In this episode of Money Feels, we're kicking off season 10 by saying something that doesn't often get said out loud: the middle class might be the loneliest group in society. Not in a "cry me a river, it must be so hard to be comfortable" way. In a structural way. When we eradicated middle-class wealth, we also got rid of middle-class community.

Alyssa and Bridget break down who the middle class actually is in Canada, why so many people in it feel stuck between "too rich for a potluck" and "can't afford a private chef," and why there's no shared rule book for how to show up for each other.

This one is equal parts economics and feelings. Because small talk is what leads to big talk.

In today's episode, we discuss:

• How Statistics Canada defines the middle class
• What the K-shaped economy is
• Why a middle-class income doesn't buy the life it did 30, 40 or 50 years ago
• The gap between the "average Canadian"
• How lower-income communities survive through interdependence while wealthy families outsource everything, therapy included
• Why the middle class has no shared code for asking for help
• Self-actualization vs. status anxiety
• Whether "you don't owe anyone anything" is a personal value or a survival mechanism
• The neighbourhood coffee morning experiment, and why gratitude isn't the same as reciprocity
• Why building community starts with a low-stakes first move

Video mentioned: @lynn.allure on TikTok

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