Weasley Economics

[amberhillcrest]

No: HPFGUIDX 46215

--- In HPforGrownups at y..., "Meggers S." <megalynn44 at h...> wrote:
> Why are the Weasley's poor? OK, the explanation is that Arthur REALLY loves his job and doesn't want to be promoted, but why doesn't Molly get a job? Especially since ALL of her children are gone 9 or 10 months out of the year. What does she do with her time? Also, the Weasley's being poor should be wearing off now. When Bill and Charlie were young I doubt they felt the strap for cash. And now Percy has his own job and the twins will graduate soon, leaving Molly and Arthur left to only tend with 2 children. I REALLY hope JKR lets up on the poor Ron thing soon, because soon it just won't make sense anymore. Oh, and one more question, do you think Bill and CHarlie are 
different from the rest of the Weasley children since they did not have as many children to tend to at the time?
> 
> Megalynn

Furthermore, why does Mrs. Weasley discourage the twins from starting their joke business?  I would think that she would want them to be financially successful.  It's not like there isn't a market for joke products, otherwise no one would go to the joke shop in Hogsmeade.  

To answer your second question, Draco Malfoy says in SS "My father told me that all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles and more children then they can afford."  I'm not going to go into the possibility that there might be more than one Weasley family-- but it does seem to indicate that the Weasleys have always been poor.  This could also simply be Malfoy expressing his views of superiority ("some wizarding families are better than others")   

-Maureen Amber