Balling on a Budget: How to Look Rich Without Going Broke

It’s easy to scroll through social media and think everyone except you is balling out of control. Your friends post photos posing next to their new Benz, rocking $500 shoes, and carrying designer bags worth thousands. Meanwhile you’re skipping the Starbucks run to save $5.

But chances are, they’re just flossing for the ‘gram and are deep in debt trying to keep up appearances. Don’t fall into the trap of blowing your budget trying to stunt like the Joneses!

Here’s how to look financially lit without drowning in credit card debt:

• Upgrade your ride…with a wash, wax, and fresh air freshener. A detailed car can look years newer for under $150. While your friends blow their money on flashy new rims or car payments they can’t afford, keep your current ride looking sweet on the cheap.
• Treat yourself to designer duds…from the thrift store. Look for lightly used luxury brands and designer items – you can often score quality pieces for 90% off retail price if you hunt. Replace missing buttons, touch up any wear, and no one will know your designer jacket was $10, not $1000.
• Carry a nice handbag…that you alternate between knockoffs and real. Get a few inexpensive dupes from sites that mimic luxury bags and toggle them with a vintage designer find from a consignment shop. From afar, no one will know that YSL bag was a steal on the resale market.
• Always rock fresh kicks…that you keep super clean. Sneaker cleaner can make your favorite pair of Jordans, Yeezys or Louboutins look brand new again. Skip pricey re-soles or replacements and breathe new life into the designer shoes you already own.
• Pull up to the club in an Uber Black…then switch to pool when it’s time to head home. Ball out on arrival at the club with a high-end ride, then rein it in on the way home by inexpensive pooling. Your friends will see you looking like royalty on the way in.

See, you can have champagne taste on a beer budget if you’re smart and skip hollow status symbols that put you in debt. Don’t try to keep up with the Joneses. Keep up with your payments instead!