11 Embarrassing Ways People With No Money Try To Fake Being Wealthy
Luis Molinero | Shutterstock A person's ability to spend money is actively integrated into their social relationship, according to a study from the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, specifically in the ways they feel either included or excluded. If someone has the money to follow trends, involve themselves in extracurriculars, and invest in communities with a price tag, they're probably going to feel more connected, valued, and involved in important ways.
That's why it's not surprising that there are many embarrassing ways people with no money try to fake being wealthy. They want to feel like a part of something bigger, and even though shame is a powerful emotion to feel in the face of these behaviors, the kind they're harboring inside is stronger and more influential.
Here are 11 embarrassing ways people with no money try to fake being wealthy
1. They take photos with other people's belongings
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Whether it's snapping a picture next to someone else's luxury car or wearing a store's clothing to take a photo, these are some of the embarrassing ways people with no money try to fake being wealthy. Of course, having interests and taking photos isn't inherently "bad," but someone who tries to fake something or put on a facade for others is harming their own relationships.
Even if it's a sense of belonging they're seeking out, subconsciously or not, this kind of inauthenticity only fractures their connections and trust.
2. They name-drop often
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People struggling with a sense of money stability may fall into mental health spirals, worrying about their finances, especially if a lack of community and belonging is a part of that struggle. To cope with these feelings of lack, they may rely on behaviors like name-dropping to feel a sense of importance.
If they can cling to the value of another person, they believe they can simultaneously boost their own perception. Even if it's clinging onto a person with no money, it's one of the embarrassing ways that people try to fake being wealthy and important — and, unfortunately, it almost always backfires.
3. They peer-pressure other people into spending
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If someone is dealing with guilt or grappling with internalized shame about overspending on things they didn't need for attention — often taking on debt for non-necessities and status symbols — chances are they're going to peer pressure other people to do the same to feel less alone.
If everyone around them is taking on debt, they can't be doing anything wrong. While the things they urge people to spend their money on will constantly change, as a study from Indiana University suggests, their play on everyone's natural desire to "fit in" will not.
4. They mock frugality
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While the majority of people tend to believe that frugality is an attractive choice, people who care more about leveraging money and luxury mock frugality for a sense of superiority, even if it leaves them in more debt and with less spending power than those who save.
Frugality is a mindset centered around conserving resources and being mindful, but people clouded by their need for external validation and acceptance may find it hard to leverage this kind of intentionality. They're driven by impulse and a deep yearning for belonging, even if they're not necessarily away from it.
5. They confuse quality with cost
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People who consistently believe that cost equates to quality often dig themselves into a deep hole. They're constantly leaning on loans and credit cards to buy "luxury" goods, justifying them with the quality, even though they're having to replace them in under a year.
Of course, at the end of the day, these purchases are for attention. They want to cling to status symbols for attention and gratification, even if they're not truly a sign of status, but of debt.
6. They spend impulsively after payday
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According to a study from Frontiers in Psychology, many people who spend their money impulsively are operating from a place of self-esteem. They spend wildly after payday, flaunting their "wealth," even if it means they're bound to take on debt and leverage credit cards for basic necessities toward the end of the month.
To feel a sense of self-worth and belonging, they need to spend their money. Especially because their sense of stability and internal security comes from how other people perceive them, specifically when it comes to money, it's not surprising that the beginning of the month is the perfect time for them to pretend.
7. They avoid conversations about savings
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If someone is actively overspending on status symbols like clothing, expensive cars, and Instagram-worthy vacations, chances are they have little to no money to invest in their long-term financial health. For the most part, they're taking on debt just to afford their misleading status, so when it comes to building a savings account or their retirement, it's bleak.
That's why people who fake their wealth often avoid conversations about savings and financial security. If they're not lying about it, they're worrying about it, so conversations can bring up a lot of their internal struggles and guilt.
8. They view credit limits as cash to spend
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Even if people trying to fake their wealth pretend that they'll only take on debt for a little bit, research shows that most people's credit card behaviors — from overspending to carrying over a balance — are lifelong. So, even if someone's fakeness around wealth and negative credit card behaviors feels like a momentary, fleeting behavior for control, they're sabotaging their long-term financial stability.
Without the kind of self-assuredness and security it takes to form healthy money habits and boundaries, these people continue to put themselves at risk by appealing to other forms of belonging and validation.
9. They try to be busy all the time
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By curating a lifestyle that they deem to feel "important," people trying to fake being wealthy can try to "prove" that their time is valuable and their presence important. By filling their schedule with a million plans and maintaining surface-level relationships with a ton of people, they can cultivate that sense of importance, no matter how misguided it really is.
From spending money on all these social engagements to name-dropping people they don't really know, many people rely on their social circles for a sense of importance when they're not secure enough to provide it for themselves.
10. They spend most of their time curating
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Whether it's posting carefully curated Instagram photos or curating an outfit that makes them look wealthier than they are, people who have no money but are trying to pretend often rely on curation constantly. Rather than finding, creating, and expressing their own sense of individuality and authenticity, they rely on trends and external validation for control.
Especially in the digital age, where seeking external validation is much easier and a temptation for many, self-expression can be easily sabotaged by these behaviors. Many of the embarrassing ways people with no money try to fake being wealthy happen online, where notifications and engagement tie into their self-worth.
11. They exaggerate professional success
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From lying about their job titles to exaggerating their salaries, many of the embarrassing ways people with no money try to fake being wealthy are by exaggerating their professional success.
Their self-worth is inherently tied to their self-perception, so the more lies they tell and gratification they get, the more control they feel like they have over their well-being. Of course, not only does this sabotage their relationships, but it also often reduces their motivation to actually achieve, work hard, and progress in their jobs.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
