Dear Aida,

One of the quietest threats to financial freedom —
and one of the most common —
is lifestyle inflation.

It sneaks in gradually,
almost invisibly.
With each increase in income,
your spending rises.
Not dramatically,
just slightly —
a nicer meal here,
a subscription there,
a small upgrade,
a recurring convenience.

Nothing feels excessive.
Nothing feels dangerous.

But over time,
these small expansions add up,
and your lifestyle stretches like fabric pulled too far —
comfortable in the moment,
but fragile underneath.

Lifestyle inflation is the force that turns raises into stagnation,
bonuses into nothingness,
opportunities into obligations.

It’s how people earn more money than ever
and still feel like they’re barely staying afloat.

It’s not income that determines freedom —
it’s the gap between income and spending.

Lifestyle inflation narrows that gap
until freedom becomes impossible.