America’s new 1%: Free-spending DINKs shelling out for a luxury lifestyle of vacations and take-out 

They’re DINKs, dual income, no kids, and they’re the 5% of Americans who are living like the new 1%, according to a new Harris Poll survey.

“The data reveals DINKs aren’t just spending more – they’re spending differently, with an emphasis on experiences that enhance their partnerships and personal growth,” Libby Rodney, Chief Strategy Officer at The Harris Poll said in a statement alongside the new survey. “It’s a segment that’s redefined discretionary spending as an investment in life experience.”

@keslynhart in our duel income no kids era 💅✈️ #duelincomenokids #dinks ♬ original sound – keslyn hart

What’s a DINK? And why do they have so much money?

The term DINK, sometimes also referred to as double income, no kids, has been around for a while, first exploding in the yuppy days of yore (the 80s). But the term has resurfaced, going viral on TikTok in late 2023 as Millennial and Gen Z couples share that they’re putting off or entirely avoiding having kids, with the costs of child-rearing cited as a major factor.

The Harris Poll survey found that 61% of DINKs have a household income of over $100,000. The median net worth of a couple with no children was around $399,000 in 2022, over $100,000 more than it was in 2019 and around $150,000 more than couples with children.

While couples with children actually tend to make more money, they end up with a lower net worth because they’re faced with more debt than their childless counterparts, research shows.

Will DINKs ever have children? It depends on the couple

According to the survey, 65% of Gen Z and Millennial DINKs plan to have children eventually, with 37% aiming to within the next five years. In the meantime, they’re spending on luxury and premium experiences in dining, travel, and personal development products.

“The rise of DINKs isn’t a rejection of parenthood – it’s a generation’s response to economic trauma, turning financial security into the ultimate luxury,” Rodney said.

@erumyy enjoying our dink era while it lasts #dinks #nyc #richauntie #marriagehumor ♬ 6khhx_ sound – ☆

There’s even an acronym for these DINKs who plan to become parents: DINKY, or dual income, no kids yet. If you’re single, you’d be a SINK (single income, no kids) or a SINKY (single…