‘A state of mind?’: Anna Paul’s broke ‘feeling’ claim divides

Influencer and OnlyFans star, Anna Paul, has taken to social media to defend herself, but her “feeling” claim has caused even further debate.

An influencer’s claim that being broke is a “feeling” has sparked considerable debate online.

This all came about because influencer and OnlyFans star Anna Paul became embroiled in a feud with her former friend and fellow influencer, Mikaela Testa.

Ms Paul, who is reportedly a multi-millionaire now, has often referenced coming from a working-class background and it has become part of her iconic success story.

Then, among a slew of allegations, Ms Testa claimed that Ms Paul exaggerated her claim that she grew up “broke”.

Ms Paul posted a lengthy TikTok defending herself against a myriad of allegations, but the part of her response that went the most viral is her theory on what it means to be broke.

“When I said I grew up broke that is my experience, that is how I felt. When I can hear my parents talking in the kitchen that the budget for the groceries that week is $30, it makes me feel broke,” she argued.

“When we can’t afford school uniforms, it makes me feel broke. When I am 11, all my friends can afford something, and my parents can’t, that makes me feel broke.

“When they say, ‘ooh I don’t know how we’re going to afford rent next week’, that makes me scared and makes me feel broke.”

Anna Paul has explained that she felt broke. Picture: TikTok/AnnaPaul

Testa’s upbringing claims caused Paul to explain. Picture: Instagram/mikaelatesta

The influencer said that she understands that these things don’t make her the most “broke person on earth” and that plenty of people have it worse, but it also doesn’t mean she’s lying about her upbringing.

The 25-year-old’s claim about “feeling” broke has really taken off online and hit a nerve.

For most people that struggle financially, broke is less of a feeling and more of a cold hard fact and Ms Paul’s comments caused further debate.

Online, Aussies were commenting and sharing what makes them feel broke in response to Ms Paul’s claim.

“Me when I’m at the footy and they’ve charged me $60 for four beers,” one person joked.

“When I was young, mum said we couldn’t get Macca’s on the way home, which made me feel broke,” another admitted.

“Me when I can’t afford my Zinger Burger,” someone else said.

“When I can’t afford an eleven million dollar mansion, I feel broke,” someone else joked.

Anna Paul is one of Australia’s most famous influencers. Picture: TikTok/AnnaPaul

She explained that she felt broke. Picture: TikTok/AnnaPaul

There were also people poking fun and asking if their parents are on $500,000, but they can’t afford a horse, does that mean they can “feel” broke.

Interestingly, while one part of the internet was poking fun at Ms Paul’s “feeling” claim, the other half was on her side.

Someone argued that Ms Paul was just trying to explain that, while she may not have grown up dirt poor, her family wasn’t living a “rich life” and worrying about groceries and rent would make anyone feel broke.

Another pointed out that worrying about grocery money is the definition of being broke and people claimed the online backlash wasn’t fair on Ms Paul.

Meanwhile, some felt that the 25-year-old shouldn’t have described being broke as an “emotion” and that feeling broke and actually being broke are entirely different things.

One Aussie shared that they were baffled that Ms Paul claimed being broke is “a state of mind”, while another said they wanted to be “Anna Paul broke” one day.

Originally published as ‘A state of mind?’: Anna Paul’s broke ‘feeling’ claim divides