All posts tagged: middleclass

Middle-Class People Struggle With Finding Community, Says A Finance Expert

Middle-Class People Struggle With Finding Community, Says A Finance Expert

Middle-class Americans are often portrayed as stable. Not struggling enough to receive any financial assistance, but also not wealthy enough to enjoy true financial freedom. However, there’s one challenge the middle class often faces that has nothing to do with money, yet neither the upper nor the lower class seems to experience it. Unlike the wealthy, who have exclusive social networks and can afford anything they might need, and those in poverty, who rely on close-knit support systems, middle-class individuals often find themselves stuck in between, and it tends to be quite lonely. A finance expert named Lyn Allure highlighted this phenomenon on social media, explaining, “Poor people have community, rich people have resources, and the middle class suffers the most.” People in the middle class often struggle to find coherence and community. In a TikTok video, Lyn shared that she has had the unique experience of living in three different socioeconomic environments, saying, “I was born in the hood. When I was 11, we moved to the suburbs, very middle-class. And around my mid …

8 ‘Normal’ Purchases Middle-Class People Justify — Even When They’re Wasting Money

8 ‘Normal’ Purchases Middle-Class People Justify — Even When They’re Wasting Money

Growing up, I’ve seen people around me obsessed with things that made no sense to me. Like cricket tickets, for example. It’s a guy hitting a ball with a stick and a bunch of grown men running around chasing it. Plus, you can barely see the action taking place if you’re not in the first few rows of the stadium.  You’d have a 10x better view of everything that’s going on watching it at home, on your TV set. Not to mention the privacy of your home, comfort of your couch, and reasonably priced concessions of your choice. A lot of the purchases I’ve seen people make, especially people my age, just feel like I’m watching them throw money away. Anyway, this list isn’t going to be about sports cars and luxury items; that would be too obvious. Most of us can already agree that they are a complete waste of money. Instead, I’m going to go through the ‘normal’ purchases middle-class people justify, even when they’re wasting money.  Here are the 8 ‘normal’ purchases …

It’s Only Been 10 Years, But These 12 Once-Basic Middle-Class Experiences Now Seem Unaffordable For Most

It’s Only Been 10 Years, But These 12 Once-Basic Middle-Class Experiences Now Seem Unaffordable For Most

Many American families are struggling financially. In fact, according to a PYMNTS Intellegence survey, nearly 50% of American households who make more than $100K annually, and 62% of Americans in other class situations, are living paycheck-to-paycheck. Over the last decade, in addition to having trouble covering basic necessities like groceries and rent, nearly half of adults also don’t have emergency or savings funds, causing them to rely on credit cards and financial sacrifice. From basic things like attending concerts to life-changing experiences like having children, though it’s only been 10 years, these once-basic middle-class experiences now seem unaffordable for most. And it’s largely due to the fact that they’re too concerned with paying basic expenses to save or splurge on these things. It’s only been 10 years, but these 12 once-basic middle-class experiences now seem unaffordable for most 1. Having kids Evgeny Atamanenko | Shutterstock According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, back in 2017, the cost of raising a child born in 2015 was around $233K. But by 2023, the average American family spent …

Ricky Gervais lashes out at ‘middle-class, elitist’ critics in new stand-up special

Ricky Gervais lashes out at ‘middle-class, elitist’ critics in new stand-up special

Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Ricky Gervais has hit back at critics in his new Netflix special Mortality, released on Tuesday (30 December). The comedian and co-creator of The Office, 64, filmed the stand-up show at the London Palladium earlier this year, during which he took the opportunity to call out what he described as “middle-class” and “elitist” critics of his work. He told the live audience: “It’s great to hear this sort of laughter again, because you probably don’t notice it as much as comedians, but we’ve had a really weird 10 years where we’re really second-[guessing jokes]. “People find anything offensive, but we pushed back and we won. So f*** them. Until the next time. They haven’t gone away. They’re just licking their wounds. They’ll be back with something madder. But remember who it is next time? Right? “It’s always these sort of educated, …