This might be a bit off where the topic has gone to (having babies), and I’m not sure whether it is even relevant to the original point but what makes me laugh these days as an early 20 something man (gen Y?) is that quite a few people, whether for parternership or firendship or whatever (let’s call them the Paris Hilton Wannabes) are choosing partners based on an appearance of wealth – ie. their ability to swipe a credit card on the expectation that being associated with these people will mean a lifestyle of luxury and good birthday presents. But those people who do have alot of money, are saving, and perhaps are catching public transport, not going out too much etc to save money, can be viewed as less likely to provide them with the comfortable lifestyle because they often don’t look flashy, and consequently are overlooked by the people who desperately want to be rich and are evaluating partners on the basis of their financial resources.

Nowadays it’s far too easy to look wealthy. Eg. a tailored suit only costs $1500 which is within the grasp of any guy with a credit card. But people still are evaluating others through 18th century lenses based on how they look. Not alot of people really seem to have grasped the fact that so much of what they see is an illusion. For anyone to stop spending and getting in debt, they need to realise that looking good and splashing money around does not make them wealthy.

And people can still look good to other people without spending alot of money, cause so much of what we do to make others take notice goes completely unnoticed…

What is the reason for them being not as common as previously? Is it the current market conditions, the fact that more investors are now after +ve cashflow properties or both of these?