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The Young Middle Class
WHAT DOES “MIDDLE CLASS” REALLY MEAN ANYMORE?
Is it $250K? $350K? $450K??
In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast, Moshe Alpert, CFP® sits down with Shalom Becker, Vice President of Purchasing at Millennial Healthcare, for a rare, honest look at what it actually takes to build a middle-class life today — from the ground up.
This is the real story:
- Starting at $50,000 a year
- Living in small apartments
- Delaying comfort
- Asking for uncomfortable raises
- Buying a home before everything felt ready
- Slowly building toward a $300K+ household income
No hype.
No shortcuts.
Just real decisions regular families face — and how to navigate them.
🎙️ THE YOUNG MIDDLE CLASS
What it actually takes to build stability in today’s economy
📌 YOU’LL LEARN:
• What income truly qualifies as “middle class” today
• How career growth actually happens (and why it’s rarely linear)
• When switching jobs makes sense — and when it doesn’t
• How to ask for raises without risking your job
• Why early frugality creates long-term flexibility
• Buying a home with less than 20% down (and why PMI isn’t the enemy)
• How side hustles help break middle-class plateaus
• Why financial planning matters before you feel successful
• How to stay grounded amid lifestyle and peer pressure
🧠 QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE:
“Middle class isn’t about lifestyle. It’s about stability.”
“Every raise was uncomfortable — but not asking would’ve cost more.”
“You don’t need your dream home. You need a home.”
👤 ABOUT THE GUEST
Shalom Becker is Vice President of Purchasing at Millennial Healthcare, overseeing vendor negotiations, budgeting, and procurement across healthcare facilities. His career reflects the real-world path of many middle-class professionals — steady progression, expanding responsibility, and learning how to create long-term stability through disciplined decision making.
💼 ABOUT THE HOST
Moshe Alpert, CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, AEP®
Founder & CEO of Ceremian Financial
Moshe helps families and professionals make clear, values-based financial decisions around income, savings, homeownership, and long-term planning — without unrealistic assumptions.
🔗 CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE
📧 Questions? Email: [email protected]
⭐ Leave a 5-star review to help more people find the show
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📺 Full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fc2pjAoAHzU
🎛️ PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced & Edited by: BIG Productions – Gidon Orman
🎙️ Contact: [email protected]
📌 HASHTAGS
#TheMiddleClass #MiddleClassMoney #IncomeReality
#CareerGrowth #RealLifeFinance #JewishEconomics
#FinancialPlanning #HomeOwnership #SideHustle #MosheAlpert
View all episodes
By Moshe AlpertWHAT DOES “MIDDLE CLASS” REALLY MEAN ANYMORE?
Is it $250K? $350K? $450K??
In this episode of The Middle Class Podcast, Moshe Alpert, CFP® sits down with Shalom Becker, Vice President of Purchasing at Millennial Healthcare, for a rare, honest look at what it actually takes to build a middle-class life today — from the ground up.
This is the real story:
- Starting at $50,000 a year
- Living in small apartments
- Delaying comfort
- Asking for uncomfortable raises
- Buying a home before everything felt ready
- Slowly building toward a $300K+ household income
No hype.
No shortcuts.
Just real decisions regular families face — and how to navigate them.
🎙️ THE YOUNG MIDDLE CLASS
What it actually takes to build stability in today’s economy
📌 YOU’LL LEARN:
• What income truly qualifies as “middle class” today
• How career growth actually happens (and why it’s rarely linear)
• When switching jobs makes sense — and when it doesn’t
• How to ask for raises without risking your job
• Why early frugality creates long-term flexibility
• Buying a home with less than 20% down (and why PMI isn’t the enemy)
• How side hustles help break middle-class plateaus
• Why financial planning matters before you feel successful
• How to stay grounded amid lifestyle and peer pressure
🧠 QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE:
“Middle class isn’t about lifestyle. It’s about stability.”
“Every raise was uncomfortable — but not asking would’ve cost more.”
“You don’t need your dream home. You need a home.”
👤 ABOUT THE GUEST
Shalom Becker is Vice President of Purchasing at Millennial Healthcare, overseeing vendor negotiations, budgeting, and procurement across healthcare facilities. His career reflects the real-world path of many middle-class professionals — steady progression, expanding responsibility, and learning how to create long-term stability through disciplined decision making.
💼 ABOUT THE HOST
Moshe Alpert, CLU®, CFP®, ChFC®, RICP®, AEP®
Founder & CEO of Ceremian Financial
Moshe helps families and professionals make clear, values-based financial decisions around income, savings, homeownership, and long-term planning — without unrealistic assumptions.
🔗 CONNECT & SUBSCRIBE
📧 Questions? Email: [email protected]
⭐ Leave a 5-star review to help more people find the show
🎧 Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts
📺 Full episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Fc2pjAoAHzU
🎛️ PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced & Edited by: BIG Productions – Gidon Orman
🎙️ Contact: [email protected]
📌 HASHTAGS
#TheMiddleClass #MiddleClassMoney #IncomeReality
#CareerGrowth #RealLifeFinance #JewishEconomics
#FinancialPlanning #HomeOwnership #SideHustle #MosheAlpert