They say money talks, but more often than not, those who have the least amount of money tend to talk the loudest. You see, those who are actively building wealth understand the value of their dollars, and they don’t feel the need to shout it out from the rooftops. Rich people don’t feel the need to prove themselves or their wealth to others. In this article, we will see 10 Ways Poor People Fake Being Rich.
A lot of poor people, however, are conditioned from a young age to flaunt their money. They’re quick to spend in search of peer acceptance, failing to realize that a sign of true wealth is quiet confidence.
Poor people are more worried about appearing rich, rather than actually becoming rich—their low confidence typically stems from a lack of money. Congolese author Mwan-an-deke Kin-dem-bo fittingly described the poverty mindset when he said: Some people want to be gods while they are still struggling to be human beings.” So with that, here are 15 ways poor people fake being rich—let’s jump in.
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10
They Won’t Stop Bragging About Money
Bragging about money is a classic sign of financial insecurity. That’s why poor people faking being rich will feel the need to boast about their perceived wealth and broadcast it to the masses. They overcompensate to cover up their poor self-esteem and are quick to sing their own praises while claiming superiority over others. You see, money isn’t a big deal for those who’ve always had it.
Rich people have learned that having money lends a certain level of comfortability, knowing that their wealth speaks louder than anything they may say out loud.
They’re confident with their cash and are well aware of the responsibilities that come with having a high financial status. Bragging is a trait counteractive to becoming wealthy. It’s for those who’d rather worry about what people think than actually redirect their energy to making money.
Bragging about their cash is a poor person’s attempt to keep up with the Joneses. They boast about their success, all while behind closed doors, they borrow money they don’t have, to buy things they can’t afford, to impress people they don’t even know or like.
You can always spot a poor person who has recently come into some cash by the way they talk about it. If you come from new money and can’t help but boast and brag about it, it may be a sign that you haven’t had it long enough.
9
They Overdress To Impress
You might think that being rich means looking rich, but if our parents taught us anything, it’s that we know better than to judge a book by its cover. To most, wealth and riches will be synonymous with opulence and extravagance, but true wealth shines beyond more than just the surface.
While it’s undeniable that wealthy people aren’t afraid to indulge when it comes to adorning expensive clothes and jewelry, poor people dress to impress for different reasons.
A rich person’s dress sense will reflect their high level of confidence. A poor person faking being rich, however, tends to overdress as a way of combating low self-esteem, to make up for the material items they never had, or to win approval from their wealthy peers. Who can blame them for following the rules of a world where material value is often pursued above all else?
A percentage of people who’ve come from underprivileged beginnings will tend to be spontaneous with their cash because they’ve not had it long enough to become educated about it. When you’ve always had cash, you become comfortable with it. You understand its long-term value beyond more than just indulging and splurging on cosmetic and material items.
8
They Spend Too Much Time On Social Media
Social media sites are great tools when used properly. But if you spend all day posting selfies and watching cat videos, you’ll end up looking like a loser.
Rich people are too busy finding ways to invest their cash in the real world rather than wasting time endlessly scrolling on social media. A Quick Poll from NASDAQ revealed that 17.4 percent of wealthy individuals rarely have time to use social media.
It’s underprivileged posers and wannabe influencers who typically seek external validation from social media. This is because they don’t have the resources and know-how to convert social success into real-world success.
While rich people aren’t perfect beings free of insecurity, most of them are smart enough to know that ‘following’, ‘liking’, and ‘commenting’ is a winning game for the unmotivated man. Unless it’s a marketing tactic to make more money, rich people don’t get rich from browsing social media all day and interacting with people they don’t know.
7
They Feel The Need To Buy Fake Items
Despite saying earlier on how most of us were taught not to judge a book by its cover, unfortunately in this material world, so many people only care to be judged by its cover. In an attempt to appear rich and wealthy, poor people will buy fake designer items as a way to inflate their sense of self-worth.
Lately, there’s a common trend amongst rich folk to downplay their financial wealth by down-dressing and appearing poor. Take Kanye West’s 2022 Yeezy Gap Collection, who despite being bought by mostly wealthy kids, the Chicago rapper says designs were directly inspired by the homeless.
Poor people, however, seem to do the opposite. They buy fake clothes and jewelry because they care more about what people think rather than living within their means. They prioritize status and validation from others usually because their feelings of inadequacy stop them from living authentically.
Instead of making long-term sacrifices and saving up cash to buy high-value goods, the pull of instant satisfaction keeps them buying bad-quality items.
In the words of American author Sterling W. Sill: “Some people lose their souls in order to save their faces.” Poor people who feel the need to fake being rich are playing a losing game. Investing in a few high-quality items rather than countless fakes might mean you can’t keep up with the latest seasonal trends, but it will mean your integrity stays intact—remember, quality over quantity.
6
They Overcompensate
A sure sign to tell if a poor person is faking being rich is if they overcompensate for everything. Whether it’s bragging about their supposed success, placing their achievements above others, or downplaying the achievements of their friends and peers, people who overcompensate usually do so because they’re struggling with feelings of inadequacy.
People who grew up poor and haven’t escaped the poverty mindset may have an inferiority complex. This leads them to overcompensate in an attempt to hide their shortcomings.
They’ll splurge and buy expensive bottles at the bar in an attempt to impress their rich friends, knowing full well they haven’t even paid off last month’s credit card bill—and might not be able to afford to.
They’ll idolize luxury items and judge others for what they’re wearing and the material items they don’t own because it’s a way of distancing themselves from a life of poverty.
Those who seem to can’t stop talking about their supposed success and endless wealth might just be overcompensating and probably can’t put their money where their mouth is.
However, overcompensating isn’t exclusive to the underprivileged. There are plenty of rich people guilty of overcompensating—because at the end of the day—money can’t eliminate our insecurities.
5
They Splurge Impulsively
You might be able to tell when a poor person is faking being rich by the way they impulsively spend when they come into some cash. Running up and down the fifth avenue on a mindless shopping spree after getting paid is an activity most couldn’t resist—whether rich or poor—we’re only human.
Those who live and breathe money aren’t strangers to the occasional shopping spree, but when money is no object, you’ll find that impulsive splurging just isn’t something you do anymore. For poor people who aren’t used to cash passing through their hands, however, it’ll be a little more difficult to resist the temptation of spending unnecessarily—perhaps in an attempt to appear extravagant.
It could be they’re searching for something, anything to make themselves happy, a special feeling they’ve always craved. When underprivileged people aren’t used to money, they’ll often spend it as soon as they get it. To quote Mother Teresa: “Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.”
4
They Rent, But Own Nothing
Ever had that friend who seems to pull up in a new vehicle every week or who’s always jumping from one flashy apartment to another?
It may be a sign that their financial situation can’t afford them anything permanent. A sure sign of a poor person faking being rich is their inability to put down roots and actually commit to a purchase.
They’ll have no issue hiring expensive cars to get one over on their friends, they’ll appear in opulent clothes and jewelry but go home to a half-empty closet because truth be told—they never really owned anything. There are plenty of reasons why someone would prefer to rent over buying, but there’s little reason why someone who claims to be rolling in cash can’t seem to get their money to talk.
Those who claim to be rich, but don’t seem to have any actual assets are probably not as rich as they claim to be, and are likely renting their expensive lifestyle.
3
They Love Flaunting on Social Media
Remember how we said rich people rather stay off of social media and keep their friendship circle small? Well, it should be no surprise then that poor people posing above their tax bracket are the first to jump on social media and flaunt their ‘supposed’ wealth.
They may post pictures of themselves dressed in designer items, at bouji brunches, or posing on sports cars that aren’t theirs when in actuality, these are only snapshots of a fabricated fantasy that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Whether rich or poor, those who are confident don’t feel the need to shamelessly self-promote with lavish posts on the gram. Poor people who so badly want to appear rich may not be confident enough to sit in their truth.
2
They Prefer Quantity Over Quality
With a certain level of wealth naturally comes a certain level of taste. And while the taste isn’t exclusive to the rich, those who are truly wealthy are just that more accustomed to the taste of high quality.
When they shop, rich people opt for quality over quantity. They understand the value of investing in high-grade items that will last for years. They’ll spend money on unique bespoke products that increase in value over time. Poor people posing as the rich will not be able to shake the habit of buying for utility.
Recognizing the value in quality is a skill the rich do well. Those who are faking it will not be able to shake the bad habit of skimping out and buying for convenience, and that ultimately comes at a bigger price tag.
“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.” – Steve Jobs.
1
They Aren’t Open to Education and Growth
Poor people who are faking being rich are too busy trying to portray a life of materialism that they forget that real value lies in education and the pursuit of knowledge.
Education is a pillar of knowledge, and the rich, more than anyone. Know that chasing knowledge is how you get richer.
Most of the world’s billionaires earned their coveted status by educating themselves and becoming experts and innovators in their respective fields.
A disciplined mindset and a desire to grow are usually what separates those who continue to blame their shortcomings on the world around them. And those who break out of poverty and sail from rags to riches. The poverty mindset is taught. Those who’ve always known poverty often don’t have the education to grow and escape, and a lot are more than happy to remain complacent, unaware that they don’t have to start big, they just have to start now.
Of course, education is highly valued by countless people around the world—rich or poor. But you’ll always tell when a poor person is faking being rich by how they place the value of money above knowledge.
Truly wealthy people will consider their material assets just as important as their ability to learn and evolve.
Fake Being Rich, Rich people are unafraid of pushing themselves and expanding their reach. It’s how they got this rich in the first place.
