Were you born with a silver spoon in your mouth?

[luckygirl]

Class is a very tricky subject and not all to do with money. We live in the largest house in this village, the local Baronet has no money and lives in a tiny cottage !

My husband and I have worked hard to give ourselves the lifestyle we have. No matter how much money we have we choose not to waste it. I was always taught that you should have the biggest house you can afford as there is money in property. Things like cars and holidays are nice but don't make you any money. I could never live like the Beckhams - I hate shopping and flash lifestyles. Think how much money they must waste !

I ticked upper middle class but I don't really know the answer .

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
Just wondering your first post said that your parents were working class but then you said that your grandfather is a lord and your mum "the Hon"???

Do you mean working class as in, have to work for a living?

Just wondering.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly. My grandad was a plasterer until he was 50 - then read Politics, became one of our ex PM's spindoctor and was made an honorary Peer.

He was and still is working class, if I ever said I was middle class to him he'd kick my arse.

'Never forget where you came from' he always tells me

He lived in absolute poverty when he was younger, my mum not much better so relatively speaking I had a wonderful childhood and ponies. My parents still worked for a living though and through that they instilled in me the need to work hard for all you have.

When people say 'your parents are so lucky to have that house etc' it really winds me up - they worked bloody hard for what they have and that's instilled in me now.

That's why I'm posting on the internet when I should be working

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
maybe I'm in inverted snob

[/ QUOTE ]

You don't sound inverted to me at all! Quite without nobility infact!! Nobility is not a birthright, it is earned and deserved.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's what I meant a snob with regards to upper classes - that's what inverted means! x

 

[Oaksflight]

Middle to upper middle. We don't struggle, parents pay for my university studies, live in a nice area, however I'm the one thats paid for my horse, parents will help me out when I'm desperate but other than that it's straight out of my part time job. Dad owns and runs a manufacturing business (but is quite big, one of the top business men in yorkshire), and my Mum is an accountant.

 

[metalmare]

Well I struggle here. I'm not sure what to tick. I was born to an 18 year old and a 28 year old who was at university so there was no money at all and we were on benefits for a while. Then, when I was 7 my dad me my stepmum who has a good job but with two kids (sister soon followed) they struggled hard for ages. Now I would say we don't do too badly. But here is the thing. We have very little money still but I am definately middle class because it is to do with more than money. I am middle class because of my attitudes and education.

Once I am qualified and move in with the OH we will be firmly middle class as he is doing very very well in the bank and I am doing teaching.

So currently I would say I am middle class by virtue of my attitudes and education and due to my parents' jobs but that we have little money. My parents were born very working class and still retain some of that. I am much more middle class than them.

 

[GinaB]

I don't know what I'd class myself as. I work hard to get what I have (not a lot, but a nice wee car, a Beastie and fingers crossed a horse in the next year! In fact the car and the dog are the most expensive things I've ever bought) I actually have two jobs. My mum and dad both work hard for their money. My mum is a personal assistant but started off as a typist (however, gets extra money due to being able to audio type and also, what over here is known as 'danger money/safety money') My dad is a truck driver. I'd never say I'm well off. We're comfortable, but struggle at points as all do.

 

[S_N]

I know what inverted mean, but do you know what Snob means?

 

[vicijp]

I clicked 'every penny counts....'
Although everybody seems to think my family is rich they arent. My dads family own a lot of land, however he got paid out of the family farm 10 yrs ago and still has a hefty mortgage on our farm. Last week my mother struggled to fork out for 3 new turnout rugs because of unpaid debts off one bad owner - there is no disposable income.
As for me, I live my parents and have a half decent car. Some months I will bank £3000 however, with the business loan I took out to build my yard, if I have debts owing to me I struggle big time. I havent had my hair done for 6 months - which is about the only luxury I give myself. I havent been out properly since last Xmas eve. I cant afford to buy a house and refuse to rent and pay someone elses mortage.
So in other words, skint, would probably be better off if I was on benefits.

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
I know what inverted mean, but do you know what Snob means?

[/ QUOTE ]

OK, I'm getting confused. Inverted Snob = commoner against posh people.

Your post then said something about 'not a whiff of nobility' or something......which is what I was saying.

You're making my head hurt! haa haa

 

[S_N]

PMSL!! Snob, comes from the Latin Sin Nobis, which I believe means Without Nobility - so you're not inverted at all, your just a Snob

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
PMSL!! Snob, comes from the Latin Sin Nobis, which I believe means Without Nobility - so you're not inverted at all, your just a Snob

[/ QUOTE ]

Holy crap I didn't know that.

Just goes to show that I'm a thick snob then.

Haa haa! xx

 

[S_N]

AH HA - and that raises another point - A commoner is someone who has grazzing rights on the common (communal) lands - Commons................

 

[0]

[ QUOTE ]
When people say 'your parents are so lucky to have that house etc' it really winds me up - they worked bloody hard for what they have and that's instilled in me now.

[/ QUOTE ]

I hate this too!! I'm so defensive of my dad when people say were lucky......It isn't luck it is hard work in well chosen areas.
I saw very little of my dad growing up, he worked very long hours and spent alot of his time abroad - he had to sacrifice time with his family. I see more of him now as he is taking ife a lot easier but I often feel deprived that I didn't know him really well until the last few years (especially as we get on so well and i look up to him loads - I wish I'd had his example to follow more). So it is not luck it is hard work and sacrifice.

 

[Parkranger]

[ QUOTE ]
AH HA - and that raises another point - A commoner is someone who has grazzing rights on the common (communal) lands - Commons................

[/ QUOTE ]

You can't spell either. So now we're both thick!

 

[JoBo]

I put ‘Every penny counts to us and we are not rich at all, we struggle to pay the bills, my car is 20 years old’. Even though my parents are what you would call comfortable and we never wanted for anything as children, I work very hard in order to keep my two. Yes I’m in debt, I’ll admit it, but I have my own house (with OH) with 3.5 acres which I absolutely love. Living is expensive and we do struggle sometimes, but that’s life. Oh and my car is 9 years old.

 

[JadeWisc]

I am in between 2 and 3

most of my family is category 3

 

[vivhewe]

I put every penny counts. I am extremely lucky in that my Grandparents own land so I can keep my two boys for free there, and I get my hay etc. from their farm. I don't have any stables (My neddies are in fields away from the farm) and if I want to have my horse inside I have to pay livery at my cousin's yard, which is usually a week's EMA from 6th Form (£30) BUT if I did have to keep them at livery I wouldn't be able to afford them both

I tend to try and get nice things that are good quality for the neddies so that I'm not forever replacing things, but I spend all my money on the horses and so don't tend to buy lots of clothes or go out anymore

(Shame, I need to get drunk!)

I'm still happy as I am though, even though I don't have oodles of cash. I think when you work for things yourself you learn to appreciate them more

 

[bandit]

i ticked middle class, but as i work, i suspect i'm technically 'working' class.

i own my own 3 bed house, a very small but very practicle car, a cheap 4 horse lorry (no living), and now 1 horse... and i live alone so this is all on one salary. i don't have a credit card either.

i've been on 2 foreign holidays this year, but i've only managed this since changing jobs 18 months ago.

i do have to watch the pennies, however i'm careful and save for the luxuries such as holidays! and the horse is on DIY, so i do it all myself.

Bx

 

[JadeWisc]

[ QUOTE ]
I am REALLY curious to know how the people on benefits pay for their equestrian hobby?

[/ QUOTE ]

maybe they just love horses, and simply are surrounded by them in a working manner????? Perhaps caring for, or riding other horses for a fee or in their free time???
Many of the caretakers of horses here are very poor people on large horse farms earning a very small wage for hard work.
People over here on benefits have to have some sort of job or they are removed from the program. If they do not have work, they have to attend classes weekly to obtain job skills and are required to have proof of seeking a job as well.(like proving applications have been filled out or interviews attended)

 

[Tia]

No idea which category I come under. Bit mixed really; I lived in a beautiful house growing up, went to private school, had ponies, always had brand new cars and went overseas a lot on holiday. I believe my parents worked hard and made wise financial decisions and I certainly benefited.

When I left home, I found decent paying jobs and never worried about money - never really thought about it to be honest - I afforded everything I wanted, but maybe I didn't want much; who knows.

Married a couple of decades ago and have never worried about money. I had whatever I wanted, didn't even look at price tags; just a case of if I liked it then I bought it. We lived in a lovely house, had loads of quality cars and a couple of workhorse cars, went on holiday numerous times every year, had a house in Devon and generally enjoyed life.

Now we live in Canada and we still have money elsewhere in the world, husband still owns his UK company however he does not bring any money over here to Canada, so the farm here has to pay for itself. It does but it doesn't leave a whole lot left over at the end of each month. We own everything outright; no mortgage or payments for anything, so that does help that our outgoings are very low.

Nowadays I do have to be careful with what I spend as I know that there is a finite amount of money. Thankfully I live in a part of the world where even if I did have tonnes of money then there really wouldn't be much to spend it on. On paper I guess we look more than comfortable, but I personally feel quite poor.

Have no idea what class I come under - I just know that I have had a wonderful life and I've enjoyed it very much.

 

[LEC]

Had a silver spoon for christening present does that count? Not quite born with it!

 

[evsj]

I'm not really middle class either. Although a family friend once remarked that mine were the only mid class parents he knew who'd raised a working class daughter. I think I fall better between the 'watch what I' spend and 'every penny counts' catagory as I am so crap with money!!

 

[teapot]

I ticked middle class as am between middle and upper class. Come from a middle class background - dad's in the Navy, mum's never really had to work (pay wise, does everything fantastically well at home). I was educated privately from the age of 4 to 18, brothers were from 8-16. My last school had stables on site (seperate business though) so rode & worked there. Still ride there and it's the most expensive yard in the area.

I never had to worry about money for phone bill or riding lessons - lessons were paid for until I was 16/and started getting them free. Phone was paid for until I started uni, but never had an allowance as such so it works out the same.

I'm living at home rent free with my tution fees paid for, and I work part time so any money I have is mine for whatever. But I do watch what I spend, splash out only if I know I've got the money in my backaccount etc. I'm VERY lucky that I had a dad who's doing a job he hates just so he can pay my tution fees. He'll retire once I graduate.

Holiday wise - when I was younger we never went abroad but every year went to Center Parcs atleast once. My parents have good cars, money is there to spend whenever really. They own this house and yeah, generally they watch what they spend but not miserly about it.

So all that probably makes me a toff does it? I'm not ashamed of my background - far from it. If people ask where I went to school, I'll tell them - I'm happy and proud in a way to say that my parents have sacrified a lot like foreign holidays in order to pay for their kids' education.

And having always lived in the Home Counties, I have very strong Tory opinions so I'm not ashamed of that either. Just don't get me started when someone who's lived up north goes on about how much the Labour government has helped them improve their lives.

I'm of the firm opinion at the moment, that if you're white, middle class and living in the SE you're on the bottom of the funding/human rights pile because godforbid you do have some money or that you're worked you way to where you are in your job - my dad's been in the Navy 40 years now, joined the college at 18 for example

~toddles off~

 

[KarenX]

Nah.... no silver spoon here.. working class but still manage to maintain 3 ponies and 3 horses!

Karen

 

[Twiglet]

This is a really fascinating thread - not just because of the demographics of the board, but the differences in peoples' perceptions of class and status. My old sociology teacher would be enthralled!

 

[Tia]

[ QUOTE ]
....but the differences in peoples' perceptions of class and status.

[/ QUOTE ]

That was what fascinated me too with this thread. Combined with people owning their own houses....do they really own them or do the banks own them? And if the banks own them, then are they really upper or middle class?

Ooh the class thing has me spinning a little - I can see it with poor people being working class and I can see it with very wealthy people owning everything they possess and not having to work for a living.....but the bit inbetween is just too confusing, LOL!!

 

[sevenoceans]

Really good childhood with 2 holidays per year which my parents worked hard for also i went to private school paid by LEA. I am now 29, i have my own home (bank do not own it!!!), pay bills, have a puppy, cat and a horse to feed, and pay part livery for my horse, W reg hatchback car and I only work 9 months of the year.... of course i struggle at winter season as "out of work" but do not claim benifits, also i don't use creadit card to spend just for sake of it but in the end of day it makes the money suitation worse as will have to pay it back plus the interest!. I manage just one holiday a year but another holiday is paid for by my parents as they want me with them. I shop for bargins.

I consider myself lucky as i have roof over my head although when times are difficult i make do with baked beans on stale bread to ensure my animals gets their food/treatment.

 

[RobinHood]

I'm always fascinated by the perceptions people have of other's people's wealth or social status. I live in Surrey and we have 5 horses so people automatically assume we are rich, they tell me that we must be rich because nobody else round here has horses. Yes, but everyone else round here goes away on exotic holidays, has brand new flash cars and plasma screen televisions. We have a nissan micra that cost £175 and a battered landrover discovery, we don't ever go on holiday and my mum will only buy food on pay day. Our drivway is so broken you can barely get a car on it and I'm not allowed to turn the heating on until I can see my breath inside the house.

My mum grew up in a rented terraced house with no central heating, hot water, carpet etc her dad was an alcoholic and her mum worked her life away ina supermarket.

My dad's family had money only because his dad died. Both my parents work full time, in fact my mum works from 8am til 9pm just so we can have horses.

I most certainly was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth but like my parent's I'm determined to work to achieve the best standard of living for myself that I can.

 

[Sooty]

Never make the mistake of confusing class with wealth - they are totally separate things. A lot of class is to do with background, education, principles - some things are instilled as values and are nothing to do with money.

 

[the watcher]

Not sure where to put myself..working class in that what comes in each month goes out again just as fast, have a very elderly car and trailer and have had to work all my life. the only thing that has given me a leg up is sufficient intelligence to pass exams from 11plus onwards.

In attitude, however, I probably veer towards middle class, if that is possible