Don’t try to keep up with the Jonses. After seeing a post on MoneyNing about working on Chirstmas, it got me to thinking about how people always try to compare themselves to other people. While MoneyNing’s post was about working on Christmas Eve, I think the advice is true in ALL aspects of life.
I used to really care what other people thought. Thank god I got over that before I actually started earning my own living. Ever since I was on my own, I cared much more that I was doing well and not so much that people thought I was doing well. Don’t get me wrong. Sometimes I look around at my peers and want the things that they have. Would I like the nice car or the newest gadget? Of course. But I would also like to stop working at a young age, and I won’t be able to do that if I accumulate stuff rather than wealth.
It’s just a cycle you can’t win. So stop trying to buy whatever it is that you think you have to buy just to look like you can. Believe me, the Jones’ probably can’t afford it either, and you are trying to win a fool’s race. All that will happen is that you will push yourself into debt. And you won’t even accomplish what you want, because the Jonses really don’t care what you have, they have their own problems.
Be rich, don’t look rich.
Hope you did not invested in Citibank.
No, thank god. I’m mostly in cash. What money I do have in stocks, I took a beating on. I still own MO for this portfolio and it is doing WAY better than the market.