A bartender who does “specialty construction-related work” and his wife, who works in education, are on track to earn $300,000 this year. They live frugally, invest aggressively, and keep their income under wraps. “Our families and friends would have no idea we make pretty good money,” the original poster wrote in a recent Reddit post.
When Appearances Don't Match The Bank Account
Posting in the r/HENRYfinance subreddit, the person asked others in nontraditional or modest-looking jobs, “How do you manage being surrounded by people who think you don't make much?”
“We're getting a late start on investing and playing catch up trying to invest and save 50-70% of our income,” they added.
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The replies poured in with similar stories. A geologist making $285,000 per year remotely said he and his partner live on $45,000 and invest the rest. “Manage by acting broke,” he wrote, despite earning a combined $350,000. Living in a ski town where most of their friends make under $60,000, they blend in easily.
Another Redditor, a human resources executive earning $250,000 to $500,000 per year with a nurse spouse, shared how they handle social situations: “I simply say, ‘I work in HR.’ Nobody in my family has any interest beyond that, which works for me.”
Why So Many Keep Quiet About Their Income
Several Redditors said discretion is intentional. “The only person I want knowing our true net worth is my wife,” the OP commented later. Others shared similar feelings, often due to past experiences with friends or relatives asking for money.
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“We started making money by switching to a lucrative industry. Family instantly started asking for money,” one person wrote. “Information diet is key.”
Another said her husband's brother once suggested selling a rental property to pay his bail. “Yep, information diet from then on,” she said.
A construction project manager making $175,000 annually said people often misunderstand how profitable his line of work can be. “Most people don't realize the money is here and you can get there before 30,” he said.
Underestimated Jobs, Overachieving Incomes
The thread revealed a long list of jobs that are either misunderstood or undervalued but result in high earnings:
- A draftsman turned firm owner now makes $600,000 a year after leaving a $25-per-hour job.
- A forensic psychologist said their monthly take-home ranges from $16,000 to $40,000.
- A journeyman carpenter managing major construction projects cleared $350,000 last year.
- A model earns between $400,000 and $700,000 per year but prefers people assume it's just a fun hobby.
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One commenter, a psychiatric nurse practitioner in a small Indiana town, shared that her household income with her husband is pushing $700,000 this year. He doesn't have a degree, but worked his way up at a chemical plant.
In many of these cases, people emphasized that their lifestyle remains intentionally low-key. “We stay in a house we bought 13 years ago for $235K,” one person wrote. Another, whose combined household income is $500,000, added, “We never post anything on social media.”
Success, But Keep It Quiet
A consistent thread throughout the discussion was the idea that wealth invites assumptions, requests, and judgment. As one user summed it up: “Less attention, lower expectations.”
Despite incomes that rival top-tier professionals, many contributors said they feel more comfortable letting others believe they're average earners.
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