We can't tell folks how to spend their money. But we can definitely have an opinion on it. Especially when they're flaunting their extravagant purchases for all to see.
So after our team at Bored Panda came across a couple of Reddit threads (one and two) where platform users have been describing the worst "rich people problems" they've witnessed, we decided that you, dear pandas, would be interested to read about them as well.
At a time when 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, these stories serve as a stark reminder of the vast disparities in our society.
#1

During college I worked at a place selling very high end patio furniture in the richest DC suburb. One day a Washington Redskin comes in and buys a custom patio furniture set for his deck and pool area, total cost for 10 pieces was over $24,000. He paid cash and I set up delivery for 6 weeks later because the furniture had to be made at the manufacturer. Three weeks later he was cut by the team. I called when the order came in and he said "oh, I'm in the Caribbean now, think I'm selling that hous3, think I'm going to retire...you like the furniture?" Me: "yeah". Him, "you can have it, thanks for being a fan". 14 years later and I still have that furniture and the fanciest patio setup in my middle class neighborhood!
198points
#2

I went to a birthday party in 3rd grade. Every girl in the 3rd grade was invited. So 80 girls were picked up in limos, taken to build a bear where we could choose any bear, then we all got manicures and pedicures, we went to Red Robin for dinner, and limoed back to her mansion for a sleepover.
I will never attend a party that fancy ever again.
140points
#3

Quirky one:
I have a regular day job, but I also teach English as a Second Language to Gulf nationals, in particular Saudi families. I receive a lot of gifts, but one boy I tutored came from a family who owns some of the most expensive racing camels in the Gulf. The father buys and sells these animals that are over six figures. When the son graduated, the father allowed me to choose a camel that would be mine, and designated as not for sale. I have a racing camel in Saudi Arabia that lives probably in better conditions than I do.
122points
#4

My boss once had me drive him to an exotic car dealership to pick up his new Bentley... 3 days after my paycheck had bounced.
108points
#5

I work for a wealthy man and he once had me fly on a private jet to the other side of the country to pick up 6 perfect heirloom strawberries that cost 100$ per six pack. They were placed in Chinese silk hand molded box so each strawberry wouldn't be jostled during the trip.
He ate 3 gave me the rest for my trouble... Not gunna lie. It was the most amazing strawberry experience I have ever had. They probably cost him 25k all said and done between flights and my wage.
Edit: here are some of the answers to all of your questions.
How did i get the job? It just sort of happened. Was teaching the kids ski lessons, started working as a nanny, transitioned into personal assistant role. Given title Director of Fun by family.
Do I make enough money? I only work 4 months a year and travel 8 months.... so yes.
Was the family nice? super awesome family, really nice, slightly out of touch with reality.
What did the strawberry taste like? My lips parted as I slowly brought the impossibly red berry to my mouth. It's scent was too powerful for something that small and the aroma filled my head until nothing else remained. Gingerly placing my teeth on the seed covered tip I took the smallest of bites. The explosion of flavor was overpowering and each time my teeth broke the flesh of that perfect berry an impossible amount of juice gushed out. As I sat there slack jawed with juice crippling down my chin my employer looked at me in disgust and said "you can go home now" (hahah the last sentence is a complete lie but honestly the strawberry was incredible)
Edit2: obligatory thanks for the gold!! However if you could fly it to me on a private jet with some strawberries that is my preferred way of getting karma.
99points
#6

In high school, my friends parents paid me $50 to hang out with their dogs in the basement for two hours while they had a party on the main floor. I got to hang out with dogs, play video games and they brought me down some of the catered food. I would have done it for free.
93points
#7

I used to be an Optician in a very high end Optical shop. I had a customer spend $15k on glasses in 1 hour. He was wearing overalls covered in paint and dirt, no one else wanted to help him. I approached and began to help him when he decided he wanted to look at Cartier glasses. The Cartier case is ALWAYS locked and the key is in the owners office. So I politely excused myself and on my way to retrieve the key, my co-workers where warning me to be careful, he just wants to steel the eyewear. My co workers where all dumbfounded when I walked to the back to ring up his order on the credit card machine, as I asked "how do I ring up $14,995"?!?Managers mouth dropped to the floor. Turns out customer is Andre Rieu. Best commission check ever. And I still hold the company record for highest sale, so I'm told.
93points
#8

I had an obscenely wealthy kid in my graduating class. His parents bought him a brand new Range Rover on his 16th birthday and he crashed it into a school bus. They got him a new one and he crashed it road racing. They got him a new one and he got a DUI and finally the police took away his license (thank the lord).
90points
#9

Family I know bought the $3 million house next door so they could knock it down for a tennis court
89points
#10

One of my students gets dropped off to school in a helicopter.
88points
#11

One of my dad's friends from high school is unbelievably rich and a collector. He owns a legitimate Stradivarius. Eventually, he decided he wanted to learn how to actually play it, so he signed up for lessons and brought a f*****g Stradivarius with him down to the local music shop to meet his instructor and have his first lesson.
I can only imagine the look on his instructor's face...
86points
#12

A woman on a Delta flight in first class, loudly complaining to her seat mate that she had to 'fly commercial' because her family's private jet was being repaired
85points
#13
I went to Chipotle with a friend and they willingly paid for us both to get guacamole.
Report
84points
#14

My rich friend has had to respray his car multiple times because a peacock on his land keeps seeing his reflection in it and attacking it like crazy
82points
#15

I met the CEO of the company I work for and I complimented his watch. The first thing he did is take it off a day let me wear it. Come to find out after doing a little research, the watch he was wearing is a Patek Phillipe that cost 1.75 million. That watch alone cost more than every asset in my family for the past 4 generations.
81points
#16

Back when the recession hit, one of my very best friend's family was very distraught, because they had to sell one of their three private jets.
72points
#17

Guy from my town bought a helicopter. He had fallen out with his neighbour so decided to call his pilot at 4am and hover over his neighbours house all night to annoy him.
71points
#18

They bought a new yacht because the wife didn't like the beds.
68points
#19

We owned a karaoke service in Las Vegas. Got a call one day at 730pm from a party planner we often worked with.
They wanted us to be at the Venetian in 1.5 hours for a 4 hour event. "Price is not an issue"
We gave them a decent last minute deal ($2000).
Turns out this was for a private gambling club. They had a special room with the big table games set up.
Minimum buy in just to attend was $500,000 actual cash on hand and another $500,000 line of credit.
Minimum bet was $5000 with no max. Most bets were $20k or more (a stack of 20 $1000 chips.
I forgot to mention, there was also a $1,000,000 membership fee (one time, lifetime) to get invited to these kinds of events.
The smallest chip in the room was $100, and that's what they used for tipping.
I made over $3000 in tips that night, plus my pay of $2000. In 4 hours.
Rumor was that one guy lost $3.5 million. In 4 hours.
62points
#20

My last job before college was dealing with what they call the 1% now. We had a call from a customer who had spent a five-figure sum for items for her house, and realized the house she had it sent to was not the house she wanted to decorate with them. After being informed the order was already in transit she just reordered everything and had it rush delivered to the house she wanted it for. She was totally cool with it.
I always picture the basement of her one house having the duplicates sitting there, worth far more than what I made at that job in a year.
60points


