Middle-class people tend to always behave in the same way. What are some ways in which you can spot a middle-class person in a crowd? You’ll find 18 telltale signs in this article.
Driving from A to B
Middle-class people have enough money to put gas in their cars but not enough to go on a road trip. You hear middle-class people talk about driving to work, college, and the grocery store, but you won’t hear them talk about driving just for the sake of it.
Buying mid-range clothing
FashionUnited says, “The global fashion industry produces more than 100 to 150 billion items of clothing per year.” A middle-class person will refrain from buying cheap clothing, as they know it won’t last and they’ll have to replace the clothing soon. They try to buy mid-range clothing.
Shopping at large grocery stores
Another thing that middle-class people tend to do is shop at large grocery stores. People who have a high income can afford to shop at convenience stores, where prices are normally more expensive than they are at large grocery stores. Middle-class people don’t do this.
Having a funded healthcare plan
Healthcare in the United States is very expensive. Many citizens are having to make do with the healthcare plan that is provided for them by their employers. Middle-class people normally have to make do with this plan and can’t afford a more premium plan.
Picking alternative breakfast foods
When middle-class people go grocery shopping, they choose the items wisely so they don’t end up spending too much money. The price of cereal has skyrocketed since the Russia-Ukraine War, so many middle-class families are now opting for toast, yogurt, and fresh fruit for breakfast.
Avoiding impulse buys
Buying things on impulse that we did not plan to pay for can have serious financial consequences. Most middle-class people try to avoid buying things on impulse. They make a shopping list and stick to it so they don’t go over their pre-planned budget.
Choosing just one streaming service
According to Forbes, “Americans, on average, maintain subscriptions to approximately 2.9 streaming services each month.” Middle-class Americans, on the other hand, are cutting down on the number of streaming services they have to just one per family. They take advantage of shared family accounts.
Buying second-hand textbooks
If money isn’t an object for a person, they’ll have no issues buying brand-new textbooks for college studies. A middle-class person, however, won’t waste money on new books when they could find second-hand textbooks on the internet or buy them from former students.
Making coffee at home
Buying coffee each day from a café is very expensive. Middle-class people don’t have that kind of money to throw away. Instead, they’ll make a cup of coffee at home before leaving and take it with them in a travel cup. They take this with them when commuting.
Purchasing mid-range dog food
Everyone wants to give their dog the best food they possibly can. A lot of premium dog foods are very pricey and are simply out of reach for the average American citizen. Because of this, middle-class citizens are forced to give their dogs mid-range dog food.
Making breakfast at home
Buying breakfast from a café each day on the way to work will cost a person hundreds of dollars each month. Middle-class people don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on breakfast outside, so they’ll make sure they have a hearty breakfast at home before leaving the house.
Having dinner at home
When you can’t be bothered to cook, getting takeout is a great option. But takeout is also a very expensive option. Middle-class people do get takeout, but not very often. They would prefer to spend money on good, healthy ingredients and make their own meals at home.
Walking and biking to work
Figures from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy show that “transportation remains one of the highest annual consumer expenditures, totaling $12,295 annually as of 2023.” Many middle-class families can’t afford to spend this much on transportation and find themselves walking and biking to work.
Bringing water from home
A bottle of water will cost a couple of dollars in the United States. Instead of spending way too much money on one bottle of water, a middle-class person will always make sure they carry a bottle of water with them from home to drink when they’re out and about.
Reusing school supplies
The beginning of the school year is a very difficult time for parents. School supplies are expensive, so middle-class families tend to recycle and reuse the stationery their children used last year instead of always buying new ones. They do the same with school uniforms, lunchboxes, and other supplies.
Having limited savings
“The average American has $65,100 in savings—excluding retirement assets,” says CNN. Middle-class Americans find it so hard to save because their income is low and their expenditures are very high. They have very limited funds going into their savings account each month.
Bringing lunch from home
Spending money on sandwiches from a supermarket or a vending machine at work is not an option for a middle-class person at lunchtime. To cut the cost of lunchtime meals, a middle-class person will always bring lunch from home with them to the office.
Giving clothes away
Middle-class people really see the value of a dollar and refuse to throw clothes away that they spent their hard-earned money on. Instead of throwing things away, they’ll offer clothes that are in good condition to friends and family members who might need them.
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