The little voice in your head tells you not to swipe your credit card, but you spend too much on a luxury item anyway. Why? Often, what you’re really craving when you buy something overpriced is status. A part of you knows that it’s not worth it, but the shady narratives luxury marketing campaigns weave convince you power is buying it anyway.
This idea may be mainstream in materialist culture, but it’s not true. You can stop buying things for the sake of acceptance into elite circles and start living life your way. You just might need help uncovering the status symbols that have their claws in you… and your credit.
Read on for 13 prestige purchases you’re paying too much for and why you should let them go.
Expensive Cars on Finance
Nothing says ”midlife crisis” like a brand-new sports car. Will you drive it? Or will it drive you crazy with high insurance premiums and park you in the red debt zone? You don’t need a fancy car to feel young, powerful, or special. Doing something you love will sort that out for you.
Expensive Apartments with the “Right” Postcode
You don’t just buy an apartment with a fancy postcode. You buy into everything around it—like pesky homeowners associations who won’t let you fit new windows or paint your front door. Not to mention obscene property taxes and sky-high mortgage payments. It may be worth it if you actually want to live there, but if your heart yearns for a simpler home, why not listen to it?
Trendy Gym Memberships
The official story is you want to get fit. The real reason you joined the trendy gym with membership fees as crushing as the weights is that certain other people go there. Your fantasy of bumping into a hot celebrity on the treadmill might come true. But, if you’re at the gym to be seen in Lululemon, you might not be reaping the full benefits of exercise, one of which is to have fun.
Custom License Plates
It’s bold to have a custom license plate. They tend to be as memorable as they are cringe-worthy, but hey, at least your car will be recognizable everywhere you go. People will know about your every move, even those who go to the plebeian grocery store. But that’s the intention… right?
Designer Babywear
Spending top dollar for designer onesies when the little one will outgrow them in weeks is not financially savvy. Kids grow so fast, and they don’t care about the labels. And, when spit up (and worse) is involved, the clothes need to be laundry-friendly.
Toilet Tech
Heated toilet seats and a smart bidet you can control through an app are the epitome of flushing money down the toilet – pun intended. Does your behind really need that much pampering?
Hyped-Up Artisanal Products
They’re too pretty to use, and you’ve forgotten what they do anyway. Spending money on “artisanal” items to appear cultured defeats the point. If you’re genuinely interested in a product’s qualities, you’ll enjoy using it and not feel like you need to put it on display. If they’re gathering dust, they’re not worth the dollars.
Designer Luggage
Luggage needs to be practical and durable. These travel necessities split their time between your closet and the cargo hold. So, unless you’re trying to impress airport staff or plan to set the bags up on your mantelpiece, no one will see those fancy labels.
Diamonds
The status appeal of diamonds has been meticulously engineered by diamond companies. Don’t get sucked into their marketing campaigns. Love cannot be measured by carats, and neither can your worth. Besides, there are other more beautiful gems that are not overpriced and far rarer (moissanite and alexandrite, for starters).
Pricey Watches
Expensive watches that cost more than a house—they’re certainly a statement when worn on your wrist. Often, though, they sit in a vault and are only brought out on special occasions. Either way, is spending that amount of money on a small accessory worth it? If you are passionate about timepieces and the master craftsmanship that goes into them, then the answer may be yes. If you can’t tell your bezel from your crown, then maybe don’t go into debt trying to bag a Rolex.
Expensive Meals at Trendy Restaurants
Ask yourself if the food is the main attraction or if being seen eating it is the reason you’re forking out those dollars. While some trendy restaurants have earned their stripes through great food, others are hyped-up hotspots. It’s not worth paying exorbitant sums for a culinary experience you won’t enjoy just because you think it’ll make you look cool.
Extravagant Travel
Instagrammable tourist attractions do not make a holiday. Neither does five-star accommodation or private jets. The magic of travel is in discovering new places, not experiencing them from an ivory tower.
Designer Dogwear
Yes, it’s cute. But the dogs really can’t tell their Gucci from their Prada. They don’t need perfume (yes, designer dog fragrance exists), and they don’t need diamonds in their collars. Let your pups run free and get muddy. Maybe they’ll inspire you to live in the moment and not for status symbols.
Don’t Let Status Take You Hostage
It’s wonderful to buy nice things for yourself. Just be sure you aren’t spending more than you can afford on things you don’t like because you think they’ll earn you admiration. You don’t need to buy expensive things to find happiness and respect. Be bold, break the status mold, and just have fun instead.
More From Dukes Avenue
19 Movies and Series that Scream Quiet Luxury
12 Relatively Cheap Luxuries You Didn’t Know Your Life Was Missing
10 Luxury Foods To Try at Least Once
15 Luxury Traps: Are Your Desires Putting You at Risk?
