Kevin and Sam recently wrote great pieces about the taboos around money and revealing how much you make. They opened up a good discussion on why salaries are generally kept quiet and not revealed in daily conversation. But what about how much you spent on a car? For many people a car is seen as a major income indicator. Do the same taboos apply?
People can guess what you spent
One main difference between what you spend on a car and your salary is that people can actually see the car. They can make an educated guess about what you paid whether you tell them or not.
Justified or not, people tend to make snap judgments based on the type of car you drive. If you drive a high-end luxury car like a Porsche or a Mercedes assumptions are made that you have a lot of disposable income. On the other hand, if you drive an old beater some people assume you can’t afford much more.
Of course they don’t really know whether you can afford what you drive or if you’re up to your eyeballs in debt. But the reality is that many people see your car and assume things like how much you get paid and your financial worth. Read More
