This 28-year-old woman has been in a relationship with her boyfriend for three years. Among his family, some members are quite affluent. One cousin, Marie, stands out for her arrogance and obsession with a lavish lifestyle.
Marie has always been distant and unwelcoming, which might stem from her different socioeconomic background compared to theirs.
Her boyfriend might have had a well-off childhood, but money was always tight for her own family. She is free to discuss this part of her life, affirming it is just one piece of her overall story.
Not long ago, they had a family reunion with the boyfriend’s relatives, where they began to speak about sister-in-law’s daughter Sasha who had just started loving thrift stores. Nowadays, she is not only donating some of her old stuff but also shopping from second-hand stores.
She and her sister-in-law talked about how fantastic it is for Sasha to be so involved and passionate about her hobby.
Sasha mentioned that a friend of hers had found a luxury handbag at a thrift store. Marie quickly interjected, sharing that she owns a similar designer bag.
Marie comments that certain items from thrift shops can be “unappealing and of poor quality,” describing them as “castoffs from others.”
It was such a shock to me to hear that, I responded ‘Not really though. What is that bag’s brand name Sasha?’ As soon as Sasha mentioned the brand name I again looked in Marie’s direction and said to her “What of your bag?” A defensive Marie with a similar bag was quick to respond saying, “I bought something similar from the store and waited for quite some time before I could get it. That’s just how things go.”
She understands that Marie is not particularly wealthy and has been facing financial difficulties recently. However, Marie has kept this information private and does not discuss her financial situation.
Recognizing the advantage, she told Marie that Sasha’s friend scored a great bargain on that unattractive bag by paying a lower price.
Marie was upset, wondering if the comment implied she was being called disgusting. In response, the speaker clarified that they weren’t labeling Marie as disgusting, but rather suggesting that her decision to buy things she couldn’t afford indicated a lack of financial wisdom.
“She became very upset with me, saying that I was a cruel person. I admit I may have been partly at fault, but I didn’t let it bother me,” she went on.
“She earned that, and it’s important not to belittle others without cause, particularly when they aren’t present to defend themselves.”
She’s now questioning whether it might have been impolite to criticize Marie for purchasing items beyond her means.
What do you think?
You can read the original post on Reddit here.
