Many upper-middle-classers don't even realize they've climbed into this tier. Randy Shilling, a 58-year-old chemical plant worker in Texas, saved more than $3 million for retirement. 'I view myself as an average Joe,' he told The Wall Street Journal. 'But when I want something, I go get it.'
That's when it hit me: There are certain phrases that instantly reveal someone grew up with money, even when they're not trying to flex. These verbal tells slip out in everyday conversation, painting a picture of childhoods filled with private schools, summer homes, and trust funds without ever mentioning a single dollar amount. After interviewing over 200 people throughout my career, from startup founders to researchers studying social behavior, I've noticed these linguistic patterns repeatedly. They're not necessarily bad or good, just revealing.
"Finding good help is so difficult these days." I nearly choked on my coffee the first time I heard this at a dinner party. The speaker was lamenting how their cleaner had rescheduled, throwing off their entire week. Meanwhile, most working class families I know clean their own homes after pulling double shifts, often with kids in tow. What really gets me is when they complain about these services in front of people who could never afford them.
Growing up outside Manchester, I thought everyone kept their tea bags to use twice. It wasn't until I was at university, sitting in a friend's kitchen in London, that I realized this wasn't normal. My friend watched in horror as I carefully squeezed out my used tea bag and placed it on a saucer for later. "What are you doing?" he asked, genuinely confused.
Around the turn of the 21st century, the U.K. witnessed a dramatic surge in housing prices: the costs rose from four times peoples' annual earnings in 1995, to eight times by 2010. Homeowners subsequently enjoyed a wealth windfall, and it resulted in their kids receiving more housing wealth and higher-paying jobs, according to recent research from the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Lower-income renters, on the other hand, were faced with new affordability challenges.
