They say opposites attract, but is that true when it comes to your income bracket?
Reddit users gathered on a recent thread to talk about what they learned from dating someone whose socioeconomic background is totally different from theirs. Many said they enjoy introducing their partners to certain aspects of their lifestyle, whether that includes swanky dinners or "dirt cheap" fishing, but others admit it can be hard.
So what's it like to be a working-class kid dating a one-percenter or vice versa? Here are some of the most illuminating answers from the Reddit thread.
"We teach each other and love each other for our differences."
My mother was murdered when I was a year old. My father and step mother were given custody of me, they are hardcore bikers. I grew up learning learning how to sell drugs, fight, work on bikes, make moonshine, etc. my parents beat me, neglected me, pimped me out. My SO comes from upper middle class, went to private school, family celebrates birthdays, having a fridge half filled of food is "getting low" etc. We learn from each other. [...] We never worry about money because I can make a twenty feed us for weeks and she knows when to remind me to spend money on myself. Really, we just teach each other and love each other for our differences. /u/morepantsroom
"It's hard not to be a little bit jealous sometimes."
We turned 17 together a week ago. Two days apart. I was ecstatic that I had my first 5 driving lessons paid for me as my present from my parents.
Two days later and she wakes up to a £5000 car on the drive. Meanwhile in the same week I'm lending my mum £200 until payday so we have enough money for shopping and don't have to borrow off my grandparents for the 5th week running. [...]
They won't think twice about going out for a meal in the middle of the week just for the hell of it and paying a bill in excess of £100. We only go out on birthdays and have to be wary of how much we spend.
I don't judge her at all and her family are hard working and lovely. It's just hard not to be a little bit jealous sometimes. - /u/Bradboy
"The fact that her parents are loaded has been a huge positive."
As a whole, I'd say the fact that her parents are loaded has been a huge positive. She has no student loan debt, but helps me pay mine, and has since we were engaged. Her mom and dad love me, they have taken me on family vacations for years now. I proposed to her in Belize, visited Italy and England, California this year, Ireland next year, Germany the year after... It's pretty cool. [...]
In general, the easy access and availability of fallback funds has really been a boon for our relationship, it's allowed her to pursue a job that she loves and still have a family, and it's allowed me to focus on my hobby and side business, rather than pouring all my money into a down payment for a home. - /u/fadetoblack1004
"Because of his upbringing he chose to be willfully ignorant."
I grew up in an upper middle class family and I once dated a guy that came from a poor Florida family. One thing I noticed was that he tried to save EVERYTHING. He had underwear that was full of holes but would still not throw them out, even after I bought him a bunch more. Also, he knew very little about life outside of his home state, was never up on current world affairs, and was ignorant to soooo much basic knowledge. [...]
When I was dating the guy he was no longer "poor", he was doing well for himself. Because of his upbringing he chose to be willfully ignorant and never even try new things, that was my issue. No, I didn't break up with him because he was poor, I broke up with him because he tried to live with me for free despite having TWO jobs. - /u/VivaLaSea
"It's hard to accept that they truly struggled."
I'm from a poor family. [...] My SO comes from a middle class background. [...] It honestly doesn't affect our relationship too heavily. In part because she knows her family has worked hard to get to where they are, and if I mention it, she'll tell me that there was a time before her father was self employed where they struggled. However I find this hard to really believe as the very first christmas I spent with her family, my SO's grandmother gave me a card with £100, more money than I have ever received in one year from all of my own relatives put together. Makes it hard to accept they truly struggled as much as mine did. - /u/Nambot
Click here to see the rest of the Reddit thread.
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