If we pay attention to the way the rich or rather the wealthy live their lives versus the way the hard-ups live their lives, a common observation would be the rich look broke while the hard-ups look rich.
Looking rich when we are broke isn't the easiest practice to keep up with successfully for long, sooner or later it becomes an unbearable burden to subject ourselves to.
Have we ever found ourselves trying to keep up with the Joneses or have a friend(s) who do?
I was one of those in my early days of trying to date even though I was the shy type to ask a girl out, I was very good at spoiling them with gifts. I often had the money to buy gifts and liked looking rich. I recall my high school shoes were of Versace brand and I had a teacher who didn't like me. I often get that look of being from a rich home from my y peers.
I didn't dwell too much on trying to look rich in my youth days, the reality of life after high school sunk in quicker and there was that sense of wanting to be successful in life.
So when dared to ask a girl out on a date and we eventually strike up a relationship, I am quick to exit if she is the demanding type knowing I won't be able to keep up looking rich.
So other than the relationship part of my life, I have never subjected myself to keeping up with the Joneses, I find contentment with what I have.
Whether we try to look rich or not, our finances are impacted based on the choices we make.
The cost of living these days is becoming tougher by the day and to ensure we survive the tough financial times, we have to develop smarter financial habits so as not to only survive from hand to mouth but create a life of financial security for ourselves and family.
Back on the relationship talk, I have never met anyone that was so engrossed in keeping up with the Joneses as my ex Noeline.
She would want what the neighbors had whenever we drove out, and she was good at acting rich it took a while for me to realize she was wallowing in debt.
To date, she owes me $476 which she doesn't intend to pay back.
There are consequences to keeping up with the Joneses, some of us can realize its negative impacts on us earlier and then amend our ways. For some like Noeline, they get absorbed into looking rich while their finances are in a mess which is a worse state to subject ourselves to.
We should let the Joneses be and each mind their business, that way we can have control over money.
We owe it to ourselves to make Hive great
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