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If you owe $1 in credit, you are part of the arbitrarily, bank decided, approved participant only, global ponzi scheme cult that collectively, has now racked up 300 trillion in debt, my question is, who did YOUR $50k per person share of that come from, and hows that made THEIR life look? (Not really a question, more of a math/moral statement if anything, but worth pondering even if only to ultimately dismiss) Also you DONT see the vids you mentioned because yt relegates them to the "purgatory server" 😉
Imma be the part time temp working from home on the other line on my days off from my full time job. It's the one legal way to get a bit of revenge on the mean customers who think they are above retail workers.
Eventually, she'll be forced to file for bankruptcy or a consumer proposal. because eventually, all the credit card debt she took on to finance her trips will catch up with her and she won't be able to pay any of it.
It can sometimes feel like everyone else is doing financially better, especially with social media making it look like people are always on vacation or buying new things. But often, what people show doesn’t reflect their actual financial situation. Debt, loans, and credit cards can make it seem like they have more money than they really do.
Exactly! It’s easy to forget that a lot of people might be living paycheck to paycheck or are in debt trying to keep up appearances. Just because someone seems well-off doesn’t necessarily mean they’re financially stable.
Plus, I think a lot of people prioritize different things. Some are willing to spend more on luxury items, vacations, or dining out, but that doesn’t mean they’re saving or investing for the long term. They may have nice things now but could be sacrificing financial security in the future.
And everyone has different financial responsibilities. Some people might have help from family or inheritance, while others may be paying off student loans or supporting relatives. There’s so much going on behind the scenes that we don’t always see.
Also, personal finance isn’t just about income; it’s about managing what you have. Even with a modest income, smart saving and investing can lead to wealth over time. Sometimes people look wealthy because they’re spending everything they earn, not because they’re actually building wealth.
Definitely. Comparison can be discouraging, but staying focused on personal goals and making consistent progress matters more. Small wins, like saving, investing, or budgeting, add up over time.
Sure, that's what the ruling class wants you to believe; they have great possessions, but they've done a hell of a job selling minimalism to the upper middle class as a lifestyle choice.
The philosopher Diogenes was sitting on a curbstone, eating bread and lentils for his supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils." Said Diogenes, "Learn to live on lentils, and you will not have to cultivate the king."
I have only financed a car once in my life. Felt relief once it was paid off and decided never to do that again. My last payment was in 2017 and I stood behind what I said.
It’s not always bad. We financed our Prius with a 50% down payment and 0.99% interest. We were earning more than that in our savings account. However, current rates make this approach less appealing.
@@wcg66 Exactly! Paying cash for a new or used car is not financially smart if the loan rate is zero or much lower than what you earn from investments. When I bought my VW 4 years ago, they offered a 0% interest loan so I put down enough to avoid being upside-down and financed the rest. Meanwhile my investments have continued to grow. That said, I can't blame people for wanting to avoid debt by paying cash. The peace of mind of being debt free means alot to many folks.
I think it depends, right now im financing a car for the first time my prior vehicles were older that id paid in cash. This one is a vehicle that while not my favorite, will last me decades and wont require much in maintenance at all over that time. While id love to have not had a payment, it was better for me than using my old car that needed constant maintenance. But i do know after i pay this car off, i will trade it in for the vehicle i really want (thatll last me a really long time) and put as much down as possible. By that point ill have far more money saved, much better financing experience, better credit, and so my rates will be alot better.. Or ill just buy a car off a private seller and sell my old car and have little/no financing involved at all.
@@stephenmisener1659Yeah I’m in the same boat. I drive long commutes for work so when my 07 CRV was totaled I splurged and got a new rav4 that’ll last me forever and has cruise control. I’m 30k in debt but I also can save 3K a month so I don’t have stress with having a car payment
i’ve been saying this for years. everyone is driving a nice car, takes vacations, and wears nice clothes. maybe my perspective is skewed because i drive a 20 year old pickup truck, don’t travel, and have cycled the same 5 shirts to work for the last 5 years. it’s ok, i’m not fooled by any of it.
I think the problem is, you are comparing yourself to others when you should be comparing yourself to you! Really evaluate your current life to see if you're better, worse, or the same as before.
Just a little FYI. 40 isn't old. I've launched and run small businesses since i was 23. At 44 I'm opening another business and continuing to invest. 40 isn't some year you kick your feet up and sit in a lawn chair. You'll still have goals and aspirations and alot of energy and creativity.
My 42yr. old son just paid off his house. He’s now working on investments. Nothing was handed to him, he worked hard for what he has. Quite an accomplishment for someone his age.
Yeah totally agree, I’ll also chime in with the fact that I think people sometimes forget that a lot of hard work up front can go a long way if you’re strategic with it. Not everyone with a medical doctorate is “touching butt holes” or whatever was said. I’ve used mine to work a consulting/liaison type role that is work from home 25-30 hours a week and a salary thats top 1-2%. Those 8 years working on the doctorate were crazy hard work but I was done by mid 20’s and had some amazing times during those 8 years as well. I’ve also known people with a bachelors who have gone back and done that program in 4-6 years as well in their 40’s. There’s no right way or too late with most of this stuff, the only mistake is basing your life around materialism, but that’s another topic.
@@d3r4g45 Yes, which is why you put some of your money into hard assets. Also inflation isn't much of a factor until you spend, so reducing wants gives you more to deploy on needs.
The guys at work have new pickups, and I'm tooling around in a 20 year old Mercury Grand Marquis. When it's slow season, they're sweating the payments, and I'm enjoying my time off. Anything that costs me my peace of mind is too expensive.
Grand Marquis one of the greatest cars ever made! Bulletproof V-8, 20+ MPG, great suspension……and about every 100-150k miles, needs u joints. That’s a 400k+ mile car if you keep the rust at bay. Sure wish they continued those great machines.
If I had to estimate, 80% of people finance everything to seem wealthy, 15% outright lie about what they have, and only 5% can genuinely afford what they have and do.
Everything is becoming so dull. It’s like a constant competition of who’s better than who. Life isn’t supposed to be like this. Sometimes, I feel like selling everything I own and moving to a beach town where no one knows me, living a simpler life. It feels like, in the city where we were born and know so many people, we always have to look good and show we’re doing better than others. I don’t see myself as that kind of person, even though I live comfortably. But honestly, what I truly want is to live somewhere where no one knows me and be who I really am.
@@lucialuciferion6720People in Skyrim live hard lives. No one there is happy. Trust me, I've spent a lot of time there and I know! Edit: I'm currently living in Night City and it's pretty bad here too😢
I live in a tiny condo that, fortunately, I own outright. A few blocks away there is a neighbourhood of really huge and expensive homes where I like to take walks. I often wonder how people afford these homes. Then I realized each home had about 5 vehicles. What they do is rent out the basement, usually carved into several suites, then upstairs they rent out all the spare bedrooms. The actual square footage the owners occupy is probably not much more than my tiny condo. Some of the homes also house 3-4 generations and they are all paying rent to the generation that holds the title.
I live in a 2 bedroom/ 1 bathroom apt. I do most of the house work while my husband works very hard. I am disabled. Yet the neighbors who lives with their sister-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law with girlfriend, like a minimum of 10 people with one more bathroom. Only a lady there works full-time, everyone else works part-time if any. They make fun and deminer the full-time worker. They must collect money from the government. Seems to me that how they party, and can afford the pot they consume. We truly couldn't live with some many people. I and my youngest have Autism, that would be overwhelming.
Yes, and they are smart because all those people are paying off their mortgage and eventually they will own that giant house by working smarter and not harder
To each their own. My daughter always wanted to be a doctor and she was not rich so it was a tough journey for her. She did not do it to become wealthy; that is what her whole being wanted to do. Proud of you for doing what you wish and proud of my daughter for doing the same. So true about so many struggling to look like they are wealthy. The true goal should be to follow your dreams and not the dreams (often false illusions) of others. I admire that you walk your own path and are so grounded. Enjoy your day.
Man we had an '05 for 10 years, went everywhere in it, gave it to our son after he got his licence and he wrote it off after a couple of months. Loved that car, would own another one any day. That said I'm fortunate enough to genuinely not care what anyone thinks about my vehicles, but I'm also good with fixing them so I have that advantage I guess.
When I was a young adult, I ceased caring about what others think about my lifestyle. If others have more than me, I just don't care. I'll be retiring in 2 months. House is nothing special but paid for. It's all good.
I’m retired now but I remember when I was a VP at a company and drove a Toyota Tercel that I bought used. Some of the folks who were in my groups would not let me drive to customers because (they said) they would be embarrassed showing up in that car - so we took their Lexus. Hey, it got from A to B with no fuss and no muss. That’s all car does. We had no debt about 15-20 years before we retired. Thanks.
yup remember 2 of our assistant general mangers driving around in 20 year old beaters and knew they were loaded 😂. Thefancy cars in the lot were broke 😂
Yes, I always bought five-year-old cars not flashy ones but reliable. I always made my coffee before I went to work. Did not stop off at Starbucks. I didn’t have the money I wouldn’t buy it. I’d never put anything on credit. I retired at 55 and I’m living very comfortablybecause I didn’t give all my money to the bank
Moving to a location that doesn't require a vehicle is the ideal. The lack of shenanigans to maintain a vehicle saves a lot of time and money. And a daily walk or bike ride is far healthier.
I’m comfortable, no cars but a bike, not a big house but a non mortgage apartment etc. savings in the bank. If the water heater, fridge telephone computer etc breaks I can repair/replace them instantly, have honeybees, and a great photo camera, respectfully wife. And happy living on a small Mediterranean. Do I live a glamorous life? no but I do have good friends. Like you
Living like you have nothing to prove is my mantra ever since I woke up from this system, ergo, escaping the matrix in my early 30s pandemic... Saves me a lot of time, energy, and money... And the most important, having freedom and peace of mind... No amount of money can buy that...
I do the opposite, trying hard to look poor/average even though I could easily cash a car that most people have huge loans on or worse, they lease it for twice as much my house cost each month. I drive a VW polo, don't need anything more fancy than that, I love that car. I've had fancy cars in the past and the only thing you get is a black hole in your wallet.
love this. A few months ago I was on a girls trip with my friends and 2 of them were talking about buying newer cars and sharing links to the cars they liked and wondering if they could save up enough to have a reasonable monthly payment etc. They were really excited about these cars and I was just thinking oh dang I have plenty in the bank to just outright buy these cars (they were 3-4 yr old not brand new). It was a wild wakeup call.
If you don’t necessarily like stuff and doing things, then there isn’t necessarily a need to make money above the bare minimum and funding a retirement. If you’re working hard for retirement, then you also have to realize that tomorrow is never guaranteed.
@@alinatamashevich3354 Absolutely agree. I don’t think Nicole meant it the way it landed (for me), but I felt like doctors and highly educated professionals were sort of being disregarded as money hungry. I can’t see myself ever spending money (that I don’t have 😹) on a luxury car but didn’t care for the repeated reference to prostate exams, as if proctologists sell out for money.
I know a man, 60. He has been driving the more expensive cars for about thirty years now. BMW's, Mercedez, Lexus and I forgot what he has now. He has been leasing them. He has been making lease payments for over 30 years and yet, never owned a car. I forgot to add, he still lives at home with his mother. She owns her house that he will inherit as well as her money (from a 2nd or 3rd wealthy marriage). When he gets into cc dept, his mother pays it off for him. He is her forever 18-year-old son. I worked for a woman who worked in finance, and she told me most of what we see out there is a facade. People are in dept, bad dept up their eyes in dept to look rich.
It does seem as if everyone is doing quite well. When I compare myself to them there is one big difference. When morning comes, they have to go to work, I don't.
I read a book called "The Millionaire Next Door" when I was in my 20s. Reading this book was like opening Pandora's Box. Talking with my neighbors, I can tell who has "cattles" and who has "big hats."
Yes, wealth whispers. I worked for a company owned by a very wealthy man but if you saw him walking down the street in his flannel shirt and jeans and unshaven face, you would never know he had any money at all.
@@esterdrass4964 I'm not going to get into specifics, but let's just say that I have zero debts and live far below my means. I don’t use social media other than this platform (to watch videos about self-improvement, my professional niche, and retro gaming) and LinkedIn. I don't waste time bragging or watching the curated, fake, and superficial lifestyles of others. If you saw me in real life, you'd think I'm an average guy: not wealthy, but not poor either. And that’s my point: I'm a strong practitioner of the concept known as 'stealth wealth.' Many of the most successful people I know also follow this mindset. We don't seek or need attention or approval from others because we know who we are and what we have.
@@esterdrass4964 It does not, like the poor everyone is different and plenty of rich people scream, look at me. That not all do it well not all poor people are flashy.
I make six figures and have some means, but no one seeing my outward lifestyle would be jealous. Older (but well kept) SUV, a modest home in a good community, clothes that are decades old and "dad" fashion...all paid and saving/investing for retirement. I'm either too old (or tired) to care about Joneses. It helps that I live in a smaller city where wealth flexing is considered tacky and folks who are wealthy tend to keep it low key.
So what's the plan, once you retire? Seems like a lot of people are saving for retirement and living extremely frugal lifestyles in the meantime, with no plan to actually enjoy life when they retire. Maybe financial planning is what truly brings them joy 🤪
@@theglowcloud2215no, having resources gives you options that can be decided upon at one’s leisure. That is a luxury, not fancy things. Things end up scrap or in the dump.
@@theglowcloud2215Some people just don’t give a shit, and want to be stress free when they retire. And you’re right, some people just enjoy making/investing money as a hobby.
@@theglowcloud2215 I've done a lot of traveling and seen lots of the world as part of my career choice so yeah...no regrets there. Yeah, I know the trade-off of youth vs. investing for the future, so again no regrets there. Plan? Just live life and have your own purpose...there is no need to have some grand-scheme. I enjoy my weekends and vacation, so will do more of that after I retire! Good food, some travel and some giving (financially and of my time). So yeah, not everyone needs a bucket-list to feel fulfilled, but each their own. I've done my mountain biking in my earlier years and flying over the handle-bars might not be a good thing now. 😀
Problem will be….when those people reach retirement age, they will have virtually zero income. Change of lifestyle hits hard when used to overconsumption. Better to live a balanced lifestyle from a younger age. Excellent video Nicole.
There's a lot of truth to the old saying that those who look rich aren't and those who look poor are rich. Every millionaire I know looks middle class at best.
I come from generations of ancestors who valued no debt, early retirement and personal freedom. My grandfather retired at 58, my father at 45, myself at 45 and my son at 56 and my daughter at 54. What allowed all of us this advantage was living within our means and owning what we have debt free. Real estate played a big part in achieving this freedom.
100% accurate. People don't post the downsides. I love to travel & travel about 4 - 5 months a year, but to be able to afford it I have to work 12 hours a day 5 - 6 days a week, when back home & have to live with family so it's cheaper.
I give you an immediate like because it's so true. I have the exact thoughts when I'm at a red light noticing cars...great commentary and thank you for speaking truth.
What a refreshing video. Great job! When I was in my twenties, my then boyfriend, now husband, paid for so many trips for us to go on. Now that I am in my 30s, I told him I don't care about traveling anymore. I am so thankful coming home to a house we own! I want to save money for retirement and have financial goals. I think he feels he needs to keep up with his wealthy friends who travel all the time. I just don't care anymore. Being financially responsible is the new "cool" for me.
It's funny to look back on all of the "dumb" purchases you've made in your life and see how much you could've saved up if you hadn't been completely impulsive in the moment (fyi doing this is painful b/c the total is a LOT, at least for me), but what hurts my very core is all of the purchases that I've made to "keep up appearances" b/c the people around me went into debt trying to buy the latest and greatest products just to show off. I didn't need the latest Jordans, I didn't need to upgrade my iPhone and I certainly didn't need to buy that shiny watch b/c my friend bought one. Hindsight.
I recently did the math on $6000 (which was half of a bonus I received in 2010) and if I would've bought Bitcoin then before all the hype, that 6k would be over 1 Billion today. Frustrating but hindsight is always 20/20. At least I paid a few bills off with the 6k. Drank the rest away haha
I can relate. I've bought a lot of crap in the past and now it's sitting in a storage unit. I go through my boxes and asked myself why I bought this stuff in the first place. I'm gonna start donating and selling stuff I don't need or want anymore. I could have so much more money in my account now if I hadn't impulsed buy.
Been there and done that too. Decades ago, I bought a very expensive brand name umbrella, and I am too ashamed to say what I paid. I wanted the label. I don't even like umbrella's, but this has the name all over it. I think I bought it at Neiman Marcus. I bought expensive shoes that looks great but killed my feet. Too ashamed to say what I paid. It was long ago but the memories are there.
I've always lived frugally and have never carried debt. But I DON'T regret the splurges I did make because they were well thought out and were things I really did want. I have more regrets on things I stupidly passed up....especially what with inflation and general quality decline now. I was never one to purchase things to 'keep up appearances'.
I needed to hear this today. I've been wondering how ppl are doing this. Usually the ones that drive the most expensive cars are usually the ones that are living above their means.
You hit the nail on the head, as they say, Im retired 64, I have no credit debt, but I saw a video that says the average person owes $7,000 in credit card deb, and most people are owe $5,000 over what there car is worth. Back in the day we use to call it "keeping up with the jones".
65 here. For 20 years my wife has packed my lunch to eat at my desk. We rarely go out to eat. I now have a 2016 company truck. My wife’s car is a 2014 Ford Fusion. Our only debt is down to $20,000 on a rental unit. We grow a lot of our own food. We don’t impress anyone. But, as we near retirement, we should be well ahead of those that spend a lot more.
I'm getting 200k next week for a piece of my yard I sold to my former neighbor who regretted leaving the neighborhood and is coming back and I keep thinking about things NOT to buy with it lol ❤ Thanks Nicole. I'm paying off credit cards (and flying to Vancouver for a week) and most of it is getting invested.
I have a minivan and a motorcycle. I bought both with cash. Both are at least 20 years old. No one wants to steal them. They're extremely reliable. Insurance isn't expensive on them because I'm a good driver. I have never had a car payment and never will. Just gas, routine maintenance, and insurance. I've done multiple DIY repairs to both (brakes and rotors, oil changes, broken handle replacements, paint correction etc.) thanks to TH-cam university. I don't have to pay a subscription for features to work on my vehicle. I don't have to worry about my car shutting down because the new software update bricked it. My vehicles have no way to track my movement. Buying new cars is financially idiotic.
Thanks! Word of advice from an old stylish but frugal avocado, avoid things that get constant unceasing ads made trying to get you to buy yet more expensive stuff🤔🙄😒
You can probably lease the car for less than a thousand bucks per month. Depends on mileage. Car hit maybe leased by two people together as well. Depending on how they restrict their expenses in other areas (having room mates, saving money on food or vacation) it’s totally possible for someone with a low income. Whether it’s a good idea is another discussion.
Uber is a way of making a living. Driving a nice car is a way of getting higher ratings which means that you get more rides at higher rates if they're a smart Uber driver they could write off all the expenses of operating the car off of their income
I was going to drive for Uber when I first got my Mercedes two years ago, not that I needed the money, I just wanted to drive the car around lol, didn’t end up doing it though.
Unlike you and the others in the comments, I am a spender. But it doesn't really show, it's not for the external world to see. I am not attracted by the classic signs of wealth that people notice. I don't even own a car because I live close to downtown (I think it's my best frugal tip: choose to live in a part of town where driving and parking a car is a nightmare). I struggled with debt for years tho, but I got tired of the overtime I was doing to pay for all my stuff and trips and music lessons, so I worked on myself to find a better balance between saving and spending. I am still a spender because I love my little treats all the time, but now I also find joy in saving some money for security and bigger treats later :)
Insurance agent here... those same people that buy those "high end" luxury vehicles are always calling me regarding not being able to pay their monthly insurance payments. There are very few people who buy luxury vehicles and I never hear from them regarding premium amounts. Since I get to see "signs" of people's credit scores, I know which people really are making purchasing mistakes and I know I will be hearing from them in only a few months when their honey-moon phase with the vehicle ends and now they are left with the monthly debts. Some clients to listen to me when I warn them prior to purchasing their vehicle, but most don't. They simply don't care about the future, they only care about now. I don't feel any sympathy for people with nice vehicles in their policies. I can't feel any sympathy because I am the not the one who told them to make those purchases, therefore not my problem. Hopefully they learn... but most will not. Life goes on.
I'm not sure we qualify as filthy rich but we have accumulated assets into the 7 digits, starting from zero after college 30 yrs ago. We drive paid off years vehicles around 10 years old, only eat out once or twice per week (usually happy hour deals) and we don't blow cash on useless stuff or maintaining an image. One exception for us is international travel, 1-2x per year. Because we prioritize experiences over stuff. Even there we plan everything ourselves to minimize expenses. I'm sure people wonder how we afford frequent big trips, because we appear to live a low key lifestyle. That's precisely the reason why we can afford it.
I wear thrift store everything, don't own a car, walk everywhere, never leave my house if I can help it, never go out to eat, don't travel (no interest, lol), my hobbies are free or cheap (just require an internet connection), and I wear and use everything I own until it falls apart. I'm sure everyone thinks I am broke AF, but actually, I'm just more than content with what I already have and don't see the value in looking like I have money. (Plus, in my area, I don't wanna get robbed, lol.) I have more money than virtually anyone else my age that I know of, and it's BECAUSE I save like crazy and live WAY below my means. Everyone can do it, majority of them just don't want to 'cause they don't want others to look down on them for 'looking poor' or w/e! WHO GIVES A SHIT WHAT OTHERS THINK?! They can kiss my ass, AFAIC! Fuck 'em! If you're doing well financially, IMO, it's BETTER to not flaunt it! The world's just getting crazier! Never know what weirdos will think of next! X'D AKA "The Millionaire Next Door", baby! lol.
Except that one day your money will disappear because all the broke people will collectively decide that you must pay higher taxes to support them and that it is generally unfair for "hoarders" like you to have possessions. And they will also argue it would not hurt at all to have your wealth redistributed because you were not making use of it anyhow. Or maybe it will be spent on a higher goal like waging the next war against not-so-thrifty individuals in a neighboring country. Alternatively, it will turn out that you technically have money, but practically cannot buy anything because, you know, "don't wanna get robbed" if you do (you're hinting that you've already close to that stage). That is how humanity works, generally. Your "big savings" are an illusion and a hazard unless you also have some way of protecting them. And that turns out to be getting increasingly more expensive.
@@aliali-ce3yf True, true! I should clarify that all my thrift store stuff is YEARS old, back when things sold for WAY cheaper! When I go now, I usually think, 'You call this thrift store prices??' and leave! lol. I just keep wearing the same stuff till it wears out! It's sad that they raised their prices! NOT cool!
I met a bloke at a party who worked in the same industry as me (software dev) and was 15 years younger, and he was driving about in a BMW M4. I was briefly jealous, then I realised I could afford an M4 too… I just don’t want to spend £1000 a month on car payments.
@@clray123 interesting, I suppose there is more than one way of defining affordability. Can I afford the payments? Yes. Can I afford the opportunity cost of not putting that money into my retirement or paying off my mortgage? No, I can’t. The irony being that I’m having to invest more now because when I was in my 20s I spent most of my money on cars!
@@chrismantonuk One could say you can "afford" something if you can pay for it without worry about (economic) negative consequences of the purchase. As you are clearly worried about how that would affect your retirement, you can't afford it. Unlike, say, an Arab prince who has multiple supercars in his garage and does not care about opportunity costs.
When I lived in Canada I was stunned at the amount of debt people would contract just to stay afloat with their regular expenses, the car payment with insurance would cost $1000/mo just so you can go to work and pay for groceries. The fact that everything costs so much in that country has taken a toll onto people mental hygiene.
I have money but you wouldn’t be able to tell. I just bought my first home at 34 and I’m single doing it alone in Southern California. I paid my car off no car payment paid my school no school payment. Paid off most my debt ❤❤❤ love the freedom I don’t care if I look poor
I'm not quite in the South but close, and few cars in my area have rust. My 2006 vehicle is totally rust free. I never realized rust was a serious issue until traveling in Michigan and other northern states.
@@lmusima3275 I'm not a car person but my husband is, and he says everyone with a BMW has it in the shop all the time (new or old). Beautiful cars and very unreliable.
I'm a car guy but my number one source of Transportation is a 1998 Toyota 4 Runner that I bought for cash. It's a reliable, fuel efficient, street legal tank that I can camp out in.
46 years old paid off truck that is 20 years old. Haven’t been on vacation over 5 years. No designer anything mostly sheen or Walmart. But yet still struggling.
Was I actually the only TH-camr in the world that tells people I could barely pay my Hydro bill even when I worked 60 hours a week and my sink has been clogged since January and I've been doing my dishes in the bathroom sink for 9 months cuz I can't afford a plumber? 😅 yeah, learn from my mistakes and I won't make them again! (to be fair, 2023 was also a very rough year where I was hit with vet bills and a pay cut, but I also made bad credit choices. Thankfully, that's getting corrected now. I never want to find myself in such a precarious financial position again!)
That memory of you working 60 hours a week and still having to do your dishes in the bathroom will stick with you to never do it again. Glad you are on the right track now
I come from an upper class, country club family and community. However I'm late middle aged and have lived in South America for 20 years now. I pay myself the equivelent of $5k u.s. monthly and live very very well. I and my other expat friends here were talking about how all our friends back home may make 100 - 200 K a year and more, and yet they are totally broke. In fact, I had to lend my business partner back in the states 10K even though he's 'rich and successful'. The absolute best part about getting out of your respective culture and societal pressures and relocating is that you don't have the pressure to live outside of your means! I didn't re-read this so sorry for any grammer and spelling mistakes.
Simplicity and not comparing yourself to others is the key. True to some extent about being a doctor, it is really a calling that involves alot of sacrifice and hard work, not merely learning how to do a prostate exam!
I have seen that a lot with young people (college/20s) driving very new cars, not necessarily luxury but new cars they lease (or parents lease for them). It's weird to me but whatever.
Yes. I know someone who has leased cars for over 30 years. He wants to only drive the high-end fancy cars and the only way he could afford to do it is to lease them. I don't know if it ever occurred to him that he has been making car payments longer than a mortgage loan and still doesn't own a car.
Nicole for the soul, on a Sunday afternoon. I'm wishing tomorrow wasn't Monday😞. Thanks Nicole ! Just blows me away how so many at work drive $100,000 (or near) vehicles, have really nice homes and travel frequently. I'm not jealous and do not want any of those things. I just want to retire soon and, with runaway inflation & over taxation, I don't know if I can or should retire.
I'm a software developer, and there's a couple that live across from me, lovely people, and they have TWO new BMWs, the gal is a teacher and the guy works in a care home. Every day I look at their cars, and think, hey, aren't I supposed to be the rich bro a-hole driving a BMW? How comes my car is so shite? It's these little personal rituals that keep me grounded, remind me that people are not as rich as they pretend to be, and that I am indeed an a-hole, just not a rich one.
The truth is most millionaires and wealthy don't live so flashy because they don't want hackers to target them for one and even if they have exotic vehicles they either don't want people to know they have them or they buy them for a future investment for resale. One way to spot some that isnt rich is if you see them with either a new house or vehicle all the time and it's because their checks are bouncing so they lose them and get a new one.
Very true. A lot of influencers flexing big homes in LA rent them out specifically for photo shoots. My bff has been a producer for over 20 yrs and I was shocked when she said a lot of those fancy cars aren’t owned a lot are leased or rented.
"Daddy Bezos and Space Carrot".... bahahahahahaha!! Fellow Canadian here. I appreciate your videos very much, and I think you are doing great work telling it like you see it and clarifying things for folks who want to hear it. (For example, I often feel like the only person I know who gets irritated with people talking about how it isn't worth making more because it will get taxed away- and not understanding progressive taxation- and your video with example numbers to illustrate it was so refreshing!) :) Thanks for your content!
@@AK-gh6cp No prob 😅 Also, absolutely agree on your point about marginal tax rates. I used to work O&G and knew people that had turned down raises for that reason.
My husband and I habitually yard sale and I can confirm what you're talking about. We pull up to a nice house, in certain neighborhoods and know we won't get anything good. Everything they are selling still has the Ross stickers still on them and the people running the sale will want 2/3rd of what they paid retail. They buy nice houses, in good school districts and live paycheck to paycheck, while filling their huge houses with mass-produced garbage.
My compact car is over a decade old, I live in a house that is under 1K square feet. I do own a second vehicle its a old cargo van that is two decades old that I use to go camping. The thing is I could VERY easily afford better. I could buy a brand new luxury car every five years. I could afford to buy a house that is four times bigger. I could afford to be going on vacations all around the world. I just don't see the point as I don't care about such things. If others want to do such things that is their issue not mine.
Space Karen! LOL Nice!!! Great video and sage advice as usual. You are a very intelligent young lady. I shared this video with my son who needs to hear this.
That's what I bought 2 years ago. I figured if the car market was overpriced, I would buy the cheapest new car on the market and not take as much of a hit as the ego bros buying $70k pickup trucks with $20k in dealer fees tacked on.
I love the debt-iceberg analogy. The exposed part of an iceberg represents the nice things (designer clothes, car, excessive sized house, etc) people have. The gigantic part of the iceberg below the surface is their debt. Just let that "sink" in for a moment.
At work, many coworkers want extra hours to go to the beautician's every week, buy fancy clothes, smoke cigarettes... I prefer have free time...All these things are so useless and they kill their health.
Some people build beautiful homes on the outside while interior is insulated with plywood floors and cupboards. They look rich but aren't, t's all show.
I remember like 15 years ago there was a Lending Tree commercial. A guy has this giant smile saying he has a big home, plenty of family events, a nice golf club, etc. At the end he says “You know how I’m able to afford all this? I’m in debt up to my eyeballs”. Funny commercial definitely TH-cam it if you haven’t seen it.
Its funny back in the day (about 15 years ago), when I went to one of my rental houses to meet a potential tenant, the tenant was driving a then current model Range Rover. I was driving a 6 year old base model Dodge Intrepid 😀I wonder what they are driving today and are they still renting... I eventually got rid of my 2003 Dodge Intrepid in 2017. I donated the car 🙂
My property management office was on the ground floor of an apartment complex in the San Francisco East Bay. One tenant was a fellow in his 40's, a telemarketer who wore weird color suits, drove a brand new Ford Mustang, and was always bragging about the vacation trips he and his wife took. He would be late with the rent 3-4 times a year and always had some lame excuse. I had a 1992 Geo Metro convertible that I used as a commute car for years. One morning I was sitting in it waiting for a phone call when he walked by and made fun of my car. He said that I looked like a clown driving a shoe. He said he could get me a deal at Ford and that I should buy a new car so I wouldn't look so embarrassing. I snickered and sat there. ''A clown driving a shoe?''' Haha, pretty funny. ''At least its paid for....cost me $800.'' After 30+ years in the rental business, I retired in 2018 at age 65 and sold most of my properties. I never told tenants that I was anything but the Area Manager and that the owner was a ''Crabby old fkkk who thinks $5 an hour is too much pay. Its my job to keep him away from you!'' Hahaha, I OWNED that building outright, no mortgage, no debts. The broker who sold my building said that the guy mentioned my Clown Car. His reply was that he shouldn't judge me on appearance. He told him that I was a ''Closet Millionaire''. I like that! Speaking of a Clown Car, I rented a car to make a 500 mile trip to a reunion after the sale. The agent said that the car I requested has not been turned in yet and offered me a Kia Soul. ''You want me to drive THAT???'' Either that or the 18 passenger van. They were very short on cars that morning. I took the Kia. Holy Smokes, the seat was so comfortable that my bad back didn't hurt at all during the trip. When I returned it and praised its comfort, the agent said it was on the sale list as they replace them at 30,000 miles. I ended up buying it at an excellent price and still have it. The Geo is still in my side yard, too, awaiting the Zombie Attack. I'll bet you could write a book about tenant shenanigans, too. My book would need 3 volumes.
One thing I aspire to is not having a car payment. I drive a very small 6 year old Hyundai that I paid for in cash but I would be happy enough driving a 20 year old car. So long as it fired up on the coldest of mornings and got me to and from work.
Find out if your car's engine has direct injection. As opposed to conventional overhead injection. If your car has direct injection take it to a trusted mechanic immediately and have it inspected and thoroughly cleaned, (the valves, valve ports, air intake systems, etc. ). Hopefully the mechanic will explain this to you, believe me, the dealership's service techs will not.
@@mattw8332 well it sounds like a prime candidate for a di fuel system. I assume chain driven means it has a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt which is good. The reason why you don't have a clue about the fuel injection system is because they don't want you to, hence my suggestion to take it to a trusted mechanic to find out. If it has di by all means have it thoroughly cleaned because, without getting too technical and in the weeds, this engine configuration was purposefully, intentionally designed to fail at about 80k miles, so that you would have it scrapped and buy a new one. Really quick: the conventional overhead fuel injection system sprays the gas into the cylinders from up above, and the gas acts as a solvent keeping the valves and the valve ports clean. The di squirts the gas in from down below and to the side, bypassing the valves, and as a result they get encrusted with bitumen from the vaporized blow by and eventually cease functioning, getting stuck in the down position and causing misfire and ultimately engine failure. There is some fluid available in aerosol cans for like, $40 a can, which you can spray into the motor every 10k miles and this prevents the bituminous buildup and ensures maximum engine life but again, the dealers don't tell you about this because they don't want you to know. They want your car to blow up and you to buy a new one. I wish I was lying but I work in a repair shop and we have had several of these come in with the same issue in recent years. The defect appears to have been deliberately designed into them...☹
I have 2016 paid for Mercedes, it was $17 k and during this 5 years that I have it the only major repair was the water pump, I also live alone for my mental health, sometimes I do struggle a little bit to pay rent but I always do, I just can’t see my self living with 1 or 2 roommates, I’m so miserable when living with people, they bring strangers from the bars, do drugs inside, ask me for rides and constant favors, eat my food, tell me that they don’t have their part until the last of the month, leave dirty dishes for days, go into my room when I’m not home, let their friends use my bathroom, leaving without paying the last month bills, and so many more things, (all of that was like 3 different roommates), I’m slowly building my emergency fund and paying my credit cards, slower but enjoying being alone right now
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If you owe $1 in credit, you are part of the arbitrarily, bank decided, approved participant only, global ponzi scheme cult that collectively, has now racked up 300 trillion in debt, my question is, who did YOUR $50k per person share of that come from, and hows that made THEIR life look?
(Not really a question, more of a math/moral statement if anything, but worth pondering even if only to ultimately dismiss)
Also you DONT see the vids you mentioned because yt relegates them to the "purgatory server" 😉
I wish delete me was available to us Canadians too instead of US only as it says on their page
@@Dor_alien It is definitely available in Canada. I've been using it for months!
A person I work with gets phone calls from a collection agency all the time. A month later she's off on a tropical vacation. YOLO!!!
Imma be the part time temp working from home on the other line on my days off from my full time job. It's the one legal way to get a bit of revenge on the mean customers who think they are above retail workers.
Eventually, she'll be forced to file for bankruptcy or a consumer proposal. because eventually, all the credit card debt she took on to finance her trips will catch up with her and she won't be able to pay any of it.
@@stevestruthers6180 no worries, some simp, I mean guy will help her out.
Good for her! 💪
Typical extrovert dumb behavior....seen many such cases ending up in bad state eventually
It can sometimes feel like everyone else is doing financially better, especially with social media making it look like people are always on vacation or buying new things. But often, what people show doesn’t reflect their actual financial situation. Debt, loans, and credit cards can make it seem like they have more money than they really do.
Exactly! It’s easy to forget that a lot of people might be living paycheck to paycheck or are in debt trying to keep up appearances. Just because someone seems well-off doesn’t necessarily mean they’re financially stable.
Plus, I think a lot of people prioritize different things. Some are willing to spend more on luxury items, vacations, or dining out, but that doesn’t mean they’re saving or investing for the long term. They may have nice things now but could be sacrificing financial security in the future.
And everyone has different financial responsibilities. Some people might have help from family or inheritance, while others may be paying off student loans or supporting relatives. There’s so much going on behind the scenes that we don’t always see.
Also, personal finance isn’t just about income; it’s about managing what you have. Even with a modest income, smart saving and investing can lead to wealth over time. Sometimes people look wealthy because they’re spending everything they earn, not because they’re actually building wealth.
Definitely. Comparison can be discouraging, but staying focused on personal goals and making consistent progress matters more. Small wins, like saving, investing, or budgeting, add up over time.
"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." - Epictetus
Sure, that's what the ruling class wants you to believe; they have great possessions, but they've done a hell of a job selling minimalism to the upper middle class as a lifestyle choice.
The philosopher Diogenes was sitting on a curbstone, eating bread and lentils for his supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king.
Said Aristippus, "If you would learn to be subservient to the king, you would not have to live on lentils."
Said Diogenes, "Learn to live on lentils, and you will not have to cultivate the king."
this statement is so simplistic, it's ridiculous
Don't compare yourself to other people. It's a fool's errand.
@jay-j6l"Things could always be WORSE" always adds some glimmer to my day!
The answer is debt, is all a house if cards, you lose your job and all goes down hill from there
There are so many people who are millionaires that you will never be able to compare.
"a man with no bills is a rich man" - Jack Morgan RLP
Chill out… *INHALES*… take a hit
@@24Ruiner metaphorically, speaking, of course
That guy is the millenial version of gerbert johnson
@jay-j6ltheres worse things than being homeless. Like making/stressing about a house payment.
Live by your means.
Aaron Clarey
I have only financed a car once in my life. Felt relief once it was paid off and decided never to do that again. My last payment was in 2017 and I stood behind what I said.
It’s not always bad. We financed our Prius with a 50% down payment and 0.99% interest. We were earning more than that in our savings account. However, current rates make this approach less appealing.
@@wcg66 Exactly! Paying cash for a new or used car is not financially smart if the loan rate is zero or much lower than what you earn from investments. When I bought my VW 4 years ago, they offered a 0% interest loan so I put down enough to avoid being upside-down and financed the rest. Meanwhile my investments have continued to grow. That said, I can't blame people for wanting to avoid debt by paying cash. The peace of mind of being debt free means alot to many folks.
I think it depends, right now im financing a car for the first time my prior vehicles were older that id paid in cash. This one is a vehicle that while not my favorite, will last me decades and wont require much in maintenance at all over that time. While id love to have not had a payment, it was better for me than using my old car that needed constant maintenance. But i do know after i pay this car off, i will trade it in for the vehicle i really want (thatll last me a really long time) and put as much down as possible. By that point ill have far more money saved, much better financing experience, better credit, and so my rates will be alot better.. Or ill just buy a car off a private seller and sell my old car and have little/no financing involved at all.
@@stephenmisener1659Yeah I’m in the same boat. I drive long commutes for work so when my 07 CRV was totaled I splurged and got a new rav4 that’ll last me forever and has cruise control. I’m 30k in debt but I also can save 3K a month so I don’t have stress with having a car payment
i’ve been saying this for years. everyone is driving a nice car, takes vacations, and wears nice clothes. maybe my perspective is skewed because i drive a 20 year old pickup truck, don’t travel, and have cycled the same 5 shirts to work for the last 5 years. it’s ok, i’m not fooled by any of it.
Sorry but I cycle 5 shirts to work for 6 years, but hey, no debt to anyone.... LOL
I think the problem is, you are comparing yourself to others when you should be comparing yourself to you! Really evaluate your current life to see if you're better, worse, or the same as before.
They're not buying anything, they're financing. Big difference
I'm with you , for sure !!!!
You're what I see in the mirror. One thing about my low status, I could just do nothing for a few years if I wished.
Just a little FYI. 40 isn't old. I've launched and run small businesses since i was 23. At 44 I'm opening another business and continuing to invest.
40 isn't some year you kick your feet up and sit in a lawn chair. You'll still have goals and aspirations and alot of energy and creativity.
My 42yr. old son just paid off his house. He’s now working on investments. Nothing was handed to him, he worked hard for what he has. Quite an accomplishment for someone his age.
Seriously. I’m 42 years old and I just had a baby. I also just started a business this past year.
What kind of business ? What country do you live in ?
People don’t understand how young he is. Yes Mr Trump.
Yeah totally agree, I’ll also chime in with the fact that I think people sometimes forget that a lot of hard work up front can go a long way if you’re strategic with it. Not everyone with a medical doctorate is “touching butt holes” or whatever was said. I’ve used mine to work a consulting/liaison type role that is work from home 25-30 hours a week and a salary thats top 1-2%. Those 8 years working on the doctorate were crazy hard work but I was done by mid 20’s and had some amazing times during those 8 years as well. I’ve also known people with a bachelors who have gone back and done that program in 4-6 years as well in their 40’s. There’s no right way or too late with most of this stuff, the only mistake is basing your life around materialism, but that’s another topic.
"Wealth is not measured by how much money you make. It's measured by how much money you KEEP."
-Some wise person
Money you KEEP will be eaten up by inflation.
@@d3r4g45 This concept of "investing" will blow your mind, then...
@@d3r4g45DAMN, you’re DUMB!!
But I can't keep it if I don't make it.
@@d3r4g45 Yes, which is why you put some of your money into hard assets.
Also inflation isn't much of a factor until you spend, so reducing wants gives you more to deploy on needs.
The guys at work have new pickups, and I'm tooling around in a 20 year old Mercury Grand Marquis.
When it's slow season, they're sweating the payments, and I'm enjoying my time off. Anything that costs me my peace of mind is too expensive.
Grand Marquis one of the greatest cars ever made! Bulletproof V-8, 20+ MPG, great suspension……and about every 100-150k miles, needs u joints. That’s a 400k+ mile car if you keep the rust at bay. Sure wish they continued those great machines.
Mercury Grand Marquis is a damn good car. The REAL quality is there with that one. I salute you. 👏 👏
You should pamper that Grand Marquis. That's a fine automobile!
Hahahahaha. I love it. Me too. Beaters for life!
panther cars are the only good cars B)
Never underestimate the power of NOT having to to pay rent, even if I only paid half what I pay already I'd be able to go on a vacation every 2 months
If I had to estimate, 80% of people finance everything to seem wealthy, 15% outright lie about what they have, and only 5% can genuinely afford what they have and do.
Thanks!
Thanks again! I love your authenticity and honesty.
Everything is becoming so dull. It’s like a constant competition of who’s better than who. Life isn’t supposed to be like this. Sometimes, I feel like selling everything I own and moving to a beach town where no one knows me, living a simpler life. It feels like, in the city where we were born and know so many people, we always have to look good and show we’re doing better than others. I don’t see myself as that kind of person, even though I live comfortably. But honestly, what I truly want is to live somewhere where no one knows me and be who I really am.
I want to move to Skyrim. Is this possible? Just a simple life with my loved ones, would be absolute bliss.
Do it. And dont look back
As you get older you’ll stop caring as much.
@@lucialuciferion6720People in Skyrim live hard lives. No one there is happy. Trust me, I've spent a lot of time there and I know!
Edit: I'm currently living in Night City and it's pretty bad here too😢
@@colinrussell2017 The cold might get to some, but I love it cold 😁
A lot of people are fake rich 💰 huge credit card 💳 debt 💸 or scammers of some sort. Some have rented mansions, fancy cars 🚗 pretending it’s theirs
I live in a tiny condo that, fortunately, I own outright. A few blocks away there is a neighbourhood of really huge and expensive homes where I like to take walks. I often wonder how people afford these homes. Then I realized each home had about 5 vehicles. What they do is rent out the basement, usually carved into several suites, then upstairs they rent out all the spare bedrooms. The actual square footage the owners occupy is probably not much more than my tiny condo. Some of the homes also house 3-4 generations and they are all paying rent to the generation that holds the title.
This is EXACTLY what's common these days.
I live in a 2 bedroom/ 1 bathroom apt. I do most of the house work while my husband works very hard. I am disabled. Yet the neighbors who lives with their sister-in-law, mother-in-law, father-in-law with girlfriend, like a minimum of 10 people with one more bathroom. Only a lady there works full-time, everyone else works part-time if any. They make fun and deminer the full-time worker. They must collect money from the government. Seems to me that how they party, and can afford the pot they consume. We truly couldn't live with some many people. I and my youngest have Autism, that would be overwhelming.
Yes, and they are smart because all those people are paying off their mortgage and eventually they will own that giant house by working smarter and not harder
To each their own. My daughter always wanted to be a doctor and she was not rich so it was a tough journey for her. She did not do it to become wealthy; that is what her whole being wanted to do. Proud of you for doing what you wish and proud of my daughter for doing the same. So true about so many struggling to look like they are wealthy. The true goal should be to follow your dreams and not the dreams (often false illusions) of others. I admire that you walk your own path and are so grounded. Enjoy your day.
Everyone needs a wise person like you in their lives. Thank you Nicole.
Drive a 2010 Toyota Camry....paid $10k five years ago. Plan to keep it at least another 5 years. I do not like to stand out.
Man we had an '05 for 10 years, went everywhere in it, gave it to our son after he got his licence and he wrote it off after a couple of months. Loved that car, would own another one any day. That said I'm fortunate enough to genuinely not care what anyone thinks about my vehicles, but I'm also good with fixing them so I have that advantage I guess.
When I was a young adult, I ceased caring about what others think about my lifestyle. If others have more than me, I just don't care. I'll be retiring in 2 months. House is nothing special but paid for. It's all good.
I’m retired now but I remember when I was a VP at a company and drove a Toyota Tercel that I bought used. Some of the folks who were in my groups would not let me drive to customers because (they said) they would be embarrassed showing up in that car - so we took their Lexus. Hey, it got from A to B with no fuss and no muss. That’s all car does. We had no debt about 15-20 years before we retired. Thanks.
yup remember 2 of our assistant general mangers driving around in 20 year old beaters and knew they were loaded 😂. Thefancy cars in the lot were broke 😂
Yes, I always bought five-year-old cars not flashy ones but reliable. I always made my coffee before I went to work. Did not stop off at Starbucks. I didn’t have the money I wouldn’t buy it. I’d never put anything on credit. I retired at 55 and I’m living very comfortablybecause I didn’t give all my money to the bank
I wish they still sold affordable cars like the Tercel, Fit, etc. I think they still make them but don’t sell them in the states.
I buy all my cars at police auctions.
Moving to a location that doesn't require a vehicle is the ideal.
The lack of shenanigans to maintain a vehicle saves a lot of time and money.
And a daily walk or bike ride is far healthier.
I haven't had a car payment since 1996. No plans to do that again! No mortgage since 2010. No plans to relive that either!
Yep, debt is slavery
@@ozyrob1 Gotta love driving by all those fancy bank high rises and wonder who is paying for all that.....
I’m comfortable, no cars but a bike, not a big house but a non mortgage apartment etc. savings in the bank. If the water heater, fridge telephone computer etc breaks I can repair/replace them instantly, have honeybees, and a great photo camera, respectfully wife. And happy living on a small Mediterranean. Do I live a glamorous life? no but I do have good friends. Like you
Congrats. Sounds like a life I want
Living like you have nothing to prove is my mantra ever since I woke up from this system, ergo, escaping the matrix in my early 30s pandemic... Saves me a lot of time, energy, and money... And the most important, having freedom and peace of mind... No amount of money can buy that...
🎯👏👏💯
I do the opposite, trying hard to look poor/average even though I could easily cash a car that most people have huge loans on or worse, they lease it for twice as much my house cost each month. I drive a VW polo, don't need anything more fancy than that, I love that car. I've had fancy cars in the past and the only thing you get is a black hole in your wallet.
Awesome. I love my paid off house and paid off car, so much more than fancy "stuff". Its freedom at its finest.
Do you enjoy playing the part of a poorer person? It probably makes life more interesting.
I’m with you! I love looking average, knowing I’m sitting on a very comfortable retirement portfolio, with no consumer debt. Net worth is everything!
love this. A few months ago I was on a girls trip with my friends and 2 of them were talking about buying newer cars and sharing links to the cars they liked and wondering if they could save up enough to have a reasonable monthly payment etc. They were really excited about these cars and I was just thinking oh dang I have plenty in the bank to just outright buy these cars (they were 3-4 yr old not brand new). It was a wild wakeup call.
Yup rich people look poor, poor people try to look rich.
I once heard the phrase “People who like stuff, never have money. People who like money never have stuff.”
If you don’t necessarily like stuff and doing things, then there isn’t necessarily a need to make money above the bare minimum and funding a retirement. If you’re working hard for retirement, then you also have to realize that tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Shout out to GI doctors and proctologists. They’re necessary and provide life saving services to their communities.
And my doctor that has more degrees than a thermometer, he drives a 160K Range Rover. But 20+ years in school, he can drive anything he wants.
@@alinatamashevich3354 Absolutely agree. I don’t think Nicole meant it the way it landed (for me), but I felt like doctors and highly educated professionals were sort of being disregarded as money hungry. I can’t see myself ever spending money (that I don’t have 😹) on a luxury car but didn’t care for the repeated reference to prostate exams, as if proctologists sell out for money.
I was confused, thought she was talking about homosexual people, but they usually render their services to each other for free...
@@MoreCoffeePlease. My b/f told me his Dr grabs his wallet and sez ..."cough".
I know a man, 60. He has been driving the more expensive cars for about thirty years now. BMW's, Mercedez, Lexus and I forgot what he has now. He has been leasing them. He has been making lease payments for over 30 years and yet, never owned a car. I forgot to add, he still lives at home with his mother. She owns her house that he will inherit as well as her money (from a 2nd or 3rd wealthy marriage). When he gets into cc dept, his mother pays it off for him. He is her forever 18-year-old son. I worked for a woman who worked in finance, and she told me most of what we see out there is a facade. People are in dept, bad dept up their eyes in dept to look rich.
It does seem as if everyone is doing quite well. When I compare myself to them there is one big difference. When morning comes, they have to go to work, I don't.
Ha! Ha! Same here. That’s a good feeling!
I read a book called "The Millionaire Next Door" when I was in my 20s. Reading this book was like opening Pandora's Box. Talking with my neighbors, I can tell who has "cattles" and who has "big hats."
I read it too. Loved it. Then I wrote “The Frugal Millionaires”…
I guess its human nature. The people she talks about are sooo far away from Mr. Money Mustache.
Simple: people live off of appearances. Wealth is silent, Rich is loud, and Poor is flashy.
Yes, wealth whispers. I worked for a company owned by a very wealthy man but if you saw him walking down the street in his flannel shirt and jeans and unshaven face, you would never know he had any money at all.
I am very poor and very subdued and very quiet .... I have no debt; I live beneath my means.....and no one notices me... 😂😂😂
@@esterdrass4964 I'm not going to get into specifics, but let's just say that I have zero debts and live far below my means. I don’t use social media other than this platform (to watch videos about self-improvement, my professional niche, and retro gaming) and LinkedIn. I don't waste time bragging or watching the curated, fake, and superficial lifestyles of others. If you saw me in real life, you'd think I'm an average guy: not wealthy, but not poor either.
And that’s my point: I'm a strong practitioner of the concept known as 'stealth wealth.' Many of the most successful people I know also follow this mindset. We don't seek or need attention or approval from others because we know who we are and what we have.
@@esterdrass4964 It does not, like the poor everyone is different and plenty of rich people scream, look at me. That not all do it well not all poor people are flashy.
Wealth whispers. Debt screams.
I make six figures and have some means, but no one seeing my outward lifestyle would be jealous. Older (but well kept) SUV, a modest home in a good community, clothes that are decades old and "dad" fashion...all paid and saving/investing for retirement. I'm either too old (or tired) to care about Joneses. It helps that I live in a smaller city where wealth flexing is considered tacky and folks who are wealthy tend to keep it low key.
So what's the plan, once you retire? Seems like a lot of people are saving for retirement and living extremely frugal lifestyles in the meantime, with no plan to actually enjoy life when they retire. Maybe financial planning is what truly brings them joy 🤪
@@theglowcloud2215no, having resources gives you options that can be decided upon at one’s leisure. That is a luxury, not fancy things. Things end up scrap or in the dump.
I like you. 🤔
@@theglowcloud2215Some people just don’t give a shit, and want to be stress free when they retire. And you’re right, some people just enjoy making/investing money as a hobby.
@@theglowcloud2215 I've done a lot of traveling and seen lots of the world as part of my career choice so yeah...no regrets there. Yeah, I know the trade-off of youth vs. investing for the future, so again no regrets there. Plan? Just live life and have your own purpose...there is no need to have some grand-scheme. I enjoy my weekends and vacation, so will do more of that after I retire! Good food, some travel and some giving (financially and of my time). So yeah, not everyone needs a bucket-list to feel fulfilled, but each their own. I've done my mountain biking in my earlier years and flying over the handle-bars might not be a good thing now. 😀
We live in a class conscious society. We spend money we don't have on things we don't need to impress people we don't know.
The best comment about this particular topic to date. 👍
100% truth
Problem will be….when those people reach retirement age, they will have virtually zero income. Change of lifestyle hits hard when used to overconsumption. Better to live a balanced lifestyle from a younger age. Excellent video Nicole.
There's a lot of truth to the old saying that those who look rich aren't and those who look poor are rich. Every millionaire I know looks middle class at best.
Mark Cuban has THREE private jets!! That doesn't look poor to me.
So much wisdom, expressed with grace. Thank you.
I come from generations of ancestors who valued no debt, early retirement
and personal freedom. My grandfather retired at 58, my father at 45, myself
at 45 and my son at 56 and my daughter at 54. What allowed all of us this
advantage was living within our means and owning what we have debt free.
Real estate played a big part in achieving this freedom.
100% accurate. People don't post the downsides. I love to travel & travel about 4 - 5 months a year, but to be able to afford it I have to work 12 hours a day 5 - 6 days a week, when back home & have to live with family so it's cheaper.
I give you an immediate like because it's so true. I have the exact thoughts when I'm at a red light noticing cars...great commentary and thank you for speaking truth.
What a refreshing video. Great job! When I was in my twenties, my then boyfriend, now husband, paid for so many trips for us to go on. Now that I am in my 30s, I told him I don't care about traveling anymore. I am so thankful coming home to a house we own! I want to save money for retirement and have financial goals. I think he feels he needs to keep up with his wealthy friends who travel all the time. I just don't care anymore. Being financially responsible is the new "cool" for me.
Yep! Debt! All on the big credit card. And many are saying that they are "broke" and not realizing that they are living well beyond their means.
this video was so refreshing to hear
It's funny to look back on all of the "dumb" purchases you've made in your life and see how much you could've saved up if you hadn't been completely impulsive in the moment (fyi doing this is painful b/c the total is a LOT, at least for me), but what hurts my very core is all of the purchases that I've made to "keep up appearances" b/c the people around me went into debt trying to buy the latest and greatest products just to show off. I didn't need the latest Jordans, I didn't need to upgrade my iPhone and I certainly didn't need to buy that shiny watch b/c my friend bought one. Hindsight.
I recently did the math on $6000 (which was half of a bonus I received in 2010) and if I would've bought Bitcoin then before all the hype, that 6k would be over 1 Billion today. Frustrating but hindsight is always 20/20. At least I paid a few bills off with the 6k. Drank the rest away haha
I can relate. I've bought a lot of crap in the past and now it's sitting in a storage unit. I go through my boxes and asked myself why I bought this stuff in the first place. I'm gonna start donating and selling stuff I don't need or want anymore. I could have so much more money in my account now if I hadn't impulsed buy.
Been there and done that too. Decades ago, I bought a very expensive brand name umbrella, and I am too ashamed to say what I paid. I wanted the label. I don't even like umbrella's, but this has the name all over it. I think I bought it at Neiman Marcus. I bought expensive shoes that looks great but killed my feet. Too ashamed to say what I paid. It was long ago but the memories are there.
I've always lived frugally and have never carried debt. But I DON'T regret the splurges I did make because they were well thought out and were things I really did want. I have more regrets on things I stupidly passed up....especially what with inflation and general quality decline now. I was never one to purchase things to 'keep up appearances'.
Upvoted for "Space Karen" 🤣
I needed to hear this today. I've been wondering how ppl are doing this. Usually the ones that drive the most expensive cars are usually the ones that are living above their means.
You hit the nail on the head, as they say, Im retired 64, I have no credit debt, but I saw a video that says the average person owes $7,000 in credit card deb, and most people are owe $5,000 over what there car is worth. Back in the day we use to call it "keeping up with the jones".
65 here. For 20 years my wife has packed my lunch to eat at my desk. We rarely go out to eat. I now have a 2016 company truck. My wife’s car is a 2014 Ford Fusion. Our only debt is down to $20,000 on a rental unit. We grow a lot of our own food. We don’t impress anyone. But, as we near retirement, we should be well ahead of those that spend a lot more.
I'm getting 200k next week for a piece of my yard I sold to my former neighbor who regretted leaving the neighborhood and is coming back and I keep thinking about things NOT to buy with it lol ❤ Thanks Nicole. I'm paying off credit cards (and flying to Vancouver for a week) and most of it is getting invested.
I have a minivan and a motorcycle. I bought both with cash. Both are at least 20 years old. No one wants to steal them. They're extremely reliable. Insurance isn't expensive on them because I'm a good driver. I have never had a car payment and never will. Just gas, routine maintenance, and insurance. I've done multiple DIY repairs to both (brakes and rotors, oil changes, broken handle replacements, paint correction etc.) thanks to TH-cam university. I don't have to pay a subscription for features to work on my vehicle. I don't have to worry about my car shutting down because the new software update bricked it. My vehicles have no way to track my movement. Buying new cars is financially idiotic.
Thanks! Word of advice from an old stylish but frugal avocado, avoid things that get constant unceasing ads made trying to get you to buy yet more expensive stuff🤔🙄😒
thanks!
My UberEats driver delivered my food in a brand new Mercedes today. My brain short-circuited.
You can probably lease the car for less than a thousand bucks per month. Depends on mileage.
Car hit maybe leased by two people together as well.
Depending on how they restrict their expenses in other areas (having room mates, saving money on food or vacation) it’s totally possible for someone with a low income. Whether it’s a good idea is another discussion.
But you should have seen their faces when he turned up driving it into the food bank drive thru.
Uber is a way of making a living. Driving a nice car is a way of getting higher ratings which means that you get more rides at higher rates if they're a smart Uber driver they could write off all the expenses of operating the car off of their income
I was going to drive for Uber when I first got my Mercedes two years ago, not that I needed the money, I just wanted to drive the car around lol, didn’t end up doing it though.
My brain short circuited when you said you got Uber eats. I never do that it is expensive.
Unlike you and the others in the comments, I am a spender. But it doesn't really show, it's not for the external world to see. I am not attracted by the classic signs of wealth that people notice. I don't even own a car because I live close to downtown (I think it's my best frugal tip: choose to live in a part of town where driving and parking a car is a nightmare). I struggled with debt for years tho, but I got tired of the overtime I was doing to pay for all my stuff and trips and music lessons, so I worked on myself to find a better balance between saving and spending. I am still a spender because I love my little treats all the time, but now I also find joy in saving some money for security and bigger treats later :)
Insurance agent here... those same people that buy those "high end" luxury vehicles are always calling me regarding not being able to pay their monthly insurance payments. There are very few people who buy luxury vehicles and I never hear from them regarding premium amounts. Since I get to see "signs" of people's credit scores, I know which people really are making purchasing mistakes and I know I will be hearing from them in only a few months when their honey-moon phase with the vehicle ends and now they are left with the monthly debts.
Some clients to listen to me when I warn them prior to purchasing their vehicle, but most don't. They simply don't care about the future, they only care about now.
I don't feel any sympathy for people with nice vehicles in their policies. I can't feel any sympathy because I am the not the one who told them to make those purchases, therefore not my problem.
Hopefully they learn... but most will not. Life goes on.
Note sure how you popped-up in my feed Nicole, but glad you did. Love your message and sense of humor. Thanks for keeping it real.
I drive a 20 year old Subaru. I wear cheap clothes bought at second hand stores. No one would ever suspect im filthy rich.
I'm not sure we qualify as filthy rich but we have accumulated assets into the 7 digits, starting from zero after college 30 yrs ago.
We drive paid off years vehicles around 10 years old, only eat out once or twice per week (usually happy hour deals) and we don't blow cash on useless stuff or maintaining an image.
One exception for us is international travel, 1-2x per year. Because we prioritize experiences over stuff. Even there we plan everything ourselves to minimize expenses.
I'm sure people wonder how we afford frequent big trips, because we appear to live a low key lifestyle. That's precisely the reason why we can afford it.
Please do not buy clothes at thrift stores. Poor people can no longer afford these gentrified thrift stores. Please stop gentrifying thrift stores.
I wear thrift store everything, don't own a car, walk everywhere, never leave my house if I can help it, never go out to eat, don't travel (no interest, lol), my hobbies are free or cheap (just require an internet connection), and I wear and use everything I own until it falls apart. I'm sure everyone thinks I am broke AF, but actually, I'm just more than content with what I already have and don't see the value in looking like I have money. (Plus, in my area, I don't wanna get robbed, lol.) I have more money than virtually anyone else my age that I know of, and it's BECAUSE I save like crazy and live WAY below my means. Everyone can do it, majority of them just don't want to 'cause they don't want others to look down on them for 'looking poor' or w/e! WHO GIVES A SHIT WHAT OTHERS THINK?! They can kiss my ass, AFAIC! Fuck 'em! If you're doing well financially, IMO, it's BETTER to not flaunt it! The world's just getting crazier! Never know what weirdos will think of next! X'D AKA "The Millionaire Next Door", baby! lol.
Except that one day your money will disappear because all the broke people will collectively decide that you must pay higher taxes to support them and that it is generally unfair for "hoarders" like you to have possessions. And they will also argue it would not hurt at all to have your wealth redistributed because you were not making use of it anyhow. Or maybe it will be spent on a higher goal like waging the next war against not-so-thrifty individuals in a neighboring country. Alternatively, it will turn out that you technically have money, but practically cannot buy anything because, you know, "don't wanna get robbed" if you do (you're hinting that you've already close to that stage). That is how humanity works, generally. Your "big savings" are an illusion and a hazard unless you also have some way of protecting them. And that turns out to be getting increasingly more expensive.
thrift stores not cheap anymore. they're trendy and prices skyrocketed. gentrification ruins everything
@@aliali-ce3yf True, true! I should clarify that all my thrift store stuff is YEARS old, back when things sold for WAY cheaper! When I go now, I usually think, 'You call this thrift store prices??' and leave! lol. I just keep wearing the same stuff till it wears out! It's sad that they raised their prices! NOT cool!
I met a bloke at a party who worked in the same industry as me (software dev) and was 15 years younger, and he was driving about in a BMW M4. I was briefly jealous, then I realised I could afford an M4 too… I just don’t want to spend £1000 a month on car payments.
In other words, you can't really afford it.
@@clray123 interesting, I suppose there is more than one way of defining affordability. Can I afford the payments? Yes. Can I afford the opportunity cost of not putting that money into my retirement or paying off my mortgage? No, I can’t. The irony being that I’m having to invest more now because when I was in my 20s I spent most of my money on cars!
@@chrismantonuk One could say you can "afford" something if you can pay for it without worry about (economic) negative consequences of the purchase. As you are clearly worried about how that would affect your retirement, you can't afford it. Unlike, say, an Arab prince who has multiple supercars in his garage and does not care about opportunity costs.
For some people a M4 is something to enjoy and is worth the cost. That joy is not worth the cost for you and that's totally cool too.
When I lived in Canada I was stunned at the amount of debt people would contract just to stay afloat with their regular expenses, the car payment with insurance would cost $1000/mo just so you can go to work and pay for groceries. The fact that everything costs so much in that country has taken a toll onto people mental hygiene.
I live in NYC and I have no idea how so many restaurants and cafes can have customers.
Old guy once told me this and it holds true today.
The wealthy are quite, the rich are loud and the broke are flashy.
Chasing wealth is the carrot you will never catch because you’re never satisfied. Stop chasing the carrot.
I have money but you wouldn’t be able to tell. I just bought my first home at 34 and I’m single doing it alone in Southern California. I paid my car off no car payment paid my school no school payment. Paid off most my debt ❤❤❤ love the freedom I don’t care if I look poor
I drive a 2004 Toyota, bought second-hand in a Southern State - no rust!! - and I've never had the urge to keep up with the Jones'
I'm not quite in the South but close, and few cars in my area have rust. My 2006 vehicle is totally rust free. I never realized rust was a serious issue until traveling in Michigan and other northern states.
I’m looking for an affordable used car, a Ford Focus or a BMW
@@lmusima3275 I'm not a car person but my husband is, and he says everyone with a BMW has it in the shop all the time (new or old). Beautiful cars and very unreliable.
I bought (yes, he made me buy it) 2004 Accord. He could no longer drive. It just turned 100k miles. Here's to another 200k miles!
I'm a car guy but my number one source of Transportation is a 1998 Toyota 4 Runner that I bought for cash. It's a reliable, fuel efficient, street legal tank that I can camp out in.
46 years old paid off truck that is 20 years old. Haven’t been on vacation over 5 years. No designer anything mostly sheen or Walmart. But yet still struggling.
Was I actually the only TH-camr in the world that tells people I could barely pay my Hydro bill even when I worked 60 hours a week and my sink has been clogged since January and I've been doing my dishes in the bathroom sink for 9 months cuz I can't afford a plumber? 😅 yeah, learn from my mistakes and I won't make them again! (to be fair, 2023 was also a very rough year where I was hit with vet bills and a pay cut, but I also made bad credit choices. Thankfully, that's getting corrected now. I never want to find myself in such a precarious financial position again!)
That memory of you working 60 hours a week and still having to do your dishes in the bathroom will stick with you to never do it again. Glad you are on the right track now
I just love how real you are.
ditto.
Ive learned to worry only about my finances and what others do with theirs isnt my concern.
I totally agree with this woman 👍🏼 …. When she called Musk “ Space Karen “ 😂 I almost spat out my popcorn 🍿 😂🤣😅 , I love her honesty …
I come from an upper class, country club family and community. However I'm late middle aged and have lived in South America for 20 years now. I pay myself the equivelent of $5k u.s. monthly and live very very well. I and my other expat friends here were talking about how all our friends back home may make 100 - 200 K a year and more, and yet they are totally broke. In fact, I had to lend my business partner back in the states 10K even though he's 'rich and successful'. The absolute best part about getting out of your respective culture and societal pressures and relocating is that you don't have the pressure to live outside of your means! I didn't re-read this so sorry for any grammer and spelling mistakes.
Some people invest their money, the majority just spend it trying to look rich.
Simplicity and not comparing yourself to others is the key. True to some extent about being a doctor, it is really a calling that involves alot of sacrifice and hard work, not merely learning how to do a prostate exam!
A lot of those people driving those luxury cars are leasing them.
I have seen that a lot with young people (college/20s) driving very new cars, not necessarily luxury but new cars they lease (or parents lease for them). It's weird to me but whatever.
Leasing = spending even more money over your life time on vehicles…. Crazy!
Yes. I know someone who has leased cars for over 30 years. He wants to only drive the high-end fancy cars and the only way he could afford to do it is to lease them. I don't know if it ever occurred to him that he has been making car payments longer than a mortgage loan and still doesn't own a car.
Nicole for the soul, on a Sunday afternoon. I'm wishing tomorrow wasn't Monday😞. Thanks Nicole ! Just blows me away how so many at work drive $100,000 (or near) vehicles, have really nice homes and travel frequently. I'm not jealous and do not want any of those things. I just want to retire soon and, with runaway inflation & over taxation, I don't know if I can or should retire.
I'm a software developer, and there's a couple that live across from me, lovely people, and they have TWO new BMWs, the gal is a teacher and the guy works in a care home. Every day I look at their cars, and think, hey, aren't I supposed to be the rich bro a-hole driving a BMW? How comes my car is so shite? It's these little personal rituals that keep me grounded, remind me that people are not as rich as they pretend to be, and that I am indeed an a-hole, just not a rich one.
Some people are making real money
The truth is most millionaires and wealthy don't live so flashy because they don't want hackers to target them for one and even if they have exotic vehicles they either don't want people to know they have them or they buy them for a future investment for resale. One way to spot some that isnt rich is if you see them with either a new house or vehicle all the time and it's because their checks are bouncing so they lose them and get a new one.
Retired at sixy two, everything paid for. Make more money than I ever did when I was working. As usual I pay as I go.
Not everyone is poor.
I like it when people believe they are better off than I am. Some of them are, but most are not. Looking poor(er) is a security feature.
Especially with dating.
They see a middle-aged guy in an old car, living an unimpressive lifestyle. I call it hiding in plain sight. 😂
Very true. A lot of influencers flexing big homes in LA rent them out specifically for photo shoots. My bff has been a producer for over 20 yrs and I was shocked when she said a lot of those fancy cars aren’t owned a lot are leased or rented.
"Daddy Bezos and Space Carrot".... bahahahahahaha!! Fellow Canadian here. I appreciate your videos very much, and I think you are doing great work telling it like you see it and clarifying things for folks who want to hear it. (For example, I often feel like the only person I know who gets irritated with people talking about how it isn't worth making more because it will get taxed away- and not understanding progressive taxation- and your video with example numbers to illustrate it was so refreshing!) :) Thanks for your content!
Pretty sure she said, "Space Karen" but funny either way
@@CSpottsGaming Thanks for setting me straight on that. :)
@@AK-gh6cp No prob 😅 Also, absolutely agree on your point about marginal tax rates. I used to work O&G and knew people that had turned down raises for that reason.
Spot on! Great talk!
Having a simple life where you can do whatever you want all the time. The first step in achieving this self employment.
My husband and I habitually yard sale and I can confirm what you're talking about. We pull up to a nice house, in certain neighborhoods and know we won't get anything good. Everything they are selling still has the Ross stickers still on them and the people running the sale will want 2/3rd of what they paid retail. They buy nice houses, in good school districts and live paycheck to paycheck, while filling their huge houses with mass-produced garbage.
My compact car is over a decade old, I live in a house that is under 1K square feet. I do own a second vehicle its a old cargo van that is two decades old that I use to go camping.
The thing is I could VERY easily afford better.
I could buy a brand new luxury car every five years.
I could afford to buy a house that is four times bigger.
I could afford to be going on vacations all around the world.
I just don't see the point as I don't care about such things. If others want to do such things that is their issue not mine.
Space Karen! LOL Nice!!! Great video and sage advice as usual. You are a very intelligent young lady. I shared this video with my son who needs to hear this.
Thanks Nicole.
Spot on as usual.
1 22... Or even worse, their car is leased. Lease is just long term renting.
Sometimes you looks around, and realise, that everyone isn't broke, they just want more.
I just bought my first new car at 59: a $23k Kia. Then I saw that the average USED car cost is $35k. I’m like WTF!?? People are crazy.
That's what I bought 2 years ago. I figured if the car market was overpriced, I would buy the cheapest new car on the market and not take as much of a hit as the ego bros buying $70k pickup trucks with $20k in dealer fees tacked on.
Add to it used interest rates are considerably more than new, if you go the loan route. Just a massive ripoff just to get from A to B
KIA doesn’t qualify as a car. You bought something else.
KIA doesn’t qualify as a car. You bought something else.
@ I love my little Kia. My kids call it “Dad’s Sh!tbox”. 🤣🤣 Found out my wife calls it that too. Makes me love it even more.
I love the debt-iceberg analogy. The exposed part of an iceberg represents the nice things (designer clothes, car, excessive sized house, etc) people have. The gigantic part of the iceberg below the surface is their debt. Just let that "sink" in for a moment.
At work, many coworkers want extra hours to go to the beautician's every week, buy fancy clothes, smoke cigarettes... I prefer have free time...All these things are so useless and they kill their health.
Some people build beautiful homes on the outside while interior is insulated with plywood floors and cupboards. They look rich but aren't, t's all show.
I remember like 15 years ago there was a Lending Tree commercial. A guy has this giant smile saying he has a big home, plenty of family events, a nice golf club, etc. At the end he says “You know how I’m able to afford all this? I’m in debt up to my eyeballs”.
Funny commercial definitely TH-cam it if you haven’t seen it.
Its funny back in the day (about 15 years ago), when I went to one of my rental houses to meet a potential tenant, the tenant was driving a then current model Range Rover. I was driving a 6 year old base model Dodge Intrepid 😀I wonder what they are driving today and are they still renting... I eventually got rid of my 2003 Dodge Intrepid in 2017. I donated the car 🙂
My property management office was on the ground floor of an apartment complex in the San Francisco East Bay. One tenant was a fellow in his 40's, a telemarketer who wore weird color suits, drove a brand new Ford Mustang, and was always bragging about the vacation trips he and his wife took. He would be late with the rent 3-4 times a year and always had some lame excuse. I had a 1992 Geo Metro convertible that I used as a commute car for years. One morning I was sitting in it waiting for a phone call when he walked by and made fun of my car. He said that I looked like a clown driving a shoe. He said he could get me a deal at Ford and that I should buy a new car so I wouldn't look so embarrassing. I snickered and sat there. ''A clown driving a shoe?''' Haha, pretty funny. ''At least its paid for....cost me $800.''
After 30+ years in the rental business, I retired in 2018 at age 65 and sold most of my properties. I never told tenants that I was anything but the Area Manager and that the owner was a ''Crabby old fkkk who thinks $5 an hour is too much pay. Its my job to keep him away from you!'' Hahaha, I OWNED that building outright, no mortgage, no debts. The broker who sold my building said that the guy mentioned my Clown Car. His reply was that he shouldn't judge me on appearance. He told him that I was a ''Closet Millionaire''. I like that!
Speaking of a Clown Car, I rented a car to make a 500 mile trip to a reunion after the sale. The agent said that the car I requested has not been turned in yet and offered me a Kia Soul. ''You want me to drive THAT???'' Either that or the 18 passenger van. They were very short on cars that morning. I took the Kia. Holy Smokes, the seat was so comfortable that my bad back didn't hurt at all during the trip. When I returned it and praised its comfort, the agent said it was on the sale list as they replace them at 30,000 miles. I ended up buying it at an excellent price and still have it. The Geo is still in my side yard, too, awaiting the Zombie Attack. I'll bet you could write a book about tenant shenanigans, too. My book would need 3 volumes.
I recently realized that looking rich isnt worth going into debt. Having thousands in the bank and little to no debt is a way bigger flex
One thing I aspire to is not having a car payment. I drive a very small 6 year old Hyundai that I paid for in cash but I would be happy enough driving a 20 year old car. So long as it fired up on the coldest of mornings and got me to and from work.
Find out if your car's engine has direct injection. As opposed to conventional overhead injection. If your car has direct injection take it to a trusted mechanic immediately and have it inspected and thoroughly cleaned, (the valves, valve ports, air intake systems, etc. ). Hopefully the mechanic will explain this to you, believe me, the dealership's service techs will not.
@@dingusdingus2152 It has a 1248cc chain driven engine, no turbocharger. Haven't a clue about the fuel injection. UK spec car but built in Turkey.
@@mattw8332 well it sounds like a prime candidate for a di fuel system. I assume chain driven means it has a timing chain as opposed to a timing belt which is good. The reason why you don't have a clue about the fuel injection system is because they don't want you to, hence my suggestion to take it to a trusted mechanic to find out. If it has di by all means have it thoroughly cleaned because, without getting too technical and in the weeds, this engine configuration was purposefully, intentionally designed to fail at about 80k miles, so that you would have it scrapped and buy a new one. Really quick: the conventional overhead fuel injection system sprays the gas into the cylinders from up above, and the gas acts as a solvent keeping the valves and the valve ports clean. The di squirts the gas in from down below and to the side, bypassing the valves, and as a result they get encrusted with bitumen from the vaporized blow by and eventually cease functioning, getting stuck in the down position and causing misfire and ultimately engine failure. There is some fluid available in aerosol cans for like, $40 a can, which you can spray into the motor every 10k miles and this prevents the bituminous buildup and ensures maximum engine life but again, the dealers don't tell you about this because they don't want you to know. They want your car to blow up and you to buy a new one. I wish I was lying but I work in a repair shop and we have had several of these come in with the same issue in recent years. The defect appears to have been deliberately designed into them...☹
Superb advice, as usual.
I have 2016 paid for Mercedes, it was $17 k and during this 5 years that I have it the only major repair was the water pump, I also live alone for my mental health, sometimes I do struggle a little bit to pay rent but I always do, I just can’t see my self living with 1 or 2 roommates, I’m so miserable when living with people, they bring strangers from the bars, do drugs inside, ask me for rides and constant favors, eat my food, tell me that they don’t have their part until the last of the month, leave dirty dishes for days, go into my room when I’m not home, let their friends use my bathroom, leaving without paying the last month bills, and so many more things, (all of that was like 3 different roommates), I’m slowly building my emergency fund and paying my credit cards, slower but enjoying being alone right now
The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog. I do not care what anyone thinks of me anymore.
@@markritacco270 sanereeeee I love my German shepherd and my cat, both adopted and adorable
@@giocondakisses 👏👏😎
I mean, maybe you should vet people before you move in with them? Background checks are like $50.
Wow, how do you get such roommates? I'm renting a room in someone's place, and I could never even imagine doing those things.