Simone Biles says she's 'staying inside' forever after being hit with $22K glam bill — why lifestyle creep spares no one

Simone Biles might be the most decorated gymnast of all time, but even those gold medals didn't prepare her for a $22,000 bill. Her recent TikTok (1) went viral after revealing her tab for hair, makeup, and styling at a recent red carpet event. The grand total: $22,000. "If that's the new norm, y'all can have it," she said. "Y'all will never see me at another event."

Biles said she understood "prices these days have gone up," but asked other influencers and athletes for their input in the comments. "I just need to know if this is normal," she said.

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Her candid reaction cut through because it touched on something many high earners quietly wrestle with: the creeping sense that their "new normal" has become very, very expensive. This is lifestyle creep in action, and it can be hard for people to talk about without feeling guilty.

Lifestyle creep can keep you feeling trapped, even when your salary goes up

Lifestyle creep, also called lifestyle inflation, is what happens when your spending rises alongside your income — often without a conscious decision to spend more. A promotion leads to a nicer apartment, a bonus funds a new car, or maybe that side hustle money disappears into a new streaming service and dining out.

The numbers back this up: in 2024, 32% of adults said their monthly income increased from the prior year, while a higher 37% said their spending increased over the same period (2), according to a Federal Reserve survey. This was the third consecutive year that spending outpaced income growth.

The savings rates tell a similar story. In March of 2026, Americans had an average personal savings rate of 3.6%, compared to 5.1% in January 2025. (3) And here's the counterintuitive part: higher earners aren't immune to this trend. Nearly one in three six-figure earners (4) say they're stretched, struggling or drowning financially — a sign that higher income doesn't guarantee insulation from rising prices.

Simone Biles is worth an estimated $25 million (5), yet she still felt the sting of an unexpected bill. That's the thing about lifestyle creep—your sense of 'normal' expands with your income. Even if you have the assets of a world-class athlete, it's worth asking whether what you're spending makes sense.