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When Spending Chases Earning

See how a raise can disappear when your spending grows just as fast.

The idea

Lifestyle creep is when the money you spend grows every time the money you earn grows. A raise feels great, but if your spending jumps by the same amount, you end up keeping exactly what you kept before. The fix is to let spending rise slower than earning, so a gap opens up in the middle. That gap is the part that stays with you. 🌱

Words to know

Income: All the money that comes in to you, like allowance, a job, or a hustle.
Spending: The money that goes back out for things you buy.
Lifestyle creep: When your spending quietly grows to match a bigger income.
Raise: An increase in the amount you get paid.
Savings rate: The share of your income you do not spend.

Try it — no account needed

True or false? Swipe each card.

Card 1 of 4

Lifestyle creep means your spending grows when your income grows.

In the full lesson

1True or false
2Work out the number
3Make the call

Vine has 107 lessons like this one, each written three ways so a 7-year-old and a 17-year-old both get a version that fits.

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