For as long as I can remember (since high school maybe?) I have always been annoyed when people "numbers drop". This seems to happen often in the type of setting where people are trying to brag or show off... "Dude, I got this new $45,000 car. Sweet!" or "Oh my goodness, did you see her? She must be wearing $150 jeans, I wonder how she affords that?" It always seems obnoxious to me.
Well lately, as my blog seems to be having more of a personal finance spin, I have been including numbers in my blog as well. To me, it's different to say "I spent $20 on groceries this week, I was able to save a lot by matching up coupons and sales" - trying to convey a message of savings! - then to talk about an expensive new toy. Numbers in personal finance blogs or a conversation about personal finance NEVER bother me. Like a friend saying "I'm trying to decide between a car that I sorta want that's $15,000 and one that I REALLY want that's $20,000 and I just don't know if it's worth the difference - what do you think?" or "I got a great deal on my new cable package, by adding in a phone line to my cable and internet I actually SAVE $10 a month!" That is actually useful information - it might lead me to look into finding out if a similar package is available in my area.
So I guess I don't like numbers dropping unless it has a "practical" purpose (typically of education). But what do you think - does it bother you regardless? Or do you not even notice? Unless given feedback otherwise, I will continue to maintain my policy of using numbers where I feel it's educational, and refraining from "dropping" them otherwise.
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3 comments:
doesn't bother me. :) i'm with you - as long as it's used in a sort of educational way, i think it's fine. i guess i've mentioned hotel prices in recent blogs, but since it's more a statement of fact than a "look at us and what we can afford" thing, it fits in that same category?
i did know a girl who used to be in our small group here in denver who stated one day, "yeah, i'm in the market for $100+ jeans." also a statement of fact, but definitely much more in the "i'm rich and i can afford this" vein. she also one time said that she anticipated her parents' house taking at least a year to sell, to which i asked, "why's that?" (since that's kind of unusual, even in a slow market), and she responded, "well, marisa, because it's a multi-million dollar home." as though it should be obvious that it would be nothing less.
so yeah, i'm with you on the people-flaunting-money-is-annoying thing. i think you're fine, though. (and we obviously don't really hang out with that couple anymore.)
It cost me $4.00 worth of salary time to read and comment on your blog, but hey, you're worth it. ;)
Good for people to know.
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