20 Things Rich People Do That The Rest Of The World Doesn’t
Although people have said for decades that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, the way that reality manifests can make it seem like the rich live in a completely different world from everyone else. That's not just because they can go places that others can't afford to be, though that's certainly true as well.
Instead, that different world is expressed by how fundamentally differently the ultra-rich live their lives. Although some of the practical details of their lifestyles almost don't make their money seem worth it, others confirm how much easier life gets with all the money in the world. Keep reading to learn more.
When private schools aren't private enough
Although private schools that base their curriculum around the Montessori method are fairly common, there are a few of these schools that are owned by a single family. Not only does it typically mean that this family is super rich but also that these schools are as exclusive as they get.
That's not to say that most parents can't afford to attend them. Instead, the reason why they're so exclusive is that they're only intended for that family's children and those of their friends. Since that family owns the school, it gets to unilaterally decide the school's student body.
They give a whole new meaning to a "starter house"
When someone's kids go off to college, it's not unusual for their parents to start experiencing pressure to help pay for their dorms or help with the rent after their friends pitch in for an off-campus house rental. However, the ultra-rich tend to do things a little differently.
Apparently, it's not unusual for such families to buy a house outright for their child to stay in. After the student graduates, they then sell it. In some cases, that sale is enough to recuperate what they paid for tuition in the first place. It's a smart play, albeit one that is guaranteed to inspire envy.
They might have backup yachts
According to Reddit user Wwwweeeeeeee, one client they knew was rich enough to have two yachts moored in the south of France. And whenever he went somewhere, he took both of them because one was faster but the other was more comfortable to stay in.
So, he take his fast yacht to actually reach his destination while having the other one follow him. That way, he could enjoy an evening out at his destination and his slower yacht would be ready for him to lounge in it by the time he got back. In other words, he was essentially followed by a pleasure palace whenever he went anywhere.
They'll still say they have nothing to wear
It's common for rich people to have multiple homes and some of those homes are in other countries. And as it turns out, they don't like long periods of packing and unpacking more than anyone else does. For that reason, it's not uncommon for them to have multiple sets of clothes in each house.
That way, they can travel pretty light since they have as much at their destination as they would from the home they're departing from. It's also common for the stuff they put in their second and third homes to look the same as the items in their home base.
Clothes shopping happens in bulk and it happens often
A big part of wealth for many people blessed with it is the importance of status. For people who prioritize this, it's not enough just to be rich. They have to be seen to be rich and that can make spring cleaning so much more expensive for them than it normally is.
For some wealthy families, each spring sees them donate or throw out most of their clothes and drop $20,000 or more on an entirely new wardrobe for everyone. Why? Well, it's because the expensive and perfectly good clothes they've only worn for a year are so last season, of course.
Keep an eye out for renovations on manor-like houses
Those who live near a wealthy neighborhood will often notice that residents in these areas are always renovating their homes. In some cases, these are homes they don't spend any real time in, but they're still deeply concerned about how they look. And this can work to the advantage of everyone around them.
That's because many of them will resell the old features and appliances in these homes for cheaper than usual because they're just trying to get rid of them. For instance, Reddit user Majestic_Winter9951 was able to score a Viking refrigerator when one of their neighbors put it on Craigslist. As they wrote, "The refrigerator retails for $18K. I got it for $1,500."
Their ecosystem runs whether they're around or not
One thing that was abundantly clear was that the ultra-rich expect everything to be ready for them in the event that they should arrive in one of their homes. That means that if they're going to be somewhere, their staff have already ensured that the house, their clothes, the vegetation on the property, and anything else they can potentially worry about has already been made immaculate.
Indeed, they even have people responsible for regularly keeping their luxury cars clean, serviced, and driven so they can take them out on a whim when they arrive. The driving amounts to a staff member taking it around the block every week or so while the owner is away.
They can afford not to do anything
For many among the ultra-rich, the most common and surprising behavior that many wouldn't have anticipated is also the simplest: Nothing. While some may imagine the rich racing exotic animals or going on a spontaneous ski trip in Aspen during a free day, the reality is that they're just as happy to spend a lazy day in as anyone else.
However, the difference is that they can truly be as lazy as they want during these days. Since their laundry, cooking, cleaning, gardening, taxes, bills, and investments are all taken care of by other people, they truly don't have to do anything if they don't want to.
They always have stocked and organized fridges
Although there are typically more noticeable differences between a rich person's house and one living a more average lifestyle, there's one constant that can typically be counted on. The average person may have a decent selection in their drink fridge, but it depletes and doesn't always have those drinks neatly arranged and organized.
However, a rich person's drink fridge always has a way of looking like the cold drinks section of a supermarket no matter when somebody stops by. The drinks are not only plentiful and various, but perfectly organized. That's because the fridge's owner isn't the one stocking it.
Their golf membership fees are outrageous
Although it would be interesting to see how many people paying for exorbitant membership fees to exclusive golf clubs even like golf, it effectively doesn't matter whether they do. The point of joining one of these clubs is to get access to a network of other wealthy people and potentially enter joint ventures with them.
And the people who runs these clubs know their value, because members have to pay through the nose to join. Some clubs will require $30,000 to even get on the waiting list, while others can command initial membership fees between $150,000 and $400,000. For each year after that, members can expect to pay $50,000.
It's a big event when they go shopping
When rich families are about to shop at a high-end boutique store, they often call ahead to let them know when they'll be arriving. Not only does it excite the store's management to know that a big-ticket client is coming, but it gives them time to prepare what the family is most likely to want.
Reddit user B_true_to_self2020 worked in one of these stores, and they said the immediate response to one of these calls was to rush to find the most expensive items in stock and present them and their accessories on a rolling rack. Amusingly, they would also take the tag off items like this that were on sale so the family would pay full price.
They buy a very different kind of insurance
Although most rich people behaviors make the benefits of obscene wealth clear, there are a couple of trends that prove there's no Heaven on Earth. And that's most evident in the fact that it's not unusual for rich people to buy kidnapping insurance.
Naturally, the presence of security personnel is also a priority when the rich people in question have a high enough profile. Not only that, but some insurance companies even keep mercenaries on their payrolls in the event that one of their clients gets kidnapped. There's a reason that so many billionaires want to keep their wealth quiet.
Cashmere is very popular in unexpected ways
Considering its famous softness and high price, cashmere is an incredibly highly valued material. That's generally pretty understandable and it isn't exactly surprising to learn that rich people like it as much as everyone else does. However, it seems that many of them like it more.
Whether it's because the material is a status symbol for them or they inherently love it, some people can go a little overboard with cashmere. For instance, one retired actress likes to have a tailor cut up a cashmere sweater to put longer sleeves on another one. Meanwhile, Hannah Bronfman of the billionaire Bronfman family essentially uses it as wallpaper.
They don't buy timeshares, they buy the places they're in
Although most timeshares aren't really worth it in the long run, the are some key reasons why people can sell them anyway. They're usually in scenics areas in tropical climates, which can be enough to convince people that they're not going to want to go anywhere else for their vacations.
Although rich people can feel a similar sentiment, that doesn't mean they're going to tie themselves down to a timeshare. If they're rich enough, that inclination will just compel them to buy entire islands, assuming that local governments are willing to part with that land. Sometimes they resist, but sometimes they're just happy to have the money.
They have their own lingo for their wealth
Although some rich people don't mind referring to themselves that way, others apparently feel that it's a gauche way to talk about their largesse. That's why some prefer terms like "high-net-worth individual" and "ultra-high-net-worth individual" to "rich" and "ultra rich." What's the difference?
Well, high-net-worth-individuals have at least a million in investable assets, very-high-net-worth-individuals have at least $5 million, and ultra-high-net-worth-individuals have at least $30 million. They also don't take summer vacations in the South of France. Instead, they "summer" there. Perhaps that's because they're spending the entire summer at their destination, rather than a week or two.
Vacations are something they can regularly do on a whim
It's not exactly a shocking revelation to learn that rich people take more vacations in a year than most people. It's not even surprising to learn about all the exotic destinations, exclusive clubs, and expensive delights they engage in when they get to those destinations. But even knowing all of that, it can be staggering to see how quickly and easily those vacations begin.
Although it's even easier if they have access to a private jet, a vacation that costs thousands of dollars can be an indulgence on par with going out to eat for everyone else. But while the average person may treat themselves to a fancy meal on occasion, the rich do it about twice as often and that fancy restaurant is in another country.
The wealthier a family is, the more their kids live like spies
Although some fabulously wealthy families like to flaunt their wealth and status on a mass media scale, others try to walk the odd tightrope of showing it while keeping it quiet. In such cases, the average person may be more likely to discover the identity of an FBI informant than the real names of their children.
For instance, Reddit user TheNightWitch described having a client who is essentially untraceable. She effectively can't be googled, the name the Redditor knows her by isn't her real one, and her payments are made through a private wealth management firm that conceals her identity. It's like she's a CIA agent.
They practically live through their assistants
Although some people would get deeply nervous about imposing on someone hired to be their assistant, this isn't a worry that the ultra-rich often have. Often times, they don't regard any task as too big or too small to drop on their assistant's lap and they can be surprisingly casual about their biggest asks.
As Reddit user xutopia relayed from someone they know who told their assistant to scope out land for them to buy, "Here are the criteria... forested land by the sea, cliffs, quiet area but with cell reception and make it so that it isn't an area with lots of boat traffic so I can take my bath while looking out at sea."
If they want to do something, it doesn't matter where it is
One feature that's common among the rich is spontaneity. Although it's a chicken-egg argument as to whether that spontaneity led them to take the risks that got them rich or it flowed from their ability to afford whatever they want, they're nonetheless more likely to do expensive things on a whim.
For instance, if the average person finds out an act they like is going on tour, they typically hope that artist comes to their city. If it's their favorite artist ever, they might make a big trip to go see them. With rich people, it doesn't matter if the artist is on the other side of the country or a different country entirely. The odds are good they'll fly over and take their whole family like it's nothing.
They have the best hand-me-downs
By now, it should be clear how quickly many rich people rotate out their clothes and the features in their houses. However, it seems they apply this same mentality to even their luxury cars and other expensive toys. As a result, their families can end up with some of the best hand-me-downs ever.
Reddit user EitherChannel4874 described one habit their mom's boss has where he typically buys a new expensive car every year. Rather than keep the old one in a stately garage, he'll simply give them away to one of his kids or another family member. It definitely beats wearing an older sibling's clothes any day.
