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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]There are so many posts about the income or wealth levels associated with being middle class.  Setting aside dollar amount, what does MC mean to you.

For me:
Owning a home by your 30s, not necessarily at detached SFM
Can easily afford food, clothing, and utilities
Can afford a vehicle
Can retire someday

[/quote]

What you said is good, but I would change it to owning a home before 40s. Buying at 35 is still middle class since many people don’t have families until then.

I would add:

- can afford 1 vacation involving a plane per year (most likely domestic, but with an international vacation once every few years) 
- can easily support a family of 4 including extra supplemental activities such as school sports, with spouse making income as well 
- each child has their own bedroom, or at most 2 kids of the same gender share a large room 
- can afford extras like going out to the movies or a meal at an average sit down chain restaurant without sweating at all about money
- has an emergency fund of approx 2 months income [/quote]

I grew up actually middle class, and we did not take a vacation that involved a plane flight until I was in high school.  "International" meant Canada.  My parents supported a family of four, but it required careful budgeting, and there was not a ton of money for extras.  We went out to eat maybe once a month.  People define middle class based on feelings, which is silly, and based on what they can buy, which is not how it works.  It's defined by where your income falls on the spectrum of income, even if you consider that based on region rather than nationally.  [/quote]

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