The Truth About Lifestyle Creep: It's Not Your Fault, But It Is a Problem

We eat, we drink, we buy: Understanding Lifestyle Creep

I recently watched the show Your Friends and Neighbors on Apple TV. On the surface, it’s about luxury, success, and the lives of ultra-wealthy people. But beneath all that money, there’s stress, pressure, and shame. There's financial fear, too. One scene hit me hard.

Barney, a business manager, has a breakdown moment where he opens up about how easy it is to fall into the cycle of buying more, spending more, and upgrading more without realizing the extent of it. He walks through his house, surrounded by things. He notes all the rooms they don’t even use while in the middle of a massive home addition that's already way over budget. His words were:

“We eat, we drink, we buy all this shit. Then we talk about the shit we bought, and then we talk about the other shit we’re gonna buy, and then we go buy that.”

That line really struck me.

Because it’s not just about the stuff. It’s about the cycle, the pressure, and the expectations. The spending to keep up, the fear of slowing down, and the quiet wonder if any of it even brings happiness.

It’s brutally honest and painfully relatable. Barney isn’t broke, but he is overwhelmed. He’s surrounded by beautiful things yet buried in financial stress, social pressure, and emotional exhaustion.

Are You Caught in a Similar Cycle?

Have you ever felt caught in a similar cycle? This is what I often see: You can be high-earning and career-successful yet still feel reactive with money. You may feel guilt or uncertainty, like you're always just one unexpected expense away from unraveling it all. You might be financially “fine” on paper and still feel lost.

Barney’s breakdown reveals something deeper: Financial stress isn’t always about not having enough. It’s about not knowing what to do with what you have.

My Comfortable Corporate Years

During my corporate career, I reached a point where I made more than enough to fund my life. My bills were covered. I was building savings. From the outside, my life looked responsible. I appeared successful.

However, I was also spending more because I could. Not recklessly, but casually and comfortably. I’d tell myself, “I’ve worked hard, so why not?” I pulled from savings for things that weren’t emergencies. I said yes to wants that didn’t align with my long-term goals.

In hindsight, I was both responsible and irresponsible.

Back then, I didn’t realize how far my spending had drifted from my values. I had no real plan for my “extra” money, so I spent it. Not always wildly, but freely. Not in one big mistake but in a hundred little choices that felt fine in the moment.

Recognizing Lifestyle Creep

That’s the thing about lifestyle creep. It’s sneaky. It’s not obvious while it’s happening. You feel in control, even as you drift further from your priorities. It doesn’t feel like a problem until one day, it does.

Have you noticed any lifestyle creep in your own life?

Should've, Would've, Could've

Leaving corporate life and becoming self-employed changed everything. Suddenly, my income was no longer guaranteed. It fluctuated and became unpredictable. This shift forced me to examine every spending decision more closely.

Here’s what I realized: the lifestyle I had lived didn’t require the salary I was earning. I could cover my needs and still enjoy my life for about half of what I had been making before.

That truth was both uncomfortable and freeing.

All the "should've, would've, could've" scenarios filled my mind. But I finally understood what I really needed to support my lifestyle. Not just living a lifestyle based on what money was coming in.

It made me rethink what success looks like. What do I truly value? What does peace feel like? It taught me that having more money doesn’t automatically equate to progress. Saving doesn’t always mean you’re moving forward. Paying bills doesn’t mean you’re building a life you love.

Create a Financial Plan

You need a plan. A plan gives you direction, foresight, protection, and breathing room—especially when your income is unpredictable.

These days, I approach my finances with more intention than ever before. Not because I make more, but because I understand how easily money can slip away when it lacks direction.

I can’t go back and redo those years. I can’t recover that money. But I can harness what I’ve learned to move forward with awareness and peace.

And so can you.

If you’ve ever looked around and thought, “What did I spend my money on?” you’re not alone. When every income raise becomes a new expense, we lose the breathing room we worked so hard for. Lifestyle creep isn’t a sign you’ve failed. It’s a sign it’s time to pause, reflect, and reset.

Let’s create a plan that supports your life instead of one that silently drains it.

Let’s Figure It Out Together

Do you want to see if lifestyle creep quietly affects your finances? Download the Lifestyle Creep Self-Assessment Checklist, a quick tool to help you spot habits that might be costing you peace and progress.

Grab the free checklist here.

And if this story resonated with you, remember you don’t need to feel shame for the past. You can decide what happens next.

You don't have to do this alone. Let’s figure it out together.

Cash Flow Reset Session. In one session, we’ll unpack what’s going on with your money and what you truly need to support your life. You’ll walk away with actionable steps you can take immediately to help you regain control over your finances.

What's your biggest takeaway from this post? Share your thoughts and experiences with lifestyle creep in the comments below!