Socioeconomic Status

Finances are tough these days for everyone. Mine have certainly been between the car loan, medical debt, and the general cost of everything being so high lately.

A friend of mine and I were discussing our financial woes and concerns. She had told me about an article that she had read that posed the issue of savings in our current economic climate. The article describes that it is difficult to save money “for a rainy day” when every day is “rainy” during this time of inflation, critical debt for most Americans, and economic turmoil.

My husband and I are feeling it for sure. Our savings account is looking sadder than it had in the past, but the fact of the matter is that bills are getting paid and we are doing our best. As long as bills are paid, we have a home, and some food in the fridge, I feel like we’re doing okay.

As I considered debt and our current economic status, it makes me more and more grateful for not having kids. Yes, I have pets to pay for, but I don’t have to buy them clothes as they grow, and school supplies annually to take care of their educational needs lists. I get anxiety just thinking of it really. I’m happy for the smaller price point in the care of my animals.

Though I cannot ignore the fact that I am childless does have some financial discrimination in unexpected ways.

I often find when I speak to people about doing fun things with my husband I find that there’s a little discrimination and shame people try to put on you for wanting to have a good time. Friends of mine who don’t have children have mentioned it to me as well, that going into debt for your own fun is often frowned upon, but going into debt for the fun of your children is often a lot more forgivable. It’s not like my husband and I are taking out loans and maxing out credit cards going to Disney every year, but when I want to take a day trip to another community and we do some shopping I find my extended family being much more judgmental of me for it then they are of people or family that have children.

I don’t know if it’s just within my friends and family group that this happens, or if this is an all-over America problem. Perhaps I am more sensitive to the situation because I’m seeing a lot of exceptions being made for my brother and sister-in-law that have not been made for my husband and I on the grounds that they have children and we do not. I get the situations shoeing to be different and accommodations need to be made for kids, they have a lack of understanding and make demands and need comforts that adults should have the capability of living without.

Still, my friends and I want comforts and to furnish a good time every once in a while. We shouldn’t be guilted for wanting nice things simply because we could live without. For all anyone knows we did live without for a long ass time. Children could live without plenty of things their parents let them consume be it innumerable toys or certain brand name snacks, but the second I want a new dress for my brother’s wedding I get the “you have plenty of dresses,” from members of my immediate family. Which they’re right, but most of those dresses are more formal for my content creation stuff, and are a bit more extra than the wedding dress my sister-in-law-to-be is wearing. I don’t want to outshine the bride.

Besides, they think nothing of my brother buying a $80 dress for my little niece who will only wear it once and quite honestly I don’t think anyone would care if she showed up in a little floral $10 onesie to the wedding with a little $2 headband. She’d still be cute as a button.

My family may not be doing it because I don’t have children. My brother’s are a little more well-off than my husband and I. I can’t say I know by how much really, but why should I be discriminated against for being the child in a different socioeconomic status? Why am I being judged for it? My life circumstances are still good. I have a job I love. My husband does too. We make out okay and though our life is simple, it is happy.

It’s amazing what discrimination can do within a family unit. Especially surrounding financial status. Which makes no sense to me. I’m still their child. I have my own hopes and dreams and way of doing things. I have my own lifestyle I want to maintain. Why is wanting that worth judging if I’m making it work?