A 20-year-old ‘stay-at-home daughter’ believes her $2,900 Cartier earrings are free due to ‘girl math’.

A 20-year-old 'stay-at-home daughter' believes her $2,900 Cartier earrings are free due to 'girl math'.

Girl Math: Making Expensive Purchases Seem Like a Steal

A 20-year-old woman in Singapore has become an internet sensation after using her incredible “girl math” skills to convince herself and her followers that her new Cartier earrings are basically free. Chloe Liem, a popular content creator on TikTok, shared her calculations in a now-viral video, garnering over 3.4 million views and 397,000 likes at the time of writing.

Liem, who refers to herself as a “stay-at-home daughter,” revealed that her father is an investor. Holding up a pair of supposed $2,900 Cartier earrings still in the box, Liem proceeded to impress viewers with her mathematical prowess.

According to her calculations, Liem first claimed to have made a profit of about $950 by choosing the less expensive Trinity earrings over the pricier Love earrings. She then managed to offset the cost of the Trinity earrings by using approximately $730 worth of shopping vouchers, which she had received from previous shopping investments.

Liem’s most impressive trick was dividing the total cost of the earrings in half, asserting that all earrings are essentially sold on a “buy-one-get-one-free” deal. This meant that each earring only cost around $1,000.

“These Trinity earrings are literally so classic and timeless that I could probably wear them until the day I am dead. But let’s assume, for simplicity’s sake, that I wear them every day for the next four years,” Liem explained in her video as she punched the numbers into her calculator.

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At the end of her calculations, Liem proudly proclaimed a cost-per-wear of each earring to be less than $1.

“But the cherry on top is that these earrings were quite literally free. Zero dollars. All thanks to my dad’s credit card number, which I have memorized,” Liem cheekily declared.

This is not the first time Liem has shared her “girl math” skills. In another TikTok video published on September 14, she attempted to apply the same principles to a supposedly $4,500 Van Cleef & Arpels bracelet.

“Girl math” has emerged as a financial trend on TikTok, with users attempting to justify their purchases by breaking down the cost into the smallest possible unit, just like Liem.

When asked about her videos, Liem explained to The Straits Times that she created them to entertain her TikTok audience and to spark discussions about potentially unhealthy spending habits.

“To me, anything is possible with girl math,” Liem stated during her interview. She further elaborated that “girl math” could include strategies like adding extra items to a purchase to qualify for free shipping. According to Liem, people often use this type of math to justify extravagant purchases.

While Liem’s videos have gained popularity and may seem light-hearted, financial consultants and experts are concerned that the trend could encourage irresponsible spending and jeopardize individuals’ financial well-being.

Lorna Tan, the head of financial planning literacy at Singapore’s DBS Bank, reminded viewers that “girl math looks fun, and like most fun things, should not be taken too seriously.”

Despite her newfound fame, Liem has chosen not to comment on multiple requests for an interview from Insider.

In conclusion, the rise of “girl math” on TikTok has made expensive purchases appear more affordable through creative calculations and justifications. While entertaining to watch, it’s important to remember that responsible financial decisions are crucial for long-term financial stability. So, let’s enjoy the videos, but not let them lead us astray.

• Shopping
• Singapore
• TikTok