Author Topic: Our "consumerist" friends  (Read 4459 times)

Toffeemama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 651
  • Age: 2019
Our "consumerist" friends
« on: December 14, 2016, 01:34:44 PM »
I'm friends with a couple who I can best describe as "good consumers".  Much of their time is spent carefully researching the fanciest new gadgets, so they can be sure to get a "good deal" when they purchase them.  The husband makes a ridiculous amount of money, and the wife stays at home with the kids.  They think they're doing such a good job.

The husband just bought himself a brand-new Toyota Tundra, which is possibly the most absurd vehicle I can think of.  It has four-wheel drive, so it had to have cost around $40,000.  I guess it's to match the wife's almost-new fancy Toyota SUV that she got 6 months ago.  And the $9,000 ATV he bought a year and a half ago.  The wife was just talking about how they finally paid off their credit cards and got $15,000 saved up in their emergency fund, too. -_-

Tyson

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3023
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2016, 01:39:56 PM »
Lifestyle inflation is a mofo.  Here we see it in action....Oh, and lest anyone think I am holding myself above those people, I too practiced lifestyle inflation until I ran into a period of unexpected and extended unemployment and HAD to dial things back.  And right around tat time I discovered MMM.  I look at that now and I see how foolish it all was.....

cheapass

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 507
  • Location: Dallas, Texas
  • On track for FIRE @ 40
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2016, 01:40:58 PM »
I mean, what else are you supposed to do with your money besides spend it? That's what it's for!!

He must REALLY enjoy working, considering he's chaining himself to his desk even tighter with each frivolous purchase.

Toffeemama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 651
  • Age: 2019
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2016, 01:50:03 PM »
The saddest thing is, they could probably save $100,000 a year, and still live on twice as much money as we do!

He also bought ~$1000 worth of VR video game equipment earlier this year, got bored with it, sold it, and bought a drone instead, all within a couple months.

Tyson

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3023
  • Age: 51
  • Location: Denver, Colorado
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2016, 01:53:33 PM »
Uhm, ok that is ridiculous.

ysette9

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8930
  • Age: 2020
  • Location: Bay Area at heart living in the PNW
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2016, 01:56:05 PM »
My husband's sister is a bit like this. We describe her as "doing a good job stimulating the economy". :) She lives in another state with her son (divorced) and flies back to where the rest of us live several times a year to visit. That is cool, I appreciate the importance of getting together with family. It's the part where she also goes to visit friends on the east coast, goes to Vail for ski trips with her cousin, goes on ski trips to Tahoe while visiting my in-laws, and had so many clothes the last time I visited that they literally filled up the closets in two bedrooms. I've been given more hand-me-down PJs for my kid from her from just the clothes our nephew had stored in his grandparents' garage out of state than I ever would have bought her myself. She has a good career as a nurse at a big hospital, but I suspect we earn at least 3x what she does and we don't do any of that stuff.

Toffeemama

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 651
  • Age: 2019
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2016, 02:04:14 PM »
My husband's sister is a bit like this. We describe her as "doing a good job stimulating the economy". :) She lives in another state with her son (divorced) and flies back to where the rest of us live several times a year to visit. That is cool, I appreciate the importance of getting together with family. It's the part where she also goes to visit friends on the east coast, goes to Vail for ski trips with her cousin, goes on ski trips to Tahoe while visiting my in-laws, and had so many clothes the last time I visited that they literally filled up the closets in two bedrooms. I've been given more hand-me-down PJs for my kid from her from just the clothes our nephew had stored in his grandparents' garage out of state than I ever would have bought her myself. She has a good career as a nurse at a big hospital, but I suspect we earn at least 3x what she does and we don't do any of that stuff.

Ugh, I can only imagine the spendy trips they're going to take when the kids get bigger(one's a baby).  Your SIL has no excuse, since she should be able to take a look at the example you and your husband are setting.  Consumer Couple earn 3x what we do, so I'm sure the difference between our lifestyles is more seen as us being "poor", rather than anything they're doing wrong.

ysette9

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 8930
  • Age: 2020
  • Location: Bay Area at heart living in the PNW
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2016, 02:18:46 PM »
We have tried to gently talk to her about money on and off in the past, but with little noticeable effect. Maybe once we go on permanent sabbatical she will notice. For now I suspect she thinks we are strange and miserly since we don't have a nice house or nice furniture or take our toddler skiing. Different strokes for different folks.

Stachey

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2016, 04:22:08 PM »
Saw an ad in the newspaper today for a ridiculous truck.  Almost gagged on the price tag...$73,000!
Probably has enough power to haul an elephant up the side of Mount Everest but more than likely the only heavy hauling it will see will be five bags of groceries.

chesebert

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 816
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #9 on: December 14, 2016, 04:34:07 PM »
I'm friends with a couple who I can best describe as "good consumers".  Much of their time is spent carefully researching the fanciest new gadgets, so they can be sure to get a "good deal" when they purchase them.  The husband makes a ridiculous amount of money, and the wife stays at home with the kids.  They think they're doing such a good job.

The husband just bought himself a brand-new Toyota Tundra, which is possibly the most absurd vehicle I can think of.  It has four-wheel drive, so it had to have cost around $40,000.  I guess it's to match the wife's almost-new fancy Toyota SUV that she got 6 months ago.  And the $9,000 ATV he bought a year and a half ago.  The wife was just talking about how they finally paid off their credit cards and got $15,000 saved up in their emergency fund, too. -_-
Having credit card debt and no emergency saving is not mutually exclusive from having stock options worth millions. You will likely never know the full financial picture of someone based on what they tell you. I have minimum/no dedicated emergency fund, so what.

Syonyk

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4610
    • Syonyk's Project Blog
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #10 on: December 14, 2016, 08:43:51 PM »
Saw an ad in the newspaper today for a ridiculous truck.  Almost gagged on the price tag...$73,000!
Probably has enough power to haul an elephant up the side of Mount Everest but more than likely the only heavy hauling it will see will be five bags of groceries.

Nah, you buy that to haul your $70k 5th wheel trailer, because slowing to 45mph for uphills is for SUKKAS!

My truck will happily tow heavy, just not particularly fast while heavy and going uphill.  I'll get there... eventually.

Stachey

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1020
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2016, 09:53:33 PM »
Saw an ad in the newspaper today for a ridiculous truck.  Almost gagged on the price tag...$73,000!
Probably has enough power to haul an elephant up the side of Mount Everest but more than likely the only heavy hauling it will see will be five bags of groceries.

Nah, you buy that to haul your $70k 5th wheel trailer, because slowing to 45mph for uphills is for SUKKAS!

My truck will happily tow heavy, just not particularly fast while heavy and going uphill.  I'll get there... eventually.


LOL!  I used to work with a guy who convinced his wife that getting a big (expensive) 5th wheeler would save them money because they wouldn't have to "waste" money on hotels.
Only after he got the trailer did he figure out that his truck couldn't haul it!  So he of course got a new truck.  Of course...like everyone does...you know...(yes I'm rolling my eyes)

Syonyk

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 4610
    • Syonyk's Project Blog
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2016, 10:03:17 PM »
I can tow 14k but I like to keep it below 10k if I can.

mwulff

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 329
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2016, 11:56:49 PM »
I have some consumerist friends as well. They are both in well paying jobs (one is a doctor). They somehow managed to acquire $34.000 worth of debt before they pulled the panic handle and called me.

It was the usual mess: No budget, no structured accounts, no automatic payments.

On top of that I found consumer financing for a washing machine they didn't even have anymore. They also live in a cheap appartment with a time limit so in 18 months they would have to move.

They dreamt of buying a house, but that would have meant having a savings rate of about 60%, and they were not ready for that, because you need fancy phones, cable tv, 2 cars and a paid nurse... Jeez.

Sry, I'm just venting here.

cheapass

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 507
  • Location: Dallas, Texas
  • On track for FIRE @ 40
Re: Our "consumerist" friends
« Reply #14 on: December 15, 2016, 08:29:43 AM »
LOL!  I used to work with a guy who convinced his wife that getting a big (expensive) 5th wheeler would save them money because they wouldn't have to "waste" money on hotels.
Only after he got the trailer did he figure out that his truck couldn't haul it!  So he of course got a new truck.  Of course...like everyone does...you know...(yes I'm rolling my eyes)

I'm sure he did the math and it worked out in favor of the trailer... lol

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!