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Tan France.
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“Queer Eye” host Tan France says he noticed four key money differences between Brits and Americans.
He doesn’t understand why Americans use so much credit or need to file their own taxes.
France is also frustrated with the US healthcare system.
Tan France’s memoir, “Naturally Tan,” is an unexpected yet refreshing source of personal finance advice and information.
The “Queer Eye” host writes that he grew up in a conservative Pakistani household with parents who taught him to avoid using credit cards at all costs. Later in life, he married his husband, Rob, who grew up in a Mormon household that shared the same practical and modest money values.
In the book, he advises readers to save a small portion of their paycheck no matter what happens. France also says that there is no such thing as an “investment piece” when it comes to fashion, and that he regrets having spent so much money on certain fashion trends when he was younger
France, who moved to the US to be with his husband Rob, also writes about the American money norms that gave him pause when he landed across the pond — and how he adopted some and not others.
1. People drive bigger, more expensive cars
In the book, France writes, “When I first moved here, I didn’t understand the appeal of a car that can fit 75 people. The number of massive SUVs here blew my mind.” He was also baffled at the way that people judge each other in the US depending on what kind of car you drive and how new it is.
He says, reminiscing about his London days, “Back home, if you have a car that’s five to 10 years old, that’s seen as a relatively new car and you’ve done well.” However, in America, he noticed that people seem to equate expensive cars with success and self-worth.
He adds, “As I’m saying this, I am actually currently purchasing an SUV. I’m now an American, and I want a big car, too!”
2. Americans use so much credit
Growing up, France’s parents taught him not to spend money that he hadn’t earned yet. He says it’s the only money lesson he feels he did right throughout his journey, and he would do it again. Americans, however, have a different relationship with credit.”
France writes, “On the whole, if you have money in America, you buy stuff. But if you don’t have money in America, you also buy stuff.”
Circling back to American car culture, France said he couldn’t understand why Americans take out loans to buy fancy new cars, especially when their older models still work.
3. Filing taxes
France is baffled that the American government trusts people to file their own taxes.
He writes, “I think it’s strange to leave taxes in the hands of the people. It’s very complicated. And if you make errors, they’re on your ass like crazy. I figured it must be a topic that must be covered in school since it’s something everyone has to learn, but no. You just have to figure it out.”
According to the Low Income Tax Reform Group in the UK, most people with only a typical 9-5 job don’t need to file a tax return at all because their employers remove their tax payments from their salaries.
4. Paying health insurance deductibles
In the book, France openly criticizes the American health insurance system. He writes, “There are so many problems with your system. You wind up paying for your care and your drugs and insurance. It doesn’t make any sense. It costs a fortune, but my biggest gripe is that you have to pay a deductible. I never even hear that word deductible back home.”
He finds it frustrating that Americans, he and Rob included, have to pay thousands of dollars for medical care on top of what they’ve already been paying for years. Before joining the cast of “Queer Eye,” France was a businessman looking for independent health insurance. He found it difficult to fork over $1,000 per month, with a deductible on top of that.
France writes, “It’s the best con, but it’s perfectly legal.”