Anonymous
04/08/2026 17:59
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:We went to Chipotle the other day randomly. We hadn't been in years. I forgot this thread and a kid ordered the guac and we managed to hit a couple of other upsell items. For me and two teens - $40. I almost fell over. Our HHI of $285 in a MCOL is not guac sufficient.
Could you afford it on a 450k income though?
Anonymous
04/08/2026 16:35
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:We went to Chipotle the other day randomly. We hadn't been in years. I forgot this thread and a kid ordered the guac and we managed to hit a couple of other upsell items. For me and two teens - $40. I almost fell over. Our HHI of $285 in a MCOL is not guac sufficient.
That isn't even that bad for Chipotle for 3 people.
Anonymous
04/08/2026 14:36
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
We went to Chipotle the other day randomly. We hadn't been in years. I forgot this thread and a kid ordered the guac and we managed to hit a couple of other upsell items. For me and two teens - $40. I almost fell over. Our HHI of $285 in a MCOL is not guac sufficient.
Anonymous
04/08/2026 14:13
Subject: Re:Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2026/04/08/upper-middle-class-is-us-biggest-income-group
https://www.wsj.com/economy/more-americans-are-breaking-into-the-upper-middle-class-bf8b7cb2
"The ranks of Americans that can add guac to their burrito bowl guilt-free have swelled. The 'upper middle class' has become the largest income group in the US, according to a recent analysis by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, highlighted by the Wall Street Journal.
The report contends that the lower rungs of the middle class shrank because more Americans got richer:
In 2024, 31% of American families were upper middle class, compared with just 10% in 1979.
The think tank’s report defined the upper middle class as a family of three earning $133k to $400k in 2024 dollars—five to 15 times the federal poverty line."
The biggest PR scam the rich have pulled on Americans is changing "the middle class" from the historical definition of being able to afford a SFH in a neighborhood with decent schools, late model car, a nice but not extravagant vacation once per year, etc. to solely your income percentile.
Pay no mind to the fact you can barely afford to rent a dumpy 2BR in your HCOL city, peasant! You're officially Middle Class™. In fact 50% of the population will always be Middle Class™ now no matter how they live! Don't you feel successful?!
Anonymous
04/08/2026 11:34
Subject: Re:Guac and queso if you make over $450k
https://www.morningbrew.com/stories/2026/04/08/upper-middle-class-is-us-biggest-income-group
https://www.wsj.com/economy/more-americans-are-breaking-into-the-upper-middle-class-bf8b7cb2
"The ranks of Americans that can add guac to their burrito bowl guilt-free have swelled. The 'upper middle class' has become the largest income group in the US, according to a recent analysis by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, highlighted by the Wall Street Journal.
The report contends that the lower rungs of the middle class shrank because more Americans got richer:
In 2024, 31% of American families were upper middle class, compared with just 10% in 1979.
The think tank’s report defined the upper middle class as a family of three earning $133k to $400k in 2024 dollars—five to 15 times the federal poverty line."
https://www.wsj.com/economy/more-americans-are-breaking-into-the-upper-middle-class-bf8b7cb2
"The ranks of Americans that can add guac to their burrito bowl guilt-free have swelled. The 'upper middle class' has become the largest income group in the US, according to a recent analysis by the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, highlighted by the Wall Street Journal.
The report contends that the lower rungs of the middle class shrank because more Americans got richer:
In 2024, 31% of American families were upper middle class, compared with just 10% in 1979.
The think tank’s report defined the upper middle class as a family of three earning $133k to $400k in 2024 dollars—five to 15 times the federal poverty line."
Anonymous
03/22/2026 22:37
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP- you restrict food for your kids and call food “extra”??? What is wrong with you?
I make less than you and let my kids eat food, especially healthy food.
Save on your Starbucks or purses or nails- those are all extra. Let the kids eat food.
Your DH is right in this case.
Op. I don't get manicures, Starbucks, or purses. $450k is not as glamorous as you think it is.
Manicures, Starbucks, and purses are not "glamorous." I don't get any of those either because they are all a waste and all are likely toxic. And I could easily afford to.
But guac - as an extra luxury - no way! Guac is a super healthy, filling, highly nutritious food and I would never restrict my kid from ordering that when I could afford to. I would give up something else before I tell my kid they can't have guac. Priorities, OP!
I completely disagree with OP - you can afford to let your kid eat guac and restricting that is totally ridiculous and not the values I would want my kid to learn.
Anonymous
03/22/2026 20:00
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:OP- you restrict food for your kids and call food “extra”??? What is wrong with you?
I make less than you and let my kids eat food, especially healthy food.
Save on your Starbucks or purses or nails- those are all extra. Let the kids eat food.
Your DH is right in this case.
Op. I don't get manicures, Starbucks, or purses. $450k is not as glamorous as you think it is.
Anonymous
03/22/2026 19:56
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:If I made over 450k a year, I would let my personal chef make whatever they want.
At our 200k a year, we don't get extras.
We make nearly $600K. No way we can afford a personal chef.
Personal chefs start at $100K before benefits and taxes + cost of ingredients.
You need a 7 figure income to justify a chef. And yes, it’s the first thing I would get if we ever break that level of income. I hate meal planning, shopping, cooking, and dishes
Anonymous
03/22/2026 17:06
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
If I made over 450k a year, I would let my personal chef make whatever they want.
At our 200k a year, we don't get extras.
At our 200k a year, we don't get extras.
Anonymous
03/22/2026 06:50
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:OP- you restrict food for your kids and call food “extra”??? What is wrong with you?
I make less than you and let my kids eat food, especially healthy food.
Save on your Starbucks or purses or nails- those are all extra. Let the kids eat food.
Your DH is right in this case.
Denying an upsell item is not restricting your kids food. 🤦♀️
Anonymous
03/21/2026 21:54
Subject: Guac and queso if you make over $450k
OP- you restrict food for your kids and call food “extra”??? What is wrong with you?
I make less than you and let my kids eat food, especially healthy food.
Save on your Starbucks or purses or nails- those are all extra. Let the kids eat food.
Your DH is right in this case.
I make less than you and let my kids eat food, especially healthy food.
Save on your Starbucks or purses or nails- those are all extra. Let the kids eat food.
Your DH is right in this case.
Anonymous
03/21/2026 20:36
Subject: Re:Guac and queso if you make over $450k
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:For me, the wanting and the mindfulness are tied together. I'm not going to want it (unless absolutely necessary), if I can't fairly easily afford it.
What? Are you saying you have lots of money? You don’t want things out of your price range? Then you’re just in denial. I want to fly business class only. I can’t really afford to do that all the time; I still would like to do so.
Huh. Our HHI was never over $300k but after 2012 we never flew coach on any trip over an hour. House was paid off by then though.
You probably don't spend five figures a year on food and wine
Low 5. Those overseas trips we go to expensive experiences. Louis XV, Lung King Heen, RyuGin. No kids. No mortgage. Old car.