.. (the guy then cruised down the freeway at a normal speed, he just put his foot down for a tiny bit).

 

[Piston Broke]

on topic, i also think downgrading is in vogue and people are trying to show others that they can tighten their belts and cut back on indulgences ..... but maybe some are doing it more out of empathy than need.

Who need to show anyone else anything?
And who's bizness is it anyway, other than their own?
And why should anyone else care?
I have much more important issues to deal with that "others" are doing, like make sure there's chlorine in the pool for the next sunny day, and wash my hair.

 

[sue78]

the joneses is a fake phenomenon coz most of the time the joneses is in debt over their heads anyway. pffftt

it's ridiculous not having clothesline...I don't know anybody that doesn't have one in Brissy.

I also know loads of millionaires who live a humble life, family owns 1 car, etc

 

[jaycee]

the joneses is a fake phenomenon coz most of the time the joneses is in debt over their heads anyway. pffftt

Yeah we know, which is why it's strange that it actully happens. Not that we're ever guilty of it, hate to suggest that

 

[rugrat]

the joneses is a fake phenomenon coz most of the time the joneses is in debt over their heads anyway. pffftt

it's ridiculous not having clothesline...I don't know anybody that doesn't have one in Brissy.

I also know loads of millionaires who live a humble life, family owns 1 car, etc

We could easily go without a clothesline out the back. The weather is often to wet and cold to hang it up here. So often things just get hung up in the living room on clothes horses and dining room chairs.

I think part of 'playing down the wealth' is because it is not socially acceptable at the moment to openly display the wealth, with so many 'battlers' doing it tough.

Personally, I think if you have money, stuff what everyone else thinks and enjoy it. Nothing wrong with spending rediculous amounts of money on whatever takes your fancy, provided you can actually afford to spend the money. Then again, i come from the snob capital

And in regards to suits, it isn't always about having the name. My DH buys the ones that fit and look best - those happen to be from Oxford. The cheap suuits look cheap and nasty and don't fit properly, and the really expensive ones (say Hugo Boss) don't fit his build and would need huge amounts of tailoring to make them look good. Nothing wrong with wanting to look good

 

[evand]

I cant believe the P11 is about $250k! That is so cheap. A decent Lambo or Ferrari is $400k+.

Yes they're incredible cars but if i was going to spend $250-300k on a car i think i'd get something different from what all the other rich toffs get (yawn, look there goes another red Lambo / Ferrari) and fork out for the new McLaren P11..

on topic, i also think downgrading is in vogue and people are trying to show others that they can tighten their belts and cut back on indulgences ..... but maybe some are doing it more out of empathy than need.

caught-mclaren-p11-spotted-during-testing

 

[aussierogue]

Hi Joanmc

The point is you arent gonna buy a Monet are you? If you did your family would think your were a posing wa...ker because the cost far outweighs your means (like many a luxury car driver who is upto their ears in debt). Plus its an appreciating asset. And btw have you ever been to an art auction - I have - lots of snobs there!

Beauty is in the ey of the beholder.

BTW - Whenever I see a man under the age of 40 driving a Porche, Lambo, Merc etc rather than being envious my initial thought is a no money drug dealling 'gangster'! (or a realestate agent with the car on lease)

Admt it you think the same thing

Cheers Aussie (from a long line of gangsters)

 

[aussierogue]

jaycee - quite correct. Im not sure why I am ranting about this stuff - I think I want someone out there to come up with a valid reason for conspicous consumption - c/mon anyone I dare you.....gimme somthing insightful.

If the reason is valid then I will go out tomorrow and buy a ferrari!

 

[topcropper]

caught-mclaren-p11-spotted-during-testing[/URL]

Hell, that's one nice looking ute.

Bit low hanging though? Could chock it up a bit suppose? Is there a 4 wheel drive version? And no where to put a bull bar, or very hard at least to mount?


See ya's.

 

[jaycee]

jaycee - quite correct. Im not sure why I am ranting about this stuff - I think I want someone out there to come up with a valid reason for conspicous consumption - c/mon anyone I dare you.....gimme somthing insightful.

If the reason is valid then I will go out tomorrow and buy a ferrari![/QU

just buy the ferrari already, you dont need justification !

 

[aussierogue]

Ok Jaycee - done! Just after I sell the monet!

 

[BayView]

i am beginning to wonder if this is a new phenomonen? rather than keeping up the with neighbours, the wealthier neighbours are dropping the levels of expenses?

was thinking about that today as i was doing the ironing. i live next door to a doctor and his wife who works parttime. they are not short of a quid - him being a doctor - and have recently come back from taking their 3 teens to italy for a month. the kids are all in private schooling etc etc.

anyhow - as a stay at home-er, who will do anything rather than "go out" to work, i do most of the chores around home including the mowing and edges.

i noticed this week that the neighbours has dispensed with their mowing guy and now are mowing their own. the wife also told me she is having a clothesline installed - everything used to go thru the drier but i hang everything out. there are a few other things, like we've been renovating extensively and the neighbour was out fixing his own deck last weekend - i didn't know he owned a hammer!

is this the new trend - keeping down with the jones' rather than up?

Not especially.

It is a well know (anecdotal) fact that doctors are among the worst in our society for bad financial positions.

The pattern seems to be that they earn plenty, but are very good at spending it on "fluff".

And of course; there is no guarantee that we'll never see a downturn in our situation, so maybe they are doing just that, and are now having to do the normal things that people do.

The other day, we fitted two new tyres to one of my wife's colleagues - an orthopedic surgeon. Now, money is not much of a problem in this case, but read on and you'll see what I mean...

The two tyres for his car (a Mazda RX8) were...wait for it...$628 EACH.

I offered to try and source a similar tyre for a lot less (which was easily possible - around $350 would have done him nicely), but he was happy to go with the expensive ones.

I can here some of you say; 'well, he can afford it, so good luck to him" and so on.

This might be true, but as I've seen in many cases, when people of this income level (and he is not ultra-high income; only high income) and with these spending habits come upon tough times, then you'll see the more noticeable down-turn in their lifestyle.

In contrast, when was the last time you saw someone "scaling down" on fluff when their life/income is flying along?

I've never seen it.

 

[BayView]

lizzie

I think times are still tough out there, the economy will take a long time to recover and prosperous years such as the ones we've had under the Howard & Costello government won't come back for a long long time.

This is very general.

There are still plenty of people around who have done quite well in spite of these "tough times".

 

[jaycee]

Not especially.

It is a well know (anecdotal) fact that doctors are among the worst in our society for bad financial positions.

The pattern seems to be that they earn plenty, but are very good at spending it on "fluff".

And of course; there is no guarantee that we'll never see a downturn in our situation, so maybe they are doing just that, and are now having to do the normal things that people do.

The other day, we fitted two new tyres to one of my wife's colleagues - an orthopedic surgeon. Now, money is not much of a problem in this case, but read on and you'll see what I mean...

The two tyres for his car (a Mazda RX8) were...wait for it...$628 EACH.

I offered to try and source a similar tyre for a lot less (which was easily possible - around $350 would have done him nicely), but he was happy to go with the expensive ones.

I can here some of you say; 'well, he can afford it, so good luck to him" and so on.

This might be true, but as I've seen in many cases, when people of this income level (and he is not ultra-high income; only high income) and with these spending habits come upon tough times, then you'll see the more noticeable down-turn in their lifestyle.

In contrast, when was the last time you saw someone "scaling down" on fluff when their life/income is flying along?

I've never seen it.

Marc,

For your own health, keep away from stores such as "Watches of Switzerland" or "Burberry", where you can spend that mount on a scarf, let alone a tyre.

 

[shuggy]

Who need to show anyone else anything?
And who's bizness is it anyway, other than their own?
And why should anyone else care?
I have much more important issues to deal with that "others" are doing, like make sure there's chlorine in the pool for the next sunny day, and wash my hair.

i think that's what the discussion of this thread is about and although i wouldn't call it a new phenomonen, i'd agree that a lot of people are influenced by the media/advertising and behave accordingly just like the OP's neighbours seem to be doing -- unless their household income really has reduced.

it's ridiculous not having clothesline...I don't know anybody that doesn't have one in Brissy.

haha, very true, if someone in Brissy is so lazy and/or minted not to use a clotheline they should get rid of their washing machine and use the local dry cleaners for everything.

I cant believe the P11 is about $250k! That is so cheap. A decent Lambo or Ferrari is $400k+.

aye, it's sounds like good value compared to the competition.

Hell, that's one nice looking ute.
Bit low hanging though? Could chock it up a bit suppose? Is there a 4 wheel drive version? And no where to put a bull bar, or very hard at least to mount?

lol, stick with the tractor.

 

[JIT]

The other day, we fitted two new tyres to one of my wife's colleagues - an orthopedic surgeon. Now, money is not much of a problem in this case, but read on and you'll see what I mean...

The two tyres for his car (a Mazda RX8) were...wait for it...$628 EACH.

I offered to try and source a similar tyre for a lot less (which was easily possible - around $350 would have done him nicely), but he was happy to go with the expensive ones.

I can here some of you say; 'well, he can afford it, so good luck to him" and so on.

This might be true, but as I've seen in many cases, when people of this income level (and he is not ultra-high income; only high income) and with these spending habits come upon tough times, then you'll see the more noticeable down-turn in their lifestyle.

Bayview,

What sort of income is he on?

And what do you define as ultra-high vs. high income?

I hear ortho surgeons can make up to $1MM per annum, and if that's the case, he's doing it ultra-cheap with an RX8, and the cost of the tyres would be almost irrelevant.

If it inconveniences him enough to get in the way of him earning his income, then why bother saving a couple of hundred dollars sourcing cheaper tyres?

 

[rugrat]

Bayview,

What sort of income is he on?

And what do you define as ultra-high vs. high income?

I hear ortho surgeons can make up to $1MM per annum, and if that's the case, he's doing it ultra-cheap with an RX8, and the cost of the tyres would be almost irrelevant.

If it inconveniences him enough to get in the way of him earning his income, then why bother saving a couple of hundred dollars sourcing cheaper tyres?

Lawyers can earn a hell of a lot too, But I know some who only earn around 38k p/a

 

[weg]

Not especially.

It is a well know (anecdotal) fact that doctors are among the worst in our society for bad financial positions.

The pattern seems to be that they earn plenty, but are very good at spending it on "fluff".

And of course; there is no guarantee that we'll never see a downturn in our situation, so maybe they are doing just that, and are now having to do the normal things that people do.

The other day, we fitted two new tyres to one of my wife's colleagues - an orthopedic surgeon. Now, money is not much of a problem in this case, but read on and you'll see what I mean...

The two tyres for his car (a Mazda RX8) were...wait for it...$628 EACH.

I offered to try and source a similar tyre for a lot less (which was easily possible - around $350 would have done him nicely), but he was happy to go with the expensive ones.

I can here some of you say; 'well, he can afford it, so good luck to him" and so on.

This might be true, but as I've seen in many cases, when people of this income level (and he is not ultra-high income; only high income) and with these spending habits come upon tough times, then you'll see the more noticeable down-turn in their lifestyle.

In contrast, when was the last time you saw someone "scaling down" on fluff when their life/income is flying along?

I've never seen it.

Perhaps he bucked the trend and decided to get into property investing .

I actually know of one Dr. who ended up giving up his job because his 'shopping centers' were where his major income was derived from.

His neigbours may not think he's scaled down but the guy could live much more extravagantly than he actually does.

In another case a friend bought a Drs. house (he had it for years apparently and sold because it was too big after his wife died). That house is worth around the 3M mark so even if the guy had no other assets I doubt he was a total klutz with money.

Yet another one I know drove around in an old Magna for about 3 or 4 years after qualifying and lived at home with mum and dad.

She's since married a Neurosurgeon and lives in the nice house and drives a nice car but she was definately tight with her money.

 

[cloudyday]

BTW - Whenever I see a man under the age of 40 driving a Porche, Lambo, Merc etc rather than being envious my initial thought is a no money drug dealling 'gangster'! (or a realestate agent with the car on lease)

And btw have you ever been to an art auction - I have - lots of snobs there!

heh, I'm willing to bet that you're not rich just by looking at your comments. You prob drive an old/no car and do not like the "rich". Rich people do not say things like that about themselves. Everytime I've heard comments like that, it always comes from a poor sod.

You ever hear a rich bloke pay out his lifestyle? It seems to be your on the other side and you despise the "rich". As long as you despise them, you'll never become rich.

Maybe you represent the poor rich? The ones that have 10 properties, drive an old car, hit70-80, pass away and then leave all their assets to their children who spend it all up.

I walk, tram, train or ride - depending on my inclination. I am 6 km from the cbd.

I drive occassionally and by the end swear i will never do it again..

Cheers
Aussie

- http://www.somersoft.com/forums/showthread.php?p=603147#post603147

EDIT: So it looks like your daily transport is walking or riding your bike. Thought so Do you ride the bike or take the train to help the environment and save on parking fees? If you're a millionaire and you take the train daily or ride your bike around the city, I gotta say that's pretty good. I don't know many millionaires who ride their bike to work daily to save a few bucks. Say a millionaire works and earns $500k/year, he works 7 hours a day. It means his hourly worth is (7 hrs x 5 days week = 35hrs x 50 weeks = 1750hrs/year). 500k salary divide 1750 hrs year = $285 an hour. If you were earning this much would it be smarter paying $15 for a parking ticket or waste time ...Waiting for a train, getting on the train, getting off a train stop, then walk possibily hundreds of metres (10-15mins) from train stop to his office? hrmmm