> It’s the same in my case - I decided, quite a few years ago, that chasing status was a sucker’s game, and stopped buying crap that signalled status.

I have friends who make over $200k in affordable areas that constantly complain about money but buy new cars every 2 years, spend $1000's on lego sets, buy expensive toys they sell for 2/3-1/2 value within two years (campers, digital home gyms, etc), need the latest TV, Monitor, Phone... it never ends. It's not filling a need or solving a problem. It's just high price branded junk that they can pose next to on Facebook or Instagram.