Is anyone NOT middle class?

[Crankyshank]

I don't remember putting my zip code or anything else like that on the NYT site. They based it on education, income, job, and saving or net worth (I took that to mean what equity I owned on my house, savings, stocks and other large assets like DVC and cars that I could sell for $ if needed.)

I think that where you live does make a difference, just don't see how it factors into the NYT scale.

Yes I am familiar with what they ask for since I took it myself. Pay scales are different in various parts of the country for the same job. The NYT site does not take that into effect. $50k goes a lot further in TX than it does in RI for example. Based on the NYT criteria I landed myself a lot higher than I really should be once you factor in COL

 

[MickeyMouseGal]

LOL--Me Too!!

BUT I'm still paying!

I just finished this summer!!!

 

[beck0321]

...have someone to clean their house and/or take care of the lawn...

I may never be rich or "well-off" but when I finally DO own a house, I'm going to make sure I budget these two services in!!! My DH and I just don't like doing these things, so I'd rather pay someone. Like you said, people will spend money on what's most important to them, and sometimes you can't judge a person's wealth by what they spend their money on.

 

[jillyjoey]

Ok I did the NY post thing and we are 94th percentile on income and 99th percentile education .... I am now picking myself up off the floor from laughing so hard. Based on my family's lifestyle --- we are definitely not 94th percentile people -- -values at WDW -- and this year -- splurge moderate.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I landed at 74% Since I am debt-free I think that puts me in a good position

 

[smartestnumber5]

In one of my poli-sci classes it was pointed out that in the US just about everybody defines themselves as Middle Class.
and life in general, but I could be wrong) that the stigma associated with being "working poor" or "working class" is what makes just about everybody with a job claim "middle class" status...otherwise I'm unsure of why I'm the only person so far to admit that my family scored below the 50 percentile on the NY Times link...I assume that 50 percent of the population scores below that percentile, unless I'm understanding percentiles incorrectly...I know there are other people with similiar education levels, income levels, occupational levels to me who use the net and take their families to WDW, I'm just curious why they aren't here on this thread.
It seems that so far just about everyone who has responded is "above average" according to the Times.
hmmmm, curious. (well, to me anyway...)

I've also had poly sci classes in which we discussed how everyone defines themself as middle class. (Numerous posters here have said they "feel" middle class no matter what number the NYTimes measure spits out--not that the NYTimes tool is necessarily accurate.) The result, the professor claimed, is that the U.S. has much less "class warfare" than a country like England, thus there is much less interest amongst the working class here in unionization and less demand for state intervention in class inequalities. Also, some posters have pointed out that the tool doesn't take debt into account or the fact that some millionares live in tiny houses and hoard all their money. I see these as issues of (conspicuous?) consumption, not of class. Consumption often correlates to class, but I don't see why it should be a factor in class. (I can kind of see why considering student loans might be a legitimate aspect of class.) So, if one has a very large mortgage, that is likely a result of the kind of house they chose to buy. We can't very well take debt into account when a lot of the working class is not financially capable of accumulating such large debts. For instance, rental prices are often just as high (or higher) than monthly mortgage payments, yet renters don't have housing related debt.

Anyway, in answer to your question--I did post about having less than 50% on the NYTimes tool:

I'm 53, 91, 18, and 25 for an average of 47.

Clearly while I'm doing great on education and good on job prestige, my income and wealth numbers are WAYY below others I've read here. What's amazing is I did the numbers for my dad and he got 39, 48, 69, 37 for an average of 48th percentile. Thus even though he makes $30,000 more per year than I do and has probably $15,000 more in 401k stuff, he is just 1 percentile point ahead of me because I went to college and he didn't!! I think that's quite amazing. If I add in my mom's work they get bumped up to 51% (another $12,000 or so in income and a little more wealth).

I'm also a graduate student right now, so technically I should be getting bumped up after my 6 years of graduate school...then I should be something like 74, 99, 69, 29 for an average of 68.

 

[ransom]

I landed at 74% Since I am debt-free I think that puts me in a good position

Definitely!

The way I see it, if your assets > your debt, then you're doing OK.
If (assets - debt) still leaves enough to live on for several years, then you're doing good!
I'm still working on all that, though.

 

[*Fantasia*]

The Disney Version:
Lower class: values
Middle class: moderates
Upper class: deluxe
Wealthy: DVC

eh.. not true.
I can't be both in the lower class and upper class nor middle class. I stay at all different level. If there's extra money to spare then I go with moderate/deluxe, and sometimes I just enjoy staying at the ASMovies or Pop resort with my children. It's great that Disney has a lot to offer to folks who has different likings.. and different budgets.

 

[princesspiglet]

This NYT times makes no sense to me. Overall, we came out at 75%. However, I have 2 BA's and one Masters and my DH has been in the military his whole life. We make over $130k, own a home, 2 new cars, a boat and lots of toys. How can we be so low?