Lorie Johnson, Sherwood, Ark.

This is a picture of my back patio, with a family of stray cats I care for. It’s the back patio of the first house I ever purchased. The cats get fed daily, because I have enough money and time to buy them cat food. For me, middle class means having not only enough money to pay the bills, but also enough to save and even indulge a little. And middle class, oddly enough, is cheaper than being poor. It’s amazing how often poorer people get dinged with nasty little fees and expenses, or pay more for things like food and vehicles.