Op i grew up middle class. I was raised by a single mother who was make $10/hr working 80-90 hours week( 2 jobs) and raising 4 kids and taking care of other family members. When it comes to others and their spending habits, I say your money your rules. I personally don't care what others do with their money. Personally, I work hard and play hard. So everyone so often I treat my self to something nice and expensive because I deserve it. My mother is very frugal and that had the opposite effect on me. She is now in her 60's and didn't spend time having fun. She didn't take a vacation in 40 years! She is a workaholic. I'm the one trying to introduce her to more fun stuff. After I save for retirement, emergency fund, beer fund, pay all my monthly obligations, whatever is left is fun money. I will take my vacations, I'm an excellent advance planner and very proactive so it doesn't cost me so much to enjoy luxury. If I were to drop dead tomorrow, I have no regrets, I had fun with my money while living my life. Op, worry about you living a fulfilling live and don't spend time thinking of how others spend their money. Big spenders are not think of you either.

$300 shoes are definitely not the norm, especially not in in DC

Do you mean a FT maid or a cleaning service? I think the latter is not so expensive and increasingly common for 2 WOH parents.

Middle class encompasses such a wide variety of income and lifestyles, OP.

My parents and I are both middle class, but since they only had one child and guaranteed retirement and no college costs to worry about (free university in Europe), our middle class life included a maid and fancy travel.

DH and I can't afford this: we have two kids, and have to save for retirement and college. We can't outsource anything and have to live a frugal life.

So comparatively, despite both being middle class, my income doesn't go as far.

Whenever I am sitting waiting to get my haircut for $20, I wonder why they have high end fashion magazines in the waiting room. A striped nautical long sleeved shirt for $150? That was the cheapest thing in the entire magazine.

I just tend to think that a small few of them are truly very wealthy and they do it is a matter of course. The majority are just stupid and insecure.

Well this is a major city. There are going to be people who visibly live well off. I don't think it has anything to do with this being DC. I also agree you shouldn't concern yourself with what others are spending, nor should you try to keep up.

Anonymous wrote:I don't worry myself with how other people spend their money.

+1

I don't care what other people have.

I don't worry about how others spend their money either. But when they do go out and spend 300 (or 1500) on shoes and 2k+ on bags and have maids and Mercedes but continue to complain about how tough it is to be middle class and to make ends meet . . .

Anonymous wrote:I don't worry myself with how other people spend their money.

This, op.

OP, are you still middle class or are you upper class or wealthy?

I don't worry myself with how other people spend their money.

Anonymous wrote:If you grew up middle class do you have a hard time with how much people in this area spend on things? I grew up middle class and never had a maid and didn't have designer stuff. I find it hard for me to be comfortable with spending what seems to be the norm in this area. We don't use maid service, I don't buy $300 pairs of shoes, etc....

Who buys $300 pairs of shoes? MAYBE leather boots that last for YEARS, but cmon.

Anonymous wrote:If you grew up middle class do you have a hard time with how much people in this area spend on things? I grew up middle class and never had a maid and didn't have designer stuff. I find it hard for me to be comfortable with spending what seems to be the norm in this area. We don't use maid service, I don't buy $300 pairs of shoes, etc....

I grew up wealthy but never knew how much my dad made b/c we shopped at Sears and Kmart (special events the exception). Now, we're solidly middle class, and of course if we spend $300 it's on camp for the kids, not shoes.

This area is expensive, but we live in an area that's not considered flashy like a Bethesda or Chevy Chase.

If you grew up middle class do you have a hard time with how much people in this area spend on things? I grew up middle class and never had a maid and didn't have designer stuff. I find it hard for me to be comfortable with spending what seems to be the norm in this area. We don't use maid service, I don't buy $300 pairs of shoes, etc....