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A third of us are jealous of our pals

Are we secretly jealous of our friends?

Almost a third of green eyed Brits are secretly jealous of a friend who has done better than them in life, according to a new study by Carphone Warehouse.

Researchers took an in depth look into how Britons feel about their lives compared to the lives of their friends and family.

According to the poll, 29% feel resentful. Admitting they secretly WISHED they had the lifestyle and material things that a close friend or family member has.

42% said they know someone in their social circle who always has the latest “must have thing”.

Ha ha. I am going to buy that one too.

Currys PC World Great Indoors Study


According to the Great Indoors study of 5,000 Brits by Currys PC World, 12% bought the latest phone as SOON as they realised a friend had it.

A further one in twenty have immediately gone out and bought the same television as a friend because they were jealous of how it looked in their house.

I want them.

Half of us secretly aspire to have the life of our BFF 

The survey from Currys seems to show that over half (55%) secretly aspire to have the life of their best friend. While 21% want the life of the next-door neighbour. A further 18% dream of having the life of a work colleague.

Matt Walburn, Brand and Communications Director, Currys PC World said: “It’s only natural that there is some form of rivalry between groups of friends. We all know that one person who is the first to get the latest smartphone or must-have gadget.“It’s healthy to want to strive for a better lifestyle and to want nice things, It’s never worth falling out with friends, however, it’s flattering if you’re the person everyone is trying to be like.”

1 in 20 has emulated the exact same hairstyle of a friend they admire. A further 5% have purchased the same car as someone they look up to. Again, not going to be able to afford a car anytime soon. The again us girls in the city don’t really need one so that’s all good for now.

According to this study, women are guiltier of wanting what other people have. 68% of Brits admit many of the people they would like to trade lives with are shallow and materialistic. However, when you look at all the magazines telling us what we should look like to feel good, this should really come as no surprise.

Ironically, 21% of Brits say it annoys them when friends copy things they have spent their hard-earned cash on.

Is social influencing to blame – our thoughts?

Brands are turning to social influencers more and more. Instagrammers know only too well the power of endorsements of products. So is it any surprise that we may want what we see things other people have? That’s what marketing is about after all. Creating a desire and need for something. Just think Apple.

From the minute we wake up, our social media feeds are full of pics from people’s holidays, festivals, engagements. Social media can be overwhelming and especially detrimental when you are having a down day.

Top Tips Header

Our Top Tips for keeping jealousy abay:

Work on yourself: Ask yourself why are you feeling jealous? Build up your own self-esteem and find happiness in yourself.  Remind yourself you are worth it.

Save for those things you really, really want: If you want something badly enough, just set some money aside each month to pay for it. Don’t reach for the credit cards for that instant gratification. Read our Top Ten Tips on how to start saving money today.

Be thankful: Feeling jealous may just result from the fact you feel dissatisfied with your own life. However, instead of feeling jealous. Be thankful for what you have and remind yourself what an amazing person you are.

Think ‘Fakebook’ rather than ‘Facebook’: Not many people post pics showing their bad days. Take a break from social media now and again. People want to represent their best selves and you have to remember that…

Everyone is going through a battle you know nothing about: You never know what other people are going through.