11 Things Wealthy People Get Praised For Big Time But Others Look Down On If You're Broke
Depiction Images / ShutterstockMoney can change how people interpret behaviors. A wealthy person's habit that's called smart or disciplined is often judged much more harshly when someone without money does the same.
That double standard shows up everywhere. Wealth often gives people the benefit of the doubt, while financial struggle can invite criticism for behaviors that would otherwise be admired. Once you start noticing these patterns, it becomes hard to ignore how differently society treats the same choices based on how much money someone appears to have.
Here are 11 things wealthy people get praised for big time but others look down on if you're broke
1. The types of clothes you wear
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As much as we may want to pretend otherwise, people typically make snap judgments about others based on what they are wearing. Someone wearing sweatpants will be perceived differently from someone in a suit.
When a rich person wears casual clothes, they're praised for being humble and down-to-earth, but a poor person in the same outfit is seen as lazy and disheveled. If you're wealthy, thrifting is considered cool, but if you're thrifting because you have a limited budget, you're looked down on.
Still, as Carol Davis pointed out in the Columbia Political Review, "high fashion companies have capitalized on this idea of vintage inspired clothing." Her analysis of "the rise of blue-collar cosplay in the high fashion market" notes that this fashion trend is nothing new.
"The ability to choose expensive ripped up clothing is just another unspoken class signifier," she explained. "There are those who can afford to pay for ripped-up jeans and those who cannot afford a new pair at all."
2. Enjoying your leisure time
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People judge you differently for taking time off when you don't have much money. While rich people see not working as self-care, for poor people, not working means you're lazy, period. Being poor means that it doesn't matter how burnt out you are. You have to keep pushing through it in order to make ends meet.
Yet burnout recovery coach Bethany Sadler-Jasmin states that being burnt out goes beyond class status, due to the very American attitude that you have to work until you drop.
"Burnout in our culture is a symptom of the cultural mindset of productivity over leisure," she shared. "We've deprioritized leisure to such an extent that it's now demonized, viewed as lazy, and difficult to maintain."
3. Going to therapy
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Going to therapy has been stigmatized for a long time. Even though the tide is slowly turning, people judge you differently for seeing a therapist if you don't have a lot of money.
If you're rich, therapy is seen as a path to self-awareness and self-improvement. If you're poor, being in therapy is seen as a character defect because it means you have issues you can't handle on your own.
Despite that pervasive social attitude, psychologist Dr. Suniya Luther discovered a direct correlation between high economic status and mental health struggles. According to her research, "the so-called 'privileged' or 'rich' kids were doing much more poorly." Specifically, she found that teenagers from upper-middle-class families are more likely to experience higher rates of depression and anxiety than those from families with less money.
Reaching out for professional help and getting the support you need should never be criticized. No one deserves to suffer, no matter how much money they have.
4. Having pets
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A wealthy person who has pets is known as an animal lover, but a poor person with pets is often viewed as wasting money they can't actually afford to spend. While a wealthy pet owner is described as selfless, a poor pet owner is told they are being selfish.
Caring for a dog or a cat is definitely a serious emotional and financial commitment. It costs a significant amount of money to be a pet parent. According to a 2023 MetLife survey, pet owners spent an average of $4,800 a year on their fur babies, nearly double what they expected to budget.
And even if you can cover the cost of kibble and chew toys, a pet's medical emergency can set you way back in terms of savings. The same survey found that 45% of pet parents had to handle a major health event for their furry friend, and 82% of them weren't financially prepared to do so.
Of course, money definitely provides a safety net, but it's not the only factor to consider when debating who makes a suitable pet owner.
5. Getting a divorce
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Being poor means facing more negative social commentary around being divorced. If you're rich and getting divorced, you get praised for putting your needs first and centering your happiness and independence. If you're going through a divorce as a poor person, you're criticized for having a failed marriage.
Divorce is an expensive process, and it can bring on a lot of financial strain. As licensed clinical psychologist Ann Gold Buscho, PhD, pointed out, filing for divorce adds up. You have to cover the cost of lawyers, along with starting a new household on your own.
The truth is that the emotional toll of divorce can take years for anyone to overcome, and so can the financial setbacks.
6. Having kids
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If you're wealthy, having a big family full of lots of kids is celebrated. You get praised as a family-oriented person, without any harsh words. But if you're poor, people judge you differently for the same thing. People judge your personal decisions, calling you irresponsible.
According to a Gallup poll, Americans are almost evenly divided on their attitudes toward ideal family size. Forty-five percent of Americans favor larger families with three or more kids, while 47% have a preference for smaller families, with two or fewer kids.
The actual number of kids Americans have doesn't always match their ideals, in part because raising kids is so expensive.
7. Hiring a nanny to watch your kids
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Hiring a nanny is a hot-button issue. Rich people with nannies are still seen as good parents, as they're just investing in self-care and delegating their household duties. They can afford the village that's supposed to help parents raise their kids.
Being poor means you get judged for your parenting decisions, and the outcome is rarely in your favor. Hiring a nanny becomes a moral issue, and you get shamed for not raising your own kids.
Being a parent in America has never been cheap, by any means, but it's harder now than it once was. The cost of childcare has skyrocketed, making access to the village even more prohibitive.
8. Living with your parents as an adult
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We're living in unsteady times, economically speaking. It's hard for people to find a stable source of income. It's hard to afford rent and pay for groceries, along with other basic necessities. Many young adults are living with their parents because the housing market is so expensive, with the U.S. Census Bureau estimating that one in three adults aged 18 to 34 lives with their parents.
However, people who live with their parents are judged greatly depending on their wealth. Moving back home when you're wealthy is a strategic move, one that highlights your financial literacy. You're saving money to invest in your own home, which is seen as a respectable reason to live under the same roof as your parents.
If you're poor, however, living at home is seen as a sign of no ambition. It's an unfortunate thing, rather than a genius, money-making move. Society tells you that you're failing at life while telling rich people how much they're thriving.
9. Getting an inheritance
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They say there's no such thing as free money, but that all changes if you get an inheritance. When you're wealthy, having other wealthy family members pass on their money is framed as a continuation of the legacy. If you don't have money, and you inherit it, well... you're just really lucky.
Coming into money when you're poor comes with a host of opinions that other people will openly share, such as financial advice you didn't ask for. And spending your inheritance on luxury items is seen as a bad investment, and taken as proof that you never deserved to be rich in the first place.
10. Having hobbies that don't make money
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Most hobbies cost some amount of money, unless yours is sitting in an empty room, staring at the wall. And even then, you'd have to pay for the room.
When you're rich, having hobbies that don't make money makes you appear to be a well-rounded individual who can apply to top-tier colleges and demonstrate your talents and capabilities. But if you have hobbies that don't make money when you're poor, you're seen as wasting your time on things that don't matter.
11. Buying special treats for yourself
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While younger generations are dragged by older people for spending too much on little treats for themselves, people with no money are judged even more harshly. They get universally criticized for being financially irresponsible if they buy expensive things they don't need, like getting oat milk lattes and chocolate croissants every Friday, just because.
But being rich means you can buy everything you want, and no one judges you for wasting money. If you're rich, people think you deserve that special little treat every single time.
Rewarding yourself is framed as a great way to take care of yourself, but only if you make a certain amount of money.
Alexandra Blogier, MFA, is a staff writer who covers psychology, social issues, relationships, self-help topics, and human interest stories.
