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Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Having less than my friends

I spent the week surrounding New Years Eve with a friend I rarely see (we met on a study abroad semester), our boyfriends, and another friend of hers. With the exception of my boyfriend (still a grad student), everyone had just recently entered the working world.

One night, they wanted to go to a "fancy" restaurant for dinner one night, and my boyfriend and I politely declined but offered them the use of the car to go. They graciously offered to treat us, so we agreed to come along. The bf and I politely ordered relatively lower priced items (still probably $40 each), and the others ordered appetizers and dessert (though they were kind enough to share). Dinner for the five of us was about $350, maybe more. The food was decent, but didn't knock my socks off. The service was good, but not worth that kind of money to me at this point in my life.

Then there was the shopping. My jaw just about fell off when one girl stated that a $1000 handbag was "within the price range" she was looking for. I have no idea her salary (though I do think she lives with her parents, meaning, no rent, which helps), but it just seemed utterly unreasonable to pay that much for a handbag. Still, people do it. All the time. Just not many people that I know.

Sometimes it strikes me unfair when I see people my age spending on expensive items. In many cases, it is flat out unfair--their parents helped them through school and maybe even still subsidize their lifestyles, while mine didn't. Very few people are wealthy by their own doing at age 24. Many people are comfortable (myself included), but having enough wealth to live the high life? Not me.

Really, it doesn't matter if it is fair or not. Not one bit. All that matters is they are good people who don't make me feel bad about being more careful with my money. I do my best not to make them feel bad that they do spend more money.

I think when I move to Los Angeles, I'm going to run into this feeling a lot more than I do here in the Midwest. I'm extremely down to earth, and the L.A. stereotype isn't. I'm sure some won't fit the stereotype, but I'll surely meet a lot more people with piles of money than I know now. I'll also working at a big name company where many people went to top schools. I went to state school. You've never heard of my school. I was smart enough for a better school, but the finances just wouldn't have worked out. In some ways, it makes me proud of myself. I got to the same place as them, on my own, without a fancy school or lots of money. Even so, I wouldn't have minded if my parents paid for a top notch education. It wouldn't make me any less of a person.

Anyway,the girl who bought a Burberry towel (a towel? Why?) and a $250 watch (spur of the moment, out of spite!) suggests getting one coke at a pizza place and sharing the free refils. Too funny.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey there, I'm 24 and I live in Northern California. My hubby's family is from southern california and recently we visited them for christmas. I was really surprised by the number of designer bags women carried down there! I felt like i was underdressed the entire time. However, i'm pretty secure with the fact that I don't try to look rich. I think you'd do fine as long as you don't get sucked in the SoCal culture of looking good at all costs.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Having less than my friends

I spent the week surrounding New Years Eve with a friend I rarely see (we met on a study abroad semester), our boyfriends, and another friend of hers. With the exception of my boyfriend (still a grad student), everyone had just recently entered the working world.

One night, they wanted to go to a "fancy" restaurant for dinner one night, and my boyfriend and I politely declined but offered them the use of the car to go. They graciously offered to treat us, so we agreed to come along. The bf and I politely ordered relatively lower priced items (still probably $40 each), and the others ordered appetizers and dessert (though they were kind enough to share). Dinner for the five of us was about $350, maybe more. The food was decent, but didn't knock my socks off. The service was good, but not worth that kind of money to me at this point in my life.

Then there was the shopping. My jaw just about fell off when one girl stated that a $1000 handbag was "within the price range" she was looking for. I have no idea her salary (though I do think she lives with her parents, meaning, no rent, which helps), but it just seemed utterly unreasonable to pay that much for a handbag. Still, people do it. All the time. Just not many people that I know.

Sometimes it strikes me unfair when I see people my age spending on expensive items. In many cases, it is flat out unfair--their parents helped them through school and maybe even still subsidize their lifestyles, while mine didn't. Very few people are wealthy by their own doing at age 24. Many people are comfortable (myself included), but having enough wealth to live the high life? Not me.

Really, it doesn't matter if it is fair or not. Not one bit. All that matters is they are good people who don't make me feel bad about being more careful with my money. I do my best not to make them feel bad that they do spend more money.

I think when I move to Los Angeles, I'm going to run into this feeling a lot more than I do here in the Midwest. I'm extremely down to earth, and the L.A. stereotype isn't. I'm sure some won't fit the stereotype, but I'll surely meet a lot more people with piles of money than I know now. I'll also working at a big name company where many people went to top schools. I went to state school. You've never heard of my school. I was smart enough for a better school, but the finances just wouldn't have worked out. In some ways, it makes me proud of myself. I got to the same place as them, on my own, without a fancy school or lots of money. Even so, I wouldn't have minded if my parents paid for a top notch education. It wouldn't make me any less of a person.

Anyway,the girl who bought a Burberry towel (a towel? Why?) and a $250 watch (spur of the moment, out of spite!) suggests getting one coke at a pizza place and sharing the free refils. Too funny.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey there, I'm 24 and I live in Northern California. My hubby's family is from southern california and recently we visited them for christmas. I was really surprised by the number of designer bags women carried down there! I felt like i was underdressed the entire time. However, i'm pretty secure with the fact that I don't try to look rich. I think you'd do fine as long as you don't get sucked in the SoCal culture of looking good at all costs.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Having less than my friends

I spent the week surrounding New Years Eve with a friend I rarely see (we met on a study abroad semester), our boyfriends, and another friend of hers. With the exception of my boyfriend (still a grad student), everyone had just recently entered the working world.

One night, they wanted to go to a "fancy" restaurant for dinner one night, and my boyfriend and I politely declined but offered them the use of the car to go. They graciously offered to treat us, so we agreed to come along. The bf and I politely ordered relatively lower priced items (still probably $40 each), and the others ordered appetizers and dessert (though they were kind enough to share). Dinner for the five of us was about $350, maybe more. The food was decent, but didn't knock my socks off. The service was good, but not worth that kind of money to me at this point in my life.

Then there was the shopping. My jaw just about fell off when one girl stated that a $1000 handbag was "within the price range" she was looking for. I have no idea her salary (though I do think she lives with her parents, meaning, no rent, which helps), but it just seemed utterly unreasonable to pay that much for a handbag. Still, people do it. All the time. Just not many people that I know.

Sometimes it strikes me unfair when I see people my age spending on expensive items. In many cases, it is flat out unfair--their parents helped them through school and maybe even still subsidize their lifestyles, while mine didn't. Very few people are wealthy by their own doing at age 24. Many people are comfortable (myself included), but having enough wealth to live the high life? Not me.

Really, it doesn't matter if it is fair or not. Not one bit. All that matters is they are good people who don't make me feel bad about being more careful with my money. I do my best not to make them feel bad that they do spend more money.

I think when I move to Los Angeles, I'm going to run into this feeling a lot more than I do here in the Midwest. I'm extremely down to earth, and the L.A. stereotype isn't. I'm sure some won't fit the stereotype, but I'll surely meet a lot more people with piles of money than I know now. I'll also working at a big name company where many people went to top schools. I went to state school. You've never heard of my school. I was smart enough for a better school, but the finances just wouldn't have worked out. In some ways, it makes me proud of myself. I got to the same place as them, on my own, without a fancy school or lots of money. Even so, I wouldn't have minded if my parents paid for a top notch education. It wouldn't make me any less of a person.

Anyway,the girl who bought a Burberry towel (a towel? Why?) and a $250 watch (spur of the moment, out of spite!) suggests getting one coke at a pizza place and sharing the free refils. Too funny.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

hey there, I'm 24 and I live in Northern California. My hubby's family is from southern california and recently we visited them for christmas. I was really surprised by the number of designer bags women carried down there! I felt like i was underdressed the entire time. However, i'm pretty secure with the fact that I don't try to look rich. I think you'd do fine as long as you don't get sucked in the SoCal culture of looking good at all costs.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Having less than my friends

I spent the week surrounding New Years Eve with a friend I rarely see (we met on a study abroad semester), our boyfriends, and another friend of hers. With the exception of my boyfriend (still a grad student), everyone had just recently entered the working world.

One night, they wanted to go to a "fancy" restaurant for dinner one night, and my boyfriend and I politely declined but offered them the use of the car to go. They graciously offered to treat us, so we agreed to come along. The bf and I politely ordered relatively lower priced items (still probably $40 each), and the others ordered appetizers and dessert (though they were kind enough to share). Dinner for the five of us was about $350, maybe more. The food was decent, but didn't knock my socks off. The service was good, but not worth that kind of money to me at this point in my life.

Then there was the shopping. My jaw just about fell off when one girl stated that a $1000 handbag was "within the price range" she was looking for. I have no idea her salary (though I do think she lives with her parents, meaning, no rent, which helps), but it just seemed utterly unreasonable to pay that much for a handbag. Still, people do it. All the time. Just not many people that I know.

Sometimes it strikes me unfair when I see people my age spending on expensive items. In many cases, it is flat out unfair--their parents helped them through school and maybe even still subsidize their lifestyles, while mine didn't. Very few people are wealthy by their own doing at age 24. Many people are comfortable (myself included), but having enough wealth to live the high life? Not me.

Really, it doesn't matter if it is fair or not. Not one bit. All that matters is they are good people who don't make me feel bad about being more careful with my money. I do my best not to make them feel bad that they do spend more money.

I think when I move to Los Angeles, I'm going to run into this feeling a lot more than I do here in the Midwest. I'm extremely down to earth, and the L.A. stereotype isn't. I'm sure some won't fit the stereotype, but I'll surely meet a lot more people with piles of money than I know now. I'll also working at a big name company where many people went to top schools. I went to state school. You've never heard of my school. I was smart enough for a better school, but the finances just wouldn't have worked out. In some ways, it makes me proud of myself. I got to the same place as them, on my own, without a fancy school or lots of money. Even so, I wouldn't have minded if my parents paid for a top notch education. It wouldn't make me any less of a person.

Anyway,the girl who bought a Burberry towel (a towel? Why?) and a $250 watch (spur of the moment, out of spite!) suggests getting one coke at a pizza place and sharing the free refils. Too funny.

1 comments:

Anonymous said...

hey there, I'm 24 and I live in Northern California. My hubby's family is from southern california and recently we visited them for christmas. I was really surprised by the number of designer bags women carried down there! I felt like i was underdressed the entire time. However, i'm pretty secure with the fact that I don't try to look rich. I think you'd do fine as long as you don't get sucked in the SoCal culture of looking good at all costs.