11 Things People From Working-Class Families Instantly Notice About Wealthy People
It seems like they're living their lives worlds apart from each other.
VH-studio | Shutterstock From access and quality of higher education, to daily experiences like using a public restroom, and larger issues of housing inequality and healthcare, there are a number of things intertwined into a person's economic class. Focusing strictly on income, work ethic, or opportunity isn't enough to paint a nuanced picture of our society's wealth inequality epidemic.
While the larger conversations of education, healthcare, housing, and access are all incredibly important, there are a number of smaller, more subtle experiences that wealthy people with privilege, both financial and otherwise, are awarded that working-class families don't have the freedom to live. Oftentimes, alongside the larger things, like having a home or going to university, these subtle things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people are what make the most of a difference in their daily lives.
Here are 11 things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people
1. They travel impulsively
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Rather than budgeting for a yearly vacation, constantly looking for the cheapest hotels and flights, and even requesting time off from work in advance, wealthy people leverage the freedom they have to simply get up and go.
While there are certain Americans who are still traveling and going on vacation even though they can't afford it, it's nowhere near to the same extent as wealthy people traveling impulsively with no plan, savings, or schedule. It's not just their freedom and privileges with money, but also with free time, that people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people.
2. They spend money casually
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From spending $100 on a new coat they don't need or even going out to eat with friends several times a week, wealthy people tend to spend money much more casually than their working-class counterparts.
Considering working-class people may work all pay periods just to save an extra $50 for groceries, watching someone spend it without a second thought on an organic piece of meat at the store or gas to just "drive around" seems absurd.
3. They don't check their bank accounts before swiping
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If you've ever lived in a state of financial uncertainty or crisis, you know what it feels like to have to check your bank account balance every time you pull your card out to pay. Whether it's buying groceries or paying for gas, everything is a game of dollars and cents, down to the wire.
However, rich people often spend without thinking about how much money they have. They're never living in a state of anxiety about running out of money, having the ability to pay their bills, or having to "sacrifice" to afford necessities; they simply spend with the confidence that they'll always have the money.
4. They have seasonal wardrobes
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With skiing clothes for the winter, a brand new summer wardrobe in boxes in the basement, and new outfits for every occasion, it's not surprising that seasonal wardrobes are one of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people. Even simply going on a vacation is an excuse for wealthy people to buy new outfits, even at the expense of all the overflowing closets and boxes they already have at home.
Many lower income families struggle to simply afford new coats and boots for the winter, let alone repurchase an entire wardrobe the second the weather changes. The idea of purchasing a new wardrobe for every time of year seems not just impossible but outright absurd.
5. They have connections
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"I'm working for my dad" or "My grandpa's friend got me this job" are just a few of the common phrases you're likely to hear from wealthy people about their jobs and it's one of the first things people from working-class families instantly notice about them. This experience is part of the reason why wealth is generational — jobs, money, and opportunities are passed down and through generations and communities.
Sadly, success in the job market for wealthy people isn't just about connections, either. According to a study from the Journal of Experimental Psychology, people perceived to be richer often land jobs more often than those who aren't.
So, bragging about connections or shaming people living in poverty for not "working hard enough" to land a job isn't just ignorant, it's completely irrelevant, especially from wealthy people who landed jobs through connections or by feigning a kind of prestige with high-end clothes and stereotypically thin, white, and "rich" appearances.
6. They aren't burdened by monthly bills
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In times of economic uncertainty or crisis, rich people generally have less debt, not because they're not borrowing money, but because they often have the means to pay it off at a moment's notice if they really need to. On the other hand, middle-class and working-class families suffer under the burdens of their debt, often sparked by emergency situations or unexpected expenses that they don't have the ability to pay outright living paycheck-to-paycheck.
Their attitude and relationships with debt is also one of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people. Most don't have student debt, aren't forced to sacrifice to afford bills on credit card debt, and likely made their larger investments — like buying a new car or a home — completely out of pocket.
7. They assume everyone has a safety net
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Whether it's assuming everyone has a safety net or refusing to acknowledge the privileges of their own, many wealthy people condemn people living in poverty on the basis of their own work ethic. This lack of recognition of their own safety net is often what fuels the ignorance they spew when it comes to social and public assistance programs.
They criticize people living in poverty for accepting help — even if it's almost completely unhelpful and underwhelming — while still asking their parents for money, using their connections to land jobs, and enjoying the privileges of financial comfort.
So, it's not just a lack of recognition of their own safety net and ignorance that working-class families tend to instantly notice about most wealthy people, it's also their assumption that everyone is living with some kind of support and that poverty is simply a "work-ethic issue," rather than a result of systemic and institutional failures.
8. They're comfortable asking for help
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According to a 2016 study, many people living in poverty resist help from others, even when they're really struggling, and especially if they have to ask for that help outright. Not only does this tend to isolate them from the "private safety net" that tends to catch people when public assistance programs fall short, like researchers from the study explain, it drains them of the support of the community and help that could get them back on their feet.
For many people, it's the internalized shame around money and the experience of living in poverty that keeps them from asking for help, which is why always being comfortable asking for money and accepting help is one of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people.
9. They can afford upcharges
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Whether it's extra guacamole at Chipotle, ordering groceries to be delivered straight to their home, or overusing food delivery services, being able to afford upcharges without a second thought for the sake of convenience is one of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people.
Considering they rarely worry about their regular bills and basic necessities, wealthy families have the freedom to prioritize comfort, convenience, and routine in their lives — helping to cultivate a healthier mental health, physical well-being, and aging process, like a study from NIH's National Institute on Aging explains.
10. They have wellness maintenance routines
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Compared to working-class families that rarely have the money or time to spend getting their hair cut, investing in a beauty routine, or even going to therapy regularly, wealthy people often prioritize it in their daily lives. They not only have the freedom to spend on these investments, it's a regular part of their routine, made possible by more free time and less financial stress.
Part of the reason why rich people are happier than the average person, according to a study from Social Psychological and Personality Science, is not just because they have more money and free time — although that significantly reduces the anxiety, stress, and emotional overwhelm working families experience on a daily basis — it's because they spend that time actively indulging in hobbies and their own personal wellness.
Whether it's spending on a regular workout routine, getting their hair and nails done weekly, or making meals that are nutritious and exciting, these free time rituals and activities are some of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people, considering they rarely have the time and money to invest in them.
11. They splurge on their pets
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Whether it's hosting a birthday party for their cat or buying an entire wardrobe for their pet, many wealthy people have the freedom to splurge on their pets as if they were a real human child in their family.
Of course, owning a pet isn't necessarily an experience that only wealthy people can afford; in fact, an Empower study revealed that they can actually spark more responsible financial habits in some households.
However, when it comes to convenience, like hiring a dogsitter, boarding their animals, or indulging in treats, organic food, presents, and outfits for their pets, that's one of the things people from working-class families instantly notice about wealthy people that they don't have the luxury to spend on.
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.
