After college, when all the partying is over, most folks realize it's time to enter adulthood with a 9-5 job. But for Roma, spending money has become her passion. Here's a look at the TikTok star's glamorous reality.
Meet Roma
Say hello to Roma Abdesselam. She is not the average blogger. Instead of working her way towards success, she prefers to inherit her earnings from her parents. And she doesn't plan on stopping any time soon.
Roma is 26-years-old, as reported by The Daily Mail. Nonetheless, the viral adult continues to remain dependent on her parents. In fact, she's managed to coin her own profession: SAHD, a.k, a., a 'stay-at-home daughter.' And as she sees this, it's a full-time job. Let's take a closer look, shall we?
Big Spender
When there's no credit card limit, of course, sometimes expenditures can get the best of us. But Roma doesn't think twice. As a stay-at-home daughter, she relies on mommy and daddy's income. So, it's important they put in the groundwork. At the end of the day, happy daughter, happy life. Most of the time.
Roma feels that spending her parents' money is a job and the perfect role for her. Though she chose not to disclose what both of her parents do for a living, she did admit to being cut off due to overspending. We can't imagine the amount of ATM withdrawals it took to reach boiling point. Nevertheless, it didn't last long...
Shop Til She Drops!
Roma tends to share her expenditures with her followers on social media. In one particular video, she tours us through a day in her life, but this time, she chose to swipe her credit card through Beverly Hills. First stop, Rodeo Drive! Roma's expensive taste only takes her toward the most high-end stores.
From spending $5,256 on a Chanel bag to $350 on an 'essential' facial, a mere $2,654 on a couple of shoes, and over $800 in other designer stores, this is just a below-average day for Roma. Oh, and how can we forget transportation expenses to take her from store to store, no matter how close in proximity? That's an extra $70 on Uber.
Online Attention
Roma has the tendency to shock her followers with her outrageous expenditures. Keep in mind, these pricey shopping trips can happen in just a couple of hours during the day, meaning this is only a snippet of the tab she's really diving into. While Roma finds this a fun hobby, her followers seem to be entertained by the diva.
Followers seem to be growing more and more fascinated with her lifestyle. The in-depth insight into her high-maintenance lifestyle is nothing ordinary, so viewers are infatuated with her endlessly luxurious world. After a short while, her recognition on social media grew at a rapid rate. But where did it all begin?
How It Started
While money can buy fame in many cases, Roma's unapologetic personality helped morph her into an online 'sensation.' In a video insight with Truly on YouTube, Roma spoke about her rise to online fame. She voiced that most people do lie about their lives, so her reality turned out to be somewhat more interesting.
Roma has made it extremely evident she is not afraid to show off her purchases, nor people judging her for her daily expenses. If she's got it, she's going to flaunt it. There is nothing really stopping her from holding back in posting her purchases, almost as if her followers and trolls encourage her to motivate the toxic persona.
A Satirical Star
The founder of skincare line, For The Dermatologist, she goes by the Instagram handle @therealsahd. So, she really has re-identified herself. She has 87.8K IG followers who have been welcomed into the world of Roma. With a selection of extravagant highlights to view, her stories and posts track her every move.
She enjoys long-haul Business Class flights to exotic locations like Buenos Aires, Puerto Rico, Mykonos, and more. She has shared a link with fans to her Revolve wishlist and an email for business inquiries. Her feed is also full of satirical spending tips, and she even shared a spoof Halloween costume for a 'stay-at-home daughter.'
Documenting It All
While Roma has the tendency to share her already-made TikToks onto her Instagram feed, her TikTok account is where the spending magic really happens. She has 652.8K followers and a current total of 13.5 million likes. So, what are these fans so interested in? Well, aside from shopping trips, Roma likes to post her iconic SAHD thoughts.
She likes to express her values in life. More specifically, she has no intention of doing anything but spending her parents' money permanently. Considering her traveling experience, she has grasped the best tricks in the book - from dating red flags in London to dealing with jetlag and, ironically, how to be independent.
The Bill of It
As a full-time influencer who has nothing to do but make purchases, she finds it her duty to spend the desired amount of money and share this with her followers. Disregarding her spontaneous trip to Beverly Hills, Roma will drop tens of thousands of dollars just in one day.
She doesn't hold back when it comes to exposing her lengthy receipts. These bills can be as high as $9,000 in one day, but this is nothing compared to her other daily splashes! Though, these aren't down to just bags and shoes. This includes spa trips, dinners, gym sessions, and shopping.
Her Allowance
Roma's allowance isn't exactly conversed with her parents. It usually begins with a subtle ATM visit. This leaves her parents in the dark about how much she's spending. To put things into context, according to government data, the average salary for ages 25-34 in the US is around $48K. So let's just say Roma is above the average.
According to the New York Post, the 26-year-old noted, "some days I spend $50,000." After one of her videos racked up a few million views, she said, "I've turned spending (my parents') money as a stay-at-home daughter into a job, and that's been very, very fun for me."
Easily Bought
In most cases, talk is cheap. But Roma doesn't do cheap. Usually, a store representative will entice a customer into buying something lavish. Although, these items are not necessarily essentials, so it's easy to put them back on the shelf. However, there are no excuses for Roma.
Almost nothing comes between Roma and a price tag. She admits to being easily manipulated by sales representatives when they describe items as "exotic" and "special," or limited edition. Immediately, Roma is hooked and sees it as essential. Imagine missing out on a beach bag that might come in handy in 20 years for a Mykonos trip.
The Funemployed Life
Although Roma sees her lifestyle as a full-time career, it is also dubbed as the 'funemployed' life. Still, she seems to be playing her part when it comes to contributing to the global economy. Despite her busy lifestyle, Roma teased her average daily routine. And, oh boy, it left users stunned.
Roma recalled to the New York Post, "Every day I wake up in the morning, have breakfast, go to a [$600] workout class and go shopping with my girlfriends at Bergdorf's… And that's my life, being unemployed." We hope that workout class was worth it, but then again, there's nothing better than a post-workout glass of champagne. Right?
A Daily Routine
Roma doesn't play around. This is a serious business, and she ensures she looks good doing it. This means entering panic mode when it comes down to "self-indulgence." Starting from the top, Abdesselam bragged in a post about shaping a set of brand-new eyebrows for $600. This activity alone took it out of her.
After her brows were done, she went to a bar to get tipsy before it was back to the stores. Because why not? In the videos, Roma shows her daily receipts for late-night snacks, cosmetics, and clothes. Her biggest pit-stop of the day was to Cos Bar to collect her "favorite perfumes and skin care products," spending $1,353.38.
Her Closet
When she appeared on a segment called 'BLING LIFE' by Truly, she was followed around for the day. Of course, her first stop was her New York closet. She introduced us to her favorite pair of shoes, designed by a brand she couldn't pronounce, but she explained she just "knows how to buy it."
She almost didn't realize the camera was there as she fawned over her clothing. She then continued to show bags from her favorite designer, Chanel, that cost $10,000. Altogether, although unsure, she estimated her entire closet to be valued at $300,000. Give or take a couple thousand. But who's counting?
Her Favorite Activities
If one was to compare Roma's life to the average human's, it is far from similar. That being said, Roma uses the term 'luxury' very lightly. Aside from shopping, she tends to go the extra mile when treating herself. These sporadic activities include caviar facials and traveling.
At least Roma knows her life is extravagant. Though, she struggled to give specific examples as she explained, "It's hard to say, because you guys see that as luxury but I see that as every day." She mocked herself, marking that claim as a "pretentious" comment.
Presentable At All Times
As a professional SAHD, she has to live up to the standard she exerts over social media. If she's going to spend that much money on luxury items, she might as well look like it, right? Planning makes perfect, and everything Roma does has to be picture-perfect.
As she explained, "I'm going to wear this dress to the salon, I always like to look very nice and presentable when I'm going out, even if it's just to go to the salon." Roma will always have an accessory to start her day correctly, whether it's a bag for the occasion, shoes for a rainy day, or a snazzy pair of shades for tanning hours.
Daily Struggles
But Roma, too, encounters her own version of daily struggles. We are by no means putting shame or throwing shade toward the 26-year-old, but her personal issues might differ from the regular mortgage crisis. Instead, she finds herself in a pickle when she wakes up to find 320 missed calls from her ex-boyfriend.
In a particular TikTok clip, she explained how this incident caused her anxiety, and she simply wasn't in the mood. It totally ruined her shopping day. She needed to relax and find her serenity elsewhere, away from her ex. So, her dating issues resulted in a one-way ticket trip to the Bahamas. She turned herself on plane mode.
Keeping It Real
In most of her videos, viewers find Roma aimlessly justifying her expenses. Despite this being her self-employed job, she feels as if she needs to provide a reason to her followers for these shopping adventures. Whether this is stress-induced or having a bad day, she seems to find a way around it and into the store.
She did express her true intentions, as she believes transparency is key. She admitted, "I thought it was a good idea to use my platform to tell young girls, hey, people don't just wake up with a pointy nose… I got a nose job." She also admitted to purchasing a new watch because her current one didn't have enough diamonds.
24/7 Glam Squad
Although Roma buys all of her makeup, clothes, and accessories, apart from styling, she has admitted to never doing her own hair or makeup. While she promises to always dress to the nines, she opts for someone professional to give her a blowout and contour her cheekbones to perfection.
Considering the amount of money she spent on a fresh set of eyebrows, fans aren't surprised she doesn't want to touch them. Like any other day, she trots out of her NYC apartment to go and get "glammed up." She also doesn't like to brush her own hair, she has someone do it for her - while someone else paints her face to perfection.
Parents or Sponsors?
But as Roma lets us tag along during her outings, she never mentions her parents or how they feel about her lavish lifestyle. Either they are unaware or completely okay with showering their daughter with everything she wants. For a girl that hasn't worked in years, her parents must know they are her personal shareholders.
In one of her TikTok segments, 'S.A.H.D. What I spent In A Day,' Roma narrated her expenses shown. She briefly mentioned how she got her black Amex card taken away for a "stupid reason," but that has never stopped her. To our surprise, she captioned, "If my parents are watching this, everything was sponsored through my influencing job."
"Out of Touch" Tabs
So now we know most of her content explicitly shows her daily receipts, it might be hard not to screenshot a couple of clips here and there. But we can't be blamed, she put it out there for the world to see, we're just diving a little deeper. Once all the screengrabs are collected, it's a lot easier to grasp the daily outings.
To settle things, the most common expenses are: $600 on "new eyebrows," $1,353 on perfume and cosmetics, $4,485 on clothes, $2,774 on lingerie, $100 on a pilates lesson, and $12 on junk food. She told the New York Post she might come across as "out of touch," but that's for her followers to decide how they interpret her persona.
Loving the Hate
It is understandable most of her followers are either unimpressed or intrigued with her lifestyle. However, Roma takes everything as it comes and prefers to look at the positive insights. She has specifically confessed to enjoying when people are mean to her. However, her logic behind this is rather genius.
We hate to break it to those trolls, but it's only making her wealthier. Roma revealed that TikTok pays her $22 per mean comment. So, in hindsight, the more shares, the more likes and engagement she receives is only encouraging her. She bragged, "I take all that money and buy another Chanel bag that I don't need."
Behind the Persona
While money solves most of her problems, Roma prefers to avoid all negativity that enters her life. Whether this is in real life or in the comment section, her positive mindset has allowed her to not let hateful comments affect her lifestyle. Even so, there is a chance her identity is played up for the camera.
She told the New York Post her grid and story uploads are "meant to display her self-deprecating, satirical sense of humor." Does this mean it's all an act? Social media is always a mystery, so little do we know how she truly spends her time. On the contrary, her profiles show flashy excursions to Saint Tropez and feasts at Cipriani.
A Divided Community
Clearly, her satirical content sits well with many: from girls wanting to be her friend to wanting to join her family, she's welcomed lots of support! One user asked, "[Do you] need a bestie girl??? Don't even want anything, I just want to first-hand witness this." Another user joked, "Are your parents looking to adopt another daughter?"
On the other hand, haters can get pretty nasty if they disagree with Roma's lifestyle, shading her for spending. One user questioned, "So [how] much do you spend helping your community and those in need?" Another scoffed, "You could pay off one year of my student loans [with] that [amount], and it's not even funny."
Jet Setter
Currently, according to her Instagram bio, she is in London - likely shopping her way through Marylebone high street and Bond Street. Although, her most regular hot spots are either New York or Los Angeles. This is fairly reasonable, considering they are top-notch locations for high-end couture. Still, she can go anywhere.
In fact, Roma has made it clear that she is a frequent flyer and goes all out. There's nothing like a fresh glass of champagne on the way to Puerto Rico or Miami. Although, she does share the best restaurants and top tips for traveling with her followers.
Choosing Her Friends Wisely
Considering her lavish lifestyle, it's hard to know if her friends have the best intentions. Not to mention, users quite literally ask to be her friend in her comments section. In her segment with Truly, she mentioned her upcoming SAHD European tour and how she chose her close friend Frazier to join her.
To be a part of Roma's life, it's essential to keep up with her. Close friend Frazier seems like a good fit, but viewers saw the pair get heated over a trip to Mykonos as the villa was not booked yet. Roma said she could have taken anyone, though Frazier gave in quite quickly, comfortable with any form of accommodation.
Madness Over Mykonos
So, how exactly did the two come to an agreement? As the two sat down for a mid-day alcoholic beverage - because they can - the pair discussed the logistics of the trip. The trip required a driver for those flashy outings to Scorpios and Principote, as well as security.
While Roma was certain the trip, especially the villa, was going to be "boujee," Frazier was not going to step into any argument over the details. What Roma wants, Roma gets, and if Frazier wasn't okay with that, she had no problem in switching holiday pals. Thankfully, the two eventually did a cheers to Mykonos! It was that easy.
“I’m Tryna Look Hot!”
Prior to Frazier and Roma's daylight wind-down, we watched another heated moment. As Roma was calmly having her makeup done, once her hair was finalized, we were introduced to Frazier, who was frustrated after waiting for an extra 30 minutes for his close and personal friend.
Roma was not having any bust-ups for the camera. She calmly turned her head away from the camera and was uninterested in Frazier's nonsense. As if he was not respecting her hair and makeup routine. She must look good before they head out, so Roma fought back, yelling, "I'm tryna look hot!" They both have drivers, so what's the problem?
Smiling Through the Pain
Despite the seemingly simple problems of Roma's - compared to most - she still seems fairly tired after a hard day of 'work.' That being said, she continues to tackle each day with a big smile on her face. As she stated before, haters are only enhancing her career further.
When asked about her critics, Abdesselam said, "I don't really care what you think… At the end of the day, the [haters] are just very insecure and would never say anything to my face." Perhaps that's because Roma is in a different location every day. The devil works hard, but Roma works harder.
The Real Business
Putting her impulsive spending aside, Roma has proved to be quite the businesswoman. Not only has she founded her very own skincare line, but she has given herself an online platform. In other words? The business possibilities are seemingly endless.
Although she highly enjoys easily spending her parent's money, her expensive taste has landed her influencer deals in advertisements and sponsoring for brands in beauty and fashion. Not to mention, it seems she is slowly realizing the value of a dollar and has started to donate money to education-based charities around the world.
Coming Full Circle
Roma has come a long way, proving her unapologetic facade on social media to be a glimpse of entertainment. At the end of the day, her 87.8K followers love it. But for Roma, she's just getting started. She confessed to the New York Post that she's interested in cross-cultural studies.
She explained, "I'm very passionate about a school in Israel that teaches Palestinian and Israeli kids Arabic and Hebrew together." But the conversation continued, with users discovering she does charity work with a school in Jamaica. And we can't wait to see what comes next...