I’ve bought $30 sneakers and $1000 sneakers.
Being in debt for the majority is buying things you can’t afford, because you are wanting things that ‘everyone else’ has, often not because you truly want them, or need them.
In a way I believe it is an act of desperation to fulfil a sense of ‘belonging’. The need to feel like you are a part of something because you are so fraught to ‘fill’ an empty emotional or spiritual space within.
There is nothing wrong with buying a car worth $1000 or $100000.
The problem is buying what you truly can’t afford.
I would rather own my car worth $1000, than drive a car that enslaved me with debt and ultimately resulted in me paying thousands of dollars of interest.
It must also be acknowledged that the ability to ‘afford’ includes more than just simply the money part of the equation.
There is so much more of a ‘price’ to be paid when living with mindless overspending and useless debt.
What has become so wrong living within your means and being proud of who you are and where you are currently at?
Why do we need to feel we need to show our friends, family, or the world what we have, but don’t ‘really’ have?
Where has our pride gone in acknowledging we are all at different income and financial levels and that is ok?
There is no difference to me in a person who loves their $30,000 job and drives a $1500 car that they own versus the person who drives the $30000 car that earns $120,000, while both doing the job they love or using that job to work towards a better financial position.
As a society we should be focused on everyone finding a place of their own truth.
If you want more money and the more expensive things and you love your job that brings you those things and that’s YOUR truth, we can smile and celebrate you.
But at the same time we should be equally celebrating and smiling for those who chose a job, and the income that brings them what they want which may not be the big expensive stuff.
What’s so wrong with living a simple life if it feels right and brings you joy?
What is so wrong with average anyway?
(PS - I’m not referring to the debt in which you borrow money to invest where you can potentially multiply your investment profits and achieve your wealth goals sooner).