One reason debt plays such a huge role in consumerist society is comparison … the thief of joy.
Newer car, bigger house, pricier clothes … when in reality, none but the wealthiest 10-percent of households can really afford to live.
Enter: credit(debt) cards, personal loans, and bankruptcies on 7-year cycle. Rinse, repeat.
In life pre-theKid, Half took other half to the home of one of Half’s supervisors for a … gathering? party? celebration? of sorts … seems a son had gotten into some sort of elite military unit, wanted to share the joy. Anyhoo … the house was not nice, just filled with stuff and things and – dare say – junk.
Think: 70’s sci-fi movie memorabilia …
Think: backyard/swimming pool tiki hut barbeque …
Think: late-model precipitously depreciated repackaged muscle car nostalgia …
Gaudy, all. Type of folks to get a second mortgage for a 100-inch projection TV and a couple of Skidoos. Not bad people, just people bad with money. Aforesaid supervisor boldly/proudly informed Half (within other half’s earshot) that the couple was on their fourth Chapter 7, and was getting the spouse a newer/bigger SUV after discharge.
Riiiiiiiiiiight.
Mr. Edelman has an acronym to rely on when encountering those such as the aforementioned these … SNIOP, or “Susceptible to the Negative Influences of Others,” better/more familiarly known as keeping up with the Joneses, 2.0.
By way of example … after work drinks, good for networking, collaborating, and culturating, nightmare for HR. Anyhoo, say there is an invite to hit a local bar for apps and Schnapps, and it is absolutely gahr-ron-teed that at least $40 will be spent on the aforementioned snacky treats and liquor drinks. So you, Other Person You, respectfully decline, as you (Other Person You) are traveling the path to a debt-free life, recognizing that there are 100 coins and only 100 coins, and wings and binges is a costly detour off/from that journey.
Queue peer-pressure based complaints: C’mon! It’s just [insert dismissively destructive rationalization]. Don’t be such a [insert mildly demeaning epithet].
Don’t be SNIOP. Leave those Joneses alone. They don’t like you / Other Person You / anyway.
Solution? Have the script written, and be prepared to deliver the line.
“Oh, thanks guys, but can’t make it. It’s my cat’s birthday.”
“Ouuuooo! Sounds like fun. But I have laundry in the wash. Don’t want it to mold.”
“Wow! So jelly. Too bad gotta hot night of doomscrolling on reddit. Next time?
Key takeaway? Avoid the pitfall of spending what you don’t have on what you don’t need to impress those you don’t like.
Don’t be SNIOP.