The old saying of keeping up with the Joneses feels dated, but the meaning behind it is anything but. Thanks to social media and the rise in celebrity culture the world has more access than ever before to getting a glimpse of the finer things in life. Beautiful homes, expensive trips, luxury cars, these are all examples of things that are splashed around so often it leaves most people wondering how they can get in on it. Luckily, the term luxury can be subjective, and non-stagnant. Since everyone has different tastes creating a life of luxury that is still authentic to who you are and what you can afford is easier than you might think.
Do Not Ball Out
A common misconception of some of the most luxurious individuals in the world is that they spend big all the time. While people like celebrities and professional athletes certainly have a more significant income than most, you must consider what is happening with the money that they have that you are not seeing in the form of mega-mansions and vacations on yachts. You may be surprised to discover that this demographic of people still live on a budget, and instill has financial obligations to prioritize.
As you seek to build a fabulous life for yourself think about what you will need to do to earn it. Formal education can open doors for you that can lead to this life. Consider everything, learn about different courses of study and the careers that they lead to, and research what that will mean for your earned income after you graduate. Do not forget to factor in how you will fund this formal education, student loans will last longer than your tenure as a student and cannot be ignored.
A private lender is going to afford you more flexibility when working out the semantics of your loans. These lenders are in competition with one another for your business and you can use that to your advantage when you negotiate interest rates, qualifying factors, and loan terms and stipulations. Handling this process will also teach you life skills that you will need as you continue building a life for yourself after graduation.
Combine Work and Pleasure
A savvy way to experience the good life is by seeking out a career that gives you access to it. Jobs in markets like global high-end real estate will afford you the chance to not only see luxurious properties and locations but also meet the clients that are buying them. Cultivating relationships with people whose success you idolize can be a great motivation to hustle hard for your own life. Experiences like these will also help you to determine exactly what luxury means to you and learn how to create the feeling of a luxurious life without blindly following the crowd.
Run Your Own Race
Being obsessive about having to keep up with your peers and the people whose lives you admire can be a slippery slope. Be honest and realistic about your own financial means and instead of exhausting yourself by caring too much about the next best thing dedicate yourself to learning about ways to live luxuriously that pay respect to your means. View splurges as the exception and not the rule and try to find comfort in the fact that not everyone can spend and live in the same way.
