I was naive enough to let some relatives and friends know how high my new salary was.
Soon after, one of my aunts tells me: “now that you make enough money, you can lend my daughter some, so that she can buy herself a car, won’t you?”
After few seconds of confusion I told her: “surely NOT!! I use the public transportation everyday and so can my cousin, especially that she has a low paid job. Why on Earth would she need a car in a large city with a good transportation network?”
My cousin would have not been able to return me the loan and at the same time pay for fuel, insurance, tax, repairs and so on. But she wanted a car.
I don’t have anything against people who spend their money foolishly, it’s their problem.
However I lose my temper when they try to spend MY hard worked money. And this happens often. Due to some mysterious reason, people prefer to proceed to terrorist attempts to my pockets instead of trying to solve their (mostly false) problems on their own. Or at least they could harass other persons.
After that experience I have learnt to maintain secrecy about my finances. And as an additional means of precaution when some acquaintance comes to me complaining about their finances I start complaining about mine as well. Just in case… meaning in case these persons are testing the waters to see if they can get money from me. This should be a diplomatic way to convey them the message that they are barking up the wrong tree.
Then, one of these days I was having a conversation with 2 work colleagues. They were speaking enthusiastically of a purse called “Birkin”. It was the first time in my life when I heard that name - “What is so thrilling about this purse?” I asked.
"Whaaaat, don’t you know what a Birkin is??”
“No, just kill me for that. You know I’m not a fashionista as you are. So, will you throw some light on my ignorance?”
They told me that this purse is famous, costs north of 20,000 EUR and rich people wait for months until they get one.
“Well, my purse cost only 80 EUR and accomplishes the same purposes as a Birkin, which is to carry stuff in it. And it is of good quality because I have it for 4 years and still looks new. Why would somebody pay 20.000 when they could buy a good purse with 80?”
“Uffff, Melanzanisalat, you simply don’t get it. One does not buy a Birkin to carry stuff in it, one buys it as a statement, i.e. to show her/his financial status”
And now my question is: don’t these people who show off their success face financial harassment from needy-greedy acquaintances? then how do they deter them?
I suppose, when strolling with the famous Birkin-statement hanging at your arm, you cannot reply to requests for financial assistance with the line: “go ask somebody else, I am poor.”
I loved that old man. He sure helped me save a lot of rent with his illegal rental. 
