Chinese New Year is coming up and it’s an exciting time with lots of family gatherings.
Food, fun and more food!
It can also be a time where you may get bomboarded with questions about your personal life, including your financial life.
Here’s how to handle common money-related questions during Chinese New Year gatherings.
This article was written by a Financial Horse Contributor.
Common Questions and How to Handle Them
“How much do you earn?”
This is a very common question from aunties and uncles.
How to answer this?
- Deflect by discussing industry trends generally
- Respond with vague answers like “enough to get by”
- Turn the question back by asking about their earnings when they were your age
- Redirect conversation to cost of living discussions
Everything is so expensive now! How much did X cost last time? Do you know now its X price? *shocked pikachu face*
“Why aren’t you buying a house/getting married?”
- Shift the conversation to housing market trends
- Ask for their opinions on different residential areas
- Discuss rising property prices
- Get them talking while you listen
The key here is to get them analyzing property trends (past, present and future) and this will definitely bide you enough time for a smooth escape.
“How much did your house/renovations cost?”
- Provide general ballpark figures or price per square foot
- Redirect to current property news
- Share “friend’s” renovation stories
- Ask for renovation tips and compliment their house
- Ask about property prices in their area
Deflection and sharing horror stores is always a good tactic.
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Money-Related Requests
“Can I borrow money?”
- Explain you’re saving for major expenses (wedding/house)
- Cite tight finances (go into exaggerated detail if need be)
- Share budgeting strategies
- Politely but firmly decline
If all else fails, ask to borrow money instead 😉
“Want to invest in this scheme?”
- Decline politely and change the topic
- Share stories about investment scams
- Make a graceful exit from the conversation
- Offer some Chinese New Year snacks as a distraction
This may also be time to excuse yourself to go to the bathroom.
Tips & Tricks
When discussing money matters:
- Keep responses general and vague
- Stay positive and respectful
- In a pinch, ask them a question instead
It’s perfectly acceptable to politely deflect personal questions.
Don’t be afraid to have boundaries when it comes to your personal life.
Asking about the other person instead + their kids (if any) and/or their opinion on something is a good way to maintain conversation.
These conversations are common during Chinese New Year gatherings, and it’s perfectly fine to maintain privacy about your financial matters while remaining courteous.
The key is to redirect conversations tactfully while preserving family harmony during the festivities.
Any good tips you have to fend off nosy aunties & uncles? Share in the comments below!