kept up with the Joneses
Matched neighbors' spending
To have kept up with the Joneses is to have matched the lifestyle, possessions, or social standing of one's neighbors or peers.
The phrase captures the pressure to acquire what others have—the new car, the renovated kitchen, the vacation—not from genuine desire but from fear of appearing less successful: They kept up with the Joneses until the credit card bills caught up with them.
- insecurityUncertainty about oneself
- envyResentful longing for another's
- status anxietyDread about one's standing
- social climbingSeeking higher status
- conspicuous consumptionFlaunting wealth through purchases
status symbol · consumerism · lifestyle creep · inferiority complex · rivalry · affluence · cultural capital · self-evaluation · spending habits · class consciousness · social hierarchy · peer pressure · herd mentality · rat race · luxury goods · bigger house · reputation management · benchmarking
kept up with the Jonesesstayed in one's lane
Avoided interfering elsewhere
downshifted · counted one's blessings · kept one's head down · decluttered