Reply to Why do so many affluent people insist they have "middle class" values?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I'll be honest. My family has about a $350k HHI and I don't have middle class values.  I like outsourcing and having the freedom to travel internationally.  I send my kids to private schools.

Honestly, I think the people in my tax bracket who claim "middle class values" are mostly lying to themselves.  I have colleagues with 1/3 my HHI (which is actually middle class-like) and I know they live very differently than us.

Whenever you see there is someone richer than you you can always imagine you are middle class.  It's silly.  Give it up.

[/quote]

I have a higher HHI than you do, and I have middle class values with an upper middle class lifestyle. We outsource, but we don't travel internationally and our kids go to public school. We have a paid off house worth less than 1 million dollars and drive 5 year old Japanese cars.
I'm curious how many millions in net worth you have.[/quote]

We are in our late thirties/early forties and our estate is worth about $4m, and that's from work, not inheritance.  We don't overspend, and are frugal in many ways.  Our cars are actually 10 years old+.  I'm not flashy.  My clothes that I am wearing today cost less than $200 for everything I'm wearing including my shoes.  I have a $4k engagement ring but no other jewelry that cost more than $200 or so.   We could survive if I lost my job, but not DH, but he has tenure so can't be fired.

I'm just being honest that at this HHI I have choices middle class people don't have.  I use some of them.  I'm not going to claim that my life is as hard as the middle class, or that I have to make the same choices they do.  I am lucky.  I own it and don't have any illusions.  The choice isn't middle class or Donald Trump.  I'm close to being in the 1% and I'm not going to insult the person who can't just hire their nanny for some extra hours when a work emergency comes up, like I can, by claiming my life is just like theirs at the core.  It's not.  It's easier in many ways, and I accept that.  
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I appreciate your post.[/quote]

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