Rich People Clip Coupons Too

In a survey commissioned by Visa, of around 800 consumers who annually earn at least $125,000 in household income a year, 72 percent of them clip coupons compared to the national average of 65 percent.

You would think that people whose income places them in the top seven percent of all Americans would be too snobbish to be seen at the grocery store with their coupon organizers, but according to the study, many of these people do not consider themselves affluent but rather as upper middle class.

Michael J. Weiss, a demographer and author of “The Clustered World: How We Live, What We Buy and What It All Means to Who We Are” who was hired by Visa to analyze the survey results said, “These folks really think and behave a lot differently than the affluent Americans of previous generations." adding that many do not like to be thought of as wealthy.

Not only do a large percent of wealthier Americans use coupons, but 66 percent shop at discount and warehouse stores, compared to 47 percent of the average earner who makes around $43,000 a year.

Luxury Cars and Gadgets Are Top Sellers

But if you look in the driveways of the higher income group, you will see many luxury vehicles and expensive SUVs. They also like to keep their current inventory of tech gadgets up to snuff along with their entertainment equipment like plasma televisions.

Weiss summed it up by saying, “They still carry out some of the traditions of affluent Americans — they want the nice house and the nice car — but beyond that they’re really doing a lot of things that middle-class Americans are doing as well.”

Somehow I have a hard time picturing Donald Trump even in a grocery store much less with his handy tummy-wrap coupon keeper, but then again, you just never know.

More: The BuffaloNews