What’s a middle class ‘success purchase’ that becomes a financial burden later on? – 17 expensive status symbols you’ll live to regret

To onlookers, the middle class lifestyle may look appealing. After all, who wouldn’t want a pool or a horse straight from the Guardian lifestyle page?

But while these things may convince everyone else that you’re doing well in life, they come with hidden costs that only become apparent over time. To get an idea of which pitfalls to avoid, OpinionBaba put the following question to r/AskReddit:

‘What’s a ‘middle class success’ purchase that secretly becomes a financial burden later?’

Here are the top replies that will gradually eat into your trust fund…

1.

”Oh honey, let’s buy a camper’ (that you end up using twice a year after the excitement of the first one)’
-sitewolf

2.

‘A large tropical saltwater fish tank. Oh those costs are not what you expected when you dipped a toe in.’
-karma_dumpster

3.

‘Upsizing to a bigger house and then realizing you’ve also upsized taxes, maintenance, and stress’
-Successful-Fan2742

4.

‘Outrageous car notes have wrecked a lot of my middle class friends. One homie I knew was making like 150k a year in construction and bought a Denali that he was paying 2300 a month on. His rent was only 1500.

‘He ended up getting a dui and crashing it so he picked up like 20k in legal fees, cannot drive his truck to work, and still has to pay for it.

‘My dad was pretty strict about never buying things I couldn’t afford right then and there. This is probably the most valuable lesson I ever learned.’
-WhichWolfEats

5.

‘A house that’s slightly too expensive for your actual lifestyle. At first it feels like I made it. Then suddenly every repair, appliance issue, bill, and maintenance problem arrives like the house itself has a monthly subscription fee.’
-Evening_Ad_9755

6.

‘Traveling sports teams for kids.

‘It’s extremely easy to fall into the Trap of giving your kid this experience.

‘The amount of not only money but TIME this stuff can cost ends up costing you so much in the way of things you can’t afford to pay someone else to do and now you don’t have time for.’
-IntheMiddlingWest

7.

‘Lots of pets.

‘Veterinary care is becoming astronomical to a degree that I don’t think most people understand. Even just monthly stuff and yearly vaccines.

‘I mean get a pet, or two, but unless you want to spend a huge chunk of change every month, do not get a “house filled with pets,” unless you are truly wealthy.’
-samsaraisdivine

8.

‘Horses’
-Heliblonde_

9.

‘A pool or hot tub’
-nicknefsick