(ThyBlackMan.com) When a brotha catches your eye, he’s more than likely well-groomed and well-dressed. An unmistakable aura exudes from his presence, and it can be contagious. The current trendy term for it is “swagger”, but what is it really? Swagger generally is used to define the outward appearance and behavior of a person. As a matter of fact, within the black community, we generally categorize people based on what we see. Returning to the appearance of a , you’re highly unlikely to catch him looking a mess. The hair will be groomed. He’ll be adorned with stylish clothes, pricey shoes, and other flashy gadgets. While it does make for a fashionable statement, it’s costly on the wallet. Yet, our community places no emphasis on financial status. So, it’s no wonder that the credo is that it’s better to look like we’re balling out of control with a 500 credit score than to have an 850 credit score and drive a Prius.
We’ve been taught all our lives that bills and living from paycheck to paycheck is the norm. For our parents or grandparent’s generation, living paycheck to paycheck may have been the norm since financial disparity was a likely scenario. As household income began to rise, parents became so engulfed in rewarding their kids the luxuries in life that they didn’t have, that some of them began to forget to teach their kids HOW to earn their own luxuries in life. You’ll find all the millennial kids decked in designer clothes carrying iPhones, iPads, 
jewelry, etc. It’s also not uncommon to find those unemployed or earning minimum wage in fancy cars, carrying expensive smart phones, and rocking designer shoes. While there’s nothing wrong with these things, it is necessary to acknowledge it for the money guzzling cycle that it is.
The unfortunate thing about adopting fashion and materialistic goods as an expression is that it’s an endless drain on the wallet. Gadgets, clothes, cars come out in cycles almost on an annual, bi-annual, or monthly basis. Therefore, we’re dropping thousands and thousands of dollars annually to make a statement. Brothas, the reality is that many of us do not have the wealth to make this costly statement.
If we don’t have home ownership, education costs taken care of, investments, insurance, and retirement funds settled, then we have to be more conservative with the money spent recreationally on material goods. The reality is that those Jordans and Prada sneakers cannot and will not help you pay your bills. It will not raise your credit score. While you exchange a few Benjamins to look like a fashion icon, you make the recipients of that cash into wealth icons. Check the wealth profiles of the owners of these fashion and vehicle brands, and they’re probably doing really well for themselves. After all of that, you will more than likely be back to purchase from them again within a few months, as the purchases of today will be irrelevant tomorrow.
The Four Evils
If there are three things that are hazardous for a black man’s wallet, they have to be the following: clothes and sneakers, cars, gadgets, and women. Let’s break them down:
1. Clothes and Sneakers: Clothes are a necessity without a doubt. However, there’s no need to exclusively seek out designer items. Here we are placing a bias on items based on the brand, when the reality is that it too was made in a third world country and is ticketed for 10 to 100 times what it cost to make. The need to wear fancy, trendy clothes is a social construct. While your Jordans and Louis Vuitton clothing may earn you a few social points, it just took you a few hundred dollars back in wealth. You’ll have to earn twice as much as you spent to put you back in the same financial situation. Yet, we both know that’s not happening as this is just one of the dozens of purchases that will be made to complete our wardrobe.
2. Cars: Ever seen an old car probably worth a thousand dollars rolling around with thousands of dollars of accessories on it? We’re talking fancy rims, top of the line speakers, and a professional paint job. We have, and it’s enough to make Baby Jesus weep. You weren’t able to afford a modern car for a reason. It’s more than likely because of bad credit and/or lack of money. So, why further invest in useless liabilities on the car? You already have guaranteed regular maintenance and gas expenses to deal with. This advice goes beyond those riding around in old cars. You can often spot your favorite male celebrities flaunting their customized fancy vehicles. It’s a colossal waste of money for something that will end up depreciating and draining your net worth. A car should be a valid vehicle for transportation. Leave customizations for your pizza orders and music playlists.
3. Gadgets & Accessories: Everyone’s carrying around gadgets these days. However, in the black community, these things are used to signify our “swagger” status. Close your eyes and see if you can picture a man with ultimate swagger. Warren Buffet or Bill Gates isn’t probably going to come to mind regardless of the fact that they’re walking money factories. You’re also not likely to attribute swagger to a brother walking around dressed like them either. You’re likely thinking of a brother dressed to impress with fancy jewelry on and a nice phone. Once again, these are endless cash guzzlers. If you have the discretionary income to afford nice gadgets after all the bills, debt, and investments are taken care of, then there’s no problem. However, we have seen people standing in line for government assistance playing with their iPhones. Not a good look for your wallet.
4. Women: We put this in here not to say that women are the enemy. One of the greatest weaknesses for many men can be women. Brothers may end up spending more on them than their money allows. They could also end up being reckless one night and end up with decades worth of child support. Then there are others who love to take a whole paycheck and toss it recklessly in the air at a strip club. There’s nothing wrong with assuming the chivalrous or caretaker role in a relationship. However, it’s got to be in line with what you can spend responsibly. Let’s make it clear that we’re not saying that the women in your life should take a backseat. We’re only talking about needless undesignated spending on them, if it is causing you to spend your way to the poorhouse. It’s important to also note that if you have court-ordered child support, you can, must, and will need to pay. That simply means less discretionary money for you, my friend.
Is there anything wrong with aspiring to have these things? Not at all. It’s all about moderation and conservation. However, these things should take a backseat to the bigger goal of financial freedom. Your Nikes won’t help you secure a business or personal loan. Your BMW won’t score you good terms with your credit card. Keep your eye on the prize. The prize won’t lie in any of these materialistic goods. The prize will be in the system that keeps your money and net worth growing. Now that’s what we define as swagger and then some!
Staff Writer; India Love
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