inspiration

Keeping Up

I watch quite a few Youtubers and one girl that I watch vlogged her experience with buying a car. The video starts where she’s going to get her dream car (a Jeep) and ends with her getting a Honda CRV. I thought it was such a great video because it was unfolding in real time (as much as a vlog can at least) and she came to the conclusion that the Jeep just wasn’t going to be the best financial decision. And even though she wanted a Jeep, she would have been buying a Jeep for the wrong reasons. It really resonated with me.

I’m obviously quite involved with social media, as it’s my job, but I feel like what that Youtuber shared is never quite the message that comes across. Even if the message isn’t explicitly saying “You need [insert a noun] to have a [insert a positive adjective] life,” I can see how it could be interpreted that way en masse.

While I feel like I do a fairly good job of showing real life (whether it’s sharing a personal struggle or re-wearing clothes instead of just buying new all the time), I know I could be better.

And, I have to admit, I fall victim to the pressure of “keeping up,” too.

Mike was buying a new car last weekend and I came along for moral support. But of course, we’re sitting in these car dealerships looking at brand new, very shiny cars and all I could think about was how I wanted to upgrade my car. As much as I love my Subaru (and I do, a lot!), it’s not the fanciest car. I was looking at these fancy cars with their big digital displays and customized packages feeling like my car was totally not up to snuff.

Which couldn’t be farther from the truth. My car is GREAT. Not only is it a practical choice (the Forester retains its resale value for, like, ever), it’s a super safe car too. I bought it with those two things particularly in mind. Realistically, I may not have this car forever, but for right now? There’s literally no (solid) reason for why I’d need to trade it in or sell it currently.

Could I afford a “nicer car”? Sure. But is it a good financial decision? Nope. Is it even necessary? Definitely not.

And probably most importantly: Does not having a luxury car make my life any less interesting? No.

Subaru

Mike and I have been sharing a car for the last year because parking in Hoboken is tight. It made more sense to just have one car and since I already owned mine but didn’t need it on an everyday basis here, he drove it to work every day. I haven’t driven much at all in the past year because I didn’t really need to. It was easier most times to call an Uber than it would be to get my car out of our parking garage and then try to find and pay for parking somewhere else.

But I did miss it! Having a car was one of my favorite things about moving out of NYC when I moved to Connecticut. Since he bought a car on Saturday, we drove home separately and, honestly, it felt like I had a new car again! All of my feelings about wanting that luxury car melted away during that forty-minute commute. I reprogramed my phone into the Bluetooth system (I hadn’t driven it in so long that I had a new phone that I never connected!) and got everything resituated.

I spent a good bit of the drive home thinking about how I wanted to write this post. And I’m not even sure that it makes sense. But, since I loved that Youtuber’s video so much because of how realistic and normal (not to mention smart) it was, I thought I’d throw in my two cents too.

Even though I’m no financial expert, I want to put together a post for the future about basic, common sense money decisions I think women in their 20s should make. Putting yourself in a good (even great) financial position doesn’t have to be that complicated. Let me know if you’d want to hear my thoughts on it! 😬

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86 Comments

Emma

Yes please write about financial decisions! I feel that it is a super important topic that you don’t really learn in school but have to figure out yourself. And that’s why it would be so good to hear about someone else’s decisions 🙂

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Sarah

As a 20 year old struggling with budgeting, I would LOVE to see a post about your advice on smart financial decisions!

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Kelly

LOVE THIS! Mitch and I have been driving an old Prius for years, and while it’s not the fanciest thing, it totally gets the job done. (For now. Will probably need to get a bigger car once we have two car seats, haha.) Would I like to have a fancy set of wheels with leather seats and a pretty display? Sure. But there are so many other things that are taking priority right now, and like you said, owning a luxury car will not make my life any better–or more interesting! Great post! 🙂 xoxo, the Insomniac in Chicago

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Aoife

Haha Kelly, Mitch’s post raving about your Prius has literally made me want to get a Prius for my next car, and I currently have a nice Audi! Carly’s Forester seems like an awesome family car, too. I just want something that doesn’t need expensive service and will last forever!

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Rena

I understand your questions as well as you enjoyed finally driving home with your own car again. Personally, I appreciate it that I have a good car and that I can afford this car.

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Jasmine

Omg I have been waiting for that finance post forever! I’d love to hear your thoughts on it, you seem to manage your money pretty well despite the pressure to spend as a blogger. Super useful skills!

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Michael @ Mile in My Glasses

This was such an interesting post! I totally agree about keeping up, and yearning sometimes to make financial decisions even though they aren’t the most smart at the time. Social media can be a melting pot of pressure sometimes but taking control and stepping back is so important!

I hope you have a great Wednesday,
Michael
https://www.mileinmyglasses.com

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Kelly

I love these kinds of posts!! And I think some basic, general tips would be great! Looking forward to seeing it in the future 🙂

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Liz

Carly,

I’m 24 and about to graduate pharmacy school, start my first job, and get married. I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and ideas about maintaining financial wellness! Thank you for sharing this post. I feel like so many bloggers buy the latest and greatest just to stay relevant and exciting. Thank you for keeping it real and relatable!

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Nessa

“Thank you for sharing this post. I feel like so many bloggers buy the latest and greatest just to stay relevant and exciting. Thank you for keeping it real and relatable!” very well put

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Sara

YES! I have yet to see a blogger post about money basics and it’s such a huge gap in the knowledge of most women in their 20s. I made a lot of mistakes with money in my early 20s because I honestly just didn’t know better. This could help others in that boat!

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Lauren B

Hi Carly! Please do a post about good financial decisions. I’m in my early 20’s and just graduated from college and plan to live at home for the next couple of years- not ideal but the smart decision. I’d love to hear your other thoughts on the matter!

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Quinn

I have a Subaru too and it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! It was aptly my first ‘adult’ decision – no regrets over here. I think it’s great that you talk about good financial decisions (especially in your 20s), while there’s a lot of ‘bigger is better’ talk coming from other bloggers. Always love your (diverse) content, Carly!

xx http://www.qustomquinns.com/blog

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Allie N

Totally agree with you! The pressure for lifestyle inflation seems to increase with social media. And in the moment, it can seem harmless or even good- a sign of our hard work that we can afford nicer things. But there are real implications. Would love to hear your take on smart financial decisions to make in your 20s!

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Kyra

I love this! Such a breath of fresh air. Thank you! I would also be very interested in a series on good financial decisions.

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Hunter

I love the idea of financial posts! That’s one thing that I struggle with, and I would love to get any advice I can! Thanks for sharing, Carly!

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Chelsea

I absolutely loved this post! I’ve had my car for close to 10 years! It’s a 2008 Volkswagen Beetle that my parents bought pre-owned and gave to me in 2012 when I graduated from college. I was so excited to finally have my own car….and now that I’m older I see all of my friends and coworkers getting new cars and I can’t help but feel envious. I take really good care of my car, it has almost 145,000 miles on and still runs really well! Every once in a while I browse new cars online (or certified pre-owned) and remind myself that even though I can afford a new car, I don’t need to spend that money. My car runs just fine and I love driving it…it just doesn’t have all the bells and whistles like a built-in navigation system or heated seats! I totally agree with everything you said, it’s so easy to compare ourselves to everyone else, but we can’t let that control our decisions! It’s important to do what’s right for you.

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Mary

Yes, we would love to hear your thoughts and even see your budgets! Loving the direction this post is going in.

PS – I live in metro-boston (no parking…) with my husband and we share a 2006 used subaru outback. It’s the best car ever and far from glamourous, but such a good financial move.

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P.

I’m a financial advisor. I see a lot of young people start out with a lot of debt and a lot of questions and the minute they start making any money, the frugality ends. I think a post about the psychology of finances would be helpful to your audience. Sometimes it’s just a matter of reframing the way we think about things.

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Kristen

A post on financial decisions and personal finance skills could be good. Over the last year or so I’ve been watching some videos from the YouTube channel The Financial Diet and Chelsea Fagan has some great financial tips. I don’t follow all of them because I feel like they’re not all for me, but she has some great and simple ways to save money or make money on the side, some of which I never would have thought of on my own. For example, even something as simple as not washing your hair saves a lot of money in the long run. I never would’ve thought about it that way!

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Jessica Alvarez

I meannnn, this is why you are my favorite blogger. I think small experiences like this are such real/tangible parts of LIFE, but most people skip over it. Thanks for sharing <3 would love a post on more!

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Zoe

Thank you for sharing these thoughts, Carly. Sometimes I have to unfollow certain Instagram accounts/blogs every now and then because they tempt me to spend money on things I don’t need! Not only does this contribute to that “FOMO” feeling, it’s also really bad for my bank account! I’ve had to ask myself a lot, “Do I REALLY need this?” and usually the answer is no. I’m trying to be happier with what I have, but it is hard! This post resonated with me- I’m glad to know I’m not alone.

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Courtney

Zoe, I completely agree! I often blog about appreciating what we already have instead of spending, but it can be difficult when you see so many beautiful photographs online. You’re definitely not alone here 🙂

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Shannon M

Love this post! I think a financial post would be a great idea. I’m in my early 20s and one of the best things I’ve done as I start to make big purchases is subscribe to Consumer Reports. Each issue reviews different major ‘buys’ and it has not steered me wrong yet! Like car buying, it has definitely helped steer me from the thing I only want because its pretty and new (looking at you – Dyson stick vacuum) to the things I actually need and are better financial decisions.

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Lauren

Carly, I would LOVE to hear more about your common sense money decisions. I agree – putting yourself in a good financial positions isn’t that complicated but it does take practice. -Lauren

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Heather

The topic of “nice” cars came up in conversation recently with a friend who had gone home to the suburbs for a friend’s bridal shower. We were discussing how living in a big city, where we have no idea what anyone drives––or if they even have a car, has caused us to totally forgot that cars are seen as status symbols in so many places. It’s so nice not to feel as if we need to keep up and take on a car payment! (Though, some could argue, we end up paying a car payment each month in public transit and ubers, but that’s a conversation for another day, haha).

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Kristin

Yes to financial posts!! So few people openly talk about finances when it’s one of the most important aspects of life.

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Kim Swales

I did not know you had the Subaru Forrester. We are looking at buying one for Will in the next few weeks. It will be an early college graduation present (he only has 5 more classes !) He needs it now though because of an internship this summer. We are looking for one that is a year or 2 used. So, you love yours? Anything you don’t like? Any problems? Maybe message me. He likes all the driver assist technology in the newer ones.

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Nicci

Hi Kim!. I saw you comment about the Forrester and had to reply. My brother has one and LOVES it. He’s had his for about 4 years now. Something he noticed when he bought his is that it was only a few hundred dollars difference between a brand new one and a year or two year old used one. Great in terms of the car holding value, but not so great when buying one. He ended up buying a new one after emailing a few dealerships with the features he wanted and the price he wanted to pay.

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Grace

Yes, please! Your money/budget real life posts are some of my favorite…they give me such a strange sense of relief. The online world is so weird in that it can be hard to see someone who buys nicer brands/successfully works online and not think ‘wow, they can afford almost anything.’ Dumb, but true. I appreciate how relatable you are and that you choose to share posts like this!

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Kim Swales

Oh and back to your original intent of the post…I have raised my kids saying “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.” We have no debt whatsoever. So, we make choices to buy what we can afford. A car gets you from point a to point B. My Honda Odyssey does that just as well as a luxury vehicle would and I have no car payment and never have. I really think too many people act impulsively and get what they want when they want and I don’t think that’s wise down the road. I want financial security. The happiness material things give us is very fleeting. It is not true joy!!!!

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Janet Fazio

Trying to keep up is so tempting, but not worth it in the long run. I’ve had my car for 12 years now, and as it grows close to time to replace it, it will be with a used car. No need to stress my finances with something that depreciates instantly.

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Kayla

I would love to hear your thoughts on balancing finances in your 20s–so important and not talked about enough!

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Stevie

I’m dying to know where you moved to!! Because I remember a post from last week said it was your last day or something in Hoboken, and I assume his new car is related to a change in the difficulty of parking. But I’m sure you’ll share in due time! (I’m just so curious…)

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Kate

Two financial blogs I really like are Bitches Get Riches and The Luxe Strategist. Both have a common sense approach to finances, and get me fired up to make better decisions.

We bought a house a year and a half ago. It was so easy to get swept up into updated properties in hip locations, especially once the bank gave us a pre-approval for a mortgage. Thankfully, we came back to earth and bought something practical that works for us and was a better financial decision (both for day-to-day affordability and resale). Sometimes I wish we had an updated bathroom or kitchen counter right now, but it’s so nice to not stress about the mortgage monthly by having something we can actually afford.

Kudos for writing this! Would love to see more like it.

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Laura F

Hi Carly! I’ve been reader for years! I loved this post and think its something that in the digital age we need to constantly remember. I would love a post about money tips for women in their 20’s. Thank you for everything!

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Sonja

A huge thanks for this post! I guess that a lot of energy is wasted nowadays by just “trying to keep up” and feeling the urge to buy stuff just to have to some sort of lifestyle that will never ever result in true happiness. My old car also broke down last year, so I can totally relate to the thoughts in this post of yours. I also thought about getting something fancy ( a Jeep? Some nice SUV?) and I would have done it for all the wrong reasons, too. In the end, I got the perfect city car-a Mercedes SMART. It fits even in the tiniest parking space, has a nice acceleration and every time I fill it up at the gas station I smile when I pay 🙂 The price for buying it was nothing compared to a big SUV so I could splurge on the interior which makes ME happy when I drive it. And I don´t care anymore if other people think that you need a car as a status symbol – this car does the job getting me from A to B and having fun while doing it. So thanks again for the inspiration (and, by the way, all the great book recommendations, too! It inspired me to read more and I loved every single of your recommendations so far!). Plus: Sorry for my english, but I am not a native as you can tell 😉

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Aislinn Santoyo

I absolutely loved this post!! My husband and I just made a similar decision, this month he finished paying his 2011 Toyota Corolla and we have decided to keep it! Its a great car, and there is no real reason why he should upgrade other than just wanting a fancier car which at the moment does not align with our goals. He will however upgrade some stuff like his tinted windows and maybe some new rims and a deep upholstery clean! I own a 2018 subaru outback and could not be 🙂 Thanks for the post and would love to see more advice like this!

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Jules

This is really funny because last summer I bought a Subaru too (the outback) and I loved everything about it from the moment I drove it-the way it handled, seat warmers, reclining back seats, CarPlay, and the fact that I’m 5 feet tall so it much easier for me to use all of the cargo space- but still I hesitated. What are people going to think about a “station wagon”? Am I better off with the Grand Cherokee?
I bought the subie because they have an excellent reputation for safety and reliability and also because this phase of life (I’m going through IVF and hope to be a Mom soon) needs a car that can take a little tough love and not having to lift a stroller over my head to put it in the trunk is a bonus 🙂

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Heather Lorraine Tydings

This is great! My husband and I have been thinking about going down to one car to help with costs. Everytime we talk about it with other people they seem to think the idea of a single car family is crazy. It’s nice to hear that other people have the same thought process as we do when it comes to only having one car for money reasons!

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Caroline

Amazing post Carly! I have never had a car payment and I never will. They literally drop in value the second you drive it off the lot and do I really care what the guy beside me in traffic thinks? Anyone that knows anything about money knows not to judge a book by the cover and those with older cars tend to have the highest net worth! For me, a liberal budget for travel > car all day every day! When I think about what I’ve saved over the years by not having a pesky payment, it’s mind blowing. Keep up the great content!

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Brett

Would love more posts on financials. Most of it is good common sense and it’s great to hear from people who are not experts. I always find posts like this one helps to reiterate that I don’t need to be an expert to be financially smart.
My car died days before my fiancé and I left for vacation and when we came back we wanted to take our time looking. 6 weeks late he got a job offer across the country. Our new city has a great metro line and we knew we didn’t want to pay for another car and to move it before the relocation. It was tough to share a car for 8 months when we needed a car to get to work. but best financial decision.

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Sabrina

I’d love a financial post! I’ll be starting my master’s program in the fall, and I’ll be paid a monthly stipend as a graduate teaching assistant. It’ll be the first time I’m making “real” money, and I want to figure out how to best save and prioritize during this year of stability!

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Libby

Would love a post on financial decisions in your 20s! I am always thinking of this, especially as a graduate student!

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Sarah

Ha! My fiance just bought a new car (Subaru outback!), and while I’m definitely jealous of some of the features he has, when he asked if I thought I’d want to replace my car soon, i said not until it starts having issues that aren’t worth the cost or hassle to fix or it stops meeting my needs. Cars are expensive!

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Harriet

Hi Carly! As an early twenty-something, I’d absolutely love to read a post about common-sense financial decisions for young women – it can feel so overwhelming just considering them hypothetically, let alone having to actually commit. You seem very financially savvy so I’d welcome your tips!

Thanks!

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Caroline

This might be one of my favorite posts! I definitely support financial tips, especially for young women. I would suggest with your knowledge and experience maybe adding in investment advice or retirement savings advice, or linking to sources for more info! This sounds like a great post or even a series! As women, like us, are increasingly interested in building successful careers, we should also be focused on building our financial literacy. Thank you for this post!

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Jennifer Lewis

100000x yes. Thank you for this post, it is so needed in today’s environment. I think our generation really struggles with “keeping up” and discerning between the want and need in life and frankly sometimes going towards the “want” creates a hell of a lot of stress. It’s something I’ve personally been working on over the last year. I think it would be really great for some financially focused posts and frankly how you personally have remained pretty grounded as an “influencer” (which is great btw!)

xx,
J

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Tina

This is why I love reading your blog and following you on Instagram. You are stylish yet practical and stay true to your own style. I follow so many fashion bloggers and I was just telling my daughter that there must be a requirement to own a white Mercedes SUV, own a LV never-full bag, and have hair extensions in order to be a fashion blogger (in the south anyway). Not that there is anything wrong with any of those things. Believe me, I pondered purchasing a white Mercedes SUV and purchasing a LV bag. But it was just not practical. It just seems like so many bloggers follow a mold and lose authenticity or originality just to “keep up”. I found your blog years ago when researching college in NYC for my daughter and I still use you as an example to her today. Thank you for sharing!

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Bailey Carver

Love everything you said here! I feel like I am always trying to keep up with new clothes, travel, or whatever it may be and when I sit back and take a minute to reflect on what I have and want I don’t feel that pressure. Would love a post on setting myself up for a healthy financial lifestyle!

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Ilana

I’ll add my name to the list of people who would love to see a post on finances! I’m graduating college in a few weeks and moving halfway across the country, and worrying about finances is keeping me up at night! I’m looking for all the resources I can get 🙂

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Rieke

Yes please a post on money basics and financial decisions! I’m currently obsessed with Refinery29’s Money Diaries because I just started my professional career and think it’s so interesting to see how women handle their finances. Please more!

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Katie

I would love to hear your thoughts on financial decisions! I’m currently struggling with that topic right now and would love the advice!

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Emily Godoy

THANK YOU for sharing this Carly! This resonates with me on SO many levels. I currently have Toyota that’s a little over 10 years old. It’s a no-nonsense car that doesn’t have any bells and whistles. It’s got “character” (read: it’s not the most glamorous looking thing haha.) Anyways, I too, feel that pressure of upgrading my car to a much nicer looking one. Though, it wouldn’t make any financial sense in my case either. My mom has even mentioned that she thinks I should upgrade my car within the next year. But, my car is very dependable and it gets me where I need to go. So, all this to say that this post is a breath of fresh air coming from someone as successful as you! Thank you for sharing your input. I would love to hear your money tips for women in their 20s!

XO,
Emily
http://emilygodoy.com/blog/

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Meagan R.

I’d definitely want to hear your thoughts on basic financial decisions for gals in their 20s! And I so appreciate this post. Thanks for sharing with us!

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Abby

Carly! I needed this and love it so much. A car has been on my mind as something I need the “shiny” version of when my car is perfect (and what a blessing that is! Even if she doesn’t have the bells and whistles). I would love to hear your thoughts on financial decisions in your 20’s.

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Courtney

Carly, I can completely relate. I love my car! It is a 2005 Chevy cobalt with paint missing on the hood and manual roll down windows that make toll booth operators laugh at me when they get jammed, but its really great. Old Trusty has been paid off for years, the insurance costs next to nothing, it has amazing gas mileage, and it is in great shape. Sure, people make fun (my mom says my car looks like it belongs to a teenage boy) and people say that my business will be judged by what I’m driving, but I don’t need a “cool” car with a car payment to be happy or to be good at what I do. If anything, a new car would just detract from what is truly important and cut into my travel funds. Thank you for sharing this post today!

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Bellsa

Hi Carly,

Although I am not your target audience, I still like to read your blog. I have a Honda Civic 2000 and it is still going strong. It has been paid for over 14 years ago. I live in a big city and take the bus everywhere, as driving in the city takes longer than the bus. I would love to buy a new car–but there is no need!

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Zoe McKenzie

I would love a post on putting yourself in a good financial position! I graduated from graduate school a year and a half ago and have school loans to pay off (as does my boyfriend from grad school). We got engaged in January and are saving for a wedding and a house on top of trying to pay our student loans down! It seems so incredibly daunting especially thinking of having children in the next 5 years on top of it all… all this adulting is hard!

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Christine S.

That’s so great that you have your car back – can’t wait to hear about the upcoming move (and house?!?).

I think a financial guidance post would be wonderful. I’d also recommend having some non-blogger friends weigh in as well to supplement it. I think your income and salary model are pretty different from your readers’, so it could be great to have advice from people who are in a different financial situation mixed in with your advice! Maybe some from people with annual salaries, financial tips for low income jobs or unpaid internships, someone with large student loan payments, etc. And then something I’d really love to hear from you is all your tips and tricks for dealing with finances when you move in with a significant other – but maybe that should be a separate post. Haha

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Phoebe

I would LOVE a financial post. Maybe it’s because I’m graduating from college in a week but I have been obsessed with reading about finance lately. Something I would be super interested in is how you handle finances when you’re in a relationship and living together. My boyfriend and I are planning on moving in together by the end of the year and I would love to hear your advice about such a big step.

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Havens

Hi Carly! I would *love* to hear your thoughts on how a 20-something woman can set herself up for a good financial future (and financial present). I’m graduating college soon, and this has certainly been on my mind. Thanks!

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Megan L Williams

Learning the difference between “want” and “need” when I was in my early twenties allowed me to buy a car and eventually a house. It’s a wise thing to understand early!

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Colleen

Would love to hear your thoughts on it! This post just resonated with me hugely.

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Joanna

I would love to see more posts about making smart money decisions. I also would be interested to know how much you save, and how you invest!

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Karen

This post helped recalibrate some of my own unnecessary spending desires. I’d love to hear more from you on practical spending for myself instead of attempting to “keep up.”

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Caroline

I love this post. I have been saving up over the last six months or so for a car – I’m driving one of my parents cars that’s a little older, and now that I’m in a financial position to do so, the plan was to buy a car of my own. But I’ve decided to make some changes professionally in the upcoming months, so I’m going to put off buying a car for a while. While I like the idea of a new car, I really love the car I have and it does everything I need it to.
I would love to hear your suggestions about managing money! It’s something I’m only starting to feel comfortable with in my late 20s.

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Leslie

Yes! This resonates with me so much. I’ve only been out of college for a year and now that I have a salary, I’m always looking for sound and trustworthy financial advice. The more it goes against “keeping up,” the better 🙂

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Caitlin

Yes to all the above! It’s hard to sometimes see past the “shiny” delight of decisions that may not be the most practical ideas. However, setting ourselves up for success by doing the things that make the most practical sense and will last is a good choice. Would love to hear more of your thoughts on finances!

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Jada

I loved this post and I can totally relate! I pass by my dream car every day on my way to work and while I already drive a nice enough car, I too had the feeling like it is just OK. I have realized too that it didn’t financially make sense to trade in for a newer version just because!

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Shannon Mahaney

I feel you! I’ve wanted a bigger car for the last few years but I don’t need it. I have a 2012 Honda Civic and it’s the 2nd car of bought for myself but the first car I’ve been so proud to own. While I drool over those new Lexus SUVs, my Civic is still in great shape. There’s no reason for me to upgrade yet!

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Annabelle

Hi Carly! I’ve been reading your blog since early HS and was so excited when you got a Subaru! I have a Forester, too and am low-key in love with my car. The plan is to have it forever 🙂

Anyways, I’m now in my mid-20s and would love if you did a post on how you maintain and take care of your car (service appointments, oil changes, washes, etc.). I feel like that’s something a lot of younger people don’t know a lot about (me included!).

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Bekah

Carly,

Loved your transparency in this post! It does make so much sense. You are peeling back the layers. I appreciate that.

I think it would be great if you did a financial series. I think your blog has an undercurrent of chic, quality, investment vibe that is both intuitive and budget friendly.

You are not about dads and trends that last only a season and where someone throws their money away on cuts and fabrics that are not universal.

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Leah

Love this! Before my husband and I were married he bought and paid off a vehicle. We make having one work and until our jobs/life make that more difficult we are hoping to hold on to just one. Thankfully, we have pretty decent public transportation if needed right now too. Also, it’s better for the environment to buy only when you need!

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Karin

I love idea behind this post and I would love to hear what you have to say about financial decisions. As a woman in my twenties, I feel that financial discussions aren’t at the forefront of people’s minds and the more info that’s out there, the better! Looking forward to hearing your voice/thoughts on this!

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Nessa

“post for the future about basic, common sense money decisions I think women in their 20s should make”- yes that would be so awesome and help quite a few readers.

Love this post!

“Could I afford a ‘nicer car’? Sure. But is it a good financial decision? Nope. Is it even necessary? Definitely not.” . . . great perspective and thank you for sharing.

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Lauren

As a woman in her young 20s, I would absolutely love to hear thoughts and advice on smart financial and smart life decisions. I’m constantly thinking ahead and trying to be smart with my money now, but I know there are things I’m probably not thinking of! Love this post. Two of my friends recently upgraded to new cars and I found myself a little jealous, but I made myself stop and reevaluate my feelings. My car works incredibly well, is only 3 years old, and is paid off! What more could I ask for?

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Briana

I love that you took on this subject! It is not talked about enough that you don’t always need the newest and the best. At 3 years old I still feel like my practical car purchase is the best spaceship ever, LOL

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Dee

I can totally relate! I live in an area where a lot of people have a lot of wealth and flaunt it. I’m constantly working with constituents that have the fanciest, latest, and greatest cars, purses, etc…It can all go to your head and after a while made me feel like I was worthless because I couldn’t keep up (I definitely am not wealthy in that sense). I definitely needed to give myself a reality check when I went to get a new car. I realized that the Suburu Outback was MY dream car (for now) because it was nice on the outside and still sporty. It felt really good staying true to myself and getting the car that worked best for me, and not just was a showpiece to keep up with others. I’m definitely trying to remember that across all areas of my life.

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Tori

I would a post about this! It’s so hard to make good financial decisions, especially when i want to buy everything I see on social media

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Emily

I’d really enjoy a post on financial decisions! I also watched the video you mentioned at the start of the post and loved it because it was for real. I don’t have a fancy car but I love it and it gets me where I need to go safely, which is ultimately the most important thing.

Emily | Snippets of Emily’s Life xx

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