7 Things Poor People Do That Rich People Don’t
Written by
Cindy Lamothe
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Every socioeconomic class has its way of doing things. Many individuals with lower incomes might struggle to make ends meet and live paycheck to paycheck. Wealthier people, on the other hand, often have more financial stability and can build more savings over time.
“Getting the hang of money is like learning any skill,” said Sana Khair, investor and co-founder of Mayfair Properties. “Sometimes, folks with less money face challenges because they might not have as many opportunities to learn about handling finances.”
Conversely, Khair explained that those who are better off often make a point of continuing to learn. “It’s like having an extra tool in their toolkit for making smart money moves.”
All of these differences ultimately play a role in determining a person’s financial progress. Below are some of the common examples of poor financial habits of those with less money.
Fail To Save for Emergencies
“Imagine money is a safety net,” said Khair. “When things go wrong, setting aside some money can soften the fall. For those with less money, it’s tricky because they might need more cushion.”
But, she notes that those with more money tend to plan. “It’s like having a financial safety net for unexpected twists and turns.”
Deal With Debts
Dealing with debts is like handling a tricky puzzle, said Khair. She said some folks with less money can get stuck in puzzles with high interest rates, making it hard to save up. On the other hand, wealthier folks are often better at managing debts.
“They’re using debts as tools to build things instead of letting debts slow them down,” she added.
David Kemmerer, CEO at CoinLedger, said those with less means are far more likely to finance purchases or buy things on credit than rich people, usually out of necessity. “Unfortunately, these purchasing habits often hold them back from making progress on their financial goals.”
He noted that the rich are generally better able to avoid high-interest debt, leaving them free to spend their money on investing, saving and building their net worth.
Live Day-to-Day Rather Than Thinking Long-Term
“Money isn’t just about today,” said Khair. “It’s about tomorrow, too.”
She noted that for those with less money, it’s easy to focus on just getting through the day. But those who are better off financially look ahead. “It’s like they’re playing chess while others are playing checkers — they’re making moves today that set them up for success tomorrow.”
Fail To Invest
“Investing is like planting seeds for your money,” said Khair. “Some folks with less money might not have as many seed-planting options.”
But wealthier people often have more choices, she continued. “It’s like having a variety of plants in a garden — different plants grow in different ways, just like different investments can help your money grow.”
Take Out Several Loans at the Same Time
Joe Chappius, finance planner and tax expert at Tax Climate, explained that people with less means have lower income to pay for their necessities and wants. This means that they’ll often take loans from different lenders simultaneously.
“The rich never have to do this because they have more than enough money to spend,” he noted. However, by taking several loans at the same time, he said the poor will later struggle to pay off these debts, resulting in falling into debt and not being able to save.
Spend Their Money All at Once
According to Chappius, individuals with lower income often tend to spend all their extra money on a shopping spree or other unnecessary items.
“They don’t set aside some amount for their savings or retirement,” he observed. “The rich, although they do shopping sprees, always make sure they have money set aside for other things. They don’t spend all of their money all at once.”
Pay More Taxes
Although it’s true that the rich typically pay a higher amount, they have more than enough wealth to get that from, said Chappius.
The poor, he pointed out, may end up paying a higher percentage of their resources in taxes compared to the rich, placing a greater burden on them. This results in them struggling more with their finances, which hinders them from being able to spend on leisure items and improving the quality of their lives.
“I’d also like to note that this is more of a systemic issue related to the tax structure rather than a personal choice,” he stressed.
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