I had one friend who was VERY irritable when it came to others mentioning money. When I was debating switching jobs, I was thinking out loud with him, and, while not throwing out exact figures, mentioned a percentage increase, and he started cutting me off saying "I don't need to know that! You don't need to talk about that!". It was almost a knee-jerk reaction with him. I felt bad, because I didn't mean to go to an uncomfortable place with him, but at the same time, I wasn't asking what he made or anything.

I think it's interesting that rents and salaries are not nearly as correlated as I thought. When we only discussed rents it seemed to sort out along lines of New York/LA high, flyover states low. The salaries are much more variable.

that strickes me as odd, Lilty. I mean, people work for money - so % up and down have to be part of the job changeing situation

I was thinking out loud with him, and, while not throwing out exact figures, mentioned a percentage increase,

See, I'd think that mentioning a % increase would be benign compared to disclosing what you make. Or maybe that just me - percentages don't frighten me....

eta: x-post.

Ha. Now you can all put together my profile, and find infinite personal identification re: me, and you can "it takes a thief" me and come and relieve me of my copious amounts of possessions and cash.

However, you won't be able to do this, because I refuse to tell you my birthdate! Ahah! You just know my full name, where I live, what I do, how much I make, what kind of car I drive, what my house is like, who my company is, where I get my money, what I spend my money on, how old I am, my marital status, my gender, my previous jobskills, my race and ethnic heritage, my isp, my daily routine, how long my hair is, and what I eat. It's okay, though, because you all have very bad memories.

I think it's a Yankee thing, beth. I am not shocked by other people telling their financial details, but my brain won't read and keep it.

The thing is, stores and restaurants totally use the "don't talk about money" reflex to our disadvantage.

The spoken specials of the day which never, ever come with a price. The haircutter who asks "Would you like me to blow it out?", not telling you what that costs. The spa that doesn't even list its prices on the same page as the treatments.

All of them are playing on your reluctance to ask the embarrassing questions in public.

Yeah, that's what I thought, too. But he can be weird like that. Only thing I could think was that earlier I had inadvertantly given more information, and, being a mathy type, he computed the two to the point where his brain buzzer went off saying "Warning! You are close to vaguely knowing what she makes! Danger! Danger!"

When we only discussed rents it seemed to sort out along lines of New York/LA high, flyover states low. The salaries are much more variable.

Depends, though. I pay $800 for 400 square feet, which I often think is robbery. I just think that should be a one bedroom, and not a box.

The thing is, stores and restaurants totally use the "don't talk about money" reflex to our disadvantage.

"If you have to ask what it costs, then you can't afford it."

That's just low.