Upside makes money from the company you buy from; that company will pay Upside for helping bring in new customers :) I don’t believe Upside sells your shopping data at all. Here’s the page I found on their model: support.upside.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260804015629-How-does-Upside-make-money
O gust skipped on a family vacation action. I stayed home so I could co tú ur to work so the rest of my family could go on a vacation after 2 years without going on o e 😂
@@catherinejacobs4801 i been using this appt for about a year and a half and love it. i have earn about 200 bucks in cash back and that's only on gas only. I'm not getting any money from saying this i 10/10 do recommend.
For my 50th birthday 2 years ago I spent £17k on a resort in cancun, 3 11-hour business class flights for me and my wife and son and went to 5 top restaurants. Stressed, bored and felt it was a massive waste of money when I got back home. This year - we drove 4 hours to stay in an Airbnb in Devon for £1,300, and lived on pasta dishes from the local supermarket and the occasional Devon ice cream and fudge with days spent in fishing villages and walking in forests - 7 days of pure chilled bliss. Lesson learnt (the hard way).
I avoid bringing anything too flashy because getting mugged is not part of my vacation plan. Don't make yourself a target! Travel for yourself and not for the gram!
Yeah, I don’t think a lot of people think like that honestly. I only wear my nice clothes and jewelry when I’m going straight to a restaurant then home, or to a mall with guards wandering around. Most people don’t have tons of occasion where it makes sense to dress up, unless you live in a really safe area. Part of the unintended price is can you also afford to go out or live in a place where you’re safe to wear it!
I’m always given pause when I see people traveling to less developed nations with designer luggage. It’s like you’re asking to be robbed. Even if it’s fake btw (I’m looking at you people with the LV suitcases and carry bags). Conspicuous luggage isn’t for you unless you have your own security detail and you’re flying chartered flights… just an FYI. Travelers should also know that in many tourist spots you are charged differently just for being a tourist. If you present yourself with an air of affluence, your trips will become more expensive still… so it’s like opting into an additional tourist trap tax.
I follow a handful of youtube commentary people who will occasionally talk about some insane drama on Tiktok or something going on with teenagers and sometimes it feels like watching a nature documentary about another species. I'm very happily out of the pop culture loop.
@@thefinancialfreedomgirl MLM upper tier huns are the best example of rich faking! They spend every penny they make pretending to be millionaires so they can trick money out of people living paycheck to paycheck. Girl boss power!
Ugh, I had a cousin who made it high up in World Ventures, I think the MLM was called. Of course she won't hear of it when told it's a pyramid scheme. Of course it worked for her, she preyed on other people and got high up 🙄. And, given the years she was in it, she likely got in at the start.
I went to a local bar/club with my wife. There were two IG influencers at the bar they got one drink all night. Got up pretend to dance with anyone who would dance with them for a small video and got back to there seats immediately after. I was just thinking people who watch their video will think these people are having a blast. In reality there were in a corner of the bar getting up to pretend to dance on every other song with people they didn’t even know.
I am of the opinion that the very first time you start comparing yourself to others and feeling dissatisfied with your life is the moment you must delete all your social media accounts.
Me too - I miss out on a few things but I'm 99% super pleased with my decision! I still do youtube and some pinterest but kicking Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapshot to the curb feels great
Definitely. I also learned that people who are obsessed with portraying their perfect life on social media, are usually people who most certainly don’t!
I always keep in mind that social media is a "lie." It has it's benefits but many times it blurs the line between what's real and fake so I look at most things with scepticism
Yep-I’ve honestly stopped caring what people think or if my content is cool enough. If you like it great, if not, oh well. I don’t have time to chase down followers. Who cares what labels you carry or wear? It doesn’t matter. Live your life for you.
To be real, though, you are missing out. I know a lot of post-docs who regret wasting all of that time. For some, the experience is enough because they do really enjoy research and publication, but for others they expected a rich lifestyle, a great job, a revolutionary startup which didnt actually happen. If you want that sort of lifestyle, generally speaking it's better to drop out of the doctorate and get working. But if you like being the professor, living humbly with a passion to learn and share, then continue on. A lot of people love that as well.
This video is so spot on. My only addition would be to mention that people who are working class often don't get a lot of time off. There's so much messaging around vacations being once in a lifetime, and I think the scarcity of getting to travel or even just have time to yourself makes people feel like every vacation needs to be a blowout. If people had more time off I think they would feel more comfortable taking smaller, less expensive vacations.
Your comment is so insightful! I think this is basically the only reason I ever overspend on vacation - I know it's only a once-a-year experience, and I want to squeeze as much joy as I can from it 🙁
As an American who’s only guilty splurge is frequently traveling to far flung locales like Nepal and India (I don’t own a car, most of my clothes are hand-me-downs from friends, I rent below my means, etc.) I can categorically say that this is an American cultural thing. Working class people in the US can definitely make space for constant travel. That is if they give up the car and a suburban house mortgage. And that’s hard to do for most folks. Europeans travel all the damn time. But they also don’t tend to have a car or a large mortgage, and do enjoy more vacation time. It really is what you value in life and where you put your money.
I disabled all social media purely due to me feeling inadequate especially against people on instagram. Since then I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and one thing I also learned: usually those people trying to convey to the world they have a perfect happy life, are usually the very unhappiest.
I curate my social media to be nothing but food and puppies. I'm not letting these people make me feel bad about myself bc they don't even know I exist. whether they post or not, their financial situation has nothing to do with me
One other tactic - go to a vacation and take shit ton of photos and videos for posting later at some random months. Therefore giving impression that you travel a lot although might just be sitting at your cubicle for most days of the year
I do that to make it less overstimulating for myself and potential viewers of my posts. Not doing this stuff everyday so there's no need for me to post as soon as I do it unless it's like the most interesting thing I've ever done.
Honestly I do this so much but not on purpose; like I’ll find photos from 5 years ago I haven’t edited and honestly really enjoy going through them- straight up get messages asking if I’m in town or one girl asked me how I get to travel all year and i was so confused until I realised.
I do this all the time 😂 I love photography so I have thousands of photos of places I’ve been to that haven’t been posted for years and I’ll post them later lol. Like another person said above, I don’t want to post in real time where I am, so people don’t know that I’m not home.
I do this to avoid burglary at home. When everyone knows you post vacations outside of the season, they won't try to rob your house. Also secretly want to make my ex jealous lol
I have a video suggestion: So I left Instagram 2 months ago and people literally think that something bad happened to me. They think I’m sick, that my husband lost the job and we’re going broke, that we lost our house or something 😂 people don’t understand the simple fact that I don’t wanna be part of that circus anymore. People are so used to show off and see others showing off on social media that they don’t understand the concept of just live life in private anymore. Here I am 2 months after I left Instagram with the same exact life I had before, the only difference is that now I feel happier and FREE 🙌🏻🙏🏻
That’s awesome 🎉 I’ve had IG for 12 years and it’s so sad to see what it has become over a decade. It used to be so wholesome and there was no ads in the beginning and no one edited their photos. It’s wild. I’ve taken a hiatus as well.
I use Instagram to look at animal videos and cute cartoons only, I don't post, and I don't follow a lot of people let alone influencers. Anecdotally I'm probably one of the most well adjusted and self confident women I know. But that might be the autism and me not caring to be putting out a fake persona lmao
The one benefit of having social anxiety is that it makes me frugal by default. I’m either at work, or enjoying my peace at home. I’m not spending money going out with friends, vacations, dating, children, I don’t do social media (outside of watching UA-cam), and I’m not flexing on anyone.
Girl, I cannot relate 😂😂 Not being very social makes my life more expensive. I want to do all the things but because I have no one to take with me, I'm paying for all the stuff by myself that could be split.
Same! Rarely invited to bday party where I need to bring a gift or girls' night out where I spend on food, drink, parking, club admission, etc. Kind of sad but oh well
I hate that travel has become all about getting the right photos and flexing on social media. I do my best to live in the moment and not listen to others judgments but it’s not easy.
I sometimes forget to "document" my experiences on vacation when I see others with their phones 🤳🏾 out but everything is saved in my own hard drive 🧠😅 as memories
tbh im not a very "live in the moment" person so taking loads of photos to look back on later any time i want is much more enjoyable to me. i dont have social media though
You can easily do both. Kinda like a balance like with food, you can definitely take a photo and enjoy the food but also worsen the experience by getting food for the sake of pictures
@@Carlo_Boy2024thats a big difference between myself and my partner. She likes taking photos, i prefer to be in the moment and not looking through my phone lens. We are constantly trying to find a balance as a couple as we travel.
From what I hear, these people take hundreds of pics then spend a lot of time 'curating' for the social media. There is joy in enjoying something without thinking of telling others about it
What annoys me, is when people accuse someone of being fake poor because they are very wealthy and live modestly. Just because someone has money, doesn't mean they should spend it on crap, or you(they) think that they'd be able to spend it "better" than the people who are living modestly and humbly. Those are the people that you hear about winning the lottery and end up in dire straits because they spent their winnings on crap they envied, with no regard for the future.
haha do people really accuse others of being fake poor! that's funny, there's a phrase, "wealth is what you don't see" and I feel like that explains a lot! wealth is more about peace of mind than buying flashy things -- designer brands also know that they're targeting to middle class people who want to appear rich (but don't totally understand what that really means/how wealthy people really act)
What they don’t understand is there’s no such thing as fake poor. My investment portfolio is worth US$9mil. I don’t own a car or a house. I don’t shop luxury boutiques. I take public transportation and rent a cheap place. I do own a 2mil vacation home in Hokkaido. I’m not trying to fake anything. When people have financial freedom to do whatever they want, they tend to fall back to whatever makes them most comfortable. I prefer simplifying my finances to minimal hassle, and owning stuff takes extra work to manage.
I'm so immediately turned off by the "millionaire" entrepreneur standing in front of a sports car or walking through "their mansion" trying to sell me a course. I guess people still fall for that? Thanks Cara as always for your insightful commentary!
I quit pretty much all social media a few years ago because of stuff like this. Wayyy too many people were just trying to flex and present a life that they didn’t live. I’ll be honest, it made me feel like I was wasting my time at school or working. I knew it was fake and it still managed to undermine my confidence. The other half went down the political/culture wars path. Social media has made me more isolated than I have ever been. I’ve lost more friends due to social media than literally anything else.
Finishing a sleeve of Oreos in your PJs you are living the rich life girl, do you know how much Oreos cost now. That is some true Rich Flexing because I can't even afford Oreos without a payment plan 😂
I always re-watch your videos to remind myself of taking care of my financial health as a college student. I go to a college of rich kids, so I usually get bombarded with the luxury bags, clothes, etc. I can even tell if someone modifies their respect for me based on my college outfit. Your works are wonderful!
That is so true! I had a friend, about ten years ago, who told me about a friend of hers who was travelling the world during her college years. She told me the way this friend did it was just putting everything on her credit cards, to pay for it later... which is just not the best idea...🙃
That’s because it is. An actual rich person would walk past these people unnoticed or they would think the person is broke. They have nothing to prove to anyone. Also, remember at some point you start paying extra for no labels.
and lets not forget the "pre-vacation" stuff like the hundreds of dollars of shopping hauls for "outfits ill wear on my vacation" for just the instagram photos 🙂 just enjoy your vacation! Dont spend more on "specific clothes" for the vacation? It seems like its all a façade for instagram for that reason.
I`m (maybe upper) middle class and we always had shopping before vacation because apparently I don`t need swimsuits and sun protecting hats\growns in my hometown....
Not just this, but I've noticed more and more people in their early 20s going on expensive vacations, driving supercars, owning their massive expensive toy collection, or buying their first luxury house. It's weird how many of these influencers or these TikTokkers, UA-camrs, or people on Facebook are just appearing out of nowhere showing how they made their wealth by posting themselves relaxing in their private jets. Really makes you feel like crap when you are working so hard just to earn money.
most of those people are just the few that are extremely lucky and went viral. theres thouasands more of them that didnt go viral. then theres some that dont actually own any that stuff and are renting everything or just being gifted it by brands for promo. brands will gift people products, clothes, hotel stays, full vacations with other influencers, suites, excursions, cars, etc. theres many cases where if the persons an influencer a brand will literally finance an entire vacation for them and another person they know for free, or often times a whole group of influencers together. none of those people worked for that. besides posting a bunch of pictures/videos which is exactly what thousands of other people did but didnt go viral for it. not to mention rappers have been known to often *_rent_* out expensive cars, jewelry, houses, dancers for a day just to shoot a video. but dont own any of it. you dont need to be wealthy to do that. just an idiot. influencers have been caught or accused of renting out full mansions to live in, but again do not own them because they cant afford to. this has been seen with some online streamers, only fans girls, dan bilzerian, etc. then theres some kids that literally just come from wealth, stumble into social media at a certain age and realize they can show off what they already had from their family. and pretend as if they earned it or tell themselves they did. a large portion of wealth in world is inherited. so in almost all cases it has nothing to do with hard work or diligence. its luck. peace✌
these people are making themselves go broke just trying to stunt on social media. I dint have that kind of money nor do I care . they don't make me feel any kind of way bc I know they're fake. don't give strangers that power over you .
The best thing that these people who are so desperate to impress people with luxury goods could do for themselves is probably therapy. Unpacking why you want to convince someone you don't know that youre far richer than you actually are sounds like something that needs to be talked about, there's definitely some layers to that.
I remember during the pandemic my grandmother telling me chartering a private plane was cheaper than driving to come see me. I guess it was only a couple hundred bucks. 🤣
I actually moved to a place where people vacation. I work for my flex. I live and work in a dream place. My days off are beautiful most days. Rain can damper things. It's been worth it. We've only got so many summers. I want every day of it.
I've come to see people who feel that they need to constantly travel to be those who are unhappy with their lives, so they have to constantly find "happiness" somewhere else.
@@DarisT-qc1fw Who doesn't try to run from their unhappiness though? Those who don't travel maybe read a lot to escape reality, go on too many tinder dates, are workaholics, etc. Better to find anything to enjoy than to sit at home doing nothing and instead just complain. BUT I get what you mean if those travellers overspend and then still end up miserable back home.
Spending your money is the easiest thing to do. People flaunting their ability to spend money shouldnt be a point of pride. And you know the average person cant afford it. But yet with the power of credit card debt you can fool yourself and everyone else that in fact you can afford it, and that its actually not even a thang because you got the card.
I feel like people would just be smarter with money and wouldn’t do/buy things to impress other people if we just lived like it was 1999 without social media. Spend time with others and by yourself because it’s only when you’re alone with yourself can you learn about yourself!
I agree with the spirit of your stance. I especially like the idea of folks spending time with others and themselves, particularly if it means free and personal activities However, I am often listening for people to mention how much money and marketing is targeted towards us every day, which influences what we think we want/need. Teams of very smart and resourced folks push our finite will powers to their limits. That doesn't mean we can't exercise personal responsibility; I'm just highlighting the extra effort it takes to ignore billboards, UA-cam ads before we skip, and other things that inundate us even when we use private browsers and otherwise try to avoid unwanted solicitations. Additionally, while I wish this weren't the case, consumerism and our nature of seeking approval to be "in" as even other social animals do is pretty instinctive. For some, it's a defense mechanism, where one might where a branded college hoodie to signal they belong on campus. For others, who may have hopes and/or insecurities, a branded item shares their desire to be seen as, say, more fit or at least conscious of health when some in society might otherwise judge them. We can and should do better. I'm just saying that it's also complicated when thinking about how was shouldn't seek approval of others. Religious groups, sports fans, video game streamers, anime fans, and others are quick examples of communities people want to be a part of, and many require some level of "proof" of belonging, which can be clothing, gamer chairs, membership dues and products for periods of time. And many of us belong to multiple communities, so things add up. Again, we should interrogate our practices while also saving some "blame" on being social beings wired to be down with others.
It was called "Keeping up with the Jones'" before social media. None of this is new. It was especially bad during the 80's where the stock market was flying at an all time high and everyone's conspicuous consumption was at least backed by some amount of money/credit ... until it crashed out. Now a lot of those people have worthless old boats and no retirement.
Other than MLMs, what is the appeal here? If I saw someone in their 20s and 30s doing this, I would think they’re an idiot unless they are either a neurosurgeon, pro athlete (would still think they’re an idiot here because they’re blowing temporary income), or a generational talent of an entrepreneur. If they’re using trust funds or inheritance to fund this lifestyle, I don’t think they’re the least bit cool.
I think a great way to get some perspective that helps is to spend some time with folks who have nothing. I lived overseas in a developing country and the idea of even taking a vacation was a big deal for the locals there. It gives me a good perspective.
yeah, it's efinitely important to remember that most of the time if not always, influencers and similar ppl are able to write off these trips and luxury expenses as business expenses along with getting some of it paid for or sponsored
I agree with your points, but tbh sometimes indulging is okay. I grew up in poverty and I could def live a humble life debt free until I die. But I’d never leave my city or eat out or have a car. Living below your means can become miserable, that’s why it’s a balancing act and I try to not overspend while letting myself enjoy my 20s. I was in college+grad school for 7 years to get my job and career status, I’m going to enjoy the fruits of my labor every once in a while. I’m still a homebody, but I get nicer groceries and good shoes lol.
“Fancier groceries” reminds me of the Barenaked Ladies song “If I had a million dollars “ If I had a million dollars We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner But we would eat Kraft Dinner Of course we would, we'd just eat more And buy really expensive ketchups with it That's right, all the fanciest-, Dijon ketchup, mm, mm
I’m gonna be real here for a second. I’ve traveled to exotic locations. It’s not worth it, especially if you live somewhere already nice like California etc. I think it’s ridiculous that we’ve gotten to this point where we’re all living like kings and queens but still complain about it.
I agree but I don’t. I go experience it once and then just live my life. I think the people who want to go back and do it better every time are the people who are out of touch. I live in LA too, so I sometimes am disappointed by some locations, but I also don’t go to the touristy spots and like to do my research like crazy just to experience something more realistic
I’ve had several people send me the referral link for that card but have yet to get It cause I can’t imagine I’d use It enough to be a benefit for my life lol
This is exactly why I deleted all my socials 3 years ago. It messes with your head. It becomes difficult not to compare yourself with everyone online. After I deleted my social media accounts I become relaxed and at peace. I'm more present in the now and I enjoy the progress I make, rather then comparing myself to the kid who just bought a Ferrari or a Bugatti.
I enjoy traveling. The way that feels authentic and sustainable to me is an affordable hotel in a decent neighborhood; eating 2 meals a day and the 3rd is local snacks/street vendors, dessert, etc; bringing oatmeal and instant coffee/tea with me (I still buy breakfast and coffee out, but this makes it more of a choice); flying economy (it’s all I can afford); traveling in the off season; choosing to commute via public transit or cabs rather than being right in downtown; asking around for killer small business places to eat rather than fancy dining; choosing sites that meaningful to me (screw the clichés); having a travel backpack with the access zipper on the back so I’m less likely to get pick pocketed. All of my vacations have been special to ME, even if other people tried to throw shade (I didn’t ask for your opinion; take the hint!) 😂 Oh, and I don’t post pics to social media and/or see other people’s vacation pics because I don’t really use it.
And if you can stay with family or friends it's even cheaper and you can share meals together and have long chats 😁. We have just had a friend from Canada visiting us, next month we have family from South Africa and then very good friends that live in Majorca stay with us 😊😊😊😊. I used to be shy about staying in someone's home, but now I relish the extra time I get to spend with those people 😊 and I am more than happy to host family and friends and show them around my city 😁.
These are great videos covering very necessary subjects. Your videos should be shown in schools, because so many kids take everything they see on social media as reality. Virtually none of it is. I wish we would stop giving "influencers" attention. They add nothing to society.
You are so right 👍. I have been teaching my 9 year old daughter how what we see on our screens are not real, i worked in the film industry and I know how we are tricked into believing things. She has become aware of what is fake, but I know that even though she has been told what to look for, she will still be fooled by social media, even i fall prey to it at times.
I loved you brought up the idea of reflecting over your own needs and wants. We just went on a holiday, and when we booked it in January, we were tiptoeing around the location idea. But at the end we both blurted out that no, we don't want to be a km away from the sea. We want direct access to the beach from our hotel. So we splurged on that, but then we are not buying more than 20-25€ of souvenirs. ( A couple of magnets on the fridge for friends and ourselves and some sweets from that country).We paid for a massage that we both needed and it would be the same price as at home, we just did earlier than planned. ( That was the most expensive thing we did)> so this way, most of our holiday was paid already, and we just had some money spent on activities.
I can’t imagine being so dense that I would fake being ‘rich’ by posing on a fake private jet just to possibly impress people on social media I don’t care about. Some people are just past saving and see social media attention as a life goal. Sad.
13:26 debt that lasts beyond the utility of what it was for is one of the things I really dislike. People are still paying off shoes they already sold for 10 bucks on ebay. Putting a washing machine on credit card, pay it off over a couple of months and keep using it for years is often okay. Putting a months wages on a credit card for a trip that you'll be paying off for year after the trip is a big no no
Must be a lot of fun to go on a vacation spending half of the time you are there trying to figure out how to take a Pic. I definitely don't want that vacation. The other half of the vacation is checking your social media to see what other people are posting about you. I stay away of social media and have friends that do the same for the most part. Its actually refreshing going out with them and actually having meaningful conversations and nobody checking their phones. I found society, in general, very miserable. I don't see happy people anymore, so I feel blessed to be happy even if I don't have much. Guys, the really good stuff out there is actually free.
I was just planning my vacation. It soothes me that I'm on the good side of the financial mindset. This video was a good reminder. Thank you Cara, always so informative, helpful, and kind❤
I have a line item in my budget named “Travel” and I set aside money weekly to this savings and let it grow overtime. I use it for day trips and longer international vacations. It makes budgeting fun because it gives me something to look forward to in the future and i feel good knowing that I was disciplined to save for it and not be in debt. This is separate from my “Fun money” account, which is for short term stuff like eating out, movies, entertainment, etc. having a savings/categories for specific spending makes handling finances more organized and reduces temptation
Yeah good food isnt always expensive. Actually the best restaurants ive been to are the ones that are often times on the cheaper side. I guess its just something to do with the passion and love the creator has for their food.
I can't stand traveling with ppl who are so close minded with food. I was once in the Philippines with my friend who's American (both of us are) but the first thing she decides to do is look for the nearest KFC and TGIFridays lol
I am in a point in my life where i travel a lot, by plane and on my motorcycle. Estonia in december, Belgium in Februari, Italian Alps in April, Luxemburg in june, Canada in september and Cameroon in december. But what people don't see right away are my €40 a night cheap hotels, 6 am cheap flights, only going places outside of the high season, used cheap motorcycle gear, my worn out jeans and snealers, 17 year old motorcycle i maintain myself, staying for free with family, working extra nightshifts to make up the money and hr's, cheap rented house, cheap old Kia car, ecf You can only spend the money you have once, make sure you pick the way you like to spend it.
your point about cultural homogenization is fascinating to me. i've never felt the need to chase for the lifestyle that other people have, because that's just not simply what i want. and i feel like a lot of people in current time chase after those dreams without actually even wanting them for themselves. it all goes back to self-actualization: we should all really work on our individual identities, wants and needs, dreams and aspirations, to figure out what in life is important to us, so we don't have to waste money or mental resources into something that is not meant for us anyway.
My boyfriend and I have done probably 20 mini vacations!!! It’s just what you call a vacation. we don’t care much for tropical places as much as we do history. Tons of places to go and cheaper hotels make it affordable enough that we don’t spend much but still escape.
my last "vacation" was an overnight in Chicago to use a coupon at a Microcenter for a 3d Printer. we care about food more than accommodations in our "trips" because we tend to use the hotel as backpack storage and a place to collapse after a day of exploring
I've owned the *rrcopys* tote for years and it still looks as beautiful as the day I bought it. The craftsmanship and durability of these bags is truly impressive. There are so many styles and colors of their bags to choose from!
I find when I travel, especially in Asia (where I'm living now) that finding a good hotel often comes with a free buffet (breakfast or dinner). I stayed at a hotel in Hanoi for 140/night, one in Shinjuku, Tokyo for 180 night, and one in Bangkok 140/nt and didn't have to worry about what I ate -- at least once a day. This opened up eating at more budget conscious places. Also, I tend to travel in the winter, which is non-peak time for most travel here and my hotels and plane tickets are cheaper; fly to/from the US and Korea in the summer it's 3000+, fly in the winter you can get 1200 easily (round trip). Korea to Tokyo 360 r/t and so on
I will say best thing to do is travel with people who are as thrifty as you. You dont wanna be with people who splash out because its a holiday and why not. Try and make an itinerary and preplan/prebook things so you know what youre paying and what to buget. You absolutely can have these types of holidays on the cheap if you do it smart
This is my first time hearing of JOMO, but it might just change my life. Next time I'm getting upset about missing something, I'll try to think about what I liked about missing out instead.
I quit sm too, but before that, I felt SO much pressure to be aesthetic and fit in. Before I quit, I tapered down SM and visited like 10 countries and shared ZERO posts about it at all. It was lovely having those experiences just to me and the people I want to share it with. I do miss sort of being in the know, esp about local events and such, but I feel like this is the start of a new me, zero SM, zero FOMO. Only JOMO!!
my family went without me on a resort trip this year, I had a little FOMO naturally. They got glamorous travel photos, but also my brother brought back bedbugs. The Facebook posts don't show the mattress covers and exterminators in my house🥰
I stay away from travel accounts because I will never be able to afford to go on a vacation. And I'm certainly not going to go into credit card debt to go to one, everything else costs too much is it is.
As a person who was born in 1966 and spent my 20s and 30s in the late 1980s and 1990s, I feel lucky to a certain extent. When social media came along, I had already had some life experiences that help me detect most of the Bisen manure on social media and the internet as a whole. Those who were born after 1995 have had a very difficult life with all this media thrown in their face. The worship of wealth and the wealthy was a not a thing when I grew up. Now we have degenerated as a society that has no common focus. Just consume, consume and consume and the consequences be dammed. We are now truly in the era of Late Stage Capitalism.
I grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s and it was so wholesome 😌 even when the internet became popular it was still a healthy balance because we didn’t have smartphones yet glued to our faces, so people still talked, hung out and spent more time together and when they get home they have limited time to use the internet. Time flies I tell ya!
This might sound bad, but I grew up basically in the working poor class. Like we’re weren’t in poverty but we were working while living in poverty if that makes any sense.. anyways fast fowards 15 years and my family started to make a lot more money. It’s not my money obviously but after being able to get more stuff it really didn’t make me any happier.. I’m not depressed but stuff won’t make you happy, the relationships with your family, or a spouse will do that!
Similar to the private jet studios, I seen so many "Enjoying first class seats on flights" youtube that it was giving the false impression that all people should only travel with these overpriced tickets and that these tickets are easily achievable by the average person via airline miles. I did the calculations. Unless I massively overspend on an airline mile linked credit card, and are sent on trips constantly for my company, there is no way I am just getting First Class tickets paid for via airline miles.
I’ve just spend a year saving up to go on vacation and it made me realize that I lot of people my age are in massive amounts of credit card debit inorder to go on a vacation every other month, it really helped put things in perspective
I don’t see how anyone can take a vacation that often, at that point you’re hardly ever home. Now don’t get me wrong, I would love to take vacations more than I’ve been able to the past 7 years (only have taken one) but I’m not taking them to the point where I’m hardly home either. I was doing a routine of one vacation a year so I do want to go back to that but I would open myself to up to 3 a year, any more than that feels overkill for me.
You know it's ironic how many people are still trying to act like they can still afford these things nowadays when they probably haven't been able to since 2005 in fact they try to push it even more than they did back then. They do this because they are trying to act as if nothing is wrong with them like they're perfect and everything is peachy but the hard facts are they're in dept over their ears, they've just been through 7 breakups/divorces from men/women that learned they have no money, You're gonna see them in another house next month cause the bank closed on their account with the last mansion they lived in, deep down they're just loser at least 85% of the time and they're trying to impress the people they went to highschool with.
Hey Cara! I really love your videos, they don't change my financial habits, because I've always been spending money quite thoughtfully (even as a 10 year old or so, always saving while my friends were buying snacks 😄), but they're great to watch and give me an insight into absolutely bizarre & fascinating world of overconsumption & social media (yeah, I don't use them too). I would be super happy to see more vids on fake rich flexing! And I actually have 2 more topic ideas: consumption around the world (I work daily with many people from Europe & USA and I feel like these from the US are usually more prone to overspending; I don't want to sound rude or anything like this, just my observation! And I'd really like to see you cover that topic, whatever the conclusion will be :)). Another idea I have is a detailed comparison between how something obviously bad affects people (like gambling) and how just social-media-fueled overconsumption does. What do you think? Thank you for what you're doing! ❤
I would love to see a video about “the American dream is dead” - because what is the American dream? It’s different for everyone. I live in a studio with some day wanting to buy a really small house (maybe 1,000sq ft max) out in the countryside. I feel like “the American dream is dead” argument is used to get us to buy bigger homes than we would normally buy, nicer cars than we’d buy, etc. It’s a way to make us feel bad about our economic state and while inflation is higher and things are a bit topsy turvey, my American dream isn’t dead because I’m not trying to keep up with the Jonses. I feel like they are warping our idea of what the American dream is in a way that benefits them (debt, debt, debt) when so many of us are content with a studio or small cabin living a very basic lifestyle
Dont take "the American dream " too serious ! Anyone has to work for their dream...does not matter where! Just like they call " Australia is a lucky country " but you still need to work to fulfil your dream....wherever the country has no conflict for me is a blessing ❤
Earlier this year I traveled to Singapore with my now fiancé (proposed to her there). We saved up a good bit for the trip, as well as using my company year end bonus to top it off. We had an amazing time and saw some amazing places. Even had a nice dinner on top the Marina Bay Sands and a private chauffeur for a dinner. But most days we were there we were eating cheap street food. We took the buses and trains quite literally everywhere. We didn’t have VIP access everywhere we went. Travel is an incredible thing, but know that even when the people posting are posting really cool things, you’re seeing maybe 10% of the entire trip. Most of it is basic living you’d do at home.
I just remembered there was a sex and the city episode where they talked about being on a waitlist for some expensive bag to rent... And my naive self back then actually thought it was a waitlist for a bag everyone just thought was super pretty/stylish... but it just dawned on me that was also rich flexing way before social media 😅
YEEEEES! I took a Literature of Travel class back in 2009 and we studied Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation. Don't bother going to Disneyland after that! That is hyperreality
I just went on a holiday and the only reason I flew business class was because I had enough frequent flyers for it...and said frequent flyers were a bonus from my credit card. HAH.
I remembered the day I had the epiphany that traveling to hot spots or to “locations” is overrated. You can go to a nice beach for $500 or for $10k… it just depends on how much you care about what other people think about it. We travel overseas to go on an ATV tour when there’s one near our house for the same price or less-the only difference being that we can go with more of our friends since they’re local AND we don’t have to pay for expensive travel to get there. I’m forever wanting to explore my local area more to get more juice for the squeeze. Now this video has me more motivated than ever to follow up on that.
Hey Cara! I'm so glad I found your channel ❤ I've learned a lot about my own habits as a consumer because of you. Also, I'd love to know your take on the "cash stuffing" trend on tiktok, been seeing it around a lot lately 🤔
yay i'm so happy to hear the videos have been helpful for you! i'm not too familiar with cash stuffing but i'll have to look into it! my surface level familiarity with it has me thinking it seems like a good way for some people to get into the habit of saving, as long as the investing piece isn't lost (since saving cash alone isn't the best strategy for long term wealth)
Download the FREE Upside App at upside.app.link/caranicole to get an extra 25 cents back for every gallon on your first tank of gas.
What does Upside get from my shopping information?
I wait your flexing videos once you got 1 million subscription 😁
Upside makes money from the company you buy from; that company will pay Upside for helping bring in new customers :) I don’t believe Upside sells your shopping data at all.
Here’s the page I found on their model: support.upside.com/hc/en-us/articles/1260804015629-How-does-Upside-make-money
O gust skipped on a family vacation action. I stayed home so I could co tú ur to work so the rest of my family could go on a vacation after 2 years without going on o e 😂
@@catherinejacobs4801 i been using this appt for about a year and a half and love it. i have earn about 200 bucks in cash back and that's only on gas only. I'm not getting any money from saying this i 10/10 do recommend.
Driving two hours away and trying restaurants and going to antique shops in a different town is an underrated vibe
the other week i did some thrifting and then got tacos + chips/salsa with a friend, and the vibes were immaculate
You get it!!
For my 50th birthday 2 years ago I spent £17k on a resort in cancun, 3 11-hour business class flights for me and my wife and son and went to 5 top restaurants. Stressed, bored and felt it was a massive waste of money when I got back home. This year - we drove 4 hours to stay in an Airbnb in Devon for £1,300, and lived on pasta dishes from the local supermarket and the occasional Devon ice cream and fudge with days spent in fishing villages and walking in forests - 7 days of pure chilled bliss. Lesson learnt (the hard way).
Omg out of town museums??? Diners and a day out close to home like it’s so nice
@@henghistbluetooth7882you did all that?? ... post covid??😮
YOU MUST BE RICH
I avoid bringing anything too flashy because getting mugged is not part of my vacation plan. Don't make yourself a target! Travel for yourself and not for the gram!
Well they are safe because they never went😂😂
Yeah, I don’t think a lot of people think like that honestly. I only wear my nice clothes and jewelry when I’m going straight to a restaurant then home, or to a mall with guards wandering around. Most people don’t have tons of occasion where it makes sense to dress up, unless you live in a really safe area. Part of the unintended price is can you also afford to go out or live in a place where you’re safe to wear it!
Just as important is going somewhere that youre not likely going to get mugged
I’m always given pause when I see people traveling to less developed nations with designer luggage. It’s like you’re asking to be robbed. Even if it’s fake btw (I’m looking at you people with the LV suitcases and carry bags).
Conspicuous luggage isn’t for you unless you have your own security detail and you’re flying chartered flights… just an FYI.
Travelers should also know that in many tourist spots you are charged differently just for being a tourist. If you present yourself with an air of affluence, your trips will become more expensive still… so it’s like opting into an additional tourist trap tax.
@lxnny2357 I wouldn't even do that in the US so some people are just careless in general.
i dont use social media besides youtube so every video you post is like cathing a glimpse into a whole new world
Same, so glad I'm not part of this
It’s such a win, lol. When I see ppl scroll through TikTok feeds I get so overstimulated!
I follow a handful of youtube commentary people who will occasionally talk about some insane drama on Tiktok or something going on with teenagers and sometimes it feels like watching a nature documentary about another species. I'm very happily out of the pop culture loop.
Same! It's good to feel less alone 😅
Same here!
Travel MLMs use fake rich flexing. Fire your boss, retire your Husband and be a digital nomad earning 100K a month
yes!! this is a great example
@@thefinancialfreedomgirl MLM upper tier huns are the best example of rich faking! They spend every penny they make pretending to be millionaires so they can trick money out of people living paycheck to paycheck. Girl boss power!
Ugh, I had a cousin who made it high up in World Ventures, I think the MLM was called. Of course she won't hear of it when told it's a pyramid scheme. Of course it worked for her, she preyed on other people and got high up 🙄. And, given the years she was in it, she likely got in at the start.
Like it's that easy to make 100K as a digital nomad.
Why does "retire your husband" always make it sound like they're planning a murder
I went to a local bar/club with my wife. There were two IG influencers at the bar they got one drink all night. Got up pretend to dance with anyone who would dance with them for a small video and got back to there seats immediately after. I was just thinking people who watch their video will think these people are having a blast. In reality there were in a corner of the bar getting up to pretend to dance on every other song with people they didn’t even know.
this is incredibly embarassing
And really sad
Lmao 😂
This gives me an idea. I'm gonna start secretly recording travel influencers sitting in dark corners and upload the videos onto my own channel.
@@chrishagins3309 I’ll watch that
I am of the opinion that the very first time you start comparing yourself to others and feeling dissatisfied with your life is the moment you must delete all your social media accounts.
Been there, done that. One of the better decisions I've made.
Me too - I miss out on a few things but I'm 99% super pleased with my decision! I still do youtube and some pinterest but kicking Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Snapshot to the curb feels great
Definitely. I also learned that people who are obsessed with portraying their perfect life on social media, are usually people who most certainly don’t!
I always keep in mind that social media is a "lie." It has it's benefits but many times it blurs the line between what's real and fake so I look at most things with scepticism
Yep-I’ve honestly stopped caring what people think or if my content is cool enough. If you like it great, if not, oh well. I don’t have time to chase down followers. Who cares what labels you carry or wear? It doesn’t matter. Live your life for you.
Def here for a fake rich flexing series
As a doctoral student whose friends are working and traveling, there's definitely a sense of FOMO at times. Thank you for this.
Keep it up!!
@@elizamartin4263 Thank you! (: Two more years!
Don’t you have conferences overseas where you kind of have to travel?
Same though
To be real, though, you are missing out. I know a lot of post-docs who regret wasting all of that time. For some, the experience is enough because they do really enjoy research and publication, but for others they expected a rich lifestyle, a great job, a revolutionary startup which didnt actually happen.
If you want that sort of lifestyle, generally speaking it's better to drop out of the doctorate and get working. But if you like being the professor, living humbly with a passion to learn and share, then continue on. A lot of people love that as well.
This video is so spot on. My only addition would be to mention that people who are working class often don't get a lot of time off. There's so much messaging around vacations being once in a lifetime, and I think the scarcity of getting to travel or even just have time to yourself makes people feel like every vacation needs to be a blowout. If people had more time off I think they would feel more comfortable taking smaller, less expensive vacations.
That is a USA thing, in Europe people get a lot more vacation time, especially the french 😂😂😂.
Your comment is so insightful! I think this is basically the only reason I ever overspend on vacation - I know it's only a once-a-year experience, and I want to squeeze as much joy as I can from it 🙁
@@anaalves3658 I meant to mention this was specific to countries with less time off for workers!
As an American who’s only guilty splurge is frequently traveling to far flung locales like Nepal and India (I don’t own a car, most of my clothes are hand-me-downs from friends, I rent below my means, etc.) I can categorically say that this is an American cultural thing. Working class people in the US can definitely make space for constant travel. That is if they give up the car and a suburban house mortgage. And that’s hard to do for most folks. Europeans travel all the damn time. But they also don’t tend to have a car or a large mortgage, and do enjoy more vacation time. It really is what you value in life and where you put your money.
Theres something to be said for just taking a week off work and chilling at home.
I disabled all social media purely due to me feeling inadequate especially against people on instagram. Since then I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and one thing I also learned: usually those people trying to convey to the world they have a perfect happy life, are usually the very unhappiest.
I curate my social media to be nothing but food and puppies. I'm not letting these people make me feel bad about myself bc they don't even know I exist. whether they post or not, their financial situation has nothing to do with me
then u had a weak mentality if u cannot see from truth and bs
I would love a fake rich flexing series. Seeing the ways people put on a facade just to impress people
Most of them don't do it just to impress people. They do it to sell their (usually info) products and to gain more audience to sell and sell to
One other tactic - go to a vacation and take shit ton of photos and videos for posting later at some random months. Therefore giving impression that you travel a lot although might just be sitting at your cubicle for most days of the year
I do that to make it less overstimulating for myself and potential viewers of my posts. Not doing this stuff everyday so there's no need for me to post as soon as I do it unless it's like the most interesting thing I've ever done.
I do this because I don’t want to live post my location so I spread out my pictures after the fact
Honestly I do this so much but not on purpose; like I’ll find photos from 5 years ago I haven’t edited and honestly really enjoy going through them- straight up get messages asking if I’m in town or one girl asked me how I get to travel all year and i was so confused until I realised.
I do this all the time 😂 I love photography so I have thousands of photos of places I’ve been to that haven’t been posted for years and I’ll post them later lol. Like another person said above, I don’t want to post in real time where I am, so people don’t know that I’m not home.
I do this to avoid burglary at home. When everyone knows you post vacations outside of the season, they won't try to rob your house. Also secretly want to make my ex jealous lol
I have a video suggestion: So I left Instagram 2 months ago and people literally think that something bad happened to me. They think I’m sick, that my husband lost the job and we’re going broke, that we lost our house or something 😂 people don’t understand the simple fact that I don’t wanna be part of that circus anymore. People are so used to show off and see others showing off on social media that they don’t understand the concept of just live life in private anymore.
Here I am 2 months after I left Instagram with the same exact life I had before, the only difference is that now I feel happier and FREE 🙌🏻🙏🏻
Same I FB & IG FREE....I LOVE IT HERE..❤
I had Instagram for just 3 months, couldn't handle the cringe anymore, I uninstalled it.
That’s awesome 🎉 I’ve had IG for 12 years and it’s so sad to see what it has become over a decade. It used to be so wholesome and there was no ads in the beginning and no one edited their photos. It’s wild. I’ve taken a hiatus as well.
I use Instagram to look at animal videos and cute cartoons only, I don't post, and I don't follow a lot of people let alone influencers. Anecdotally I'm probably one of the most well adjusted and self confident women I know. But that might be the autism and me not caring to be putting out a fake persona lmao
Those people have been programmed to believe that Social Media = real life
The one benefit of having social anxiety is that it makes me frugal by default. I’m either at work, or enjoying my peace at home. I’m not spending money going out with friends, vacations, dating, children, I don’t do social media (outside of watching UA-cam), and I’m not flexing on anyone.
Girl, I cannot relate 😂😂 Not being very social makes my life more expensive. I want to do all the things but because I have no one to take with me, I'm paying for all the stuff by myself that could be split.
I have social media anxiety. I try to be as invisible as possible. I post nothing under my real name !
Same! Rarely invited to bday party where I need to bring a gift or girls' night out where I spend on food, drink, parking, club admission, etc. Kind of sad but oh well
I hate that travel has become all about getting the right photos and flexing on social media. I do my best to live in the moment and not listen to others judgments but it’s not easy.
I sometimes forget to "document" my experiences on vacation when I see others with their phones 🤳🏾 out but everything is saved in my own hard drive 🧠😅 as memories
tbh im not a very "live in the moment" person so taking loads of photos to look back on later any time i want is much more enjoyable to me. i dont have social media though
You can easily do both. Kinda like a balance like with food, you can definitely take a photo and enjoy the food but also worsen the experience by getting food for the sake of pictures
@@Carlo_Boy2024thats a big difference between myself and my partner. She likes taking photos, i prefer to be in the moment and not looking through my phone lens. We are constantly trying to find a balance as a couple as we travel.
From what I hear, these people take hundreds of pics then spend a lot of time 'curating' for the social media. There is joy in enjoying something without thinking of telling others about it
What annoys me, is when people accuse someone of being fake poor because they are very wealthy and live modestly. Just because someone has money, doesn't mean they should spend it on crap, or you(they) think that they'd be able to spend it "better" than the people who are living modestly and humbly.
Those are the people that you hear about winning the lottery and end up in dire straits because they spent their winnings on crap they envied, with no regard for the future.
haha do people really accuse others of being fake poor! that's funny, there's a phrase, "wealth is what you don't see" and I feel like that explains a lot! wealth is more about peace of mind than buying flashy things -- designer brands also know that they're targeting to middle class people who want to appear rich (but don't totally understand what that really means/how wealthy people really act)
Wait, people actually criticize other people for that?
What they don’t understand is there’s no such thing as fake poor. My investment portfolio is worth US$9mil. I don’t own a car or a house. I don’t shop luxury boutiques. I take public transportation and rent a cheap place. I do own a 2mil vacation home in Hokkaido. I’m not trying to fake anything. When people have financial freedom to do whatever they want, they tend to fall back to whatever makes them most comfortable. I prefer simplifying my finances to minimal hassle, and owning stuff takes extra work to manage.
@@zilun
Yes, thank you. You understand perfectly.
slumming it is bad like buying cheap clothes poor people need
I kept waiting for a Caleb Hammer clip to pop up yelling "YOU ARE NOT A CREDIT CARD PERSON". 😂 Fantastic video!
Yes please do a fake rich flexing series. I know most things on social media are fake but my weak mentality needs constant reminders 😅
I'm so immediately turned off by the "millionaire" entrepreneur standing in front of a sports car or walking through "their mansion" trying to sell me a course. I guess people still fall for that? Thanks Cara as always for your insightful commentary!
The Tom Vu get rich quick videos.
I quit pretty much all social media a few years ago because of stuff like this. Wayyy too many people were just trying to flex and present a life that they didn’t live. I’ll be honest, it made me feel like I was wasting my time at school or working. I knew it was fake and it still managed to undermine my confidence.
The other half went down the political/culture wars path. Social media has made me more isolated than I have ever been. I’ve lost more friends due to social media than literally anything else.
Social media sucks. When I meet someone who doesn't have fb, I always tell them to stay away. It's a cesspool
You forgot MLM's / Pyramid Schemes... That's another way to lose friends in a hurry‼️
Finishing a sleeve of Oreos in your PJs you are living the rich life girl, do you know how much Oreos cost now. That is some true Rich Flexing because I can't even afford Oreos without a payment plan 😂
Ffs, they aren’t expensive at Walmart…
@@karenandrews4224 here you are looking about $8-9 now for regular if you looking for thin or other versions $10-11
1,79 a sleeve
Just get the off brand ones. Oreos already taste off brand anyway
@@blackpillfitness9136 You are so real for this
It’s funny because I feel weird posting pictures if I’m in first class. It feels like I’m trying to flaunt it when I bought the ticket with miles…..
I always re-watch your videos to remind myself of taking care of my financial health as a college student. I go to a college of rich kids, so I usually get bombarded with the luxury bags, clothes, etc. I can even tell if someone modifies their respect for me based on my college outfit. Your works are wonderful!
so glad that you've found my videos helpful for keeping up with your financial health! that's amazing to hear!
My mom always said “I only play rich on TV”
But she was only joking. She was good at finding a deal and was always a diligent saver
I like the idea of you doing more of these. It's like a broader deinfluencing, and I find it helpful.
so glad to hear it!
+
That is so true! I had a friend, about ten years ago, who told me about a friend of hers who was travelling the world during her college years. She told me the way this friend did it was just putting everything on her credit cards, to pay for it later... which is just not the best idea...🙃
On TOP of her college tuition debt mounting. Wow
I would love a fake rich series. I feel like almost everything I come across online is fake rich.
yup!
It is. Just hold up your Instagram app next to reality in the street and you realize everything on instagram is fake, filtered and photoshopped.
That’s because it is. An actual rich person would walk past these people unnoticed or they would think the person is broke. They have nothing to prove to anyone. Also, remember at some point you start paying extra for no labels.
The internet got people thinking this is the life you want to live
and lets not forget the "pre-vacation" stuff like the hundreds of dollars of shopping hauls for "outfits ill wear on my vacation" for just the instagram photos 🙂 just enjoy your vacation! Dont spend more on "specific clothes" for the vacation? It seems like its all a façade for instagram for that reason.
And then going on holiday and doing more shopping 😐
its so stupid
I`m (maybe upper) middle class and we always had shopping before vacation because apparently I don`t need swimsuits and sun protecting hats\growns in my hometown....
THE PEOPLE ON VACATION HAVE NEVER SEEN YOU OR YOUR CLOTHES. OLD TO ME NEW TO YOU .. ❤😂
@@shameikasmith2910 I love this point EXACTLY everything will be new to them 😂
Not just this, but I've noticed more and more people in their early 20s going on expensive vacations, driving supercars, owning their massive expensive toy collection, or buying their first luxury house. It's weird how many of these influencers or these TikTokkers, UA-camrs, or people on Facebook are just appearing out of nowhere showing how they made their wealth by posting themselves relaxing in their private jets. Really makes you feel like crap when you are working so hard just to earn money.
most of those people are just the few that are extremely lucky and went viral. theres thouasands more of them that didnt go viral. then theres some that dont actually own any that stuff and are renting everything or just being gifted it by brands for promo.
brands will gift people products, clothes, hotel stays, full vacations with other influencers, suites, excursions, cars, etc. theres many cases where if the persons an influencer a brand will literally finance an entire vacation for them and another person they know for free, or often times a whole group of influencers together. none of those people worked for that. besides posting a bunch of pictures/videos which is exactly what thousands of other people did but didnt go viral for it.
not to mention rappers have been known to often *_rent_* out expensive cars, jewelry, houses, dancers for a day just to shoot a video. but dont own any of it. you dont need to be wealthy to do that. just an idiot.
influencers have been caught or accused of renting out full mansions to live in, but again do not own them because they cant afford to. this has been seen with some online streamers, only fans girls, dan bilzerian, etc.
then theres some kids that literally just come from wealth, stumble into social media at a certain age and realize they can show off what they already had from their family. and pretend as if they earned it or tell themselves they did. a large portion of wealth in world is inherited.
so in almost all cases it has nothing to do with hard work or diligence. its luck.
peace✌
these people are making themselves go broke just trying to stunt on social media. I dint have that kind of money nor do I care . they don't make me feel any kind of way bc I know they're fake. don't give strangers that power over you .
Most of them come from wealth from their families and pass it off like they worked for it.. it’s all fake as hell.
The best thing that these people who are so desperate to impress people with luxury goods could do for themselves is probably therapy. Unpacking why you want to convince someone you don't know that youre far richer than you actually are sounds like something that needs to be talked about, there's definitely some layers to that.
You can also guarantee that the people trying hardest to impress are the most unhappy, but are so insecure about it
I remember during the pandemic my grandmother telling me chartering a private plane was cheaper than driving to come see me. I guess it was only a couple hundred bucks. 🤣
I actually moved to a place where people vacation. I work for my flex. I live and work in a dream place.
My days off are beautiful most days. Rain can damper things.
It's been worth it. We've only got so many summers. I want every day of it.
Good on ya
everyone stop everything you're doing, cara nicole just posted
I've gotten to the point where I kind of avoid people who are hell bent on traveling all the time. Words become thoughts. Investments get missed.
I've come to see people who feel that they need to constantly travel to be those who are unhappy with their lives, so they have to constantly find "happiness" somewhere else.
@@DarisT-qc1fw Who doesn't try to run from their unhappiness though? Those who don't travel maybe read a lot to escape reality, go on too many tinder dates, are workaholics, etc. Better to find anything to enjoy than to sit at home doing nothing and instead just complain. BUT I get what you mean if those travellers overspend and then still end up miserable back home.
Spending your money is the easiest thing to do. People flaunting their ability to spend money shouldnt be a point of pride. And you know the average person cant afford it. But yet with the power of credit card debt you can fool yourself and everyone else that in fact you can afford it, and that its actually not even a thang because you got the card.
I feel like people would just be smarter with money and wouldn’t do/buy things to impress other people if we just lived like it was 1999 without social media. Spend time with others and by yourself because it’s only when you’re alone with yourself can you learn about yourself!
I agree with the spirit of your stance. I especially like the idea of folks spending time with others and themselves, particularly if it means free and personal activities However, I am often listening for people to mention how much money and marketing is targeted towards us every day, which influences what we think we want/need. Teams of very smart and resourced folks push our finite will powers to their limits. That doesn't mean we can't exercise personal responsibility; I'm just highlighting the extra effort it takes to ignore billboards, UA-cam ads before we skip, and other things that inundate us even when we use private browsers and otherwise try to avoid unwanted solicitations.
Additionally, while I wish this weren't the case, consumerism and our nature of seeking approval to be "in" as even other social animals do is pretty instinctive. For some, it's a defense mechanism, where one might where a branded college hoodie to signal they belong on campus. For others, who may have hopes and/or insecurities, a branded item shares their desire to be seen as, say, more fit or at least conscious of health when some in society might otherwise judge them. We can and should do better. I'm just saying that it's also complicated when thinking about how was shouldn't seek approval of others. Religious groups, sports fans, video game streamers, anime fans, and others are quick examples of communities people want to be a part of, and many require some level of "proof" of belonging, which can be clothing, gamer chairs, membership dues and products for periods of time. And many of us belong to multiple communities, so things add up. Again, we should interrogate our practices while also saving some "blame" on being social beings wired to be down with others.
It was called "Keeping up with the Jones'" before social media. None of this is new. It was especially bad during the 80's where the stock market was flying at an all time high and everyone's conspicuous consumption was at least backed by some amount of money/credit ... until it crashed out. Now a lot of those people have worthless old boats and no retirement.
Other than MLMs, what is the appeal here? If I saw someone in their 20s and 30s doing this, I would think they’re an idiot unless they are either a neurosurgeon, pro athlete (would still think they’re an idiot here because they’re blowing temporary income), or a generational talent of an entrepreneur. If they’re using trust funds or inheritance to fund this lifestyle, I don’t think they’re the least bit cool.
I think a great way to get some perspective that helps is to spend some time with folks who have nothing. I lived overseas in a developing country and the idea of even taking a vacation was a big deal for the locals there. It gives me a good perspective.
yeah, it's efinitely important to remember that most of the time if not always, influencers and similar ppl are able to write off these trips and luxury expenses as business expenses along with getting some of it paid for or sponsored
I agree with your points, but tbh sometimes indulging is okay. I grew up in poverty and I could def live a humble life debt free until I die. But I’d never leave my city or eat out or have a car. Living below your means can become miserable, that’s why it’s a balancing act and I try to not overspend while letting myself enjoy my 20s. I was in college+grad school for 7 years to get my job and career status, I’m going to enjoy the fruits of my labor every once in a while. I’m still a homebody, but I get nicer groceries and good shoes lol.
“Fancier groceries” reminds me of the Barenaked Ladies song “If I had a million dollars “
If I had a million dollars
We wouldn't have to eat Kraft Dinner
But we would eat Kraft Dinner
Of course we would, we'd just eat more
And buy really expensive ketchups with it
That's right, all the fanciest-, Dijon ketchup, mm, mm
I’m gonna be real here for a second. I’ve traveled to exotic locations. It’s not worth it, especially if you live somewhere already nice like California etc. I think it’s ridiculous that we’ve gotten to this point where we’re all living like kings and queens but still complain about it.
I agree but I don’t. I go experience it once and then just live my life. I think the people who want to go back and do it better every time are the people who are out of touch. I live in LA too, so I sometimes am disappointed by some locations, but I also don’t go to the touristy spots and like to do my research like crazy just to experience something more realistic
getting an amex platinum when its a misfit for someone's lifestyle is another example of fake rich
I’ve had several people send me the referral link for that card but have yet to get It cause I can’t imagine I’d use It enough to be a benefit for my life lol
the "i just got a $4,000 loan!" girl bothers me a lot. so joyfully celebrating debt as if it's free money. i keep replaying that in my head.
This is exactly why I deleted all my socials 3 years ago. It messes with your head. It becomes difficult not to compare yourself with everyone online. After I deleted my social media accounts I become relaxed and at peace. I'm more present in the now and I enjoy the progress I make, rather then comparing myself to the kid who just bought a Ferrari or a Bugatti.
I enjoy traveling. The way that feels authentic and sustainable to me is an affordable hotel in a decent neighborhood; eating 2 meals a day and the 3rd is local snacks/street vendors, dessert, etc; bringing oatmeal and instant coffee/tea with me (I still buy breakfast and coffee out, but this makes it more of a choice); flying economy (it’s all I can afford); traveling in the off season; choosing to commute via public transit or cabs rather than being right in downtown; asking around for killer small business places to eat rather than fancy dining; choosing sites that meaningful to me (screw the clichés); having a travel backpack with the access zipper on the back so I’m less likely to get pick pocketed. All of my vacations have been special to ME, even if other people tried to throw shade (I didn’t ask for your opinion; take the hint!) 😂 Oh, and I don’t post pics to social media and/or see other people’s vacation pics because I don’t really use it.
And if you can stay with family or friends it's even cheaper and you can share meals together and have long chats 😁. We have just had a friend from Canada visiting us, next month we have family from South Africa and then very good friends that live in Majorca stay with us 😊😊😊😊. I used to be shy about staying in someone's home, but now I relish the extra time I get to spend with those people 😊 and I am more than happy to host family and friends and show them around my city 😁.
These are great videos covering very necessary subjects. Your videos should be shown in schools, because so many kids take everything they see on social media as reality. Virtually none of it is.
I wish we would stop giving "influencers" attention. They add nothing to society.
You are so right 👍. I have been teaching my 9 year old daughter how what we see on our screens are not real, i worked in the film industry and I know how we are tricked into believing things. She has become aware of what is fake, but I know that even though she has been told what to look for, she will still be fooled by social media, even i fall prey to it at times.
I loved you brought up the idea of reflecting over your own needs and wants. We just went on a holiday, and when we booked it in January, we were tiptoeing around the location idea. But at the end we both blurted out that no, we don't want to be a km away from the sea. We want direct access to the beach from our hotel. So we splurged on that, but then we are not buying more than 20-25€ of souvenirs. ( A couple of magnets on the fridge for friends and ourselves and some sweets from that country).We paid for a massage that we both needed and it would be the same price as at home, we just did earlier than planned. ( That was the most expensive thing we did)> so this way, most of our holiday was paid already, and we just had some money spent on activities.
I don't feel as bad renting a slightly more expensive apartment and acting like I'm the homeowner lol
A lot of my friends be going on vacation suspiciously often and I really do think they’re putting it on credit cards like noooooo!! :O
I can’t imagine being so dense that I would fake being ‘rich’ by posing on a fake private jet just to possibly impress people on social media I don’t care about. Some people are just past saving and see social media attention as a life goal. Sad.
13:26 debt that lasts beyond the utility of what it was for is one of the things I really dislike. People are still paying off shoes they already sold for 10 bucks on ebay. Putting a washing machine on credit card, pay it off over a couple of months and keep using it for years is often okay. Putting a months wages on a credit card for a trip that you'll be paying off for year after the trip is a big no no
Must be a lot of fun to go on a vacation spending half of the time you are there trying to figure out how to take a Pic. I definitely don't want that vacation. The other half of the vacation is checking your social media to see what other people are posting about you. I stay away of social media and have friends that do the same for the most part. Its actually refreshing going out with them and actually having meaningful conversations and nobody checking their phones. I found society, in general, very miserable. I don't see happy people anymore, so I feel blessed to be happy even if I don't have much. Guys, the really good stuff out there is actually free.
Yes please to the fake rich flexing series!!!!! I would love to see more!
i want you to blow up Cara, recently discovered you and your vibes and information is scratching that itch on my noggin.
Fake jet studios!!! I never imagined something like these would exist. What morons would honestly want to do this??? Good work Cara, as always.
I was just planning my vacation. It soothes me that I'm on the good side of the financial mindset. This video was a good reminder.
Thank you Cara, always so informative, helpful, and kind❤
I have a line item in my budget named “Travel” and I set aside money weekly to this savings and let it grow overtime. I use it for day trips and longer international vacations. It makes budgeting fun because it gives me something to look forward to in the future and i feel good knowing that I was disciplined to save for it and not be in debt. This is separate from my “Fun money” account, which is for short term stuff like eating out, movies, entertainment, etc. having a savings/categories for specific spending makes handling finances more organized and reduces temptation
I agree with everything except eating KFC in Paris. You could spend the same amount of money on a baguette sandwich or galette.
Yeah good food isnt always expensive. Actually the best restaurants ive been to are the ones that are often times on the cheaper side. I guess its just something to do with the passion and love the creator has for their food.
I can't stand traveling with ppl who are so close minded with food. I was once in the Philippines with my friend who's American (both of us are) but the first thing she decides to do is look for the nearest KFC and TGIFridays lol
@@Ms.MD7idk sometimes ppl can’t eat certain things or random things while travelling; esp if they’re so used to eating the same meals back home.
I am in a point in my life where i travel a lot, by plane and on my motorcycle. Estonia in december, Belgium in Februari, Italian Alps in April, Luxemburg in june, Canada in september and Cameroon in december.
But what people don't see right away are my €40 a night cheap hotels, 6 am cheap flights, only going places outside of the high season, used cheap motorcycle gear, my worn out jeans and snealers, 17 year old motorcycle i maintain myself, staying for free with family, working extra nightshifts to make up the money and hr's, cheap rented house, cheap old Kia car, ecf
You can only spend the money you have once, make sure you pick the way you like to spend it.
This is why my favorite phrase is "there is no spoon" great insight on this. I always wonder why people did this.
your point about cultural homogenization is fascinating to me. i've never felt the need to chase for the lifestyle that other people have, because that's just not simply what i want. and i feel like a lot of people in current time chase after those dreams without actually even wanting them for themselves. it all goes back to self-actualization: we should all really work on our individual identities, wants and needs, dreams and aspirations, to figure out what in life is important to us, so we don't have to waste money or mental resources into something that is not meant for us anyway.
My boyfriend and I have done probably 20 mini vacations!!! It’s just what you call a vacation. we don’t care much for tropical places as much as we do history. Tons of places to go and cheaper hotels make it affordable enough that we don’t spend much but still escape.
KFC is hugely popular in France
yay maybe i was eating like a true french person then haha
my last "vacation" was an overnight in Chicago to use a coupon at a Microcenter for a 3d Printer. we care about food more than accommodations in our "trips" because we tend to use the hotel as backpack storage and a place to collapse after a day of exploring
Definitely continue this series of fake rich flexing! Great video as always ☺️
"Fake rich flexing is a flat circle" - Rust Cohle
I've owned the *rrcopys* tote for years and it still looks as beautiful as the day I bought it. The craftsmanship and durability of these bags is truly impressive. There are so many styles and colors of their bags to choose from!
I find when I travel, especially in Asia (where I'm living now) that finding a good hotel often comes with a free buffet (breakfast or dinner). I stayed at a hotel in Hanoi for 140/night, one in Shinjuku, Tokyo for 180 night, and one in Bangkok 140/nt and didn't have to worry about what I ate -- at least once a day. This opened up eating at more budget conscious places. Also, I tend to travel in the winter, which is non-peak time for most travel here and my hotels and plane tickets are cheaper; fly to/from the US and Korea in the summer it's 3000+, fly in the winter you can get 1200 easily (round trip). Korea to Tokyo 360 r/t and so on
"wrong segway"... 😁😁😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣 brilliant!
PLEASE make this a series
I will say best thing to do is travel with people who are as thrifty as you. You dont wanna be with people who splash out because its a holiday and why not. Try and make an itinerary and preplan/prebook things so you know what youre paying and what to buget. You absolutely can have these types of holidays on the cheap if you do it smart
This is my first time hearing of JOMO, but it might just change my life. Next time I'm getting upset about missing something, I'll try to think about what I liked about missing out instead.
I quit sm too, but before that, I felt SO much pressure to be aesthetic and fit in. Before I quit, I tapered down SM and visited like 10 countries and shared ZERO posts about it at all. It was lovely having those experiences just to me and the people I want to share it with. I do miss sort of being in the know, esp about local events and such, but I feel like this is the start of a new me, zero SM, zero FOMO. Only JOMO!!
my family went without me on a resort trip this year, I had a little FOMO naturally. They got glamorous travel photos, but also my brother brought back bedbugs. The Facebook posts don't show the mattress covers and exterminators in my house🥰
I stay away from travel accounts because I will never be able to afford to go on a vacation. And I'm certainly not going to go into credit card debt to go to one, everything else costs too much is it is.
As a person who was born in 1966 and spent my 20s and 30s in the late 1980s and 1990s, I feel lucky to a certain extent. When social media came along, I had already had some life experiences that help me detect most of the Bisen manure on social media and the internet as a whole. Those who were born after 1995 have had a very difficult life with all this media thrown in their face. The worship of wealth and the wealthy was a not a thing when I grew up. Now we have degenerated as a society that has no common focus. Just consume, consume and consume and the consequences be dammed. We are now truly in the era of Late Stage Capitalism.
I grew up in the 90’s and early 2000’s and it was so wholesome 😌 even when the internet became popular it was still a healthy balance because we didn’t have smartphones yet glued to our faces, so people still talked, hung out and spent more time together and when they get home they have limited time to use the internet. Time flies I tell ya!
I wanna make a video in one of these fake jet studios so i can gaslight my 80 year old self into thinking i was rich once upon a time 🤣🤣🤣
Cara is an immaculate content creator
This might sound bad, but I grew up basically in the working poor class. Like we’re weren’t in poverty but we were working while living in poverty if that makes any sense.. anyways fast fowards 15 years and my family started to make a lot more money. It’s not my money obviously but after being able to get more stuff it really didn’t make me any happier.. I’m not depressed but stuff won’t make you happy, the relationships with your family, or a spouse will do that!
Similar to the private jet studios, I seen so many "Enjoying first class seats on flights" youtube that it was giving the false impression that all people should only travel with these overpriced tickets and that these tickets are easily achievable by the average person via airline miles. I did the calculations. Unless I massively overspend on an airline mile linked credit card, and are sent on trips constantly for my company, there is no way I am just getting First Class tickets paid for via airline miles.
At 12:22 Who’s decision was it to make squidwards house number 304? 😂😂😂
This is the most sense I think I have ever seen spoken in any UA-cam video!!!😀
I think that "fake rich" is a great idea for the video series ❤
I’ve just spend a year saving up to go on vacation and it made me realize that I lot of people my age are in massive amounts of credit card debit inorder to go on a vacation every other month, it really helped put things in perspective
I don’t see how anyone can take a vacation that often, at that point you’re hardly ever home. Now don’t get me wrong, I would love to take vacations more than I’ve been able to the past 7 years (only have taken one) but I’m not taking them to the point where I’m hardly home either. I was doing a routine of one vacation a year so I do want to go back to that but I would open myself to up to 3 a year, any more than that feels overkill for me.
You know it's ironic how many people are still trying to act like they can still afford these things nowadays when they probably haven't been able to since 2005 in fact they try to push it even more than they did back then. They do this because they are trying to act as if nothing is wrong with them like they're perfect and everything is peachy but the hard facts are they're in dept over their ears, they've just been through 7 breakups/divorces from men/women that learned they have no money, You're gonna see them in another house next month cause the bank closed on their account with the last mansion they lived in, deep down they're just loser at least 85% of the time and they're trying to impress the people they went to highschool with.
Hey Cara!
I really love your videos, they don't change my financial habits, because I've always been spending money quite thoughtfully (even as a 10 year old or so, always saving while my friends were buying snacks 😄), but they're great to watch and give me an insight into absolutely bizarre & fascinating world of overconsumption & social media (yeah, I don't use them too).
I would be super happy to see more vids on fake rich flexing! And I actually have 2 more topic ideas: consumption around the world (I work daily with many people from Europe & USA and I feel like these from the US are usually more prone to overspending; I don't want to sound rude or anything like this, just my observation! And I'd really like to see you cover that topic, whatever the conclusion will be :)). Another idea I have is a detailed comparison between how something obviously bad affects people (like gambling) and how just social-media-fueled overconsumption does. What do you think?
Thank you for what you're doing! ❤
I would love to see a video about “the American dream is dead” - because what is the American dream? It’s different for everyone. I live in a studio with some day wanting to buy a really small house (maybe 1,000sq ft max) out in the countryside. I feel like “the American dream is dead” argument is used to get us to buy bigger homes than we would normally buy, nicer cars than we’d buy, etc. It’s a way to make us feel bad about our economic state and while inflation is higher and things are a bit topsy turvey, my American dream isn’t dead because I’m not trying to keep up with the Jonses. I feel like they are warping our idea of what the American dream is in a way that benefits them (debt, debt, debt) when so many of us are content with a studio or small cabin living a very basic lifestyle
Dont take "the American dream " too serious ! Anyone has to work for their dream...does not matter where!
Just like they call " Australia is a lucky country " but you still need to work to fulfil your dream....wherever the country has no conflict for me is a blessing ❤
Earlier this year I traveled to Singapore with my now fiancé (proposed to her there).
We saved up a good bit for the trip, as well as using my company year end bonus to top it off.
We had an amazing time and saw some amazing places. Even had a nice dinner on top the Marina Bay Sands and a private chauffeur for a dinner.
But most days we were there we were eating cheap street food. We took the buses and trains quite literally everywhere. We didn’t have VIP access everywhere we went.
Travel is an incredible thing, but know that even when the people posting are posting really cool things, you’re seeing maybe 10% of the entire trip. Most of it is basic living you’d do at home.
Thank you for being so level headed!👏
I just remembered there was a sex and the city episode where they talked about being on a waitlist for some expensive bag to rent... And my naive self back then actually thought it was a waitlist for a bag everyone just thought was super pretty/stylish... but it just dawned on me that was also rich flexing way before social media 😅
I like the idea of making "Flex rich flexing" a series!
YEEEEES!
I took a Literature of Travel class back in 2009 and we studied Jean Baudrillard's Simulacra and Simulation.
Don't bother going to Disneyland after that! That is hyperreality
I just went on a holiday and the only reason I flew business class was because I had enough frequent flyers for it...and said frequent flyers were a bonus from my credit card. HAH.
Yes I would love to see more series of fake rich flexing🥰
I recommend your channel to everyone I know❤ keep up the great content ❤
thank you so much ☺️ ❤️
ive never fallen into the influencer fomo which im thankful for. some of my friends are so easily influenced 😢
I remembered the day I had the epiphany that traveling to hot spots or to “locations” is overrated. You can go to a nice beach for $500 or for $10k… it just depends on how much you care about what other people think about it.
We travel overseas to go on an ATV tour when there’s one near our house for the same price or less-the only difference being that we can go with more of our friends since they’re local AND we don’t have to pay for expensive travel to get there.
I’m forever wanting to explore my local area more to get more juice for the squeeze. Now this video has me more motivated than ever to follow up on that.
Hey Cara! I'm so glad I found your channel ❤ I've learned a lot about my own habits as a consumer because of you.
Also, I'd love to know your take on the "cash stuffing" trend on tiktok, been seeing it around a lot lately 🤔
yay i'm so happy to hear the videos have been helpful for you! i'm not too familiar with cash stuffing but i'll have to look into it! my surface level familiarity with it has me thinking it seems like a good way for some people to get into the habit of saving, as long as the investing piece isn't lost (since saving cash alone isn't the best strategy for long term wealth)
People are so caught up in the fantasy of what they want to be instead of working toward that for real