We’ve all heard stories about the many things wealthy individuals do with their money which those with much more modest incomes do not. Many of these stories tend to revolve around extravagant purchases, like superyachts, private islands and having an unlimited budget for extraneous purchases like glitter.
Much less obvious, however, are the subtle ways those with extreme wealth treat spending and saving money. Here are some things millionaires do with their money that you would be hard-pressed to see a normal person doing.
They Don’t Talk About Money
In a now-viral Reddit thread about non-obvious signs of wealth, a Reddit user named ragnarkar wrote that individuals possessing extreme wealth rarely discuss money.
“There’s a saying that there’s an inverse correlation between how wealthy someone is and how often they mention money, but it’s not that easy or obvious to gauge how often someone actually talks about money without interacting with them a lot,” the Reddit user wrote.
Those without money can’t help but talk about money with others or think about it on a regular basis. Someone with extreme wealth, however, would not bring up the topic in an everyday conversation. This is not to say they don’t pay attention to their overall financial picture. It’s just not a topic for discussion.
They Have Credit Cards That Are Different Colors and Weights Than the Average Person
A regular person likely doesn’t think twice about the color of their credit card. Their focus is usually just on making sure the balance is paid in full each month. Someone with extreme wealth, however, can make their wealth known with a nonverbal cue: the color and heft of their credit card.
A since-deleted Reddit user wrote in the viral thread how wealthy individuals will often receive great service from staff once the staff sees their credit card. Another user named illinois_smith confirmed they were a service industry worker and the nice credit cards do get noticed, especially the ones made of heavy metal.
Getting these specific credit cards typically requires a certain amount of heavy spending from the cardholder. The number of people given these cards will often be pretty limited as well.
The Ultra-Wealthy Take Portfolio Diversification to the Next Level
Those with great wealth have several assets, tangible and intangible alike, which make up their overall investment portfolio. Popular physical assets include real estate, jewelry, rare artwork, vintage vehicles and cash or cash equivalents like money market mutual funds. Less intangible assets include stocks, bonds and exchange-traded funds (EFTs).
The ultra-rich, like multimillionaires, take their portfolio diversification to the next level. Yahoo reported some of these investors may participate in a hedge fund or buy into a private equity fund. Some may have a controlling interest in at least one major company. Further, their portfolios may extend to commodities like owning a substantial amount of physical gold and silver to alternative investments like intellectual property rights.
Some Wealthy Individuals Don’t Mind Being Frugal
The HBO series “Succession” explores the 1% world of Logan Roy, founder of the media empire Waystar-Royco, and his family. While the show is fictional, The New York Times reported several wealth consultants are present during the filming of the series to ensure the details of billionaires are factually accurate. In one episode, Logan Roy — who can eat anything in the world he wants — bites into a cheeseburger from McDonald’s.
While there are no hard or fast rules about millionaires needing to present or act in a certain way, a number of millionaires (and billionaires) have surprisingly frugal lifestyles. In an interview with Vanity Fair, musician Grimes revealed her former partner Elon Musk would not spend money on a new mattress and stated Musk “lives at times below the poverty line.”
Mentions of frugality are also peppered throughout the Reddit thread. Those with wealth can drive cars that are 20 years old and wear basic clothing. As long as the car works and the clothes fit, their money is better put toward savvy investments to grow their wealth.
Millionaires Are More Concerned With Time Than Money
Money does not cloud the mind of a millionaire. Their great preoccupation is usually the concept of time. A since-deleted Reddit user wrote time is “the only resource and commodity that doesn’t replenish” for the wealthy.
Because while it is always possible to make more money, it is impossible to make more hours in the day, week, month or year. Actress Elizabeth Taylor once famously said, “When people say, ‘She’s got everything’, I’ve got one answer – I haven’t had tomorrow.’”
Money may be exchanged, but time is spent. Nobody can have more or less time than anyone else.
