You don’t need to see my bank account to know I’m truly middle class

October 17, 2026 — 4:30am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

No gift articles left

You've used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.

According to recent research, you can determine whether someone is middle class on the basis of their wealth.

If you have net assets of between $300,000 and $900,000, you are middle class. If you have between $900,000 and $1.6 million, you’re upper class. And if, by freakish circumstance, you have assets of over $1.6 million, then you are part of “the elite”.

Well, not so fast. I think being middle class is more a matter of attitude than simple cash. Let me count the ways.

1: When leaving a motel I take three teabags and all the soap, but leave one teabag and a sachet of sugar just so the housekeeper doesn’t think I’m cheap.

2: I have never joined a queue. I’ll try the place down the road.

3: I have never bought a new piece of technology on the day of its release. (See above, I have never joined a queue.)

4: I’d rather eat a burnt steak than complain to the waiter.

5: I’d rather eat raw risotto than complain to the waiter.

6: My main fear about dying is being the centre of attention at my own funeral.

7: I’m wealthy enough to study the share tips in the Australian Financial Review,........

© Brisbane Times