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Tigress DEM

(7,887 posts)

10. MAD!! SOME people know how to be quirky and make it work FOR them.

Sat Nov 30, 2013, 03:46 PM

Nov 2013

My cell phone isn't all that smart, but I know I am smart enough to make up for it.

I don't have to have the latest status symbol because I'm not trying to keep up with the Joneses.

I was very lucky on my flight up out of poverty that there was a program that helped people pick out "professional interview and work outfits" kind of like a clothes closet, but a bit upper scale items that would remove a barrier to gainful employment. Attended job club, participated in classes and got resume and interviewing help as well.

I can always dress nice enough, but the "qaulity" of those 2nd hand items was something I could not afford new and wouldn't have a clue to look for in the used areas. I hate shopping. Make a list, go get the stuff is about all I want to do when I shop. All this la tee dah about coupons etc... I buy from stores that have reasonable prices and just get what I need, plus a want or two now and then.

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Great Read!" Why do poor people waste money on Luxury Goods”.. [View all] busterbrown Nov 2013 OP

K & R Wounded Bear Nov 2013 #1

This doesn't just apply to clothing, either--the same argument can be made for consumer goods. MADem Nov 2013 #2

Exactly. If you're hiring, and someone pulls out a non-smartphone... knitter4democracy Nov 2013 #4

I'm quirky, so that wouldn't bother me! MADem Nov 2013 #5

Many in HR would disagree, though. knitter4democracy Nov 2013 #6

Oh, I get what you are saying; there are 'indicators' that a person might be a good fit MADem Nov 2013 #15

When we're job-searching, though, we go for mainstream. knitter4democracy Nov 2013 #24

I agree--one can't afford to "go one's own way" when it's a paycheck that is needed. MADem Nov 2013 #28

if they really need that they could supply their employees treestar Dec 2013 #99

Oh, I agree. knitter4democracy Dec 2013 #117

That's hilarious. I was developing apps for smart phones when I'd never owned a cel phone. Marr Dec 2013 #107

True, but keep in mind how many HR people think. knitter4democracy Dec 2013 #119

MAD!! SOME people know how to be quirky and make it work FOR them. Tigress DEM Nov 2013 #10

My employers got very nervous when I was saving my money Ace Acme Nov 2013 #12

+1,000 .... MADem Nov 2013 #19

Not everyone is blessed with such talent.. busterbrown Nov 2013 #44

We don't disagree...! nt MADem Nov 2013 #56

The key was in getting help. knitter4democracy Nov 2013 #26

Completely true. Tigress DEM Nov 2013 #70

exactly! Blue_Roses Dec 2013 #115

If I am hiring (and I have) Curmudgeoness Nov 2013 #16

Not in the interview, no. knitter4democracy Nov 2013 #25

I just hope that I can make it these last few years at my job Curmudgeoness Nov 2013 #30

It's really more what the clothes do for your own mental toughness. Tigress DEM Nov 2013 #71

I can see how the right clothes can help build your confidence. Curmudgeoness Nov 2013 #74

cracks me up they worry more about what people are wearing treestar Dec 2013 #100

Too bad it isn't funny though, if you are looking for work. Curmudgeoness Dec 2013 #104

on the other hand FB helped me weed out potential problem renters. the single lady with a tiny dog? bettyellen Dec 2013 #108

I can see some benefit to using FB, and yours is a great example. Curmudgeoness Dec 2013 #112

yep, sadly a lot of it is fitting in. i was an odd fit for a long time- working with pigs bettyellen Dec 2013 #113

You go, girl!!!! Don't take shit. Curmudgeoness Dec 2013 #114

ooops! bettyellen Dec 2013 #108

dupe! bettyellen Dec 2013 #110

I'm negatively impressed by ostentation. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #32

Many of the available jobs are in retail.. busterbrown Nov 2013 #46

It's true, I have as little interaction with retail as I possibly can. n/t lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #49

I know... It’s sad statement but mostly true.. busterbrown Nov 2013 #52

Iphones are normal, not anything anyone w/ brain cells would "flash". bettyellen Dec 2013 #92

That the interviewee is a moron for having his phone on during a job interview. WinkyDink Nov 2013 #60

Like I posted upthread, out afterward. knitter4democracy Dec 2013 #97

What does it say to a potential employer if you pull out ANY phone during an interview? K.O. Stradivarius Nov 2013 #72

kids do it all the time. I say, put it away, and....next! bettyellen Dec 2013 #106

I tell my students this all the time. knitter4democracy Dec 2013 #120

when you are interviewing for a job sweetapogee Dec 2013 #98

People get it out at the end. knitter4democracy Dec 2013 #121

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2013 #127

K&R! TeamPooka Nov 2013 #3

Ludicrous...this cap is exactly wrong Demo_Chris Nov 2013 #7

I think what you say is true, too, but Ms Cottom is writing from her own experience. nilram Nov 2013 #9

I know some people like those Ms Cottom describes. MADem Nov 2013 #20

Agreed. That's been my experience. nt DLevine Nov 2013 #11

Actually, BOTH are true. Poor people come in all different sizes, thought patterns and colors. Tigress DEM Nov 2013 #13

So true, I grew up with a poverty mindset, and it took a lot of years to shake off and treat myself bettyellen Dec 2013 #103

Reccing this post by Demo_Chris. bvar22 Nov 2013 #21

Blue Dog Democrats simply have to be expelled... busterbrown Nov 2013 #47

Goddamn right. n/t X_Digger Nov 2013 #35

Until somebody has been there, he or she has no right to judge. duffyduff Nov 2013 #36

Beautifully stated. nt Buns_of_Fire Nov 2013 #53

I think your point.. sendero Dec 2013 #116

More, rather than offering the truth, the author offers justifications, thus implying... Demo_Chris Dec 2013 #123

People are gonna do.. sendero Dec 2013 #124

Didn't some very rich people Mr.Bill Nov 2013 #8

Among the really rich, there's an "anti-status-symbol" cachet mainer Nov 2013 #14

yeah, old money often pretends they got there by being frugal instead of born lucky, LOL bettyellen Nov 2013 #17

heh. SammyWinstonJack Nov 2013 #22

the amount of scorn they have for "new money" betrays their embarrassment that they did nothing bettyellen Nov 2013 #27

It's usually not an act. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #48

old money doesn't "get rich" by doing anything, except being born. and their poor folk drag is just bettyellen Nov 2013 #58

Not all money is "old money." mainer Nov 2013 #59

no, but I was speaking to the common affectations of old (serious) money. bettyellen Nov 2013 #61

But even most "new" millionaires got there by pnwmom Nov 2013 #65

I was discussing how "old" money fools people into thinking exactly that- when the truth is, bettyellen Dec 2013 #79

I once lived in a town that had some of those people. pnwmom Dec 2013 #80

yet many march into Saks and drop thousands on cashmere, have 2-3 other homes they never bettyellen Dec 2013 #81

The people I'm thinking about drove around in an old VW. pnwmom Dec 2013 #83

The same reason they walk into Saks with holes in their shabby clothing. bettyellen Dec 2013 #86

Maybe they're not broadcasting the illusion that money doesn't matter. pnwmom Dec 2013 #89

you can buy into their "am rich because I am thrifty" bullshit if you want- but if they bettyellen Dec 2013 #90

I'm NOT saying they're virtuous. pnwmom Dec 2013 #125

Old money was new money at some point in their family tree. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #62

it's interesting that hoarding money is suddenly so laudable, if the person dresses down bettyellen Nov 2013 #68

Perhaps we aren't talking about the same people. Maybe it's a rural/northwest thing. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #69

true, if they come to drop serious money, they come to NYC to do it. so that behavior bettyellen Nov 2013 #73

Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2013 #78

while the rich may be frugal on some things mainer Dec 2013 #82

A pair of Leica binocs from Ebay cost* less than a pair of Bushnell from WalMart. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #84

True about Ebay! But I suspect rich don't like used. mainer Dec 2013 #85

I think that would be a bad assumption. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #88

Yep, in NYC it is the accessories that are often the tell. But I know many who work in NYC bettyellen Dec 2013 #91

On the other hand, I know a lot of people who are NOT rich XemaSab Dec 2013 #93

speaking of spending on "experiences" I have a social climbing family member, who is bettyellen Dec 2013 #96

I've heard that idea, too treestar Dec 2013 #101

The people who buy this stuff don't consider it "wasting" their money jmowreader Nov 2013 #18

"Judge not that ye be not judged." ReRe Nov 2013 #23

Oh, so that's why? Well then I guess I'll stop worrying about malnutrition. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #29

Well said. Jetboy Nov 2013 #33

There is a false equivalency comparing Black/poor with White/poor..n/t busterbrown Nov 2013 #50

I only have one frame of reference. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #54

“Fuck you” means they are playing our game unfortunately a game they learned from us.. busterbrown Nov 2013 #55

Sounds like they need to read my thread about buying used Jetboy Nov 2013 #31

A lot of used is crap. n/t duffyduff Nov 2013 #37

Anything available new is also available used. Jetboy Nov 2013 #39

Items available used have generally already survived a testing period. n/t lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #42

and dirty to boot.. Not cleanable.. n/t busterbrown Nov 2013 #51

If you buy dirty used clothes then you deserve them. n/t Jetboy Nov 2013 #77

That's bullshit. fujiyama Dec 2013 #94

American Income inequality is the biggest reason ErikJ Nov 2013 #34

A lot of truth to this. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #41

The ad for this article is for Maserati XemaSab Nov 2013 #38

My status symbols are in the form of clothing that I buy at second-hand stores! TheDebbieDee Nov 2013 #40

Amen! Jetboy Nov 2013 #43

I certainly observed from my experience in the Philippines that many, many people would go without Douglas Carpenter Nov 2013 #45

Dignity to have a few "Entry Goods" to be respected and not looked down on. KoKo Nov 2013 #63

Perhaps a better investment than a smartphone with no minutes would be a couple more clean shirts. lumberjack_jeff Dec 2013 #87

like it or not- most companies want you to "fit in" and you have to "fake it to make it" or you bettyellen Dec 2013 #105

What I love about DU and this thread is... busterbrown Nov 2013 #57

The rich are getting richer... lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #64

If your white that applies.. but unfortunately one is at a huge disadvantage if Black.. busterbrown Nov 2013 #66

Parents pass on the skills they have to their kids. lumberjack_jeff Nov 2013 #67

Bill Gates certainly isn’t someone whom I admire... busterbrown Nov 2013 #75

i see truth in this. Thank you for posting dembotoz Nov 2013 #76

"Pay to play" has always been a thing XemaSab Dec 2013 #95

it took me a long time to figure out that they would pay me more if I looked like my upkeep bettyellen Dec 2013 #102

"Fake it 'til you make it" Barack_America Dec 2013 #111

I wouldn't know the difference between a $250 bag and a $2,500 one muriel_volestrangler Dec 2013 #118

Yea, but a very wealthy 1%er would know that the Channel you are carrying is fake... busterbrown Dec 2013 #126

or they can "afford" the luxury goods JI7 Dec 2013 #122

I did it for job interviews when I was young - TBF Dec 2013 #128