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?

  • SybilVane@lemmy.ca
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 hour 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.

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    2 hours 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?

  • AA5B@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    3
    ·
    2 hours 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

  • BeNotAfraid@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    2 hours ago

    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!

  • Remember_the_tooth@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    53
    ·
    21 hours ago

    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.

    • throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      20 hours ago

      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

        • throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          11
          ·
          19 hours 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?

  • fitgse@sh.itjust.works
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    32
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    22 hours ago

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

    • RBWells@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      18 hours ago

      We are part of the dwindling middle class & I ride an electric bike to work. So much cheaper than a car but so expensive for a bike, it seems a middle class thing. Though maybe living close to work is in itself an upper class thing?

      Our city does a semiannual ebike voucher raffle thing with a large number of large vouchers (would cover the cost) for verified low income, plus a smaller number of smaller vouchers (still would be a big discount) for non income verified.