We heard it from the Geto Boys in '99 … "Damn, it feels good to be a gangsta," and we're pretty sure it feels good to be a baller too. But, does it feel as good to be a baller on a budget, something many might be forced to do in this time of a depressed economy and a weak job market?
That's where Evan Sneider, the PR manager for website LeaseTrader.com, steps in. Drawing on inspiration from his friends, girlfriend and her friends, the 27-year-old has created a to-do list, comprised of nine clever tricks in order to be a baller on a budget.
Some of the tricks Sneider offers include emptying your bank account on a Friday night and carrying all your cash around with you, or getting your passport stamped with fake destinations, so when you talk about "running with the bulls in Spain, catching the Cannes Film Festival, or dropping in on Carnaval in Brazil, pull out your faux passport with proof of being in each country and this should seal the deal," Sneider says.
He says one of the reasons he came up with this list was because of his understanding that there's a certain appeal to having expensive things, especially when you're young.
"Most young guys assume living in a nice house, driving the nice car and having a large bank account all help score with the ladies," he says. "I can't see many other reasons for calling yourself a baller on a budget besides trying to impress the ladies."
College Times caught up with Sneider, all the way from South Florida, to talk about his system.
College Times: How did you come up with this to-do list of how to be a baller on a budget?
Sneider: The story idea actually came from a customer who I'd recently spoken with. I asked him his reasons for taking over a 08 Mercedes E-class; he responded by admitting he was a "$30,000 Millionaire" or "faux baller." He began to explain the inflated posse, fake passport and driving a car he has no business driving are some tricks he was guilty of. The other two, I simply asked some friends and each told me something new - empty your bank account on a Friday night and always go out in a big group.
Any options for women to be ballers on a budget? Or is there a different term when referring to women?
I, sadly, am not familiar with this topic. So I asked my girlfriend what she's seen from her friends and other women in South Florida. She told me of course there are options for women to be ballers on a budget and her friend actually calls herself a "ballette." I'm told searching for deals on clothes and accessories and makeup and perfume are the best ways to be a ballette.
Have you yourself used any of these baller steps in your daily life?
I can admit to driving a car I have no business driving. When I graduated college a few years ago, I know personally I wanted to drive a nice car after graduating to establish myself as being a young professional and make good first impressions. I'll admit, I'm sure in the back of my mind I was trying to impress the ladies during my single days.
Why is it important to be a baller, especially in a time where "normal" baller things to do would be hard (i.e. buy a Yacht, and sail to the South of France, etc.)?
I don't think the economy will have an effect on guys being ballers on a budget. I imagine in good times or bad times it would be hard to use all of these tricks at once. I'm pretty sure being a baller on a budget is a one-shot deal. If you don't close the deal that night or on the next date you'd give up or come clean with her if you end up liking her.
Do you think a faux baller is really that believable?
I'll say living in South Florida, it's a pretty common occurrence to see faux ballers and, personally, I think they're pretty easy to spot in public. In my opinion, the guys with money are never dressed to the nines, bragging about their money or trying to bring a lot of attention to themselves in public.
Sneider also offered up these simple tips to live like a baller:
Inflated Posse - Get a group of 4-6 friends and take turns being the baller. Each night choose one guy and designate him as baller for the entire evening. Let him carry around all the money and purchase drinks throughout the night. Also you can hype his swagger by asking questions about his latest trip to Dubai or if he closed that multimillion dollar deal last week in London.
Getting A Car You Have no Business Driving - This was the inspiration to the story. Our customer wanted to get a sick Mercedes on the cheap. The secondary lease market lets "faux ballers" get a Mercedes or even a Maserati for pennies on the dollar with little financial commitment.
Sharing Payments - Purchase that sweet condo or house with a group of friends (the same friends that serve as your club entourage). You'll hopefully be making money on your investment and getting immediate satisfaction telling girls you bought the place as your vacation home when you're not traveling around the world. Just make sure your buddies are staying at their parents' place for the evening or sleeping in their car.
Nordstrom package in the mall - It actually still happens all the time. Guys going to the mall and making a small purchase at a high-end store like Nordstrom or Neiman Marcus. The trick is you get a huge shopping bag to put that one item in. Obviously it would look empty without other accessories or clothes, so you can actually bring clothes to the mall from your home. Just switch bags and you now have items from a high-end store.
Fluffed up bottle service - Every club has bottle service that usually charges several hundred dollars (even for the cheapest bottles) to sit in VIP. Make friends with the waitress and ask her for some discarded bottles from the back. Place the empty bottles around your full bottle to attract some attention. This gives the appearance that you're spending a lot of money and might be ordering some more.
Fake biz cards - If you're anyone of importance you have a business card. Now anyone can go online and find free business cards, but spend a little extra money to upgrade the matte, gloss, and make sure to get the cards on heavy stock. This makes you instantly reputable with anyone you meet as being the CEO of a new tech company or you can be the President of a Angel Investment firm.
Fake jewelry - If you live in a major city it shouldn't be hard to find a flea market that sells fake jewelry (Rolex watches, Louis Vuitton wallets, or fake diamonds). If you have some trouble finding fake jewelry you can find hundreds of websites online for you to purchase fake jewelry. The most important piece to any baller is their watch and earrings since that catches someone's attention as a first impression. We've also heard "faux balers" getting really ostentatious rings to resemble a college championship. Saying you were MVP 3 years ago of the Rose Bowl or you played professional basketball and won the NBA championship is sure to impress.
This story posted by LeaseTrader.com, the automotive service company that lets people transfer out of their Car Leases early. If you're looking to swap a lease or transfer out of your car lease, please visit www.leasetrader.com