Los posts de Money Diaries han vuelto. Mis hábitos para tener una relación sana con mis finanzas siguen mejorando (a veces a base de tropezones), así que seguro que puedo aportar algún consejo que le sirva a alguien más. Desde que soy freelancer no puedo evitar cuestionar los hitos financieros de varios personajes de la ficción. Viendo Emily in Paris me pregunto todo el rato si es posible que Emily tenga tan sólo 22 años (corrección, 29, gracias por la anotación a Mia de The Fashion Folks ❤️) y pueda costearse esa vida tan desenfadada en París, y me surgen otras dudas similares con Carrie Bradshaw de SATC, Friends, etc./ The Money Diaries posts are back. I’m still improving my habits in order to get a healthier relationship with my finances, so I’m sure I can provide a few advices that could help someone else. Since I’m a freelancer, I can’t help but question the financial milestones of various fictional characters. While watching Emily in Paris I can’t keep asking if it is possible that Emily is only 22 years old (correction, 29, thanks for the note to Mia from The Fashion Folks ❤️)and she can afford such a luxurious life in Paris. Same happens with other similar characters like Carrie Bradshaw from SATC, Friends, etc.
💸 HOW MUCH MONEY EMILY SPENDS IN “EMILY IN PARIS”?…. 👀
Soy fiel partidario de romantizar nuestras actividades diarias pero hay momentos en los que no puedo hacer una suspensión de la realidad y pongo en duda si el sueldo de una persona recién estrenada en marketing da para costearse cafés de especialidad en cada break laboral, brunchs y cenas fuera, taxis (¿en dónde está el metro en Emily in Paris?) o ropa de diseñador. Además de que nunca nos queda claro como una recién egresada pueda tener un puesto tan relevante en Chicago/París… y eso sin tener idea de francés./ I am a faithful supporter of romanticizing our daily activities, but there are times when I cannot make a suspension of reality and I question whether the salary of a recent marketing graduate is enough to pay for daily specialty coffees, brunches and dinners outside, taxis (where’s the metro at Emily in Paris?) or designer clothes. And we don’t totally understand how a recent graduate can have such an important position in Chicago/Paris… and without speaking even a bit of French.
Hay preguntas que rondan por internet desde los tiempos en los que había que dejar de usar el teléfono fijo para conectarnos a la red: ¿realmente podía Carrie Bradshaw costearse esos Manolo Blahnik siendo freelancer? Hay muchos posts que hacen los cálculos y dicen que sí, pero eso suponiendo que el periodismo estuviera mejor pagado en los 90 y que Carrie hubiera ahorrado con firmeza para unos zapatos de diseñador. La teoría falla cuando a eso sumamos los brunch y las cenas fuera, su piso en el Greenwich Village, el cocktail después del trabajo, los taxis y una infinita lista de gastos en una ciudad tan cara como Nueva York./ There are questions that have haunted the internet since the days when we had to stop using the landline to get connection to the world wide web. Could Carrie Bradshaw really afford those Manolo Blahniks as a freelancer? There are plenty of posts that do the math affirming that it was possible, but that’s assuming journalism was better paid back in the ’90s and Carrie had staunchly saved up for some designer shoes. The theory fails when we add brunches and dinners, her apartment in Greenwich Village, the after work cocktail , taxis and an infinite list of expenses in New York.
Los hitos profesionales y la liquidez financiera de muchos personajes de ficción harían temblar a Bill Gates. Lo mismo ocurre con otras series (y esos personajes suelen ser jóvenes) que se desarrollan en ciudades que no se caracterizan precisamente por ser las más amigables con el bolsillo. ¿Viven estos personajes por encima de sus posibilidades o son parte de un privilegiado grupo que tiene un sueldo superior al estándar? En Friends Monica y Rachel consiguen pagar un alquiler en el West Village con sueldos de cocinera y camarera… estoy seguro que alguno de mis conocidos en Nueva York apreciaría sus consejos financieros./ The professional milestones and financial liquidity of many fictional characters would make Bill Gates cringe. The same thing happens with other series (and those characters are usually young) that take place in cities that are not exactly famous for being budget-friendly. Are these characters living beyond their possibilities or are they part of a privileged group that is paid above the standard? In Friends, Monica and Rachel manage to pay the rent in the West Village working as a cook and waitress… I’m sure some of my acquaintances in New York would appreciate their financial advice.
Tal vez pensaríamos que antes los sueldos eran menos precarios, pero esos estilos de vida desenfadados también aparecen en series 20 años después: Kurt y Rachel en Glee dedican la mayoría de su tiempo a estudiar y pagan un bonito loft en Brooklyn. Penny de The Big Bang Theory también llega a fin de mes sin despeinarse con un sueldo de camarera, alquilando un piso en Pasadena, California. Haz números y verás que las cantidades no coinciden con los salarios de la mayoría de personas jóvenes./ Perhaps we would think that salaries were less precarious before, but those carefree lifestyles also appear in series 20 years later: Kurt and Rachel in Glee spend most of their time studying and they are able to pay for a nice loft in Brooklyn. Penny from The Big Bang Theory can survive without breaking a sweat, working as a waitress but renting an apartment in Pasadena, California. Do the math and you’ll see that the final amount do not match the salary of many young people.
Desde hace algunos años apunto todos mis gastos por mínimos que sean en alguna app como Spendee y/o en Excel. Para muchos tal vez parezca exagerado pero es así como he podido darme cuenta de gastos hormigas o de pequeñas cantidades que al final suman mucho, sobre todo si vives en una ciudad cara./ For some years I have been writing down all my expenses, no matter how small, in apps like Spendee and/or in Excel. For many people it may seem exaggerated but this is how I have been able to identify ant expenses or small amounts that add up a lot in the final account, especially if you live in an expensive city.
A todos estos cálculos que demuestran que nuestros personajes de ficción favoritos no pueden llevar esos ritmos de vida tan desenfadados, se suman otras logísticas imprescindibles de la vida moderna, como conseguir un alquiler decente. ¿Es momento de que Emily empiece a preocuparse si quiere asentarse más tiempo en París? Por lo pronto sostengamos la fantasía de que una recién egresada de marketing puede trabajar con marcas de lujo en París. Muchas veces se habla de como las películas de Disney atrofiaron nuestra mente implantando ideas escandalosas sobre el mágico amor romántico, pero pocas veces se menciona como algunos productos nos pueden hacer sentir inseguros por no tener ciertos logros laborales antes de nuestros 30./ All these calculations show US that our favorite fictional characters can not lead such carefree lifestyles, and we still had to add other essential logistics of modern life, such as getting a decent rent appartment. Is it time for Emily to start worrying if she wants to settle down in Paris longer? For now, let’s uphold the fantasy that a recent marketing graduate can work with luxury brands in Paris. We usually talk about on how Disney movies atrophied our minds by implanting scandalous ideas about magical romantic love, but it is rarely mentioned how some products can make us feel insecure for not having certain work achievements before our 30s.
Hello Pablo, how you doin?
Here people is gettin crazy for the last news about the war: I can’t really believe that until yesterday everybody was all scared by covid and all, and now they seems have totally forget it to jump straight into the latest (bad)new….
I wonder if people is crazy like this everywhere or just here in Italy (you know, we pretty love dramas, here…), I’m just tired of bad news and negativity so I’ve decided to focus only on the good and nice things and go on; especially now that my fav season is coming! 🙂
But, what about you? I hope you’ve started the week in the best way!
Did you see the news about the Milan and Paris Fashion weeks? It were pretty some times since fashion weeks were so interensting, isn’t it? 🙂
But let’s pass to the topic of the day: totally loved the way you’ve managed your talk about money!!
I’ve always felt the same: I mean, look at Emily in Paris, it’s super clear that it was made by Americans because no parisian would live like this! In Paris (like here in Italy) almost nobody take a taxy everyday ( and definitely not for long trips), they’re super expensive! Instead averybody take the metro and train.
That’s totally crazy|!
Not to mention travels, events, clothing,….: it’s sci-fi! At 22! C’mon!
I’ve started to questioning about the credibility of these shows years ago, with Sex & the City: I don’t know the prices of a flat in NY (even if it’s clear thet they’re not cheap) but I know well the price of a pair of MAnolo Blanhik, and you cant definitely afford that amount of shoes if you are not Kim Kardashian!
But I guess that even people is starting to get tired of this kind of shows, they’re out of time in my opinion, in fact I’ve heard that this may be the last season of Emily in PAris (even if I hope not, I liked it at the end).
Very interesting post and super cool illustrations, as usual!
XO
shttps://s-fashion-avenue.blogspot.com/
Hola Silvia,
So happy to have your feedback on the blog once again 🙂 I hope the first days of spring are going well in Italy, here we are having longer days and I can’t be happier about that. I was also looking at the news from Fashion Week and there are many interesting things that I’d love to add to my wardrobe, let’s see how I do it.
And yes! I totally understand your response about the money and the lifestyle as wee see it in TV, obviously they are a fantasy but sometimes it feels like you should have it all at your 30s and that’s not even possible due to the current working world.
Thanks again friend!
Pablo
Ah yes indeed these TV shows are sooooooooooo out of touch with reality. It is funny how they want to show the “real” people having “real” jobs like waitressing but then they live in these HUGE apartments. In NYC you have to make 40 times the rent to get an apartment and an average apartment at that. So for example of your apartment is 2k a month which is pretty common you have to make 80k a year. Many people do not, and no waitress does…
Thanks for checking it out Allie!
I know right?! Specially in cities like New York and Paris where the costing living are HUGEEEE!
Wow what a nice post! I’ve never thought about that but it is true that all these TV series suggest that you can afford all these luxury goods with just a simple salary. Leaving us behind with a bad taste when we find out that is is not what reality actually looks like.
lots of love, Miri
http://www.meetmiri.com
Thank you for checking it out Miri! A pleasure to have you here once again 🙂
Apparently Emily isn’t 22 at all as Lily Collins guessed, but 29! I’m sure that after the criticism after season 1 of her age being unclear and Collins and some other actors guessed around 22-24, they had to make it more realistic in season 2 and make it clear that her age is 29. There’s a quick scene where they wish her happy birthday and the message includes her age 29. So it makes more sense that she has the money and position she has and also being able to splurge a bit! But yes overall, agree that it can be complicated when characters seems to be living really luxurious lives and it’s not explained properly. Although things don’t really add upp in SATC either, I appreciate Carrie often complains about not having money and her friends need to help here. Not because that’s responsible or realistic at all, but at least it addresses the issue on some level!
Hope you’re having a lovely week Pablo! Xx
Thank you so much for the extra note Mia! I double checked the information and you’re right, it seems that they finally decided to change Emily’s age due to the controversy. But yes even by 29 all those goals are a little bit difficult to achieve with the current work circumstances.
Thank you for stopping by! ❤️
I haven’t watched Emily in Paris but I have to say that the unrealistic money habits of people on TV sometimes make me cringe. I grew up with not much money so saving has always been a priority for me to this day and I still find myself hesitating when it comes to big purchases or even dining out. Having to live modestly is something that just stays with you if that makes sense. That said it’s fun to see people on TV living lavishly and wearing fabulous clothes and never repeating an outfit as long as we realize that way of living doesn’t translate to real life. It’s very smart of you to track your expenses since that can be very helpful when it comes to planning, balancing your budget and making sure you hit your financial goals. I try to monitor my spending as well. Your illustrations are lovely as always!
Pablo, thank you so much for your empathy and supportive words of encouragement regrading the recent racist violence that Asians are facing. It’s sad that all POC still have to deal with racism to some extent and how it is worse for certain groups at different times. The best we can do is to support whoever is marginalized and to speak out to raise awareness. Hope you’re having a wonderful week!
Hey Rowena, thank you so much for stopping by 🙂
The series is okay for having a good time but it won’t change your life haha. Anyways it is always nice to see Paris in the fictino.
Thanks again for your feedback and your lovely compliments ❤️
I don’t watch those particular shows, but I have seen similar ones and wondered how these young people manage such expensive lifestyles. It’s crazy! Like you, all of our expenditures go into,an Excel spread sheet. If we need to makes changes, the information is there at out fingertips.
Michelle
https://mybijoulifeonline.com,
Thanks for stopping by Michelle!
Yes, Excel and some apps are my very best friends when it comes to organize my money 🙂
Thank you for sharing and wish you a happy life!
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What a great subject for a post! I feel there is almost a taboo when it comes to talking about money. The media can misrepresent things a great deal. I sometimes think we should all have obligatory financial education classes. They should teach it in schools.
P.S. As always I love your art.
I haven’t seen Emily in Paris because I’ve seen a lot of complaints from French people about how racist it is towards them so that put me off, but I love your illustration and I think you have captured the aura of the show perfectly.
Thank you for writing about this. Finacial responsibility is so important and nobody really teaches it to your people.
I was meaning to write young people, not your people. I don’t have my laptop with me and I’m nor good with typing on my cell.
Thank you so much for stopping by and for leaving a comment Ivaya! I always learn a lot for your valuable feedback ❤️
Clever way to talk about money! Indeed a certain suspension of disbelief is afforded to TV shows (Monica and Rachel’s apartment for instance is that cheap because of rent control…ok sure…) but when they push it too far, such as really flashy designer clothes everyday of the week, you really can’t help but be taken out of it!
Thank you so much for stopping by Ellis! 🙂
Hey Fungi! I hope you are having romantic coffee time:)
Your Emily and Carrie’s illustrations are so cool and humorous!
Paticularly, the second one with Emily’s fuchsia coat is so beautiful.
I totally agree with you about comparison between Disney and fashion TV series.
Those TV series are also fantasy, and their brainwashing is strong.
I will do my best to get only inspirations from the TV, but this morning I looked for some beautiful items on online shops for a log time… They also steal my time, hahaha…
Anyway, your article can save a lot of readers like me:)
Thank you so much for your great post, Fungi<3<3
akiko
https://kimonosnack.blogspot.com
Hey Akiko, thanks for making the time to visit Hey Fungi and I am happy to read that you liked the illustrations ❤️
Thank you for your comments dear Pablo. Have a nice day.
Ese final me ha encantado. Tal vez ya no nos venden historias de amor imposibles (porque todo ese caos romántico de Carrie y de Emily más de uno lo ha vivido), pero si laboralmente increíbles. Me entristece el saber que aún se romantiza el trabajar 24/7 para una compañía y dar todo y más (ponerse la camiseta, pues), para sobrevivir entre fiestas, ropa nueva y alcohol. Pero bueno, yo también tuve esa faceta, tal vez sea que el señorismo me sentó, pero yo creo que fue el verlos recibos de los servicios del hogar y darme cuenta que no necesito otro par de zapatos nuevos que terminará en mi closet después de una puesta. Aunque debo ser honesta, a veces surge la pregunta ¿y si no estoy haciendo suficiente?
Hola Gabriela,
Me hizo muchísima ilusión leer tu comentario y saber que hay otras personas de mi edad que también sienten eso respecto a la romantización del trabajo 24/7. Y esa dichosa pregunta siempre siempre termina surgiendo, pero ya empiezo a hacer las paces conmigo mismo 🙂
Abrazos!
Totally helpful article! Thank you for sharing!
Hey Pablo,
I’m new here and I love what I see!
I have not seen EIP but have seen SATC and after this, I will probably end up watching EIP, lol. I do think it is amazing how these characters can afford all that they have, on a some what basic pay. Like you said the two don’t really marry up. These shows do instil a bias fantasy, which I think most of us do love to indulge in some of the time but at the same time, it is careless of the shows direction/ writing. Until the next post take care : )
juanitalikes.com
Hey Natoya,
So happy to have a new person visiting the blog, thanks for making the time to read and for leaving the comment! Visiting your site right now ❤️
When we first entered the society, we discovered that life is different from what we see in film and television dramas, how can life be so simple.
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SUCH an interesting article, thank you for diving into this! However, I think it’s not a huge deal because obviously these shows are fiction and if they’d revolve around a regular person with a normal salary in a crammed 1-bedroom apartment and a “normal” life, nobody would watch 😀 But you’re definitely right, a lot of these things are unrealistic. Especially the FRIENDS apartment in NYC and Carrie Bradshaw’s lifestyle? And the lifestyle of her friends, too. Still entertaining and allows us to dream a little 🙂
Lots of love,
Krissi of the marquise diamond
https://www.themarquisediamond.de/
Thanks for checking it out Krissi! You are totally right, sometimes it is nice to deep into fantasy and fiction but at the end of the way I just ask “is it possible to have a fancy life like Emily at 20s?”
I love your money diary series! I feel that my relationship with my own finances is always changing and I agree that movies always romanticize the lavish lives of these characters. That type of lifestyle would be impossible, especially now with today’s current inflation rates. Haha. Se pasan.
Have a lovely week!
PerlaGiselle | iamperlita.com
♥ | INSTAGRAM
Omg, great topic! I absolutely think none of it is realistic but seeing the characters lifestyles make for great entertainment, right?
You’ve mentioned a few of my favorite shows! SATC and The Big Bang Theory! I haven’t watched Emily in Paris (is it worth diving into?)
Adulting is hard… I wish rent controlled apartments exist more frequently lol.
Des | http://www.itsbetterinheels.com
Such an interesting article! Thank you for sharing! <3
Love and Wellness
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