<p>So back to the original question of this thread, “Is there anything expensive that you can afford but don’t buy?” We could afford a bigger house, but we don’t buy it. When we moved here, our first house together (H and I each owned a house as single professionals before we met), we decided to get a “one salary house” so that we wouldn’t be house poor. Good thing, because I was able to work part time after the kids were born and still could afford the house. Now, when we can afford more house, we can’t bear to leave our perfect neighbors and friendly community where kids play outside without an adult, ride bikes to school, and have friends and classmates of all colors and religions. Now, if there were another thread asking what secret do people not know about you, I would say they don’t know we are those 1 percenters. Doubt that the neighbors know. Our own kids don’t know. (As 1 percenters, however, we don’t “do” anything “to” anyone else. I think we meet our goal of giving more than we take. We care for ourselves and our children, we give generously to charity, we volunteer in our schools, church and community, we thank God for all our blessings, and we really don’t like it when people criticize the 1 percenters.</p>