Right now, the world is literally on fire and all I can think is: how is it possible that I’m not saving more money???

Selfish, I know – but we’ve all got priorities, and mine include daily sessions worrying about ending up a broke retiree who relies on the kindness of relatives to pay for my food, rent, and monthly subscription to Vogue.

I’m grown enough to know there’s a reasonable explanation for my financial inconsistencies: I hit that second paycheque of the month with a couple of weeks to go before I reach my financial goal…and then a sale happens. Or rosé on a rooftop patio happens. Something happens and I – and my debit card – are drawn to that something like bees to honey me to a shopping mall.

Everyone has reasons for saving money (and reasons why they’re not), and I imagine that everyone does what’s expected: pay the rent/phone bill/car insurance and then, if possible, set aside a little extra for, say, dinner and a movie with the bestie. But the rules change when you’re either in or approaching The Midlife, and suddenly your need to save triples and your priority goes from scoring the latest LV tote to making sure you can afford the lifestyle to which you’ve grown accustomed.

The idea of saving is becoming more elusive with the introduction of each generation: Boomers own their houses; Millennials are trying to own anything at this point; and Gen Z? They’re just happy to be able to pay the bills on time, home ownership be damned.

But Gen X-ers? We’re stuck on the notion that we should own some form of real estate and if you ask, we’ll tell you: that’s what we’re saving for. We’re setting nearly every penny aside so that can we can one day be referred to as “homeowner”, the glaring omen to our financial prowess.

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If there’s one thing Gen-Xers can stand by, it’s that the wherever-you-are-in-the-world dream — that dream, by the way, includes four walls and en suite laundry — is not going to elude us. After all, we’re not spending our paycheques on avocado toast. We’re not taking pricey vacays and dining out for the ‘Gram. No…we’re (according to market analysts) the fiscally responsible ones, and the burden lies in keeping up generational appearances.

Regardless of how you to plan to save, one thing remains clear: if you plan to live – and I mean really live, the best you can do is save while remembering not to sacrifice the best years of your life to do so.

Let every hair flip be fabulous.

XOXO,

Le Snobbery

Original photo by Khoman Room || Artwork by Le Snobbery