Wow. Guess if we ever take a cruise it won't be with them. Although my Tux has traveled surprisingly well in a carryon backpack, I'd have to take too many shorts out to fit it in for a vacation!
Poll: What class are you in?
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Wow. Guess if we ever take a cruise it won't be with them. Although my Tux has traveled surprisingly well in a carryon backpack, I'd have to take too many shorts out to fit it in for a vacation!
Nemo2
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It's not just Cunard....you should've seen the looks I got when I turned up for dinner on Holland America in nothing but a wife beater and my ratty underwear.
HFWR
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I think the last time I wore a tuxedo was my high school prom in 1968.
Last/only time for me was an ill-fitting thing worn for the Sunshine Society dance in 1971.
I'm going to need a "Pond Scum" t-shirt to go with my shorts...
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W2R
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I can't imagine what the problem could possibly have been.
nun
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I prefer these class distinctions
Bourgeoisie
Petite bourgeoisie
Proletariat
I started in the proletariat, became petit bourgeoisie and, now that I'm retired, I'm definitely in the bourgeoisie.
Bourgeoisie
Petite bourgeoisie
Proletariat
I started in the proletariat, became petit bourgeoisie and, now that I'm retired, I'm definitely in the bourgeoisie.
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W2R
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Nemo2
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Second service too, I'd imagine; captain's table?
For some unknown reason the captain was "Unexpectedly called away" at that sitting...perhaps afraid of running into an iceberg? (or some other kind of lettuce.)
nuke_diver
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No class
If we have to dress more than jeans and tshirts to go someplace, we don't go.
If we have to dress more than jeans and tshirts to go someplace, we don't go.
Rambler
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Square peg, round hole.
As far as income and assets, upper class.
As far as everyday living, solid middle. For example, we eat simply, we dress simply, we drive a 5 year old Ford pickup and a 2 year old Honda CRV (both paid for, but you don't know that from just driving around), we don't eat out too much an drew usually that's just when we travel or once/twice a month with friends, her hobbies are running and crafting, mine are running and shooting my guns, with a little gardening in the summer.
About the only thing that people would see and think we are "upper or upper middle" would be the size of our home(s) and the niceness of our diesel pusher RV. But even then, the RV is behind closed doors most of the time.
So anyway, I prefer to think of my "class" more as "financially independent" more than anything else. For us, that means living simply most of the time, but having the ability to travel a little more than most folks our age, and having a big toy that most folks either don't own or have a humongous loan in order to buy.
I didn't vote...I just couldn't figure out how to vote based on the above.
As far as income and assets, upper class.
As far as everyday living, solid middle. For example, we eat simply, we dress simply, we drive a 5 year old Ford pickup and a 2 year old Honda CRV (both paid for, but you don't know that from just driving around), we don't eat out too much an drew usually that's just when we travel or once/twice a month with friends, her hobbies are running and crafting, mine are running and shooting my guns, with a little gardening in the summer.
About the only thing that people would see and think we are "upper or upper middle" would be the size of our home(s) and the niceness of our diesel pusher RV. But even then, the RV is behind closed doors most of the time.
So anyway, I prefer to think of my "class" more as "financially independent" more than anything else. For us, that means living simply most of the time, but having the ability to travel a little more than most folks our age, and having a big toy that most folks either don't own or have a humongous loan in order to buy.
I didn't vote...I just couldn't figure out how to vote based on the above.
I voted upper middle class. Even though we live a solid middle class lifestyle (average size house in an average income neighborhood, older cars) we both have college degrees and more income than we need. Our assets are small when compared to a lot of the people on this forum but I think we are in a much better financial situation than most of the people in our area.
We are comfortable and secure and have more than we need.
We are comfortable and secure and have more than we need.
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ER Eddie
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I have a funny relationship with my class. I grew up upper middle class. I am now a member of the upper middle class. But I don't like the upper middle class. I don't want to be like them. I don't want to live like them. I would feel like a sellout if I lived like most of them do. I would feel like a clone, a conformist. I'm upper middle class and always have been, but I've never liked it, never identified with it.
My parents were both college educated professionals. My husband and I were both college educated professionals. My husband's family was more typical blue-collar working class - FIL was a union tailor, MIL was a SAHM until she started doing clerical work for the IRS when the youngest went to elementary school.
My upbringing was definitely upper middle class by asset, education, and neighborhood. But Dad was *CHEAP*... So compared to friends I thought I was poor. Boy was I wrong... I learned when I left my bubble at age 18 and started working for an insurance company... seeing bright women who came from much poorer backgrounds really opened my eyes to how lucky I'd been.
I'm not upper class because I still carefully watch my spending. If I were wealthy/upper class I would buy business class or first class airfare and not worry about it. I'd eat out frequently, rather than about 1x month. I'd load the uber app on my kids phones so I wouldn't have to drive them everywhere.... But... that's not in our budget.
My upbringing was definitely upper middle class by asset, education, and neighborhood. But Dad was *CHEAP*... So compared to friends I thought I was poor. Boy was I wrong... I learned when I left my bubble at age 18 and started working for an insurance company... seeing bright women who came from much poorer backgrounds really opened my eyes to how lucky I'd been.
I'm not upper class because I still carefully watch my spending. If I were wealthy/upper class I would buy business class or first class airfare and not worry about it. I'd eat out frequently, rather than about 1x month. I'd load the uber app on my kids phones so I wouldn't have to drive them everywhere.... But... that's not in our budget.
Hermit
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Us Hermits don't got no class... But I did wear a suit to my DD's weddiing! That makes twice in one year. I also wear the same suit to the fancy dinner and silent auction for my favorite charity.
Now back in the day when the kids went to private school in SE Virginia, a lot of their school mates were definitely from the country club set and such. Very wealthy. As parents, we went to more social functions at such places than I care to think about. I think it is interesting to watch the kids in different settings. They are very comfortable socializing in very wealthy and very poor settings and both live somewhere in between.
That makes twice in one year. I also wear the same suit to the fancy dinner and silent auction for my favorite charity.Now back in the day when the kids went to private school in SE Virginia, a lot of their school mates were definitely from the country club set and such. Very wealthy. As parents, we went to more social functions at such places than I care to think about. I think it is interesting to watch the kids in different settings. They are very comfortable socializing in very wealthy and very poor settings and both live somewhere in between.
GravitySucks
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Supposedly my family was French royalty many centuries ago. I'm not going to look to far under the hood and keep the mythos rolling.
I grew up working class (coal mining village in NE England) and still very much relate to and hang out with with working class folks as well as middle class folks. Income and asset wise then upper middle class.
I once rented a tuxedo for my daughter's wedding otherwise I've never worn one. I've been on 3 Cunard cruises and have never felt out of place on formal nights wearing only a dark blue lounge/business suit, shirt and tie. That is as dressed up as I ever get, including my own wedding.
In 2014 we went to Australia for 5 months, ending in a 2 week cruise out of Sydney around New Zealand. There were several formal nights but I didn't bother lugging a suit all that way as I expected that formal for Australians meant not wearing corks around the brim of their hat. Not having a suit was just fine, and I didn't feel out of place at all.
I once rented a tuxedo for my daughter's wedding otherwise I've never worn one. I've been on 3 Cunard cruises and have never felt out of place on formal nights wearing only a dark blue lounge/business suit, shirt and tie. That is as dressed up as I ever get, including my own wedding.
In 2014 we went to Australia for 5 months, ending in a 2 week cruise out of Sydney around New Zealand. There were several formal nights but I didn't bother lugging a suit all that way as I expected that formal for Australians meant not wearing corks around the brim of their hat. Not having a suit was just fine, and I didn't feel out of place at all.
DEC-1982
Full time employment: Posting here.
Estoy tomando las clases de Español, so I am in that class - hehehe !!!
kcowan
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I selected upper class because it is not about money but based on doing what I want when I want to. And there is nothing that we want that we can't have.
(PS My Dad was lower working class. Low salaried tailor-cutter and union shop chairman.)
(PS My Dad was lower working class. Low salaried tailor-cutter and union shop chairman.)
Danmar
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I have no idea how to define "upper class"? Financially, no problem, maybe top 1%? We have discussed what top 1% means a fair bit, but the actual behaviour of "upper class" people? Is it just spending level or something else more intangible? Not sure?
I think most people would try to avoid the label of "upper class" as it generally has a negative connotation for some reason.
I think most people would try to avoid the label of "upper class" as it generally has a negative connotation for some reason.
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Dawg52
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I grew up lower class financially which was fine. My Dad didn't graduate from high school and didn't have a high income job. But we lived fine and didn't go without. But compared to my parents and by most definitions, I fall into the upper middle class. But I feel more middle class in the way I live and who I associate with.
I don't really pay much attention to class, but I answered upper-middle. It's just my "sense" based on education, pre-ER occupation, net worth, spending, travel, house, etc.
DW grew up upper-middle, country club set. FIL was a senior engineer/manager in the Space Race days, and they lived quite well. I came from solid lower-middle. Neither of my parents had a college degree and they both sort-of drifted aimlessly between jobs, unemployment, and various side hustles. We lived comfortably in a modest middle-class neighborhood, but I know they struggled with bills frequently and never had any savings.
Most of the people we associate with are probably middle-middle or lower. We don't seem to naturally relate to typical upper-middle, even though that seems to be where we fit financially. If you subtract the big house, most people would guess we are middle-middle based on cars, clothes, lifestyle, etc.
DW grew up upper-middle, country club set. FIL was a senior engineer/manager in the Space Race days, and they lived quite well. I came from solid lower-middle. Neither of my parents had a college degree and they both sort-of drifted aimlessly between jobs, unemployment, and various side hustles. We lived comfortably in a modest middle-class neighborhood, but I know they struggled with bills frequently and never had any savings.
Most of the people we associate with are probably middle-middle or lower. We don't seem to naturally relate to typical upper-middle, even though that seems to be where we fit financially. If you subtract the big house, most people would guess we are middle-middle based on cars, clothes, lifestyle, etc.
nun
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Yeah but you get lots of chances to do things right the next time....and the next etc.
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