22 Apr Who ARE the Joneses Anyway?

Who ARE the Joneses anyway?

Keeping Up with the Joneses

Imagine learning this idiom by certain foreigners. Wouldn’t they want to know that answer, “Who are these Joneses you speak of?” Where do they live?

Well, it is one of those phrases, that has people always wanting, always needing more and more.

According to the Webster dictionary- the phrase means,

“to show that one is as good as other people by getting what they have and doing what they do”

and Wikipedia:

“Referring to the comparison to one’s neighbor as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to “keep up with the Joneses” is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.”

This actually is an English idiom that came about from a popular comic strip from 1913-1940.

You may know people that are like the Joneses yourself and you look and see what they have acquired. Does it make them exceptional people? Does it make them the standard to live up to?

Comparison can rob the joy out of life.  In today’s society, with social media, it is so easy to see what everyone has, does and owns. When we compare ourselves and our lives to others, what is the benefit?

Happiness comes from within as we know, and “stuff” doesn’t make one happy in the long run. I’m not saying to not be a consumer and enjoy buying things here and there, but when it surpasses your wages and makes life a struggle, thus making it stressful, it is not worth it.

Finding happiness with what you have and how you live is quite freeing. As opposed to thinking about what other’s have, it is a never-ending cycle of having to keep up and buy, do what others buy and do. Would living outside your means make you happy? I doubt it, it would be a matter of accruing more debt and possibly living paycheck to paycheck.

How do you get away from this way of thinking?

• Buy only what you can afford. Living in your means makes you feel accomplished, still enjoying life by doing things you love.  If you love to travel, set a budget for travel. If you have the flexibility, and are retired, or have a flexible schedule, look for deals on airfare, and go to somewhere you’ve wanted but have choices. We are going to Portugal in September or October, as it is somewhere we wanted to explore, and is reasonable in these months. Enjoy buying some new clothes for the season, add it into your existing budget.
• Don’t feel pressured. If you have family or friends that are well off financially, and you do not make the same amount of income, don’t feel pressured to do something that you can’t afford. Make it known to family or friends, or offer alternative suggestions.
• Be happy and grateful for what you have. There is always something to be done. Are you always looking for improving your house, yourself, your … Take a look at what you have and be thankful and at peace…
• “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
• Do things that make YOU happy. Your neighbor always has a new car. If new cars are not your thing, and you are happy with a used car, because you do not place a high value on cars, then do what is right for you! Take up a new hobby, learn something new, and do what you enjoy. Looking at others for value and discerning our own self-worth based off of this, is not the way to go. Focus on you and your family and what makes you feel fulfilled. I finally, after years of wanting to volunteer with an animal shelter, have accomplished this and it makes me happy.
• Think that some have to live above their means to keep up with their friends. Going into debt, stressing over finances, is not something I willing to do to “keep up with the Joneses”
• Think of this- what makes a person “rich”? Is it the home they own, the car they drive?  To me, richness takes on many forms, donating your time to help animals, having hobbies you love, spending time with loved ones, etc can certainly be considered a “rich life”.

Do you feel a need to “Keep up with the Joneses”? What is one way you avoid this way of thinking? 

Let me know in the comments.

Jess x