6 Ways Broke Looks Different in 2025
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Broke doesn’t always look like it used to. It’s not just overdraft fees, unpaid bills, or being behind on rent. These days, broke can look polished, well-dressed, and fully booked. It’s easy to think you’re doing fine because your lifestyle looks good, but your bank account tells a different story.
In 2025, a lot of people are walking around financially stretched, but hiding it behind curated Instagram posts and buy-now-pay-later apps.
So here are a few modern ways broke is showing up – even when it doesn’t look like it on the surface.
1. Calling Frugal “Broke” Because You Think Wealth Is Always Loud
Somewhere along the line, people started treating frugality like failure.
If you bring lunch to work, wait for a sale, or say no to a night out – or even if you encourage people to slow down and be more moderate for their financial benefit – you get hit with, “tell me you’re broke without telling me you’re broke.”
Lately, it feels like people are quick to label anything mindful or modest as broke behavior.
I saw a video where someone said that if you look at a price tag in a store, that’s broke behavior. Or if you’re at a restaurant and ask how much something costs after the waiter makes a recommendation, that’s broke behavior too. Even taking your leftovers home was considered broke behavior.
I don’t know who these people are, but here’s the funny part: when they make those kinds of statements, they’re actually revealing more about their financial mindset than anything else. People who are truly financially stable don’t typically think like that. It’s usually the people trying the hardest to appear “rich” who say stuff like that.
I even saw a video of a doctor sitting in his nice, yet modest apartment sharing financial advice, and someone commented something like, “You must not be a very good doctor if you’re living in an apartment..lol.” However, he responded perfectly, highlighting that the person calling him out for living in an apartment was actually exhibiting “broke behavior.” And I couldn’t agree more. (Related: Download your mindful spending Money Mindset Bullet Journal — it’s your personal spending coach).
Because again, people with real financial confidence don’t feel the need to tear down others or prove how well they’re doing.
Okay, mini rant over. But seriously – this stuff grinds my gears.
The point is: choosing to manage your money wisely is not struggling. The same people who mock frugality are often just one emergency away from a crisis. Frugal isn’t broke – it’s strategic.
2. Misapplying “Experience Over Things” and Digging a Financial Hole
I fully believe in choosing experiences over things, but some of y’all are running with that advice in the wrong direction. Experiences don’t have to mean five vacations a year. They don’t mean living above your means in the name of “making memories.” Taking three international trips while having no emergency fund or running up debt on a travel credit card isn’t financial freedom – it’s a recipe for stress.
If you’re constantly planning your next getaway but never planning your next savings goal, it’s time to re-evaluate.
You can have meaningful experiences that don’t require passport stamps or luxury resorts.
Explore a small town nearby. Go on a free hike. Have a game night with friends.
Experience over things doesn’t mean “spend recklessly and call it self-care.” It means prioritize what actually matters without compromising your financial well-being. (Related video: Signs You’re Not As Financially Good As You Think)
3. Thinking Flashy Spending Equals Wealth
We’ve reached a point where being “extra” is a personality trait – and somehow it got confused with being financially successful. But just because someone wears all designer or throws an over-the-top party doesn’t mean they’re wealthy. Flash doesn’t equal stability.
Sometimes, the constant need to show off is a sign that someone’s trying to look secure because they don’t feel secure. If your car payment is more than your rent or you’re dressed in head-to-toe, in-your-face-logos while also dodging phone calls from debt collectors, that’s not wealth – that’s noise.
4. Treating Budgeting Like a Dirty Word
Budgeting gets such a bad rap. People act like it’s a punishment or something only broke people do. But here’s the truth: people who win with money use a budget. Period. And not because they’re broke, but because they want their money to work for them, not disappear without explanation.
If you’re avoiding budgeting because it feels restrictive, I get it. But not having one is even more restricting in the long run because when your money has no plan, it disappears fast. A budget isn’t about limiting your life. It’s about choosing what matters and making sure you actually have the funds to support it. (Related video: What If Budgeting ISN’T Your Problem)
5. Using “Stuff” to Measure Success Instead of Stability
Some people “still” use stuff as a measure of how well someone’s doing. The car, the clothes, the apartment aesthetic.
But stability doesn’t always come with an aesthetic. You can have a minimalist wardrobe, a paid-off used car, and live in a modest space, and still be ten times more financially secure than someone with all the latest and greatest.
Stuff might feel like proof of success, but it’s not. Stability is knowing your bills are paid, you’re saving consistently, and you’re not losing sleep at night over your next paycheck. It’s having peace of mind, not just a pretty photo.
6. Believing “Average” Is a Bad Word
One of the biggest traps I see is this idea that “average” is something to be embarrassed by. You don’t want an average car. You don’t want a regular apartment. You think your life needs to look elevated 24/7 to mean you’re doing well.
But here’s the truth: living within your means is never average – it’s wise. Want a reliable moderately-priced car instead of one that’s more than your rent? That’s not settling. That’s smart. Choosing a home that fits your income instead of pushing your budget? That’s not basic. That’s solid decision-making. (Related video: How Regular People Build Middle Class Rich Lives)
Being responsible doesn’t mean being boring. It means being free – from unnecessary financial stress, from debt, and from pressure to impress people who aren’t paying your bills.