Comments on: Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/ Moving beyond the basics Mon, 01 Dec 2008 21:21:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Advanced Personal Finance » Blog Archive » My strategy for combating the urge to keep up with the Joneses http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2687 Advanced Personal Finance » Blog Archive » My strategy for combating the urge to keep up with the Joneses Mon, 08 Oct 2007 12:07:18 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2687 [...] backing from recent research) that it’s because of our social groups. I’ve written that I think conspicuous consumption is driven by comparing ourselves to those slightly above us on the economic [...] […] backing from recent research) that it’s because of our social groups. I’ve written that I think conspicuous consumption is driven by comparing ourselves to those slightly above us on the economic […]

]]> By: Political Calculations: September 2007 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2515 Political Calculations: September 2007 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:49:01 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2515 [...] the story of wasted time and money in Absolutely essential reading! Carnival of Personal Finance Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together Advanced Personal Finance Who do you compare yourself to when it comes to your own conspicuous [...] […] the story of wasted time and money in Absolutely essential reading! Carnival of Personal Finance Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together Advanced Personal Finance Who do you compare yourself to when it comes to your own conspicuous […]

]]> By: Mrs. Micah http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2306 Mrs. Micah Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:57:40 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2306 Hi Micah! You're right, I'm not your wife. My Micah doesn't read blogs much. Hi Micah! You’re right, I’m not your wife. My Micah doesn’t read blogs much.

]]> By: Where Exactly Is The “Pressure” To Spend? http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2296 Where Exactly Is The “Pressure” To Spend? Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:17:01 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-2296 [...] Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together by KMC @ Advanced Personal Finance. Same issue of consumption looked at from a totally different perspective. [...] […] Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together by KMC @ Advanced Personal Finance. Same issue of consumption looked at from a totally different perspective. […]

]]> By: The 118th Carnival of Personal Finance: Fun Money Facts Edition http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1417 The 118th Carnival of Personal Finance: Fun Money Facts Edition Wed, 19 Sep 2007 03:13:07 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1417 [...] Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together from Advanced Personal Finance [...] […] Climbing the Consumption Ladder Together from Advanced Personal Finance […]

]]> By: Dale http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1380 Dale Tue, 18 Sep 2007 18:52:49 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1380 I've found a practical and satisfying solution when I'm dissatisfied with the things I own. I clean and repair them. Throwing out the junk and donating stuff I don't need makes my house look bigger. Washing and waxing my car makes it look and feel newer. It doesn't cost much, and it makes most of my stuff last longer. I’ve found a practical and satisfying solution when I’m dissatisfied with the things I own. I clean and repair them. Throwing out the junk and donating stuff I don’t need makes my house look bigger. Washing and waxing my car makes it look and feel newer. It doesn’t cost much, and it makes most of my stuff last longer.

]]> By: Liz http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1370 Liz Tue, 18 Sep 2007 17:05:14 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1370 Very nice post. I like what you write about other people's consumption affecting us in real ways. The easiest example of that for me is cell phones. Now public phones are disappearing, and people expect you to be accessible. I think another factor is that while we might be able to afford the ipod, the suv or the mcmansion, we want all of them. We see the BMW in the neighbor's yard, and drive by the new development, and go into our work and see our coworkers' new gadgets, and it has a cumulative effect. It would be nice if the government were to incentivize saving. With inflation set to reach high rates, saving is going to be penalized in the next few years if A. Greenspan is right. It seems crazy to me that interest income is taxed even if it is a small amount. Couldn't there be an exemption for at least the first $1K? Very nice post. I like what you write about other people’s consumption affecting us in real ways. The easiest example of that for me is cell phones. Now public phones are disappearing, and people expect you to be accessible. I think another factor is that while we might be able to afford the ipod, the suv or the mcmansion, we want all of them. We see the BMW in the neighbor’s yard, and drive by the new development, and go into our work and see our coworkers’ new gadgets, and it has a cumulative effect.

It would be nice if the government were to incentivize saving. With inflation set to reach high rates, saving is going to be penalized in the next few years if A. Greenspan is right. It seems crazy to me that interest income is taxed even if it is a small amount. Couldn’t there be an exemption for at least the first $1K?

]]> By: KMC http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1340 KMC Tue, 18 Sep 2007 12:25:33 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1340 Jennifer, to your point about tearing out perfectly good cabinets. Did you know the second largest component of landfills is construction waste? (Paper is by far the largest). Jennifer, to your point about tearing out perfectly good cabinets. Did you know the second largest component of landfills is construction waste? (Paper is by far the largest).

]]> By: Jennifer http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1292 Jennifer Mon, 17 Sep 2007 23:12:01 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1292 Love your post. Agree with you completely. We are definitely comparing ourselves to those one rung up on the ladder. And they are basically moving up at the same rate we are! (I never thought of the moving up at the same rate part before! So true!) Sometimes when I watch HGTV it does seems so wrong when they tear out perfectly fine cabinets, appliances, counters, etc. just to put in the latest fashion trends (even though I love decorating myself!). I often think how terrible it would make us look to people in a very poor society. For me, in the past it was difficult for me to actually determine what I could afford. (That may sound crazy, but I have only recently gotten on the right financial track!) I would look at others and think "well they drive an SUV", and think that I must be able to afford to. It is hard to try to NOT keep up with the Jones. But important. Thanks for a great post! Love your post. Agree with you completely. We are definitely comparing ourselves to those one rung up on the ladder. And they are basically moving up at the same rate we are! (I never thought of the moving up at the same rate part before! So true!)

Sometimes when I watch HGTV it does seems so wrong when they tear out perfectly fine cabinets, appliances, counters, etc. just to put in the latest fashion trends (even though I love decorating myself!). I often think how terrible it would make us look to people in a very poor society.

For me, in the past it was difficult for me to actually determine what I could afford. (That may sound crazy, but I have only recently gotten on the right financial track!) I would look at others and think “well they drive an SUV”, and think that I must be able to afford to.

It is hard to try to NOT keep up with the Jones. But important.

Thanks for a great post!

]]> By: kitty http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1284 kitty Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:38:30 +0000 http://advancedpersonalfinance.com/climbing-the-consumption-ladder-together/#comment-1284 "A perfectly good working refrigerator isn’t good enough anymore. It has to be a gigantic stainless steel one." A slightly off-topic question. What is so special about stainless steel appliances? Is there anything better about them other than just that it's "fashionable" nowadays. They seem to be a bit impractical in that fingers leave spots on them. So why do people consider them better? I seriously want to know. Kitchen remodeling project is on my list of things-to-do (have been procrastinating on that for the past few years - both because of my reluctance to part with that much money and the disruption such projects bring), but I haven't decided on details. “A perfectly good working refrigerator isn’t good enough anymore. It has to be a gigantic stainless steel one.”
A slightly off-topic question. What is so special about stainless steel appliances? Is there anything better about them other than just that it’s “fashionable” nowadays. They seem to be a bit impractical in that fingers leave spots on them. So why do people consider them better?

I seriously want to know. Kitchen remodeling project is on my list of things-to-do (have been procrastinating on that for the past few years - both because of my reluctance to part with that much money and the disruption such projects bring), but I haven’t decided on details.

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