Stop Blaming the Joneses!

The phrase “keeping up with the Joneses” is used so often to explain the massive debt that Canadian consumers find themselves in – we thought it was time to stand up for the Joneses.

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. Jones live in a nice house. They lived in a series of basement apartments, until they had saved up a large down payment. After a long search for the best mortgage (one they could afford and pay off at an accelerated rate), they went looking for a home. They took a long time finding a home too. They carefully evaluated their current and future needs, learned all they could about the housing market, and found a knowledgeable real estate agent. Eventually, they bought in a good neighbourhood. Their home was well priced, as it needed some cosmetic work that the Joneses would have to do themselves, but that was ok with the Joneses.

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. Jones have a nice car. They have driven a succession of ‘beaters’ that gradually improved as they were able to afford better vehicles on a cash-only basis. The Joneses have never had a car loan - something that makes accelerated mortgage payments easier to do. They also look after their cars, with regular cleaning, and maintenance (they found a good, reliable, reasonably priced private mechanic). Their car may not be the latest model, and it does not have all the extras, but it is a sound, reliable car, and that is ok with the Joneses.

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. Jones entertain a lot. They have a large group of friends who are very much like them. Their gatherings are almost always fun, potluck events – that don’t cost much to host. When they have barbeques in their back yard, they usually serve hamburgers (with Mr. Jones’ secret sauce) and hot dogs. Their children’s birthday parties are a hit with the entire neighbourhood. The kids love the parties, where there is lots of Kool-Aid, gift bags with low-cost toys from the dollar store, homemade sloppy joes, awesome games, and fun inexpensive deserts made by Mrs. Jones. It takes a bit more time to entertain this way, but that is ok with the Joneses.

Yes, Mr. & Mrs. Jones (who ever they may be) are living a good life – and we commend their life style, and the way they earned it. They are an example to us all – creating a good life while upholding the principles of thrift and hard work.

The next time you, or someone you know, seems to be going into debt to get the things the Joneses have, without doing the work the Joneses did – Stop Blaming the Joneses!