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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP, I largely agree with your definition (and it fits my DH and I) but will note that I think part of the problem with discussing what constitutes working class versus middle class versus UMC or upper class is how much small shifts can change what people feel they can afford.

We know people in DC in their 30s who are dual income with an HHI of around 300k, who do not own a home and do not "feel" they can afford one. Now, I live in a condo. They will not buy a condo. I live in a neighborhood with a bad IB school (which my child does not attend). They will not buy a home with a bad IB school. So they might look at your list and say "we are middle class" but I will look at them and say "no you are not." They are just unwilling to compromise, but everyone compromises except the ultra wealthy. Even rich people compromise. We have rich friends who own gorgeous multi-million dollar homes with bad IB schools who are grumpy that they "have" to send their kids to private. They don't -- they could move to a suburb with amazing public schools and come out way ahead in the real estate deal. They don't want to. This does not magically make them middle class.[/quote]
+1 We were lower middle class and lived in a blue collar neighborhood in a crappy school district.

When I was very young, we were lower class (food stamps), but as I got older, we moved into middle class.

We had 2 cars (not nice ones), and my parents owned a tiny 3 br house (and I mean tiny) for six people.  We went to Disneyland once when I was a kid, and camping trips but never flying trips. We went out to eat on special occasions only.  My parents never had any credit card debt or car loans, and that was probably why we could not afford nicer vacations.  That was a choice they made.  Sure, they could've had nicer things, lived in a nicer area, but that would've meant credit card loans.[/quote]

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