Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel - Are These Status Symbols Timeless or Tired?

Episode Date: May 9, 2024

💵 Sign up for EveryDollar today. Create a free budget!  What do puka shells, water beds and lifted trucks have in common? They’re all status symbols (or were at some point). In this episode, Rachel and George will unpack the most popular and bizarre status symbols from throughout history and around the world. They’ll also reveal which ones are worth pursuing—and how to not break the bank in the process. Next Steps ·      📱 Submit a Guilty as Charged question for Rachel and George! Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it.   Offers From Today's Sponsors This episode is sponsored by DeleteMe. 🔒 Remove your personal information from the web and get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to http://joindeleteme.com/smartmoney.  🙌   Today’s Happy Hour Special 🍸 Chai White Russian Recipe: Cocktailwave.com Ingredients: ·      2 ounces vodka ·      1 ounce coffee liqueur ·      2 bags chai tea ·      1 ounce cream Instructions: Brew a strong cup of chai tea and let it cool. Stir together with vodka and coffee liqueur. Top with cream and stir gently. Listen to More From Ramsey Network 🎙️ The Ramsey Show   🧠 The Dr. John Delony Show 💡 The Rachel Cruze Show 💸 The Ramsey Show Highlights 💰 George Kamel 💼 The Ken Coleman Show 📈 EntreLeadership Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel. And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Cheers, George. Cheers. That's different. And a little chalky. Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts,

talk about what you're talking about, everything from pop culture, current events, and money. Which is why today we're talking about status symbols. We're bringing it all together. We are. It's going to be a good show, George. I'm feeling good about this. You know how you used to use like BRB on AOL Instant Messenger?

Oh, yeah, AIM. We've talked about this. What was your screen name? Go real quick. R-O-7-11. What was yours? Oh, nice. A little bit of heaven, 380.

That's still, I... So much to unpack there, but I'm not a therapist. So anyways, there was like the saddest symbols of those days. You know, today it's like private jets and corner offices. We're back in the day, too, the Pookashell necklace. Do you remember those, George? Yeah, I didn't wear any. Did you?

Maybe. It's actually, it was a guy thing. Holster, holster vibes. Yes. But, you know, there were status symbols there, but also we're going to talk about status symbols throughout history. We're going to talk about how... Around the world.

Around the world. Not to break the bank. To be chasing after all this stuff. There's going to be some good stuff in this episode, George, I feel it. Can we just say, while Skyler, the producer is here, producer, Lindsay, you've got a lot of comments and concern about sweet Lindsay. She's alive and well, you guys. She took some time off.

but she will be back in action soon. But I just love how worried you guys were about her. I think it means they care. They do. So that little bright sunshine will be back in our presence soon. And I'll say in her stead, producer Skyler has done a wonderful job. It's fantastic, Skylar. We just have a great team.

You know, having a single gal in the chair has really brought out the comments. Very different. Brought out the comment. New energy. All right. So we're going to sipping on George. We're sipping on the shy white Russian. And at the end of the episode, if you stick around, we'll give you our rating,

reveal the cost per glass, and as usual recipe is in the show note. So stick around to the end. So good. Okay, so status symbols, George. What does it mean? Traditional definition means an object that signifies wealth or high social status without words. Oh. So just what you see.

It may not always be what you get, but it says something about you. There's a flaunting there. So here's some traditional all-American examples, luxury car. That's a classic status symbol. Yes. What do you think is the biggest flex right now as far as luxury car? Oh, like the type of car? Yeah.

Oh, gosh. Can you think of a model? You know, I, no, I don't know cars that well. But in my stage of life, it's like the really expensive SUVs at the mom's drive. Oh, yeah. That are technically made for, like, off-road mountain climbing and stuff. But they use them for carpal. And, like, sitting in.

It's the same thing with the guys wearing Carhart. Like, what's the last time you got in some construction? It's like a land rover, a range rover. Okay. To me, like a really nice SUV feels like a, oh, yeah, you're doing well in life. Yeah. For the guys, I feel like it's the lifted truck. That's the status of the road. You always go back to the lifted truck.

The higher the truck, the closer to God. That's how I imagine they feel. They say that. And about hair. And about hair. And for the girls. But yeah, I think for the Rolls-Royce, Bentley, like those are some crazy Lamborghini.

Yeah. Maserati. Yeah. Those are this crazy high end. Yeah. But I think for more normal people, like you and I, it's the BMWs, the Range Rovers. Yeah, for sure.

Okay, how about this? A large house. That's kind of an all-American status symbol. The mansion or Mick Mansion. Yes, the Mick Mansion. What does that mean? It's like, you know, it's not an actual mansion, but just seven-bedroom houses, that kind of thing. Just that kind of thing.

Yeah. Yeah. You know, it's funny, even like with my kids, like, they don't know the difference. They don't pick up on that stuff yet. Like, you could go to a house that, you know, good old rancher with a few bedrooms. And it's like, great. Or you could go to, like, a big house. I'd walk into that house and be like, Mommy, this house stinks.

Yeah, no, no. They, they grew up very differently than you did. Through a child's eyes, that's what I would say. Yeah, I feel like I had that friend growing up who lived in the cul-de-sac, had the swimming pool, and in my mind, that was the sign of wealth. They had like the garage fridge. I was like, whoa. That always, that's an up.

That's an up game, yep. That's legit. Even the type of drinks they have in the fridge signifies wealth. Because it's just a refrigerator for drinks. Yeah. I mean. If you have like Pellegrino and Fiji, I'm like they have some monopoly money. Yeah, when I see Fiji, I think, wow.

That's a status symbol right there. Sometimes at the airport I'll buy Fiji just so people think like, don't mess with this guy. Just to say it. You know what's funny nowadays is even the private jet. Which feels so extreme, George. Doesn't that, like a private jet to me is like, that's like very high up? That's not like that. Celebrity, pro athlete, Taylor Swift.

Yeah. Like that feels like, corporate CEO vibes. And now people, it feels like, oh, yeah. I think because there's companies now that you can like easily do it. Maybe that's what it is. More accessible? I guess. But still, I'm like, man, people trying to normalize that.

I'm like, that's a whole other level. Well, then the last one is the Rolex. Oh, yeah. What kind of watch you got? Cardier. What do you got, George? What kind of watch you got? Just the classic Apple watch.

Yeah. How about you? Got a little Amazon. Oh. It looks nicer. $28. I know. That's what I was going for.

Could have fooled me. Suckers. And purses too for the ladies. What a nice watch, Rachel. Doesn't keep time very well, but looks great. Let's be honest. How often are you even looking down at your watch for time? I just have it completely as an accessory.

Rachel has no clue what time it is. That's a classic one, though. They had jewelry, watches, cars, homes. These are the traditional symbols. Yes. And in 2024, a status symbol could also be an experience or an accomplishment, like attending an Ivy League college. That's a classic one.

That would be good. You went to Harvard or Yale. You want people to know about it. I mean, if you pay that much, and you get in. It's a very smart. You're going to tell people. You don't have to ask a vegan if they're vegan or a crossfitter. They're going to tell you.

They'll let you know. They'll be happy. Listen, if I went to Harvard, I'd probably tell people. That's a pretty big deal. Yeah, you know how I know people didn't go to Harvard? They have a T-shirt that says Harvard. I know, I have a T-shirt. I have a Harvard T-shirt.

You bought that in Harvard Square. Like, you're not fooling me. You know, you've also, as status symbols when people use the word summer as a verb. Oh, like I summered and Martha's Vineyard? Like when people say that, where do you summer? You're like, oh my gosh, you're like in a different level. I'm not friends with those people. Yeah, no, I don't, yeah.

But that's like a, that's a thing, right? Or like where you go. I would say, you know, getting promoted to a certain level in your career. That's true. That's a status symbol. Yeah, you throw letters around. Yeah. About who you are.

Well, if you're like an executive, you know, that's a big deal. You aren't hard to get there probably. For sure. Winning an Olympic gold medal, that's something that, You know people who did that. Yes. I think one. Do you know multiple Olympic gold medalists?

I feel like one is enough. Yeah. How many do you need in your life, Rachel? That's a big deal. I know. I didn't win it. All right. So why do people work so hard to get and keep certain status symbols, Rachel?

Let's talk about some good reasons and bad reasons. I think the world says like that this is like a part of your value. Like if you're dressing a certain way, driving a certain car, living in a certain house or like, whatever it may be. I don't know, that it's like you're suddenly of value, which is not a good thing because we know that's not true. Sure. But I do feel like that's a...

We don't really have any way to measure how we're doing as humans sometimes other than like the stuff that we have... Just what you see on the outside. The stuff that we do, the people we know. Yeah. Which is sad, but also it's just a part of humanity. Yes. You know, not to get too philosophical.

No, and you know what's funny with a lot of this stuff too is that when you see somebody with something, a nice purse, a great car. You're usually looking at the thing. you don't really care about the person as much. You're really looking at the object. Do you know what I mean? And so people try to bring these objects into their life

to make them feel better. But people aren't even looking at you, really. They're just looking at the car. Or they're like looking at the bag or the nice shoes. But they're not like... But then you wonder, what's their story? What do they do? Do you?

There's a little bit of that. If someone's driving like a Lamborghini, I'm like, what is their life? Yeah, I guess if it's like extreme. But for the most part, it's like you think about it and then you move on. But for people, it feels like, oh my gosh,

people are going to really think something of me, but not always are people thinking about the person. Does that make sense? Yeah, that's so noble of you. I don't know. I think that's true, right? Yeah. That speaks to your heart and kindness.

Another reason, Rachel, is to feel confident in front of friends, family or a certain community. So there's a piece of just dressing better, having a nice watch on. You carry yourself differently. Your body language is different. Can you think of an outfit that made you feel like you could take on the world? Like, what are you having a, do you have a pokey level outfit one day?

I had my, I'm not a boogie level outfit. I did, when the monochromatic look came in, we had a big, I think it was smart conference, maybe. It was a conference we did here. And I was like, I want a new outfit. And it was a monochromatic which just started, and I went to Express. And I got the same colored shirt and same colored trousers. And I thought, I'm taking over the world. There's something about dressing up.

It gives you confidence. Yes. And that can be a good thing. You're not trying to flex. Yeah. No, no. Nobody was impressed. Trust me.

I'm kidding. What? That's me. Everybody hated the outfit. It was a great outfit. What's your outfit that you're like, oh yeah, this is my power outfit? I mean, anytime a guy's in a suit, I feel like it changes. I'm like, okay.

I could get into anywhere anytime. I could get into any time. But usually I only wear suits for weddings and funerals, so. Oh. I mean, realistically. Yeah, I've stopped wearing the blazers. It was a little much for me. Oh, really?

Yeah, I just felt like mom dressed me today when I was wearing a blazer. So bombers in denim is my new blazer. I can see that. It's very George. But I feel a little bit rock and roll. Like when I wear a leather jacket, I would get in a fight. I would get in a fight. Yeah.

Not like at a bar, but like children's playground, anyone says something to me, I'd be ready. Taking them out. Yeah. Taking them out. Oh, my gosh. Some people do this for like just validation in life, affirmation, just to feel good overall. That's true. Mm-hmm.

And lastly, my favorite, to feel superior or ahead of others. That's, I mean, to me, that's really what I feel is their reason behind it all. I'm like, they just want to. Okay, let's have fun story time. Uh-oh. Have you, because this happened to me, so that's why I'm bringing it up. Have you experienced anyone recently that's like the worst of what we just explained? And you're like, you're just a, like, you're just, I mean, I love everybody and, like,

think a lot of people have a really good heart. But you're like, you're just so gross. Like, I don't think I could be, like, I want to try to be friends. with everyone. I don't think I can be friends with you. I think of the name droppers. Like, I've seen some of these people speak on stages and they want you to know, like, here's who I'm friends with. I won't name anyone specifically because I'm not a name dropper. But those are the people I think of. And then the people at like red lights who want you to know, they're driving this car and they like rev the engine. They want to race.

I'm like, bro, I don't, I'm not that guy. You got the wrong guy. Yeah. How about you? I feel like there's someone in mind. Yes, there was, I know, I don't want to give any context because I don't want to like this. Is it someone that everyone knows? No, no, no, no. Then say their name. No. No.

But I ended up on their Instagram, and I don't really, and I'll say this, I haven't even met them. Okay. But everything, I was like, I can't do this. I can't, like, even scroll. On their Instagram? Yes. What was on there?

It's just the flashiness, the vacations, like the kids' Christmas, like the kids got all this extravite, you know, and there's pictures of them. with each thing, and it's like a whole, like, carousel of... Was your... My first thought would be, like, who hurt you to get you to this point? I'm not kidding. Yeah. I mean, it is sad.

It is sad. Because you do see people, and it is like this extreme. It was so extreme. It was every post was something. And I was like, oh, my gosh. And it is. It's so sad. It is.

Because all of this that we're talking about, it is not fulfilling. It's not. You become a rat in a wheel, chasing and running and chasing and running, and spending and looking and doing whatever you can. And it doesn't fulfill. That's why consumerism is what it is. For further reading, Ecclesiastes.

One of my favorite books, because that's so emo, so rock and roll. And Solomon's like, bro, I got it all. It ain't nothing. It's nothing. Everything is meaningless. So read that if you want to know with, like, the richest man in the world how his life went. That's a good one. I know.

That's a good one. That's why I do love part of our message of building wealth is not just to, like, do that. To just flaunt your wealth. Not to just flaunt and be a consumer on everything at every level. But the generosity piece, thinking about your kids, different, you know, other generations. Like there is a much bigger, deeper, deeper, beautiful part of this money stuff. And when it gets sucked down to this, it's just gross. It gets gross.

Nobody wants to see that. And it's a moving target, George. The status symbol, it keeps changing depending on, you know, what era of life, where you are, even geographically. That's true. Once you get to this point, then you're still comparing yourself to the next thing and the next thing. never-ending race. So here's the hard truth. As cool and fun as status symbols may be, it's a really, really terrible way to validate yourself worth in your financial standing. That's right. Yep, because it constantly is moving. So your culture, your family,

your geographical location, age, job, even the time you were born in. Like, all of it. It just moves. So you can't quite pin it down. It's a chasing after the wind, as my friend Solomon says, in Ecclesiastes. This episode sponsored by the book of the book of it. It's a good read. It's a good read. So how do we avoid this, Rachel? Number one, chasing all of this, you can end up broke. You can end up deep and dead.

It's expensive to have these status symbols. To keep it up. And so, well, some of it, again, it's fun. We're not getting stuff, right? So some of it's fun. Some of it's very enjoyable. You get a nice vacation. Like, sure, why not?

But at the end of the day, you want to be able to have the cash for it. And you want to plan for it. you know, which may mean a lot of delayed gratification. You may not be able to get it today, but it's a goal you have in the future, which is great. So I would say that's one thing. And then also that kind of that contentment piece that we were talking about.

And I think when you finally realize this is not going to fulfill me the way I think it will, there is a level of like, okay, I don't care as much, maybe. I think you get to that point. And also you can just enjoy it for you. You know, one question I always ask myself is if nobody saw this purchase, do I still want it?

Like how much of the motivation is for other people or how much of it is that, yeah, I just love, I love the new baggy, abacromby jeans. And so you're going to get them. So I'm going to get them. Even if I don't like them. Yep. And most people don't like them, but I like them.

My opinion is irrelevant here. Well, Rachel, truthfully, like you can get, you know, within reason, you can have whatever you want. You have a nice car, you have a beautiful home. How do you parse out, I'm doing this as a status symbol versus I'm doing this for the right reason for me? How do you do that? For me, which I guess I'll never really know the answer truly unless it happens.

But I do kind of play out a scenario of like all, if like crap hit the fan. And you're back in a three-bedroom apartment with the three kids, two-bedroom apartment, you know, and you're driving, you know, a 15-year-old car. Like, whatever it is. Like, it's all taken away. It's replaced with something so different. Are you okay? Like, are you okay in life? Right?

And again, I guess I fully wouldn't know that answer unless that reality happens. But it is. I'm like, I just want to know that like if all of this is taken away, that's why I never like want to put my identity in something that can be taken away. Because it can. I'm like, stuff can go like that. Yeah, that's a good one. So I don't know.

That's kind of the checkpoint. Well, there's also a mathematical checkpoint of, am I paying for this in cash? Because if you're doing it with other people's money and debt in order to prop up this lifestyle and it's really a facade. It's not reality. Right. When you don't actually own any of that because you have,

a lender to speak to and you have payments to make. So I feel like what you've done really well is you've saved up with diligence and discipline and paid cash for everything in your life. So I'm you, George. Well done. That's true. Thank you. Yeah. Great job. And my car is now 11 years old, Rachel. It's time to upgrade. That's the Rachel rule of thumb. No, I don't know. I just threw out a number. No, that's good. That's really good. All right, George. Let's get in an airplane. Let's get in a private jet and travel around the world. Love this. And let's talk about the status symbols from around the world. Okay?

Where are we starting? Let's go, UAE. United Arab Emirates. Yes. So, owning a trained falcon is a status symbol. Falcon tree. Nope.

Falconery. Yep. Has been a big part of their local culture. And trained falcons can be as much as $60,000 a bird. The real status symbol being in the falcon breeding business, apparently. Oh my gosh. Is that not crazy? These birds have their own passports.

They fly first class on certain airlines. They compete in a president's cup with more than seven million of prizes. What are you doing with your life, Rachel? I don't know, but I, not that. Wow. Should we go catch a falcon? That's amazing. All right, George, the southern U.S.

You hit the nail in the head earlier. What's the status symbol there in the south? The old lifted truck. It's a must. Even if you're not in the southern part of the U.S., if you subscribe to Brok Country Culture, you want one of these. You must have one of these.

You have to have the underlight LED kit. Oh, my gosh. That's to be extra lifted. Let me say this. I don't think it's necessarily the lifted truck, but I do think the bigger the truck, the more it's like, oh my gosh. Like we were pulling out of church

and there was a truck and it was huge. Can I just say? And I remember thinking that's a very expensive. That has to be a very expensive truck. Easily six figures. Here's my stance and I'm going to leave it here. the bigger the truck, the less your dad hug you. I think there's a correlation if there was a scale.

Big truck, less hugs. That's it. It's that simple. And that's not to... Or they work in construction. No. I've met construction workers. They drive Toyota Camrys.

They don't need the giant truck. Yeah, it's true. They work for companies that have all of the equipment, Rachel. Oh, my gosh. It's these pavement princesses that I'm concerned about. All right. Let's go to the UK. Across the pond.

Are you ready for this? Having a nanny who attended a prestigious nanny school. Is this a thing? I don't know. Norland College is a status symbol among high-profile famous. Those British, man. They got, I don't know. They're doing some stuff right.

Would you like a spolt a tea? You know? That's what they're doing right? I don't know. I just feel like they're very elegant people. That's true. On their worst day, they're still better dressed than you. I would agree.

Totally. They know fashion. Yeah. Here's the crazy part. Norland nannies. That's what they call them. that they went to Norland College. They wear a specific uniform,

brown dresser trousers, brown shoes, dark tights, and that's become a status symbol in itself. Ooh. I feel like they're pretty close to a UPS driver. That's, to me, that's a status symbol. I dreamt of being a UPS driver. I love brown.

Delivering help. Yep, that's what they're doing. And that brings us to professional status symbols. Yep, so you got your doctor with the white coat. You got your corner office in a big, you know, corporate setting. Yep. Hollywood producer, you get access to Oscar screeners.

That's a fun perk. Booking agent in the music industry, you get free access to artist passes for concerts and festivals. Yep. Business. Ah, that's an interesting one. That's a status symbol in and of itself. I'm just so busy.

I have so much going on. Very toxic status symbol. Have you ever liked someone more because they've been like, I'm just so busy? I'm so busy. I have so much going on. I don't know, but I feel like I do say that sometimes. Which you are.

How have you been? I'm like, I don't know, we've been so busy. I feel like I do say that. It's an easy way to summarize life. Life is busy. I know. And whose fault is that? You got a career? You got Winston, always yapping.

Always talking over there. Always talking. Oh, that's fun. Okay, so you got location-based status symbols. Oh, that's a big one. When you say where you're from? Yeah, so you got New York. So having a large family could be a status symbol

because of how expensive it is to live there. Oh, that's interesting. Mm-hmm. Oh, I got a good one. This one's, I feel, Chicago. Because I've had a lot of neighbors, specifically, that I moved from Chicago. And they all have the Canadian goose jackets.

Okay, I was just in New York. I saw these everywhere. I was so confused. Oh, I know. And I was so close to buying one. But they were like $800,000. That's what shocked. And I was like, I don't think I need that in Nashville.

I kept seeing a pitch. That could be actually a very real investment, because it's terribly cold up there. But they all have them. And they're supposedly, what, you don't. buy it? Well, here's my thing. This reminds me with the Stanley, and I'm like, what's so amazing about the $60

Tumblr? It's in a cabalower. And I'm like, what's so great about this jacket? It keeps me warm. I'm like, there's $150 jackets that can keep you plenty warm. No, I think this has like actual technology that is very different. You're telling me Canadian goose keep you warmer than regular geese? I bet you

Chicago people in the comments. I'm not kidding, because I have people in Chicago and they swear by them. It's different than North Face, Patagonia. You're telling me the patch has nothing to do with it. I'm not saying it doesn't, but I do think the way that it's built, it is different. And the feathers in it.

Yeah, I do think it's, George, that is real. That's saying like, oh my God, Louis Vuitton's just like a target, you know, purse. And I'm like, no, that is, like you have genuine leather. Like, there are differences in quality, George.

Sure. George, you like quality. Why am I having to argue that with you? I just don't buy a thousand dollar parca is better than... I mean, I'm sure it's overpriced for what they buy for it, but it's... $1,700. Yeah, so here's the thing.

I saw people in New York City wearing these all around. I thought, is this a cult that I don't know about? Is this like, are they Scientologists? Is it the first time you've seen it? And then I googled, I saw Canada and Goose on it. I searched it and I threw my phone. I said, no. No.

No means no. I will not do that. I said, Whitney, what you just, don't ever Google that jacket. You don't need one. I was going to get one, y'all. I really was considering it. I was like, you know what? If I invest in like a really great coat and then you know where I got my winter coat? Target.

Amazon. Oh my gosh. But Nashville, you only get down. down like 20 degrees. Up in like Chicago and in Canada, it's like negative. If I bought that jacket, I would be wearing it right now

in this studio all the time. You'd always find me in the jacket. I know. But I will say, when you see the patch, you know. So there is a, there's a marketing tactic there.

I got patches when I was in Awana. That was a status symbol. For you, Oana fans. Or the secular version, the Boy Scouts, wasn't allowed on that. Too secular.

No. Are you serious? for you that conservative growing up? No, but I would just send Awana instead of Boy Scouts. Okay. Instead of light and fires, we had a fire in the soul, Rachel. A different kind of fire. Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit. Singapore, let's go there. Owning a house in Singapore is a status symbol because the country doesn't have a lot of land. Single family homes in Singapore median $1.2 million. That's pretty wild. Wow. Yeah, that's intense. Exclusivity.

People pay for that. That's another status symbol right there. We see this a lot in products. The more exclusive it is, the more of a status symbol it can be. So sneakers. This happens a lot. Yeah, this is a world that, man, I was just, I was taught about here on the show. That's right.

Sneaker heads. Jordan won retro, high Charlotte Hornets Foundation black slash white. $250,000, Rachel. Will you buy them? No. Michael Jordan designed them. I wouldn't buy. I don't care.

I don't care who designed it. Only 300 pairs were ever made. Never. If I was going to spend a lot of money on something, I think it would be a brand that majority of the population could appreciate. Like you got a Louis Vuitton. Almost everybody, regardless of where you are geographical. You know what I mean?

Everyone knows a Louis Vuitton. Or like a, you know what I mean? Maybe not even a Rolex, because I think there's like fake ones. You could spot one. Yeah. But do you know what I'm saying? Where I'm like these exclusive brands and I'm like, I don't know. Well, I think some of the hypey stuff is like you want other sneaker heads to be like, oh.

You know, it's kind of that stuff. stealth, wealth, quiet luxury, where only certain people know. Okay. See, I'm on the early. That's my guess. I'm a late adopter. Speaking of exclusivity and stupidity, Stanley Tumblr's, Rachel. This is a big one.

They've been very popular, very hard to get. Even this past Christmas, they have a new color. All of a sudden, people run the stores. Do you know people are going to anti, though? Because they found metal in it. So now people are going like a different cup. Isn't the whole thing metal? It's like, did you know this is made of 100% cup?

Yeah, I know. Oh, gosh. I don't want to be seen with this. I know, but now there's like a backlash in the Stanley world. Wow, juicy. I know, I know. Another one is privacy, right? You're like, okay, you can't get to me.

In 2020, L reported on privacy as a modern status symbol. So by privacy, they meant having control over your online presence and data. It's a flex. And luckily, it's not just for celebrities anymore like Rachel. It's for people like me. It's just the average Joe. No, but everyone, they do need this. though because your privacy, it needs to be protected.

It's amazing how many websites, you know, you've gone to that you may not even realize that you put information out there. And then some of these websites will go and sell them to data brokers. And they take your information and goes on. And then who knows where it is? You hear this crazy stuff that people have like flash mobs in their front yard, you know, their phone numbers get sold. Venmo scams.

Yes, and people call the phone. I mean, like, it's just crazy how your information can just be out there. So having the privacy of protecting yourself, it's a big deal. It's a luxury. It really is these days. And it's why I use a service called Delete Me and they're a sponsor of today's show. I love what they do because they scour the internet for this information from these data brokers and they will find it and remove it for you on your behalf and send you an outline of exactly what they did. And you get your report and it was so simple.

The report and everything. They show you everywhere your information is, where they removed it and how much time you saved. And it's already saved me 13 hours. That's amazing. I will take that. That's time I can spend making cocktails at home. There you go. So if you guys want to check it out, make sure you do it because you can get 20% off your DeleteMe plan.

When you go to join delete me.com slash smart money. We'll put a link in the description, but create an account and do this because privacy these days, it is. It's a status symbol, George. And you'll sleep better at night because of it. Okay, and George, another status symbol is the historical. When you go back in time, there are status symbols, which is really interesting. Yeah, ancient history until the 1800s. This is wild.

The disease gout was considered the disease of, Kings. It's a painful form of arthritis, Rachel. It occurs around the joints and usually toes caused by a diet of fatty and high sugar foods, which in times past, only rich people could afford. So you think about it, if you had gout, you were rich enough to get gout. Fancy, schmancy, unbelievable. I didn't know there was fashionable diseases when contracted by rulers. Alexander the Great, Charlemagne, King Henry the 8th. The more, like, I feel like there was a thing in old-timey culture where the more you weighed, it was a sign of wealth. Because you had, had enough money to eat?

Yes. And if you were real skinny, it meant you were poor. Yes, that's true. And now there's Ozempic. You know? So the pendulum has swung the other way. I'm just saying. I'm just saying.

1980s, remember this one? The waterbed. Waterbed? My grandparents had a water bed. My friends had one and I was like, they were rich. Do you know what I think about when I think about a water bed? Please tell me. Edward Scissorhands.

Strange? Tell me more. You know the movie Edward Scissorhands? Is there a waterbed scene? Yes. He pokes it with his hands because his hands are scissors. I watched that as a child. As a young child, we watch Edward Cisor Hands.

When I tell you, A dark movie. I know. I look back on movies I watch as like a five-year-old. I was like, hey, let us watch Edward Cisher Hands. But not Ferengali. No, Ferengali. But Edward Cisor Hands.

But yeah, he like pokes it and all of this. It's crazy. That is a weird movie. The high maintenance. And it's Johnny Depp. Isn't that funny? Oh, yeah. A great performance.

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I need to go back and watch that. So 2009, fast forward, the new waterbed is the Twitter blue check. If you had a blue check. That was a big deal. Truly, it's still a saddest symbol, I feel like. Verification.

When I use pay for it. Yeah, it's $7.99. Now it doesn't matter anymore. Yeah, it doesn't matter. But that was, that was a big deal. And finally, this is a status symbol. You have multiple love, Rachel. In 2023, a ticket to a Taylor Swift concert, huge status symbol.

Just having access to whatever cool thing was happening in town and posting it about it on your Instagram, which you did. It's one way of flexing your social status. Now, truthfully, I know you're a Swifty. You just care deeply. You're very excited. That's great. But it was a status symbol, nonetheless.

That's fair. You know, that's fair. So, Rachel, before we wrap, I want to give these people our version of a better status symbol. Oh, what we think is the status symbol of choice. Let's rattle a few off. Because the Ramsey show, that was the Dave Ramsey Show. The tagline was...

Live from the headquarters of Ramsey Solutions, it's the Dave Ramsey Show. We're dead is dumb. Cash is King. And the paid off home mortgage. has taken the place of the BMW as the status symbol of choice. Oh, so saying the Dave Ramsey show, we promote the paid off home mortgage. That's the status symbol. And the world thinks it's the BNW.

No debt is the status symbol. And that's what our status symbol is here on this show too. Love it. All right, George, it's almost the end of the episode. And we close out every episode with Guilty as charged. And this is where our producer, Skylar, gives us a new guilty-st-charge question every week. And if we are guilty, we take a sip. Skyler?

Did any of you guys ever have a, it's complicated status on Facebook? Oh. Relationship status. I don't think that was a part of Facebook when I was in college. We're at the same age, and I know it was. It was for sure, yeah. Where were you? Sorority?

In 20, yeah. In 2006, you had to have a dot edu address to have Facebook. Okay. Yeah, college. Well, you're already dating Winston at that point. Yeah, but I don't think, I think it was like, maybe there was it. Is it ever complicated with Winston? Do what?

Was it ever complicated? Yeah, we broke up. So you could have marked it's complicated with Winston. Yeah, but I don't think, but when I had Facebook in college, the big thing was albums. And you put your, you just put your, relationship status, I don't think was like a really big deal. It was a big deal. I'll just say this. At UT, it wasn't like a big thing to do your relationship status on Facebook when I was in college.

It really wasn't. Well, in the South, you're already married by then. So it's fine. Maybe that's true. That's good. Yeah, we didn't do that. I probably did it as a joke, like to kind of troll Facebook, but I think I would be too concerned about what my mom would think. I don't think they knew if I had a girlfriend.

It was like, I just didn't talk about it, you know? It was like too cool. I was like, Mom, don't make it weird, you know? Don't make it weird. But I probably did it at one point just to have some fun with it, just to see the comments. Because that was the more fun part was the comment section. Skyler, were you too young for Facebook? No, I had Facebook.

Because what year were you college? But it was past, you don't mark relationships now on Facebook, really. Yeah, I mean, I did college online, so I started working when I was 18. Okay, yes, yes, yes, yes. I don't really know. Yes. But I graduated high school 2017. Wow.

Have you ever felt older? You're so old. You were old. See, this is my skylar is so good for us. So good. Keeps us young. Oh, my God. The youth is because of the scholar.

But truly, is there a better status symbol than when you. you could put in a relationship on Facebook. Like, what a moment in time that was. I was not a thing. I just, it was too, I don't know. Well, Winston's not a big social media guy. He's busy being a man and stuff. Oh, my gosh.

That was fun. I guess I'll drink to that. All right, it's closing time. George. About time. Who finished first? I think I was closer drinking this adult nest quick over here. This was a chai white Russian.

What's your rating, Rachel? Eboo, love you. But this is not because of the, drink maker. I'm going to go six out of ten. Okay. Yeah, I think it's a... I would go, if I were you out there, and you wanted this feel, I would go espresso martini, and then I'd go mudslide. I don't think I would do this one. That's fair. If you love cream, you will love this. Here's what's in a chai white Russian. It's got vodka, Kalua, which is like a coffee liqueur, if I'm not mistaken,

chai tea and cream. And it comes out to $2.59 per glass, and I'm going to give it... I'll give it a six out of ten. Oh, wow, same score. Okay. Yeah. I think I'm realizing I don't love like a super heavy,

like a lot of cream and dairy in my drinks. Yeah. But I will say it's a good version of a white Russian. It's solid. It's not my drink. I've never been a white Russian guy,

so I say that. Yeah, yeah. But if you love a white Russian, you like this. So recipe in the show notes, give it a try this weekend. That's right. All right, you guys.

Make sure to subscribe, leave a review. Yeah, give us the online love. We want to hear your status symbol. What do you think? Oh, that's fun. Leave it in the comments. Yeah, we want to hear from you.

Appreciate you guys. We really do. We really do. As much as we don't seem to, we do. We do. We love you. Yep. So we'll see you guys next Thursday on an all new episode of Smart Money Happy Hour.