Has anyone else had a similar experience of frugality + rude, assuming people?
I just got off the phone with my wife, and thought I would share this one.
Our kids' elementary school has a fundraising night coming up, a dinner and auction type thing. We bought our tickets a while ago and arranged seating with other fun, frugal, laid back parents. Now there is another mom who is Mrs. Spendypants and wants everyone to know she spends a bunch; huge SUV, every "playdate" has to be something insane like private baseball lessons . . you can picture the type. By contrast, my wife keeps a cooler in the car with amazing food so we never have to eat out unless we want to.
A few weeks ago she offered my wife tickets to the fundraiser dinner, "To help you guys out." My wife politely thanked her with a raised eyebrow and let her know we, uh, already splurged for the $70 per couple tickets. Had to shake the sofas to find that much!!
Today we get a call from my cousin who is an acquaintance of Mrs. S. Mrs. S called my cousin to relay that she had offered us tickets to this dinner and we turned her down, "probably because they were too proud." My cousin has no idea what she means, and asks. "Well," says Mrs. S, "I really wanted to help them out because I know they have a few kids and they struggle with money."
My cousin basically laughs in Mrs. Spendypants' face. "They do just fine . . . trust me."
Unable to take a hint, phone a friend, or get a clue, Mrs. Spendypants then proceeds to tell my cousin that she "overheard" my wife say she was going to wear dress pants and a nice top to this dinner (just like every other wife in our group of friends). She tells my cousin that my wife "will feel pretty underdressed and embarassed" but here is the kicker....
Spendypants tells my cousin she wants to take my wife out for a girls' day out and "buy her some nicer clothes to make her feel good." Just to make sure I follow....you think we struggle with money but you're trying to buy other middle-aged women clothes. So they feel better. That's brilliant, really!
I'm actually pretty proud because it means we are doing it right if we don't put on a show.
PS-At the dinner, I am considering putting their SUV up on cinder blocks with a large note from Rent-A-Rim that they have been repossessed for failure to pay on their rental rims. I am also open to other sophomoric responses, as long as they are funny and non-damaging.
Anybody ever gotten a rude "aw, you're so poor" type offer?