A Real Middle Class Family: Meet the Sabinos

Phil and Diane Sabino couldn’t afford a honeymoon when they married in 1989. But they believed if they worked hard and saved their money, they would someday live the American Dream. Now, 25 years later, the Sabinos, who live with their two children in Lindenhurst, N.Y., believe the dream has eluded them.

Phil works the midnight shift at UPS, while Diane has two jobs, at the school cafeteria and the YMCA. Together, they earn more than $90,000 a year — enough to put them close to the head of the middle class. But that’s not how they feel. 

“One little setback here and there and your boat’s going to sink,” says Phil. “To achieve the American Dream right now is very difficult.” 

Adds wife Diane: “It’s turned into a nightmare, actually. I feel like I’m on a treadmill and I’m sweating and there’s nowhere to go.”

Their $90,000 may sound like a lot of money, but Long Island is one of the most expensive places to live in America. The Sabinos’ property taxes have doubled to more than $12,000 a year since they bought their modest home. The couple worries about the cost of utilities and taxes, but don’t believe they have a way out. “If we moved out of state, our salary goes down,” says Diane.

The couple believes they are just one step away from economic disaster. Every month involves a delicate balancing act. They want to replace their inefficient oil heater with a more economical electric one, but they can’t afford the $7,000 it would cost. And they have more immediate concerns, as well, like their car, which needs to be replaced. And while Phil’s job offers him retirement savings, he says that “when an emergency comes up, I sometimes have to tap into it. That’s something you never want to do.”