What color is your collar? | Personal Finance & Lifestyle | Yakezie Forums

When I was writing about college education a few weeks ago, a commenter told me "one cannot compare educated people with labor class." Now that was pretty offensive, but it also got me thinking. There is a definite trend of eltism in the US as we try to ignore the agricultural and manufacturing roots upon which this country is built. That part wasn't particularly new or surprising to me.  I realized that, for the most part, personal finance articles are written by white-collar professionals and, frankly, for white-collar professionals. The unique needs and issues facing blue-collar workers are ignored or even unknown to people who can't conceive of $75,000 being enough money on which to live.

To try to fill that gap, I am going to be talking more about those issues and perspectives on my blog. I started today with my modestly named Blue Collar Money Manifesto. Aside from helping educate other "working class" folk, my goal is to foster more dialogue about class and money.

So my question to everyone is, do you consider yourself a blue collar worker?

I think the definitions have changed over the years.  Auto mechanic was a definite blue collar profession except there are many who make more than traditional white collar jobs.  Tradesmen are considered blue collar, but need post secondary training that put them on a par with college graduates.  The former lines between white and blue are blurred at best.   Traditional education such as college is becoming similar to high school in the past.  Specialized training or experience may trump all of them.  Much of what is written regarding personal finance can be applied to everyone.  The only  issue is perspective.  When I wrote about minimum wage millionaires, I compared how everyone can save, invest and earn more money.

I am currently in a polo with a black collar 

All jokes aside, I am a traditional "white collar" guy in finance at a telecom company.

I agree with Mr. Krantcents that the lines have blurred over time. I think the idea of blue collar / white collar may be one of the past. Now I think we have a paradigm of skill workers vs unskilled workers. Skilled workers have a unique skill set that can get them a job to earn a living. Unskilled workers are the ones who bear the brunt end of a recession as they are the first to go when a company is trying to cut back.

And I agree, the lines are blurring, or at least zigzagging.

Construction is blue-collar.  By most measures, working a call center is going to be white-collar, even if it pays half of the construction job and requires no education.