Comparison is the theft of joy.
This is a saying that i heard a long time ago but rings very true. If you spend your time trying to keep up with other people or trying to live the same life as they do then yours is a very sad life.
Every single person in this world is different and meant for different things. My own dad is an identical twin who's brother lives across the road from him still and yet they are leading very different lives.
Instagram has been one of the worst instigators of this as peoples lives are on show like never before. It's a social media arms race to live the best life and to show off to the most people.
The only problem....
It's all fake. Those perfect pictures, those happy families on their third holiday. The house, the cars the lifestyle that they are trying to showcase.
Fake.
Most of those influencers are nobody's trying to make it in a big pool. Pretending that they have everything in the hope of fooling enough people to follow them until they make it. And for a small percentage they will become well known.
Happy. Doubtful, but with a bit more money than they used to.
An for some people that is their goal and the peak of their lives. They make some money, live the high life and have a few good years before fading into obscurity again as a newer younger version has their time in the spotlight.
It's all very depressing really.
But even more than that it's the everyday lies.
The nice car was bought on credit.
The nice house comes with a crippling mortgage.
Those clothes on the credit card and the holidays that they can't afford.
Fake it till you make it.
It will be interesting to see when the next recession hits and money gets tighter how many people were faking it.
It happened the last time around when people lost jobs and then lost the cars and the houses but they never learn. They keep trying to play at being rich while they have nothing of substance to back it up. I know plenty of them myself who would be in trouble very fast if the job went for a few months.
A 2022 Finder report estimated average savings at €2,000 per household, or about €770 per person, but this was a sharp drop from 2020 peaks and may not fully capture the recovery in savings by 2025.
Raisin UK’s 2024 survey pegged average savings for 25-34-year-olds at £3,544 (€4,150), far below the UK overall average of £35,361. Irish savings habits often mirror the UK’s,
Too many people are more worried about the brand of their clothes of phone than having money for the tough times.
Not enough people have an investment fund by 35 instead going on multiple holidays a year.
For most people they are so worried about the fake people on their phone that they make terrible decisions for their future.
It's hard not to be part of the herd.
I try as much as i can to follow my own path in life which isn't easy. I was saving for a house deposit when all of my friends were living week to week. Every pound spent on going out or fancy items while i hit the cheap stores and put away money every week.
Now i have a nice house while they a lot of people can barely afford the smallest ones on offer.
I've tried to talk them into crypto and building a stack for the future but they don't want to plan ahead or find new ways to earn.
I could be scrolling instagram right now if i wanted instead of grinding away for a few dollars after a hard days work. But that is the difference. When the housing markets crash again and they will crash again i want to be ready to buy a second property. A rental one that will earn me income for the rest of my life.
The opportunities will be there for the people planning ahead.
I could spend it all on holidays and clothes but there will be time enough for that when the future is secured.
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