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7 Things the Middle Class Can't Afford Anymore

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During debates and speeches, politicians often bring up the financial burden that’s placed on the middle class. We talk about the middle class as though they are this singular entity, who used to thrive until they underwent persecution by the evil 1%. But, realistically speaking, the middle class and the 99% are not really synonymous. So, who are the middle class?

In its discussion of historical middle class societies, The Economist reports, “Their members are neither rich nor poor but somewhere in-between. . . . ‘Middle-class’ describes an income category but also a set of attitudes . . . An essential characteristic is the possession of a reasonable amount of discretionary income. Middle-class people do not live from hand to mouth, job to job, season to season, as the poor do.”

Some argue that the most sensible income amount to attach to the middle class would be the median household income, of around $54,000. Perhaps, anyone who earns between the 25th percentile and 75th percentile is a member of the middle class.

Diana Farrell, once Deputy Director of America’s National Economic Council, told The Economist she thinks a middle class income begins at the point where a person (or family) has one-third of their income left over for discretionary purposes after they’ve provided themselves with food and shelter. In other words, someone who earns $3,000 per month would have $1,000 left after they’ve paid their mortgage or rent, utilities, and grocery bills.

Though there is some debate over the exact income a middle class household brings in, we do have an idea of who the middle class are — most working class people. Today’s bourgeoisie is composed of laborers and skilled workers, white collar and blue collar workers, many of whom face financial challenges. Bill Maher reminded us a few months back that 50 years ago, the largest employer was General Motors, where workers earned an equivalent of $50 per hour (in today’s money). Today, the largest employer — Wal-Mart — pays around $8 per hour.

The middle class has certainly changed. We’ve ranked a list of things the middle class can no longer really afford. We’re not talking about lavish luxuries, like private jets and yachts. The items on this list are a bit more basic, and some of them are even necessities. The ranking of this list is based on affordability and necessity. Therefore, items that are necessity ranked higher, as did items that a larger percentage of people have trouble paying for.

Vacations

A vacation is an extra expense that many middle-earners cannot afford without sacrificing something else. A Statista survey found that this year 54% of people gave up purchasing big ticket items like TVs or electronics so they can go on a vacation. Others made sacrifices like reducing or eliminating their trips to the movies (47%), reducing or eliminating trips out to restaurants (43%), or avoiding purchasing small ticket items like new clothing (43%).

New vehicles

Very few people who earn the median income can afford to buy a new car or truck. Interest.com recently analyzed the prices of new cars and trucks, as well as the median incomes across more than two dozen major cities, and found that new cars and trucks were simply not affordable to most middle-earners.

“Median-income families in only one major city [Washington DC] can afford the average price Americans are paying for new cars and trucks nowadays.” As of 2013, new cars are priced at $32,086, according to the study. Mike Sante, Interest.com’s managing editor reminds us, “just because you can manage the monthly payment doesn’t mean you should let a $30,000 or $40,000 ride gobble up all such a huge share of your paycheck.”

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    Total 18 comments
    • Geotracker

      Oh, and hamburger. Grass fed beef $7 to $9 lbs, grass is free.
      Steak $18 lbs. javascript:grin(‘:shock:’)

    • anonymous

      Dog eat dog philosophy will eat America alive,,, if gas prices would stay up, and a loss of 50% of the dollar in a year. The street people will tear things up.

    • CrowPie

      “” 50 years ago, the largest employer was General Motors, where workers earned an equivalent of $50 per hour (in today’s money). Today, the largest employer — Wal-Mart — pays around $8 per hour.”"

      That’s a sentence politicians should keep in mind…….

      • BEEFUS SUPREME

        If I may embellish what you wrote, CrowPie;
        Fifty years ago, ONE PERSON in the Family unit could go to work AND SUPPORT HIS WHOLE FAMILY VERY WELL, with money LEFT OVER EVERY WEEK, with the mother at home during the critical development years of the children.

        Now, at Walmart, the worker QUALIFIES to receive Food Stamps, Midicaid, etc, because the WAGE IS NOT A “LIVING” ONE!!!!!!!

        FIFTY YEARS AGO, College Tuition WAS FREE for instate residents in California at their state universities!
        $50 per semester tuition in state colleges in ALL THE NEW ENGLAND STATES! BOOKS COST MORE THAN THE TUITION!!!!!

        I KNOW IT SEEMS UNBELIEVABLE TO MOST OF YOU!
        Now, do you understand why the united Fascist states of MILITARY TERROR will end?????

        “Your” cuntry’s vaulted “middle class’ IS NO MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

        • Damien

          Noah Chomsky, Chris Hodges and their neutered enlisted legions of .8% of the population gaytheist friends and their friends will save Muricans from being denied equality with Liberia and the Palestinians!

      • BEEFUS SUPREME

        One more thing, CrowPie.
        Check me for accuracy, Walmart might be the biggest private corporation employer in the U.S. now, BUT the LARGEST Employer in the U.S., right now, IS The Federal government with OVER nine million employees!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
        The U.S. really is screwed, for real!

        • CrowPie

          You know……you add real quality comments to the discussion…….when your not purposely “trying to offend.” :smile:

        • BEEFUS SUPREME

          Dear CrowPie,
          You must admit that “Offending” the reader on purpose DOES get their complete and undivided attention.
          My message are words that, even when recited in the “mind’s eye”, ARE RETAINED by the reader, whether they agree with the insult, or not!
          And, once I’m in, like a “Bad song”, you hear over and over again in your “mind’s eye”, even though you DO NOT LIKE IT, upppps……………THERE IT IS!!!!!!
          Once the repetition starts in the mind’s eye of the mind, most humans can not stop the “Offending” thought!!!!
          Delivered by my “words”, and the sequence they are delivered in, which is MOST IMPORTANT when ‘remembering’!!!!!!

          You must admit, CrowPie, my method of “causing change” is much more humane than, say, BOMBING WHOLE COUNTRIES FOR 10 YEARS, killing 3.5 million men, women, and children, to “Save” them from communism!!!!!!!!

          While the WAR MONGERING cuntry that committed the WAR CRIME WHINES about 58,000 of their “Brave” warriors dying, during the course of the 10 year Massacre!!!!!! That is right, CrowPie, the Viet Nam Massacre!!!!!!!

        • CrowPie

          But…….did you notice…….that you and I actually began to have real conversations…….only AFTER the animosity was dropped? :smile:

          I say this…..because when a person is on the defensive…..their attention is completely divided– between defending themselves……and what they believe about the subject.

          So they do not actually here the point your trying to make…….only the insults.

        • BEEFUS SUPREME

          And, it WORKS!
          I have turned, you, CrowPie!!

          Especially when mixed among the insults ARE undeniable, NOT debatable TRUTHS; that do NOT even want to be discussed by the religious Brain-Washed of the MIND, from Birth.

          Like the Viet Nam massacre.

          Why don’t you even bring it up, CrowPie?

          Can you admit to yourself, that the “country” you “love”, WILL BE remembered by History as a WAR MONGERING KILLER-country?

          Primarily, judeo-christian in culture and belief.

          THAT ,”WHILE THEY BELIEVED THEY WERE THE GOOD GUYS”, in reality, they were the most heartless mass killers THAT EVER EXISITED ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH????? From 40,000 feet is where the cowards attacked RICE FARMERS, who were “Defenseless”!!!!!!

          Are you ready to acknowledge that FACT, CrowPie, never mind, discuss it???????

          When people like you “block it out”, and refuse to even consider the COLD, HARD, TRUTH about “your” beloved “country, is when I BEGIN THE thought provoking INSULTS!

          The Kind of Insult that will just NOT go away in the Reader’s mind’s eye!!!!!

          Let’s discuss Viet Nam, CrowPie!!!!
          Was it a Massacre, or not?????

        • CrowPie

          In my opinion….the Vietnam War was led by criminals. But I’ve said “many’ times on this site that war is ‘for profit.’

          But you have not changed me. You just never heard me before.

          I’ve spoken many times about how I think the U.S. should bring all troops home……and let the rest of the world “Be.” You just never heard me.

          Many atrocities are committed in the name of “religions.” But it is my firm belief……that those are not true Christians (I can’t speak for other religions)……for Christians are supposed to be quick to be loving, quick to forgive those who change bad behaviors and ask forgiveness…..and eager to forget past transgressions.

          But that’s just my opinion.

        • BEEFUS SUPREME

          Why, yes, Johnson, Nixon (The Pacifist Quaker), all of them (the leaders of the Viet Nam Massacre), practically are dead now!
          Do you consider this, Viet Nam, A Massacre??????????

          But, the WAR CRIMINAL Henry Kissinger is STILL ALIVE!!!
          Why is not this man renditioned to The Hague, for an appearance at the World Court to answer WAR CRIMINAL Charges?
          This zionist MONSTER was the Secretary of State at that time.
          Why do not self-righteous “American christians” relentlessly hunt this WAR CRIMINAL down????
          You wrote, CrowPie that “Christians are supposed to be quick to be loving, quick to forgive those who change bad behaviors and ask forgiveness…..and eager to forget past transgressions”.
          That kind of philosophy is what is going to end the ‘religion” of Christianity!
          I am NOT christian, and I DO NOT FORGIVE AND I DO NOT FORGET, and the MASS Majority of the World AGREES WITH ME!
          And, we will not FORGIVE, nor FORGET EVER, the past atrocities that were committed for the “glory” of your white-skinned Caucasian mangod!

          The LIFE-TIME Con of Christianity has turned your country into one of the most vile, most hated ‘countries’ of all time!
          And, now, you idiots have put me, and MINE, right in the line of fire that is intended FOR YOU!

          And, know you know why, CrowPie, I WILL NOT CEASE AND DESIST this line of logical reasoning until the 3 Monolithic ALL MALE run monstrosities, masquerading as “religions”, NO LONGER EXIST ON THIS WORLD!!!!!!
          They (all 3) had a beginning, AND THEY WILL HAVE AN END!
          Just NOT the way you expect it (the end) to be!!!

        • CrowPie

          I am aware of your hatred for religious beliefs of any kind. But I do not hate you. And while the U.S. has been in more wars than can be listed (at least by me at this instant) I am just one human being among millions who have no control over what TPTB did before I was born.

          Your entitled to believe as you wish…….

          I do have one question………what did you mean when you said, “And, now, you idiots have put me, and MINE, right in the line of fire ”

          Would you talk more about that?

        • BEEFUS SUPREME

          Certainly, CrowPie.
          The violent actions of the united Fascist states of MILITARY TERROR have made it a Prime Target by multiple countries that really can do a tremendous amount of damage to the HOMELAND (just LOVE the nazi terminology used by “your’ government, which I deny and have forever turned my back on, FOR GOOD)!

          They are after your kind, that will “Follow the Orders”, no matter how hideous, and act as the WILLING, trainable ATTACK DOGS for ‘your’ very Fascist and Violent “country”!

          I and my kind, that stand 180 degrees diametrically OPPOSED to you brain-washed maniacs, will now be treated as “Collateral Damage” by YOUR ENEMIES, not MY enemies, but YOUR cuntry’s enemies, as they know they MUST destroy “your’ country before the united Fascist states of MILITARY TERROR destroys them!!!!!!

          Plain and simple!
          That IS how “your kind” has put me and mine directly in the Line of Fire that is intended FOR YOU!

          The ‘christian” majority going along with “I can’t do anything about it” will be the Epithet on christianity’s tomb stone in History, for all of eternity!!!!

          And, once again, CrowPie, you are wrong, ABOUT “YOU” NOT BEING ABLE TO DO ANYTHING “ABOUT IT”.

          Do not believe me?

          Go and watch Time-Life’s 13 one hour exposés on the Viet Nam Massacre, and watch the MILLIONS of teenagers literally, bring the big BAD WAR MONGERS to their knees!!!!!!!!

          Watch Nixon, the WAR CRIMINAL, walk around the Washington monuments IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, asking them, the Young long haired Hippies, “What are you protesting about”, in sincerity!!!!!! UNBELIEVABLE!

          I submit to you, CrowPie, that if a christian Pacifist (a Quaker) ends up, in reality, A WILLING MASS KILLER of defenseless Rice Farmers, “your” religion must be eliminated from the face of the earth.
          FOR GOOD!

        • CrowPie

          Would you mind saying what country you are in?

        • BEEFUS SUPREME

          Right now, I am TRAPPED, here, in the NOW, united Fascist states of MILITARY TERROR!
          But, if I could collect enough donations, I WOULD GLADLY LEAVE TODAY!!!!!!!!!!
          Can anyone help???
          I would love to leave you all!
          And leave you very miserable, beyond redemption christian Americans to ‘YOUR” VERY WELL DESERVED fate!!!!

        • CrowPie

          So…..in other words…..NO, your not going to tell me where you are.

        • CrowPie

          Just kidding… :smile:

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