disposable

Research suggests that Americans spend almost $150,000 over their lifetime on luxuries and treats, or the equivalent of more than 20% of their monthly disposable income.

In recent years, Lego has cultivated a devoted base of adult fans, who might not have been able to afford the pricey Danish kits as kids but now come armed with fervor and disposable income.

The movies themselves—even a major event like “Gone With the Wind”—were often thought to be disposable.

Other tailwinds include an improving regulatory environment that simplifies the listing process, a growing middle class and rising disposable incomes.

The trend toward extravagance dovetailed nicely with the emergence of baby boomers and older Gen X–ers with more disposable income, the hankering for less-traveled international locales and a generational shift toward more creature comforts.