FinLit

Not Worth Trying to Be The Joneses

Not Worth Trying to Be The Joneses

Average length of novels: 300-400 pages 

Average time of a podcast episode: 40 minutes 

Average number of posts on a social media platform for scrolling: Infinite

In today’s digital age, we can’t live without our smartphones.  We take photos of our food.  We shop online.  We order rideshares.  And we also mindlessly scroll through feeds on popular platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.  These feeds are littered with posts from acquaintances or influencers who are eager to show us their wardrobe, their limited edition handbags, their amazing vacations, their beautiful homes, their cars, or anything they could come up with to wow us.  The more we watch them, the more we want to emulate them.  We start to buy things they recommend, often with links conveniently embedded in their posts.  We feel great.  Look at us.  We  are in vogue.  We are de rigueur!

It may take a month.  It may take a year.  Or it may take even longer than that.  Don’t worry.  Harsh reality will come calling because we are spending more than we are taking in.  We are living beyond our means.  There are many names for this desire of ours to imitate other people’s fabulous lifestyle:

Lifestyle Creep” “Lifestyle Inflation” “Keeping up with the Joneses”

Now we know what we are dealing with, let’s talk about how to not get infected:

Remember influencers are salespeople.  Their smartly curated contents are bankrolled by the companies whose products they are promoting.  They get richer.  We get poorer.

Never judge a book by its cover.  Maybe the Joneses can really afford so many nice things, or this opulent lifestyle of theirs is all smoke and mirrors.   

Wait it out.  We love beautiful things.  Resisting their lures is easier said than done.  One way to break the spell is to make ourselves wait a day or two.  Chances are good that by then we no longer want them.   

Focus on the grand price: our future happiness.  Keep a budget so we know where our money goes.  Save and invest what we can, and prioritize spending on the essentials.  We want money to work for us, not the other way around.

We can be our worst enemy, or we can be our staunchest champion.  Which way we want to go is entirely up to us.  Respect ourselves. Stay true.

Too many people spend money they haven’t earned to buy things they don’t want to impress people they don’t like.

will rogers

Published by Toki C

As a former debt collections strategist for a leading credit card company, I'd like to share practical lessons on personal finances schools don't teach! #financialliteracy #debtfree

One comment on “Not Worth Trying to Be The Joneses”

  1. Inder says:

    Thank you for sharing ! I agree with your comments and observations

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