> "someone making 300,000 probably doesn't have much more disposable income than someone making 80,000"
I don't think that's borne out by the stats. As I recall fixed costs essentially flat-line as a percentage of income somewhere south of 200k, up until you reach the "don't look at prices anymore" brackets. Also, I note that it really doesn't take much more disposable income to add flashy consumption. Five thousand dollars is easily two annual trips to Hawaii, which -- while not remotely a trivial amount of money -- really isn't that hard to sock away at 300k vs 80k. And two additional annual vacations at 300k is certainly going to look like 'whimsical' to the guy making 80k who takes one real vacation a year.
So I'm wondering if we aren't having a disagreement on definitions. And when you say 'hawaii on whim', you're thinking about trips approaching the opulence of the "don't look at prices anymore" brackets?
I don't think that's borne out by the stats. As I recall fixed costs essentially flat-line as a percentage of income somewhere south of 200k, up until you reach the "don't look at prices anymore" brackets. Also, I note that it really doesn't take much more disposable income to add flashy consumption. Five thousand dollars is easily two annual trips to Hawaii, which -- while not remotely a trivial amount of money -- really isn't that hard to sock away at 300k vs 80k. And two additional annual vacations at 300k is certainly going to look like 'whimsical' to the guy making 80k who takes one real vacation a year.
So I'm wondering if we aren't having a disagreement on definitions. And when you say 'hawaii on whim', you're thinking about trips approaching the opulence of the "don't look at prices anymore" brackets?