11 Habits That Are Normal In Working-Class Homes But Confuse Wealthy People
Wealthy people simply cannot comprehend why anyone would behave this way.
Forstock / Shutterstock While the middle class itself may be shrinking, as a study from the Pew Research Center suggests, the habits, behaviors, and mentalities of adults who grew up in middle-class households are still prevalent. From the way they manage money to how they interact with others and even fill their free time, there are a number of habits that are normal in working-class homes but confuse wealthy people.
While the hobbies, habits, and routines of the middle class may not be intrinsically associated with money, they are founded on something that’s impossible to untie from a person’s financial wellbeing: choice. When you have money, you have the choice to spend your free time and energy how you want, but in many cases, middle-class people must make compromises and develop their routines around non-negotiables.
Here are 11 habits that are normal in working-class homes but confuse wealthy people
1. Fearing credit cards
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As a study from The Sociological Quarterly suggests, credit is often a form of convenience for wealthy people — a short-term solution to overspending and making investments that can be easily rectified at a moment’s notice. However, for middle-class people, it tends to have more severe consequences — from damaging mental health, to sparking a cycle of constant debt, and even exacerbating already existing financial struggles.
That’s why it’s not surprising that many middle-class households with a touch of financial literacy and emotional regulation tend to fear and avoid taking on unnecessary credit. Even if they do need credit cards to afford basic necessities, they’re often incredibly anxious and stressed about the habit.
However, for wealthy people who see taking on this debt as a convenience to smooth life expenses, it’s not surprising that this is a habit and mentality that confuses them about middle-class people.
2. Watching mindless entertainment
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Many wealthy people have the freedom of choice when it comes to their free time. They don’t have to worry about many of the chores and household responsibilities that middle-class people do, from lawn care to decluttering, because they can outsource labor, so when they do have free time, it’s spent on active hobbies and habits.
However, many middle-class people use the majority of their free time focusing on personal responsibilities — watching their kids, cleaning their homes, doing lawn work, and even running errands — so when they do have a moment of respite, all they have the capacity for is mindless entertainment.
This is part of the reason why people are happier the more money they have. When they’re wealthy, they have the freedom to choose how they want to spend their free time and even invest in habits that add value to their lives with the extra time and energy they have.
3. Fixing household repairs
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In situations where a wealthy person may outsource labor and hire someone to fix something in their home, whether it’s a leaky pipe or chipped paint, middle-class people are conditioned to do it themselves. Even if that means learning a new skill or spending more time on a project to save money, many grew up in homes where that was the norm, not overspending on work to save time.
As wealth planning experts suggest, time is just as much of a measure of affluence as money is. It can be saved, leveraged, spent, and wasted. So, considering a wealthy person has the freedom of choice, they can spend and save their time how they please, even if that means hiring a service person for home repairs when a middle-class person would do it themselves.
4. Buying in small batches
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Whether it’s household necessities, cosmetic services, or groceries, buying in small batches is a habit that is common in middle-class households, yet often confuses wealthy people. With financial freedom, it’s much easier to batch buy groceries or get your hair, nails, and other cosmetic services done in the same week — but for middle-class people that lack the same kind of choice, these habits are based on necessity.
If they don’t have the time to grocery shop early in the week, they often buy in small batches, purchasing items for a single meal or a couple of meals, rather than in bulk. The same goes for other household purchases. They’ll make short-term decisions out of necessity, like paying for a 6-pack of toilet paper, even though it’s technically more expensive than a bulk purchase, because they don’t have the freedom to spend more in the present moment.
Investing is one of the things wealthy people do in every aspect of their lives, so it’s not surprising that habits like these confuse them in lower-income households.
5. Working multiple jobs
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As the middle class continues to shrink, prices rise, and wages stagnate, it’s not surprising that tons of Americans are adopting second and third jobs. However, this is one of the habits that may seem normal, out of necessity, for middle-class people, but confuse their wealthy counterparts.
Wealthy people don’t understand the concept of working for money, oftentimes because they work for passions, investments, or validation. Their jobs are often not service work or baseline corporate jobs, but somewhat higher management roles and entrepreneurial ventures, so it’s not surprising that they don’t understand the ceilings these workers face in terms of wages and growth.
6. Appreciating stability and security
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Whether it’s in their personal lives and routines or their jobs, embracing stability and security over freedom and risk is one of the habits that are normal in working-class homes but confuse wealthy people.
Wealthy people may chase financial freedom, but their lower-income counterparts are only yearning for comfort and stability. Of course, they have the time and money to take more risks, whether they’re entrepreneurial, creative, or professional, so it’s not surprising that they tend to have bigger payouts and more fun experimenting than someone who’s living paycheck to paycheck.
7. Avoiding conversations about money
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While wealthy people, who’ve likely never experienced anxiety, worry, or instability around money in their lives, probably don’t feel as nervous about talking about finances with others. However, for middle-class people, who likely grew up in households that struggled financially or kept their financial situation private from social interactions, they’re more likely to avoid these discussions completely.
According to a Bankrate survey, these conversations about money are collectively more uncomfortable than religion or politics, especially for people with financial struggles and insecurity.
8. Buying flashy status symbols
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Many middle-class people feed into trends and consumerism for a sense of social belonging. When they purchase status symbols and other people notice them, it’s a kind of connection and community that they may struggle to find time for in other aspects of their life.
If wealthy people are buying status symbols and purchasing things like fancy clothes, cars, or shoes, they typically opt for “quiet luxury,” a symbol of their wealth, without being overly gaudy, showy, or dramatic.
9. Using payment plans and payday loans
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Considering nearly 30% of Americans have jobs and are still struggling to afford basic necessities living paycheck to paycheck, it’s not surprising that another 33% are leveraging cash advance apps, payment plans like Klarna, and payday loans to stretch their money.
For many middle-class households, they have no other choice. In order to afford their bills and make their payments, they have to get creative with all of their options. They don’t have the same kind of freedom and choice as wealthy people, which is why this is one of the habits they just don’t understand from middle-class homes.
10. Overlooking preventative healthcare
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Whether it’s a wellness routine, working with a nutritionist, getting a personal trainer, or talking about preventative health with a primary care physician, many wealthy people have the time and money to invest in their health early, which explains the growing life expectancy gap based on income.
However, for middle-class families, for whom healthcare is already expensive when it’s reactionary, preventative is unrealistic. For the nonnegotiables, like medications and surgeries, many middle-class people are already going into medical debt because of poor insurance policies and coverage, so it’s not surprising that overlooking any additional care is normal in these households.
11. Cooking every meal at home
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Many people are eating at home more often now than ever to stretch their meals and save money on food expenses. Even when they don’t necessarily have the time, cooking every meal at home is one of the habits that’s normal in working-class homes but confuses wealthy people. It’s people who grew up in these middle-class families who’ve heard “we have food at home” the most.
However, on the other hand, wealthy people tend to spend based on preference and convenience. If something sounds good, they don’t have time to cook, or they want to spend on convenience, they don’t mind ordering or going out.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
