8 things lower-middle-class people do at hotels that reveal exactly how they grew up - Silicon Canals

"Years later, after countless nights in hotels from budget chains to five-star establishments, I've noticed something interesting. Those of us who grew up in lower-middle-class households carry certain behaviors with us into these spaces. They're not necessarily bad habits, but they're telling. They reveal a childhood where every pound mattered and waste was practically a sin. I've seen these patterns in myself, in friends from similar backgrounds, and in countless fellow travelers over the years."

"They're the subtle markers of a particular kind of upbringing, one where your parents worked hard to keep you comfortable but where luxury was always just out of reach. 1. They hoard the free toiletries like they're made of gold You know that little thrill when you see those miniature shampoo bottles lined up in the bathroom? For many of us who grew up watching our parents stretch every penny, those toiletries aren't just amenities. They're treasures to be collected."

"It wasn't about being cheap. It was about not wasting something that was already paid for. Growing up in a factory town outside Manchester, where my dad worked long shifts just to keep us comfortable, you learned that everything had value. Even now, with a stable income and no real need for hotel soap, I catch myself pocketing those bottles."

Travelers raised in lower-middle-class households commonly carry frugal habits into hotels. They routinely pocket complimentary toiletries, viewing small amenities as already paid for and too valuable to waste. They load plates at free breakfasts and prioritize maximizing included services. Childhood experience of parents stretching every pound and working long shifts instills a deep aversion to waste and a habit of extracting full value. These behaviors persist even with stable incomes and comfortable circumstances, operating almost automatically. The habits appear across friends and countless fellow travelers, serving as subtle markers of an upbringing where comfort was earned and luxury remained out of reach.

Read at Silicon Canals