When it comes to editorial trends we can’t wait to see die, second maybe only to the unending check-ins with how Trump voters are feeling today is the “how millennials should be spending their money” articles. It feels like every week or so, we get a new “by age 30 you should have saved ____” piece, usually written by someone far outside the millennial age range, and basing their reasoning on standards that just don’t exist anymore. The only good thing about any of these articles is watching people dunk on them as hard as possible.
Today’s example: This entry in CNBC’s ongoing “Millennial Money” series of budget breakdowns from people who are “excellent with money.”
The budget breakdown of a 25-year-old who makes $100,000 a year and is excellent with money. via @CNBCMakeIt https://t.co/GLRCp1rfey pic.twitter.com/FuxRVrYXoH
— CNBC (@CNBC) December 21, 2018
Looking at that graph, you might wonder how a person can possibly get internet for $20 and a house cleaner for $30. Well, part of being “excellent with money” apparently involves living with four roommates. “I like my rent to be at a number where it doesn’t actually matter to me each month,” says Trevor Klee, this 25-year-old financial wizard says. Which, I mean, same, but it’s not exactly a useful piece of advice for most of us.
Other fun, highly relatable things about Trevor: He gives away in charitable donations nearly as much as he spends in rent; he’s on his family’s phone plan; and most notably, despite graduating from Princeton, he has (based on this graph) no student loans–or, apparently, any debt at all.
Y’all really, really need to stop pulling your figures from trust fund kids who had their tuition paid for and are currently making way more than the national average.
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) December 21, 2018
Show me a 25 y/o who makes $100k, doesn’t have student loans, and pays $825 in rent and I’ll show you my unicorn farm.
— Krista Allen (@krista515all) December 21, 2018
Synonyms are how “didn’t spend my whole check on unicorn pajamas for my cat” can become “I’m excellent with money.” #MoreOrLess
— Thesaurus.com (@thesauruscom) December 21, 2018
Cool now make one for the average 25 year old who makes less than a third of this https://t.co/WCs8m8cyfK
— rob trench (@robtrench) December 21, 2018
Things got even more ridiculous, though, when writer Miles Klee made this announcement:
lol this is about my cousinhttps://t.co/prKQOhjhmW
— O Come, All Klee Faithful 🎄 (@MilesKlee) December 21, 2018
And proceded to spill all sorts of familial tea.
got to the part where he said “Tutoring was a chance to do teaching for serious” and my mom—an actual teacher—has pulled up the story on her laptop so she can hate-read for herself
— O Come, All Klee Faithful 🎄 (@MilesKlee) December 21, 2018
to me the funniest is where he says he doesn’t mind living with roommates. last time we saw him he complained about them A LOT
— O Come, All Klee Faithful 🎄 (@MilesKlee) December 21, 2018
These kinds of articles are laughable, but they do also perpetuate a damaging idea of wealth responsibility. Like so many other budget breakdown series we’ve seen, it posits immense privilege as a natural part of what it means to be “excellent with money,” enforcing our skewed perception that treats a lack of such privilege as irresponsibility.
I 110% don’t blame this kid. Good for him! I blame media outlets who frame this as the norm or as if it’s easily achievable for most.
— Alisha Grauso (@AlishaGrauso) December 21, 2018
(image: Disney)
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Published: Dec 21, 2018 06:13 pm