11 Things That Instantly Annoy People Who Work Hard For Their Money
Their resilience is a strong part of their identity.
Kusmartsev Volodymyr | Shutterstock It’s impossible for many people to remove the emotion from their money mentality — whether it’s crafting their financial habits or interacting with others in public. According to a study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, money-primed individuals are more likely to view their social interactions as “business transactions” — expecting people to remove emotion from their conversations, as they tend to do.
Of course, not everyone who has money or considers their financial status in social interactions is repelled by vulnerability, but there are a number of things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. Whether it’s opposing resilience, general ignorance, or poor personal financial habits, they have reasons for judging other people and walking away from people who don’t add value or insight to their lives.
Here are 11 things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money:
1. People who act entitled to success
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It’s not surprising that people who take pride in their work ethic and resilience tend to see entitlement as an annoyance when it comes to money.
They’ve worked hard to get where they are — making small sacrifices, investing energy and time into budgeting, and even overcoming hurdles — so watching someone else expect success without putting in any work can feel like an invalidation of their own journey.
According to a study from the Social Psychological and Personality Science journal, many entitled people drive a wedge between themselves and truly hardworking people, because they not only lack resilience, but consistency and the ability to listen to guidance and follow directions. They struggle with large projects and initiatives, but also small daily tasks and responsibilities, negatively impacting their productivity and work ethic.
2. Blaming everyone else for their financial problems
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In many ways, experiencing poverty and struggling with money is out of a person’s control. From institutional pressures, to prejudice, and generational financial struggles, it’s no easy feat to overcome financial stress and insecurity, especially alongside poor financial literacy and toxic beliefs about making money.
However, people who constantly play the victim without making any real change or taking any action are one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. The healthiest people know that their success doesn’t explain, motivate, or rectify another person struggling, but they do tend to struggle to comfort someone who refuses to acknowledge their own mistakes.
According to the Berkeley Well-Being Institute, victim mentalities are rooted in a person’s identity — they don’t just avoid taking accountability when it comes to their financial state; they also tend to struggle with apologizing, growing, and taking responsibility in every aspect of their lives. They isolate themselves from healthy connections, routines, and relationships because they blame anyone and everyone around them for their unhappiness.
3. Chronic complaining about money
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According to psychotherapist William Berry, chronic complainers who find an excuse for everything or blame everyone around them for their own misfortunes spark resentment in their relationships — sabotaging success, good energy, and healthy connections from forming in their lives.
While this negativity tends to largely sabotage their own lives, it can also infect and influence the people around them, which is why it’s one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. Even people who’ve worked hard may not understand the struggle someone else faces when it comes to money or financial status, but that doesn’t mean they’re willing to subject themselves to chronic complaining and negative energy that impacts their wellbeing.
4. Laziness disguised as 'taking it easy'
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Whether it’s a preference for instant gratification or a self-confidence issue, lazy people prone to idleness are motivated by fear and hopelessness, according to psychiatrist Neel Burton. They’d prefer to self–soothe in the face of their emotional turmoil, insecurities, and struggles rather than take action, which is one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money.
Making true change and addressing shortcomings in your life will almost always be uncomfortable, but lazy people often subconsciously stay stagnant because they seek comfort above all else.
5. Bragging about money or fake success
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Many people who’ve worked hard for their money find flaunting wealth and bragging about success to be incredibly unhealthy and annoying. Not only is it clearly a validation-seeking behavior, but it often illuminates other people on their insecurities — their success isn’t internally gratifying, but a means to “one-up” others.
Even people who don’t have financial securities or “success” in their lives may be prone to this behavior — flaunting status symbols they’ve overspent on with credit cards for or bragging about goals they haven’t even achieved yet.
In these cases, people who brag about goals and success before they realize them aren’t just annoying others, they’re also sabotaging their own productivity, according to psychologist Marwa Azab. They’re taking away the joy of the process and even the relief and relief they’re yearning for when it comes to achieving certain goals or aspirations.
6. Being judgmental about how others handle their finances
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According to a study from the Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics, people who avoid judging other people from a moralistic standpoint generally lead happier lives, which is why negativity in others is one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. They don’t appreciate being around people who judge other people without looking inward or are overly critical of others to cope with their own insecurities.
Like psychologist Nick Wignall suggests, it’s a coping mechanism that not only isolates insecure people but sparks negativity and resentment in their social interactions and conversations. They sabotage their ability for change and productivity, but also tend to urge others into a negative state of being and thinking.
7. A careless attitude toward money
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Whether it’s a “money comes, money goes” mentality or misguided financial habits like pressuring others to overspend for experience, many people who’ve worked hard for their money struggle with indulging consumerism in the same way as their peers.
Money is inherently emotional and personal, which is why people who overlook the importance and weight of financial comfort are one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. They don’t want to “just treat themselves” or impulsively go out on a week where they know they have a lot of financial responsibilities, just because someone with a safety net says they should.
Especially if this person comes from privilege or doesn’t have to work hard to achieve financial freedom or independence, it can feel invalidating to be pressured into toxic habits in this way.
8. Hidden fees and sneaky price hikes
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Even if they’re not prone to overly frugal habits or money-saving ventures, hidden fees, price gouging, and inflationary pressures are some of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money.
They’ve developed resilience, overcome struggles, and worked hard to get to their current financial state, just for it to be compromised and chipped away at by passive money grabs and subtle rises in prices. Even if it seems simple, these small things can add up in a big way, pushing people closer to financial insecurity in a much shorter time than it took them to achieve comfort.
9. Privileged people who lack gratitude
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Whether it’s relying completely on connections to achieve their goals, as a study from the Science journal argues, often supports job hunting and financial ventures, or entitlement in a rich person judging the poor, privileged people who lack perspective and gratitude, is one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money.
Even if it seems simple, embracing gratitude when you’re alone and expressing it to others can genuinely make you happier, according to Harvard Health experts. It’s not some arbitrary concept intended to connect people, but a realistic and supported way to boost self-esteem, relationship wellbeing, and success across aspects of a person’s life.
So, when someone consistently overlooks it in favor of more rigid, judgmental, and exclusionary perspectives, it can be annoying.
10. People who cut corners to get ahead
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People who cut corners and shortcut their way toward success are one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money. It’s not that they want other people to suffer for the sake of comfort or freedom, but that they feel more validated knowing their own struggles weren’t in vain or for nothing.
Whether it’s getting a promotion at work, coming into a lot of money, or investing in “get rich quick” schemes, they tend to avoid people who cut corners and instead pour into the personal belief that achieving goals and building a healthy lifestyle is an investment of time and energy.
11. Wasting opportunities others would kill for
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Whether it’s wasting the privilege of generational wealth, overlooking professional opportunities, or overspending for emotional comfort, people who waste opportunities without reservation are one of the things that instantly annoy people who work hard for their money.
It’s often invalidating and personally frustrating to these people, especially those who had to work hard for a single opportunity or someone’s support, to watch someone waste a million different chances for a better life.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
