5 Things That Make the Middle Class Feel Rich, According to George Kamel and Rachel Cruze
If you live by the credo "fake it until you make it," what does "making it" really feel like? Not necessarily the eating caviar in your Lamborghini version, but a more realistic version where you are living comfortably and don’t wake up every morning worrying about paying bills.
On an episode of Smart Money Happy Hour, Ramsey personalities George Kamel and Rachel Cruze broke down the everyday money milestones that genuinely make middle-class Americans feel wealthy. And they hate to break it to you, but it’s not about the size of your mansion. Or as Kamel puts it: "Learn to be content — be present with what you have. There's always going to be a bigger, better thing you could have."
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Whether you're feeling that you’ve made it is defined by buying two cold brews in the same day or a paid-for house; the real win is having no debt and the freedom to choose. Here are five things that Cruze and Kamel said make the middle class feel rich.
1. Ordering Whatever You Want at a Restaurant
This menu has five pages and money is no option (kind of), so if you feel fine with ordering steak over the cheaper chicken dish, Cruze thinks that’s a simpler marker of feeling more financially comfortable.
"When you go for the steak, you've made it," she said. Kamel agreed, pointing to appetizers as another signal. "When you start going, 'Let's get some apps' — wow. Look at you go, you've really made it when you order a decaf coffee with your dessert," Kamel said.
2. Buying Groceries Without Checking Prices
Bringing that add-to-cart energy is another sign you don’t feel as strapped for cash as you used to. Cruze admitted that even now, she watches prices more carefully at the grocery store than at restaurants. So the real milestone is the opposite of shopping without mental math.
"You're getting what you need, maybe even a few other things, no concern in the world," she said. "Getting the name brand over the generic brand or the one that's on sale, just because you want it" is an "I've made it" moment, according to Cruze.
3. Ordering Room Service
Rachel shared a personal story that hit home for a lot of people. On her honeymoon at Nashville's Hermitage Hotel, she almost didn't order orange juice from room service because it cost $7.
"I remember thinking, when I can just order orange juice at room service — I'm not talking about a restaurant — that would be making it," she said. "And I remember when I did and it felt good, man." Figuring out your own personal orange juice litmus test will move you up, at least mentally, from the middle class.
4. Retiring Your Spouse
For Kamel, the milestone that meant the most wasn't hitting a number, but rather what the number made possible. This makes sense as being “middle class” is often more conceptual than based in hard and fast math.
"When we got into our next house and we got to retire [my wife] from her career, that to me, when you can retire your spouse financially because you don't have debt and you have the income to support the family — I was like, that to me is making it," Kamel added.
5. Paying Cash for a Car
It’s a real power move to not even peruse the auto loan section when buying a new or new-to-you, car. So it’s probably better to get a vehicle that’s priced beneath your means, so you don't go into debt.
In fact, both hosts pushed back on the idea that a flashy car equals financial success. "I think I judge the most on cars. I see someone driving a brand new Escalade and I automatically think — probably car payment," Cruze said.
For Kamel, getting the exact make and model he wanted, in this case a Tesla with self-driving and paying cash was a real moment for him. "Being able to just walk into the dealership and know you're paying cash — that's very much an 'I've made it' moment because so many people can't fathom saving up $10,000, $20,000, $30,000 or $40,000 for a car," Kamel added.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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