this post was submitted on 08 Jun 2025
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This was based on a question that my economics professor in college had asked us. His question was more to the effect of “What’s a good/service people buy when they have a bit of money, then they stop buying or buy less of it when they get some more money, and then they start buying it again once they have even more money?” — feel free to answer that too.

My first thought was alcohol: lower class people might buy more of it to cope with their difficult situation, whereas upper class people have more money to spend on vices and luxuries such as alcohol. Not sure if this theory holds true.

The best answer I’ve been able to come up with is golf carts, at least in the US. It’s common to see lower class people drive golf carts around their trailer parks or neighborhoods, whereas middle class people rarely do that. An upper class person might live in a wealthy neighborhood with its own built-in golf course, or the person might even own their own golf course(s).

Some dubious investments, such as crypto or donations to certain social organizations or politicians might also qualify?

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] MrsDoyle 5 points 6 days ago

This made me laugh, it's so true! Apart from chickens though - I know a few middle class people with chickens.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago

This is less of a specific good and more of a trend, but middle class people are more likely to buy bulk goods. Lower classes often don't have the means to do so (space to store it and money to buy it, or access to places that sell in bulk) and higher classes simply don't need to, or they buy luxury items that wouldn't be sold in bulk.

Similarly, middle class people are less likely to shop at places with high markups, such as convenience stores.

The times when people shop would also see trends, with lower and higher classes doing more shopping midday on a Tuesday and middle class working people with average 9-5 office jobs being unable to do so.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 6 days ago

Maybe car leases?

  • lower income can’t afford to purchase and a lease is a lower payment
  • wealthy either want to replace cars more often or use a car leases by a business

If middle income fall into that trap, it’s probably on the way to lower income?

[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I live in a decidedly middle class area and people driving golf carts around is super common. Some communities even have their own golf cart paths to the local grocery stores, and those stores have dedicated gold cart parking.

It's very common at least in the US south east.

[–] ryathal 4 points 6 days ago

I think golf carts are more a regional thing where the weather is good enough most the year and there are destinations in reasonable range. Driving 5 miles to Costco in freezing weather isn't really a golf cart activity.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Horse. You well off, Dad's got a bit of land? Then you can have a horse. Nine of yous, living in a caravan with your Mum? Then you can have a horse. Grow up in a semi-detached? No horse for you!

[–] MrsDoyle 2 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago

I have to, sure the stairs'd kill him.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago

It’s common to see lower class people drive golf carts around their trailer parks or neighborhoods

I thought this was regional. I’ve seen it in Florida but not where I live, not that I’ve ever been to a trailer park

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 days ago

Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, Cable TV, etc.

The lower class usually get up for their hardworking but ill-paid jobs. The one thing they want to do is go home and turn on the TV and just have their one streaming service work when they've been busting ass all day.

The upper class doesn't really care what the price is, they just have every service stream what they want.

The middle class makes just little enough to not warrant paying that much for a shit streaming service so that they can save up for x hobby, so they'll pirate all day.

[–] [email protected] 167 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Good one!

I routinely use terms like "classic" to describe my cars. It amuses me, and is mostly harmless.

But, on occasion, this has disappointed a friend who I gave a ride to, who did not realize the term was meant as humor.

(Though technically correct, I guess? My car is old, if not nice.)

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 days ago

A friend's parents are classic car buffs so they got him a cheap Trabant (car from former east Germany) for his birthday. It was awesome. I mean, the car itself sucked ass, it had trouble going uphill and it was made of cardboard. But it was still kinda cool.

When it died around graduation the class sawed it in half and buried it in the school's garden so that it looked like it was driving out of the ground. It was part of that year's graduation stunt.

[–] [email protected] 133 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 28 points 1 week ago

Financial services as a percent of income, yes. That's a good one. Being poor is relatively expensive.

[–] [email protected] 105 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Gambling

Transportation services

RVs

Recreational drugs

Horses and related services

This is fun, but I'll end this with the obligatory: There are two main classes, the ownership class and the working class. The lower and middle classes are subsets of the working class.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 days ago (2 children)

I like that one. I used to jokingly tell people I drove a classic car. It was technically correct, but no one was impressed by my rusted out, 1980s, economy sedan or its 115 horses.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

We finally got a family car when i was 16 - a 1978 corolla station wagon.

In the 90's.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago (1 children)

That's honestly kind of cool, even if the circumstances that led to it might not have been.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

Holy shit, close. Ours was a paler red

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Here I am wondering how old i can get away with and still be safe and reliable for my teens to drive

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 days ago

I don't think a 2025 Armored Personnel Carrier is capable of keeping a teen driver safe. Having said that, I think the best we can do is front and side airbags, crumple zones, a low center of gravity (sorry Jeep), and Electronic Stability Control (ESC). If I had to put a year on that, I'd say 2012, when the NHTSA required all new vehicles to have ESC. A roll cage wouldn't hurt, if that's an option. Bonus points if you can convince them to wear a racing helmet and Leatt neck brace while driving.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

Recreational drugs are purchased by pretty much everyone

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

Good point. I should have said, "illicit drugs."

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I don't have any data to support it, but I'd speculate that the middle class uses a lot less illicit drugs, lacking the desperation of the poor or the protections of the wealthy.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 6 days ago (1 children)

I also speculate that your idea of illicit drugs is not correct.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 6 days ago

Maybe but I wonder that too. Now that Marijuana is legit most places, that’s a vice for the middle class. They can’t risk illegal when there’s a legal option and can’t afford some of the workarounds that wealthy can

[–] throwawayacc0430 24 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Lmfao

Gambling

[Poor People] Delusion of winning big VS [Rich People] Just enjoying spending their time throwing money away because they have endless supply of money

Transportation services

[Poor People] Having to ride a Bus because you can't afford a car VS [Rich People] Personal Driver driving you everywhete

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Why does this come off as insufferable? Is it a tone over text thing? Is it me?

[–] throwawayacc0430 19 points 1 week ago

Oh I guess because a text-only forum loses the real life expressions.

Its more like: "Bruh 💀" - Like it's funny, but in a fucked up dystopian context, ya know what I mean?

[–] [email protected] 73 points 1 week ago

College. The middle class is too rich for aid but too poor to pay

[–] fitgse 43 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Bicycles! Lower class uses them as transportation, upper class uses them for recreation.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 6 days ago

Man...I must really be upper class then.
When will my salary catch up to that?

[–] [email protected] 1 points 6 days ago

I feel like recreational biking or mountain biking is a very middle class thing to do tbh.

[–] [email protected] 26 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You and I have different definitions of upper class.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 days ago* (last edited 5 days ago)

I know, I think I just got called upper and lower class at the same time. How was that up voted so much?

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Upper class have pelatons

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[–] [email protected] 31 points 1 week ago (2 children)
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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Cocaine

Eh, that's really for everyone.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (6 children)

I'd change that to "illegal drugs" as lower class can't usually afford cocaine that's not cut with fentanyl, but instead buy weed, shrooms, acid, meth, and other cheap drugs. Rich people, in addition to cocaine also have access to more of the designer drugs like MDMA, not to mention prescription drugs with a high street value that poor folks can't afford unless they're addicted to something like painkillers, but then they'll usually have to go the cheaper route of fentanyl

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (3 children)

The lower class tends not to own much property, especially not extra houses they can rent out or whatever.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

Chlorine for water treatment. Cheap and useful where clean water is difficult to come by and where water is stored for long term use. Also very common to buy if you have a pool. But maybe for middle class households it is not as common of an item - except perhaps in areas were pools are common enough in middle-class homes.

Just a guess!

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