I just dont get it?

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-02-2007, 02:27 PM

I have a friend who doesnt work and her dh makes about 5 bucks an hour less then mine. My dh and I dont use credit cards and we dont have a car payment. We only have one car. We barely have enough to get by the month. I dont get to buy extras and we dont eat out.

NOw my firend who makes less money and has more bills , is always spending money. She pays for this and that when ever we go out. She buys what she wants and they eat out three to four times a week.

How on earth do they do it? And dont say credit cards becuase all I ever see her use is cash.

**lwlynch** · 10-02-2007, 03:01 PM

I find sometimes, that friends I have that spend alot, usually just live on the edge of being broke, and usually borrow from peter to pay paul. Maybe they are just good at budgeting.. If you find out any good tips let me know.

**leezza** · 10-02-2007, 03:09 PM

Ann,

Is maybe one of them doing a side job where they get paid cash???? Maybe one of them has a trust fund??? Doesn't sound like things add up to me.

leezza

**ubumartin** · 10-02-2007, 03:18 PM

Sounds a little strange to me that they have all that cash! I know I have a relative who doesn't want for anything and thinks I am cheap. They get the latest and best of everything. Well, they have just taken out a 65,000 equity loan to pay off bills!!! Our mortgage is paid, my cc are paid. My van will be paid off in two months, and I have 4 kids and she has one! both work two jobs and still can't make it. That is how people differ, some make do others spend, spend, spend!

**Kitten20** · 10-02-2007, 03:21 PM

I know some people who make say "I just don't get it?!" as well! There are several couples that are the same age as my boyfriend and I and whom I know make less, but always seem to be doing better off... I have to remind myself not to compare and to keep doin' what we're doin', knowing that we will be better off in the long run. I would guess that they have some other source of income coming in from somewhere.

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-02-2007, 03:31 PM

I know exactly how much his pay check is and I see them spend more then that a week just shoping. She spends 18 a week on her coffee, he spends about 50 a week on cigeretts and probaly about 60 or so on his beer a week!!!! Thats 118 just for those three items in a week , thats more them my entire grocery budget.

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-02-2007, 03:33 PM

oh and he drinks a case a day of moutain dew.At five cases a week I told her she should just buy him a 2 litter for the day and her bill for soda would be dropped to 5 or 6 bucks a week. She said he wont drink out of a 2litter bottle. Then she told me she can't understand how they spend 300 a week at the grocery store.

**IntlMom** · 10-02-2007, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by AnnK

oh and he drinks a case a day of moutain dew.At five cases a week I told her she should just buy him a 2 litter for the day and her bill for soda would be dropped to 5 or 6 bucks a week. She said he wont drink out of a 2litter bottle. Then she told me she can't understand how they spend 300 a week at the grocery store.

A CASE A DAY?????? Wow - they better start saving up for all of the health expenses that they are going to start having!

**YankeeMom** · 10-02-2007, 03:43 PM

I guess I just don't usually worry about what people make and how they are spending it.

**sdrjeolsen** · 10-02-2007, 03:49 PM

Maybe a relative is giving them cash or they have a side job. I try not to compare myself to someone else because it never really is as it seems when you find out what the real deal is.

I guess that's my advice. Unless it directly negatively impacts you, try not to think about it, because you don't have any control over it anyway and its probably not quite like it looks.

**Dancing Lotus** · 10-02-2007, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by YankeeMom

I guess I just don't usually worry about what people make and how they are spending it.

Normaly I wouldnt care but she complains to me often about how much things are. And just today we went out and we had to stop to see her husband, she asked him for money, He handed her 15 bucks and then she wanted his credit card, He didnt want to give it to her and asked her not to spend to much. I am begining to think she only spends a lot when she is with me and he must blame me becuase he gave me a dirty look. But nothing could be further from the trueth. I am always trying to talk her out of things.

**Its_Donna** · 10-02-2007, 04:53 PM

My guess is that they are in debt up to their eyeballs if not above their heads. Some people just cannot control themselves.

**baxjul** · 10-02-2007, 05:04 PM

I have a couple of friends like that. They spend alot of money going out drinking every weekend, then she complains that they need to put their groceries on the credit card?!?

**accountantbyday** · 10-02-2007, 05:15 PM

In auditing, we're taught that if you're scratching your head wondering how they're doing it, there is usually a big reason why. I'm not saying that's the case here, but it usually starts this way LOL....

Maybe it's how their taxes are set up. Perhaps they have less withheld per check. It would mean less of a refund or a bigger chance of owing, but they would have more to spend month-to-month.

**Izzybeff** · 10-02-2007, 05:17 PM

I've pretty much given up trying to figure out how others spend their money and why. My brother alone makes 3 times what DF and I make together, but they never have any money. Well, when you look at their house, car and all the money they throw away eating out and buying crap, it makes sense.

DF and I have gotten our expenses down each month as low as possible and try not to spend money on crap although it sometimes does happen. I bought and IPOD last week and that was a HUGE buy for us.. My brother and his wife have every latest gadget out all the time..

All I know is that we will be debtfree including mortgage sometime next year..