Saturday, February 28, 2009

keeping up with the joneses

I've noticed a new trend: keeping up with the Joneses.  I know, this has been around for a while right?  

Well, not the kind I've seen recently.  

(overheard)
A: We've been living off one income for the last year.  I feel sorry for people who need two incomes to stay afloat.
B: We haven't had much work lately, but thank goodness we have six months of emergency savings to hold us over.
A: Yeah, we accumulated nine months worth, just to be safe.
B: Our mortgage is pretty low; we've been paying it down so that we don't have to worry too much about paying it.
A: I know what you mean.  I would hate to be one of those families who have two mortgages on their house with housing values dropping like they are.
(and so on and so on)

People are no longer under pressure to have the latest and greatest to be the envy of your neighborhood.  It's become hip to be cheap.  

Of course this is a good thing.  But when did it become so common for people to discuss money and their financial situations?  Why are Americans so competitive with everything?

1 comment:

chinajules said...

yay!!! my wonderful hippie sister. i can't wait to see you. one of my many life plans is moving to atlanta and working/studying for GREs/hanging out with you and the FAM!