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4 ways movies, TV series and books lie to us about money

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There are times when it’s impossible to suspend your disbelief when you’re watching a movie, a television series or reading a book because producers, directors and authors are not above using an unrealistic plot device for the sake of convenience.

Need someone to rob a bank? Suddenly the ineffectual and clumsy guy who couldn’t tie his shoe laces effortlessly pulls off a heist, and runs like an Olympic athlete to make a getaway that would make Santa look real.

But you know what’s worse? Is this idea that money is available to anyone at a drop of the hat. Here are four prime examples of how “movie and book poor” compares to money struggles in the real world.

The minimum wager who lives in a well-to-do apartment

In Sex and the City, Carrie who is a freelance writer lives in an apartment with a walk in closet. Not only that, but she buys designer outfits and shoes that, realistically speaking, are next to impossible to afford on what is probably an inconsistent salary. Also, take it from us, writers DO NOT earn enough to be buying Dolce and Gabbana every month.

The only accurate thing about Carrie’s life in the big Apple is the fact that she lives well above her means.

There’s actually a hilarious post on The Frenemy.com, with a complete breakdown of Carrie’s salary and expenses that includes the line: “Carrie Bradshaw, you gotta be tripping balls to have us believe that you can sustain yourself that extravagantly on that one stupid-ass column.”

Enough said.

Getting a job with great pay immediately after college

*SPOILER ALERT

Hey Anastasia Steele? One does not simply graduate and immediately get a job with decent pay. Also, getting a job in the second book, and being promoted in the third? Yeah, that’s the kind of thing that totally happens all the time.

In real life, most of us aren’t half as privileged as this fictional character. For many it takes lots of hard work, months of preparation and sometimes up to 20 interviews per week before you’re even considered a worthy candidate. And even then, that’s usually dependent on how many years of experience you have.

READ MORE: 5 struggles every graduate looking for a job can relate to

Rich kids with little to no restrictions on allowances

Is it just me or are teens depicted as being increasingly wealthy and independent? In Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl, for instance, characters are spending money with the kind of wild abandon that speaks of no parental influence whatsoever. To be fair, shows like that are exactly meant to portray teens that way, but consider shows like Gilmore Girls and Skins. You never see Rory in the same outfit twice and the characters in Skin are easily able to go clubbing and do drugs - so easily accessible is money to them.

Celeb culture would have us believe that it’s realistic for people to have this kind of lifestyle (and of course young ‘uns like Kylie Jenner certainly have us wishing upon stars), but realistically speaking, many millenials fall into the following groups:

a)    Just matriculated and applying for a bursary to study
b)    Just-graduated and looking for a job

So no, we can’t all be Blair Waldorf and Serena Van der Woodsen.

Eating out on a seemingly endless budget

Excuse me Friends, but I’m looking at you.

Not only did this group all live in huge apartments, but half the group barely had the kind of jobs that let them pay their rent, yet somehow they could always be found eating pizza or hanging out at Central Perk drinking cappuccinos.

Where do they get their money from? And how can we learn their secrets so that we can live this way too?

Read more:

5 things you should stop wasting money on

5 ways to make money by doing virtually nothing

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