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What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

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Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#331

The referenced reply is dull. It's very pretentious but just reiterates common knowledge, it doesn't convey any useful information. For example I wish someone told me about the existence of Miele kitchen equipment before I accidentally rented an apartment of a well-to-do woman. She renovated it for herself but then rented out when circumstances changed. Similarly it took me a long time to realize just how much better…

Miele looks and acts high end. And that includes the repair costs because they frequently break.

No thanks. I’ll take something that is less so but will work for years without complaint.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#332
post #158

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd disagree, once you get wealthy (and it doesn't even need to be that much), you can: - schedule beauty appointments to fix how you look - go on coaching sessions to increase your confidence and how you socialize - take people out on dates without thinking "oh that's a bit expensive" - buy dating coaches who understand the psychology behind dating and successful relationships - buy therapists to heal your past trau…

All of that doesn’t buy the time you spend with your loved ones, laughing at stupid jokes or reminiscing about good times.

Neither is lack of money. This is pure luck and doesn’t have anything to do with how much you earn.

This whole “money doesn’t buy happiness” is pure grade copium for poor.

“You can have all the money in the world, but I have my dear one”

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#333
post #315

I really like this post since it shows how very little there is for the wealthy to buy other than status goods. The life of the rich, other than status, is very much like the life of upper middle class. The same phones, the same digital entertainment, the same appliances in their homes. We have very few items for the rich to buy. Honestly, it is a problem it breaks incentives and it drives the rich more towards statu…

It's really curious that something as personal to people as smartphones don't have a rich-person equivalent the same way cars do. What is the McLaren of iPhones?

There's gold plated / jewel encrusted versions of phones or graphics cards [0] but that's just making things look garish for the people that want to look rich. But as far as I know there's no 'bespoke' phone manufacturer on the same level as Swiss watches or hand-built cars. No real reason either; with a watch, any performance has peaked years ago so the only thing that remains is design. Phones are mostly functional, although I suppose you could do something cool with the back side.

[0] https://www.pcgamer.com/hardware/graphics-cards/one-day-the-...

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#334

I find the most interesting bracket the 5-8M one where almost anything highend / luxury becomes a commodity.

Another related interesting one is that rich people don't wear brands anymore - brands are for normal people, they're advertised to look like they are for the rich but their prices are still in range for a lot of people if they put some money aside. This starts with iphones and airpods and goes to Louis Vuitton and the like. The tech billionaires don't wear anything branded or flashy besides their $1M watches, just g…

The definition of rich is not a tech billionaire though. It is literally anyone that can afford the LVMH and co.

It is definitely aimed at rich people just not billionaires. But yes these brands become commodity from a certain point...although one has to be rich to be fully dressed in those clothes and change / rotate every day.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#335

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably shouldn't be dating anyone that thinks self-improvement is something to look down on.

Self improvement is one thing, "go on coaching sessions to increase your confidence and how you socialize" & "buy dating coaches who understand the psychology behind dating and successful relationships" are a completely different beast.

This is just streamlining process of how to become desirable. Nerds with money can afford to even the odds VS their more successful peers who manage to do it naturally. Nothing cringe about that.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#336

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd say it really depends on the mentality of the very rich person The very wealthy are going to fly private. Upper middle class could swing this on a case-to-case basis, but not regularly and especially if not if they frequently travel Other than that, the main difference is the very wealthy having a mentality of getting people to "take care of problems" to a much larger extent. For example, routine tasks like clean…

I would pay to avoid flying : private or public…

If it's continental, having a driver and a comfortable car would go a long way then.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#337

The referenced reply is dull. It's very pretentious but just reiterates common knowledge, it doesn't convey any useful information. For example I wish someone told me about the existence of Miele kitchen equipment before I accidentally rented an apartment of a well-to-do woman. She renovated it for herself but then rented out when circumstances changed. Similarly it took me a long time to realize just how much better…

anybody can elaborate more about the miele? why miele?

Generally at least some models at least used to be very reliable. Like I just discussed with my parents that their clothes washer is over 20 years old. And been in regular use without any issues or significant maintenance. That sort of lifespan isn't really expected from even premium models from most brands.

So they do have perceived quality of being more expensive but more long lasting goods.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#338

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yet people still hate the thought of a "maximum wage" or limit to wealth. Everyone should have a life of comfort, not just those who won the lottery or were born into it.

The problem with a maximum wage is deciding what that maximum is. Outsides returns are what incentivize people to start companies. A earning cap will cap that incentive accordingly.

The maximum wealth should be capped exactly where it becomes a tool to buy or assert influence over democracy.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#339

The referenced reply is dull. It's very pretentious but just reiterates common knowledge, it doesn't convey any useful information. For example I wish someone told me about the existence of Miele kitchen equipment before I accidentally rented an apartment of a well-to-do woman. She renovated it for herself but then rented out when circumstances changed. Similarly it took me a long time to realize just how much better…

> Similarly it took me a long time to realize just how much better the veneer wood furniture and doors are compared to laminated chipwood. Price is 3-4 times higher but it lasts 5-10 times longer and is much more pleasant to use. Unfortunately you need years to notice such long-term differences, unless someone tells you. Isn't this also down to age? That is, stuff like that built 100 years ago is - in my head - bette…

I'm not looking into 100 years old stuff, that's mostly solid wood anyway.

I'm referring to my consistent experience of buying both laminated chipwood and veneer wood things, then seeing the former disintegrate within 5 years and the latter last 10 years with no visible damage.

It's all good now, I just wish it didn't take me 10 years to gain this knowledge. On another hand if I got it much earlier it wouldn't benefit me either because I could only afford cheap stuff anyway.

Re: What do wealthy people buy, that ordinary people know nothing about? (2015)

#340
post #327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I lived in Southeast Asia for years and explored countless beaches at price points all across the spectrum, and while I understand what you're saying and agree to some extent, there are still experiences only money can buy. Example 1: the overwater bungalow in the Maldives where I could watch fish swim under a glass table and step right off the balcony into the reef to join them. Example 2: the stupidly expensive hot…

Not really, ie that Maldives bungalow - I had exactly same experience in Mabul island for example, with 0 snobbishness that luxury inevitably brings (and is disgusting for me personally). Literally watching manta rays under my feet while eating breakfast. Kids would come on their dhingy and sell fresh coconuts right from water. All for peanuts. Very similar experiences can be had in ie Togian islands in Sulawesi. And…

The rich are often in a different age group than those that would enjoy such adventures. But fully agree with you.
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