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40 Things That People Thought Were A Luxury Because They Grew Up Poor, Shared In This Viral Reddit Post
If you grew up poor (or at least relatively poor), some of the things you and your family did (or didn’t do) because of this have probably stuck with you through the years. Even if you’ve found a better life and aren’t poor now, it’s quite likely that you still remember all of the things your family did differently compared to some other well-off families.
Well, Redditors have recently got together to share their stories on this topic. Reddit user u/SnooBeaz went to r/AskReddit to ask everyone who grew up poor what was a thing that they considered a luxury. Over 26,000 people responded in the comments (and the post itself got over 60,000 upvotes), explaining some of the most interesting things that they considered a luxury back in the day.
Bored Panda has collected some of the best answers and made it into a list. Scroll down to read them all, and upvote as well as comment on the ones you liked or related to the most! Oh, and if this isn’t enough, you can check out our other list on the same topic here.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Mom's are the best, she is a boss. My mom was single and I was the youngest of 3 children so I only ever got hand me downs. At Christmas time we couldn't even afford a tree so she made one out of lights on the wall and asked us each which 1 present we wanted the most. She somehow always made it happen. Years later she told me it was her lunch money she saved for weeks by not eating. She gave everything for us and always did her best. My mom lost her battle to colon cancer in July of 2017. She fought for 3 years and went through 7 rounds of chemotherapy. I was lucky enough to be there and take care of her during it all and was with her the moment her heart stopped. It warms my heart to feel so much love from you all and helps me to know that humanity will always prevail. Please stay safe and continue to be amazing human beings.
Guy on the internet 5 years ago
It really hurts to hear about this. I'm sorry for your loss. Rest in Peace.
Grumble O'Pug 5 years ago
I am crying. Mom's like this are so in need of help. She shouldn't have to have starved to buy christmas presents.
Christopher Bowers 5 years ago
Glad you had her in your life and she is still with you in many forms. Cherish those memoroes and share them with family. Its those things like that that we consider our greatest treasures in life.
Journey Maze 5 years ago
My family puts an angel on the tree for a star and we manly make the stuff
RELATED:
#2
I don’t know if anyone can relate, but in about 3rd maybe 4th grade, me and my twin brother had a music class where we were both required to buy a recorder. (Like a plastic flute thing) well my mom said we didn’t have the money so my twin brother and I tore the whole house up in search of $6 for two recorders. We brought a ziploc bag full of change pennies, nickels, dimes etc.
I think the teacher felt sorry for us, cause she paid for our recorders when the rest of the students left the room. Gave us the ziploc bag back.
Thank you Mrs. Albrecht
Bama Belle 5 years ago
My parents were poor like this, but could somehow always find money for their cigarettes.
Kiss Army 5 years ago
So sorry... kid's should always come first. I remember my parents going without "necessities" to give us kids "luxuries" - of course, I didn't realize it at the time. As an adult I do(did) everything I can to repay them with love, time, gifts and anything else I can think of. I lost my dad 7 years ago but I still "spoil" my mom any way I can because she deserves it!
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Blue 5 years ago
My mom would not pay for any brownie or girl scout uniforms or pay 2 bucks a month for dance lessons( 10 bucks in 2020 money) but always had cash for new clothes for herself and to get her hair done every Sat. I ended up quitting bot Guides and Brownies because of the embarrassment of no uniforms.
Paige Grieshop 5 years ago
This is so sad, I live in a fortunate family thoug. I hope that everything is better for them now
Heather Menard 4 years ago
I had lost mine somehow and we had to replace it and my mom beat me because I didn't take care of it
fuggnuggins 4 years ago
Gave it back!? F**k that! That would have been like rubbing salt in my wound. Then I'd feel inadequate and guilty, as well as worthless and shabby.
Paulina De La Loza Espiritu 4 years ago
They have so much at the dollar tree i bought mine there althought its not the best ofc its from the dollar tree
Watching 4 years ago
There is nothing wrong with the Dollar Tree! You do what you can for your family!
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#3
In high school, my boyfriend (who became my husband) and his family picked up pretty early on that I was poor, and that my family was pretty dysfunctional. They really let me into their family and took care of me in a sweet, not pity, way.
I was super into art, so his mom found a neighborhood art teacher that did like basically small group art classes and it was so so cool. Anyways she usually charged like $100 for all the supplies, time, etc. My mom knew how excited I was, and I never asked for anything so she told me to ask the teacher to wait until her next paycheck. The teacher was like “sure!” By the time I brought that check to her, I think my boyfriend’s mom talked to her, and she ripped it up and said I got a “scholarship” for the class. Honestly it gives me such good vibes thinking about it till this day.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
Also nice that her actual mom wanted to help her daughter
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Gon Freecss 5 years ago
At first I thought they said she ripped up a hundred dollar bill then I reread it as check lol
eezycheezes101 5 years ago
This is an amazing story but she ripped up the check??? Your mom's HARD EARNED money???
Gon Freecss 5 years ago (edited)
It hadn't been banked yet so the mom still had her money
Load More Replies... Steve Cruz 4 years ago
This is touching that her mom wanted to support her and her future mother-in-law and the art teacher also gathered around her.
#4
Grew up pretty poor in Arkansas in a trailer. I literally got a door to my bedroom for Christmas one year. It probably still was the best gift I ever received.
NoodleBear 5 years ago
I don’t think you should be sad for them, trials make people who they are, and this person has clearly developed the gift of gratitude because of this trial
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ravn 5 years ago
Grew up not-poor in Arkansas, but nearly all of my friends and neighbors were (we had a knock-off version of Pong and running water, so we were rich). Among the awesome things my friends got: An indoor bathroom (seriously, in 1976), a second trailer (1977), and for most years, things that were practical. Lower middle class wasn't a party, but being rural poor is worse.
Journey Maze 5 years ago
good for you ! and i like that you are greatful for the gifts you receive and god bless you
Charu Verma 4 years ago (edited)
Lived in a single room with drawing room, bedroom, dressing room, bathroom etc etc in that ...and kitchen in an actual bathroom and a common toilet for 25 people... I know the day I got my first proper three bedroom flat ...how it feels.
#5
My parents won 1500 bucks at a lottery once. They bought a new sofa (to replace a 25yo sofa), a phone, and we went to a mid-range steakhouse, first restaurant for whole family. I was 20.
Lily Mae Kitty 5 years ago
they were so poor, they spend money on lottery tix...argh. those poor kids.
Luisa Vasconcelos 5 years ago
To all critics about being poor and buying lottery : better buy lottery tickets then cigarettes and he used the win money wisely.
deanna woods 5 years ago
This story makes you think of all the things that we take for granted.
Anonymous Web User 5 years ago
As a child, colour tv was a luxury we didn't have until the early 90s. I think it was a good thing though, I don't think children should watch tv as it turns the brain to mush.
#6
School parties where everyone brought something to share for lunch.
“If you don’t bring something, you don’t get to participate...”
I brought two carrots after not being able to afford school lunch for two years. Even the teacher laughed at me. My young self just decided that day that some people don’t deserve lunch.
RoseTheMad 5 years ago
You are correct. That teacher, and the rest of the class who laughed at you, do not deserve lunch.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 5 years ago
That's one horrible horrible teacher. That person should not be allowed near kids.
Lululoohoo 5 years ago
what a s**t teacher & a s**t rule. All kids should get to participate whether or not they can contribute!
Candace Fitzpatrick 5 years ago
If a child in their class could not contribute, you’d think that the teacher would see that as an indication that there might be struggles at home... How disgusting that they would bring more attention and shame to the poor kid.
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Joanne Haywood 5 years ago
All the good stories of teachers doing such lovely things and your barstool of a teacher does this? Name and shame.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
Yes. And I love the term "barstool of a teacher". I am going to steal this.
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Sue Grigg 5 years ago
“If you don’t bring something, you don’t get to participate...” What a horrendous thing for a school to allow.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
And what's worse is that kids can't bring homemade stuff anymore. I know if it hadn't been for cake mixes, my mom would never have been able to let us participate. She made cupcakes for each of our birthdays (there were 5!) every year.
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#7
My folks always had three meals a day for us but clothes were always a treat.
It might be a pair of pants and a shirt but my folks always made sure it was something that we were able to pick out and it always felt so special. They sacrificed a lot for it.
In fact, my Mom told me a few years ago that in order to provide that my parents didn't buy new clothes (or much of anything) for well over a decade when we were younger.
With my first real job out of school I was able to take my Dad to a shop and have him pick out a suit of his choice and get it fitted. He's confessed that it's one of the moments that's really stuck with him; he still has that suit and has worn it to both my sister's and my weddings.
But yeah, some of those feelings and habits don't really go away. Regarding clothes, they still get worn till they can't be patched anymore and I loathe to throw them away.
I gotta stop there because this is actually making me surprisingly emotional.
Ivana 5 years ago
I only ever went shopping at thrift stores but I loved thrift stores so I didn't even know about malls, thought everyone bought their clothes at Goodwill. The first time I went to a mall was when they did this program for kids living in poverty where we went into a pop up store where kids could pick out brand new clothes for free. We got to pick out two pairs of socks, a pack of underwear, two pairs of pants, two shirts, and one winter coat. First time in my life I got new clothes. I think about it a lot and it was such a great charity. I hope they still have it.
Anja Schmidt 5 years ago
we had relatives in the eastern germany beofre the wall was falling down in 1989. every year we sent some coffee, chocolate, bananas and: Jeans. they were keen on everything modern from the west and couldn´t await the next parcel. they only had a certain style and not so much variety, patterns and colours in the DDR. It was a good feeling to give, but at the same time - being kids - we didin´t understand, why they had to renounce officiallly the western style and longed so hard for fullfilling. I got a eastern german eyeshadow palette in answer but it smelled chemical and i cried because i thought eastern german people are poisoned with bad products. XD
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
You're not the only one who is getting emotional. The fact you did that for your dad shows your parents gave you what was important~ Character.
Mimi777 5 years ago
That’s exactly how my parents were. With clothes and other stuff. They never bought themselves any new clothes. When I got older I took my mom out shopping and she kept saying she couldn’t let me do that she didn’t want me to spend my money on her, in the end she gave in. She still wears everything I bought for her.
El muerto 5 years ago
my dad wore the same two par of jeans all my childhood, truly, he had one of them when he married my mom. but he would let me buy second hand pants (old school thinking, good things last longer). if he wasn't dead I would make a few jokes about it and get him that leather jacken he wanted...I still see clothes shopping like a long term investment, and use them till they are no more
dandelion moon 5 years ago
Don't throw them away. Unless they're completely unwearable, donate them to a local homeless shelter or a Hospice sale to help out someone in your situation
Anja Schmidt 5 years ago
in germany we only had 2 times sale a year. after christmas and in the summertime. if you didn´t have money, you weren´t able to get the sales bargains ... nowadays one can go to fleemarket stores without feeling spied or at stores where shirts are offered for 3 euro in every colour the whole year through ... everyone is able to feel rich if one is clever and if one can afford to spend at least 3 euro ...
Chicago Dog Lover 5 years ago
My aunts wore dresses made of old cloth flour bags. My grandmother bleached the labels, but they were still visible.
#8
I see nobody says this but going to the dentist or any doctor at all
Joanne Haywood 5 years ago
Dentistry, ophthalmology and doctor appointments and any treatment needed including free glasses are provided until the age of 16 or until further education is completed for kids in the UK. So we were made to see the dentist twice a year and he NEVER used any pain medication if we needed a filling.
Sofie 5 years ago
We are so lucky. In Sweden kids get free health care, mostly cheap or free medication and free glasses, free dentistry. Took it for granted as a kid because I thought that it was the same around the world. We have human rights in the UN, for example right to live. Sadly they don't seem to have that in the US. I mean, many people don't get a chance at life or surviving because it's expensive there. I feel so lucky to be born with the privelige I have. Me and my mom have chronic illness and I have a mental illness. My sister had cancer as a child. My son has asthma. What would happen if we weren't born in a country that offers the rights that we have.
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Stephanie Cunningham 5 years ago
Dental care was definitely a luxury. I went to the dentist once before the age of 20 (when I got my own dental insurance), to have a tooth pulled. Now I'm 50 and getting braces and I'm so excited to fix my teeth!
E Menendez 5 years ago
As a child in poverty in the U.S. I never went to the doctor or dentist. I only started going when I got my first full time job at 19. I never realized kids could stay on their parent's insurance because that wasn't even an option for me.
Banjo Peppers 5 years ago
I went to the dentist once by the time I was 18, one time after that because a tooth broke, a free dental event in Seattle, and finally with Obamacare and a good therapist I got in to a dental clinic so I get a cleaning once a year and basic cavity filling things. Fortunately I apparently didn’t inherit bad teeth from my mom’s side. But I can’t get my wisdom teeth pulled because that isn’t covered.
Load More Replies... Misty Mills 5 years ago
I’m from us, and even I admit our healthcare system sucks. I had dental surgery twice, our health insurance didn’t cover that.
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
My mother's parents wouldn't take her to a dentist. She has ONE of her own teeth left. ONE.
Flash Henry 5 years ago
I don't remember the last time I saw a dentist. It's not covered under my health insurance, and no way could I even afford just a regular cleaning.
Anja Schmidt 5 years ago
this is too sad, because health insurance should be the base of our society. only healthy people are strong people and operation is always worse than prevention. :-( politicians can´t ignore this anymore.
deanna woods 5 years ago
That's my reality right now. If my parents were not helping me with my medical bills, I don't know what I would do.
Pheebs 5 years ago
Yeah. I remember a 10 year span of time I didn’t go to the dentist. Had a broken tooth all 10. Got my shots at 3, but the only time I stepped foot near a doctor until I was 18 was when I 1, had both scabies and bronchitis (at the same time - 0/10 would not recommend) when I was 6, and 2, got in a car accident at 8 and broke the dash with my face (yes I had a seatbelt, but the seat track broke and belt didn’t stop that). Money was pretty tight, but thankfully we were generally healthy.
#9
In middle school I was on reduced school meals so it would be .40 for lunch. So my parents would always give me 2 quarters every morning for lunch, now the cafeteria would also sell cookies which wasn’t part of the lunch set for .50 each. So saving .10 each day I could afford one cookie by Fridays lunch. Good times
BoredPundits 5 years ago
This is actually a great way for OP to learn the value of money and to save up for something special.
Evil Little Thing 5 years ago
Pretty sure the OP already knew the value of money, what with barely being able to afford food.
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A Random Panda 5 years ago
Oooh, Japanese school lunch. That's good. (The picture, if anybody was wondering.)
Cindy Crowell 4 years ago
curry and rice! I wish my American schools had anything like that.
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Katherine Gardner 5 years ago
I was on reduced lunch too and would skip often to save those 40 cents to buy Christmas and birthday gifts for my little brother.
Elin Magnusson 5 years ago
The concept of having to pay for school lunches is so sad to me. In Sweden (and I assume in a lot of other countries) it's completely free. When schools had to switch to distance learning during the pandemic, students could swing by the school for take-away lunches. Because no one should go hungry, especially growing kids.
(Dramatic music plays) 5 years ago
might i say, that DOES look like a great school lunch. my school would just fry whatever they could find, and throw it on a plate. the fruit and veggies always had frost on them.
Katherine Heasley 5 years ago
It's not an American school lunch. It's Japanese. That's Japanese curry and Morinaga-brand milk.
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Steve Cruz 4 years ago
My neighbor's granddaughter in 2nd Grade and several of her classmates got in trouble for sharing their lunches with two kids who received a "free meal" for lunch. It consisted of of two pieces of white bread with margarine and a chopped hot dog. No milk or dessert. Same thing every day. They ate the sandwiches and never complained, but their classmates shared fruit, milk, and extra food they weren't going to eat. She wrote an article for the town newspaper. Things changed FAST.
#10
Staying at someone's house who wasn't poor, like a relative or friend. Their house was also so clean, beautiful, pictures on the wall, knick knacks on the counter, and carpet you could play on because it was clean.
I spent my entire teenage years hiding where I lived.
Neva Nevičica 5 years ago
Me too. I was affraid my colegues from school would see where i live. And envied everyone who had a dry bathroom floor, our was always kind of wet, probably because of leaky things.
ravn 5 years ago
I always felt like we were poor when I was a child because my mother's answer to random-child desires was "We can't afford that." (Unless it was a book. For some reason she could always afford a book ;). Then I had sleepovers with friends...eye-opening it was. Grilled (government) cheese on (government) white bread for dinner, and it was a special treat because I was company. My fam was working-class all the way, but this really made me realize that we were relatively privileged.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
I always liked to go to friends homes where I could feel the love of being wanted by a mother. My mother was forever bitter my father left her with a young baby.
Ivana 5 years ago
My 10th birthday was my first ever birthday party. My mom got two movies from Blockbusters, ordered a pizza and got me my first (and last) ice cream cake. One by one my friends showed up to the 'sleep over', dropped off their presents, and left. All the other mothers decided that my neighborhood wasn't safe enough to leave their children at. First time I realized I was poor. I put my cake outside and sat down to watch it melt. Me and my mom ate the pizza on the porch and I told her that her cake was far better than any store bought ice cream cake would be. Never tried one, never will. I thought anyone who lived in a house, no matter what the condition of the house, must be super rich.
Rachel Grieshop 5 years ago
I can’t relate but I’m sorry you had to go through this. Things will get better!
Diane Herman 4 years ago
My mom was poor, we grew up in the projects but she was impeccably tidy. Poor does not equal dirty.
Joonscrab 4 years ago
I'm still embarrassed to have people over and I thought I was being shittty for it... But I'm glad there are other people who can relate lol
Load More Replies... Auburn Mc 5 years ago
I had good friends with homes in similar condition and while I was hesitant to stay the night, I was always happy to see and spend time with them - so occasionally looked past it for a night. I grew up in a low income family, but had a father who demanded we all keep the house clean. Wash it or lose it was a serious threat!!
Samantha Pettus 5 years ago
i hide it bc of my mom and bc of were it was i was always happy i had a bus stop and didn't get picked up infrount of my house.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
I was riding my bike at dinner time -- my mom was working, my dad, who knows where he was? A friend's mom invited me in for dinner. They were having meatloaf, macaroni and cheese from a box, salad and Kool-Aid. I asked if it was someone's birthday.
#11
Going places during school vacation. The kids would be all like “what!? you’ve never been to xyz amusement park!?” No, Trisha. My family doesn’t even have a car.” Which is another luxury to me.
GirlFriday 5 years ago
I feel this one. We had a car, but I never went to amusement parks or vacations that weren't camping.
Maripat Webber 5 years ago
My students always seem to be going somewhere exotic. They are dumbfounded when I tell them my family never went anywhere for Christmas or Easter break. Every other summer we visited family out of state, because they paid for it, and we stayed with them. I never realized it was different for anyone else until I started teaching.
dandelion moon 5 years ago
We have a car, and the only amusement park I've ever been to is because it was paid for by my grandma's work. Other than that we just go on a nature hike or visit a cavern system in my area because admission is like $5. My friends are appalled when I tell them that I've never been to Disney, Six Flags, such and such a museum, etc. because their parents don't teach them that money doesn't grow on trees and not everyone is as fortunate as them. Sometimes I get sad whenever people talk about going on vacations in Los Angeles or Japan or Niagara Falls or some crap like that bc then they ask me where I've been. I tell them that I've been to the beach in North Carolina and they're all like "That's so boring lmao next year ask your parents to go to Italy." I just hate it when people think that everybody is as lucky as they are
Luisa Vasconcelos 5 years ago
I used to hate the first week of school because everyone would talk about the places they went in holidays and i would stay in my empty small city. Holidays are a luxury for many people.
Load More Replies... Lynda Vel 5 years ago
I felt very uncultured because all of my friends travel to a country at least once a yr.....and some asked if I ever been skiing. Nope. I feel that they think I am boring. But, I want to do that stuff. But it cost money. I've been whitewater rafting and it was fun. My church had scholarships and I didn't pay a penny. I loved it. My cousin bought some quads two years ago and I had the time of my life. I've always wanted to do those things. I am adventurous, but don't have the money to go skiing, buy a quad, travel, ect.....when I have kids they're doing all the fun things. I won't spoil them with stuff, but with experience.
Lorrie Kundrat 4 years ago
We went camping in a homemade tent trailer my dad made for vacation. I have such wonderful memories of the places we went and saw. I never thought of us being poor I always thought we were so lucky to visit places that are no longer here like Old Man in the Mountain. With 5 kids they sure knew how to stretch a dollar but we were loved dearly. I miss both of them and wish we could go camping one more time.
Isabella Vega 4 years ago
My family wasn’t poor but we weren’t exactly middle class either. When my mom remarried my stepdad took us to amusement parks and such. It was so awesome. My step siblings were bored though. I always thought “how could you get bored in a cool place like this?” I guess you learn to appreciate things when it’s a treat.
Robin Childers 5 years ago
I hear ya. I was 21 before I went to a theme park, and then it was paid for by a friend's parents. We only had one family vacation growing up. We drove from Ky to Alabama and stayed with relatives. I did get to see the ocean in Panama City, FL. After becoming a high school teacher, the other teachers never quite understood me beause I grew up differently and related to money differently.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
I grew up in California. My friend Michael and his sister would visit their grandparents in New Jersey. they showed me on a map and I had no clue it was any further away than the next town. We never traveled anywhere.
#12
I got pretty excited to be given my own bed
History Fan 5 years ago
Getting your own bed IS exciting, I don't care if its a couch, as long as its mine, and comfortable, I'm grateful. Better than the floor.
Rachel Grieshop 5 years ago
Not if the floor IS a bed (just imagine your whole floor is just a big cushion) lol (in a parallel universe)
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E Menendez 5 years ago (edited)
My sister and I shared a bed until I was 12. I had desperately wanted my own room too, so my mom bought a cot and put it in the laundry room. Still had to keep my stuff in the room my sister and brother shared because it was little more than a closet, but it was my bed and space.
Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago (edited)
I always had some hand me down or "Goodwill" bed. When I grew up & had a decent job (and rented my first house instead of an apartment) I bought my first ever brand new mattress & box spring from Costco. I felt like I had actually "arrived" at adulthood. I think I was 29.
Derek Clark 4 years ago
I bought my first mattress this year, I've always had second hands. I'm 37 years old, living on disability pretty early on thanks to rheumatoid disease. It took me years to save up for since I never have much to set aside.
Peter Shen 4 years ago
i was forced to get my own bed as my mom and dad didn't want me in theirs
#13
I remember in 8th grade on my birthday at school one of my teachers asked me what gifts I had received. He asked in front of the whole class, I excitedly shared that I would be getting contact lenses. My parents let me choose one thing that I wanted and I desperately wanted to stop wearing the broken glasses I had, which I usually didn’t wear. One of the boys in class made a comment like “contacts aren’t a present..?” And my teacher had to explain to him- again in front of everyone- that for some families they were too expensive not to be a luxury. After that experience I worked two and three jobs in high school so I could buy myself and my brothers the things we needed. The first thing I bought with my money from my first job as a hostess at a diner was a queen size bed because my twin mattress was about 20 years old and at 15 I was having back problems and issues with rusted springs poking me.
tangy chip 5 years ago
how are contacts not a present? id love contacts as a gift, especially if i was wearing broken glasses!
Joonscrab 4 years ago
Y'all miss the point entirely 😭... Contact lenses SHOULDN'T be a present since they're a necessity to SEE. the system is so f****d up that people need to label even needs as presents. Ugh. Rich people commenting bullshit on this can leave... It's really annoying.
Load More Replies... Bama Belle 5 years ago
As a teen, I was asked during a job interview (at a video store), "What is your favorite place to go on vacation?...What do you like to do for fun?". I had never been on vacation and literally could not afford to do or have anything fun. I stumbled over my words, nervous and embarrassed. I didn't get the job. It was a depressing existence, growing up poor and rural.
ravn 5 years ago
Thank you for this; it's a good example of culture/class bias what many consider to be an "objective" question.
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Powercat 5 years ago (edited)
My birthday is in October and many years when I was a kid my mom would buy me a winter coat or boots as my birthday present (I live in Canada, those are a necessity) I never thought it was weird. Never crossed my mind that she would have had to buy these anyway if my birthday had been in summer. Today I understand that was because she couldn’t afford both winter clothing and presents for my birthday within a short period of time.
Pinkjoelle 5 years ago
We werent rich but confortable and I got lenses for christmas, they are expensive.
Cynthia Carter 5 years ago (edited)
My folks got them for me the summer I was 15, just before my Sophmore year. Ophthalmologist told them it would significantly slow down my progressive myopia. The contacts did just that for over 32 years until middle age vision issues kicked in and I went back to eyeglasses.
Ruth Beaty 5 years ago
Idiot teacher, the gift of clear vision is priceless, whatever form it takes.
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
Great example of class privilege. Not the boy's fault though. That's the tricky part of privilege. It's invisible unless you don't have it.
Ivana 5 years ago
I almost failed 7th grade after being a straight A student all my life because I couldn't see the board and we couldn't afford glasses. Teachers didn't do anything to help. Just frustratingly told me to have my parents buy me glasses and I would break down crying a lot over it. Gave up on school completely by the 9th grade, dropped out. Got my Masters degree now so screw my middle school teachers. Jerks
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
I am so glad you went back to school later on. And I share your sentiment on the teachers.
Load More Replies... #14
Christmas presents.
I was a kid and one year for Christmas when I was young, before I could recognize that I was making any kind of larger point, I said that I wanted my parents to just give my presents to the kids who didn't have anything. But I didn't know that I was one of those kids. I wonder what they thought when a kid said that to them. I wonder if it hurt them or inspired them.
Tami 5 years ago
That reminds me of the heartbreaking story "We’re Poor" by Floyd Dell about a kid who's looking forward to Christmas but doesn't realize his family is now poor. "My body knew before my mind quite did. In a minute, when I could think, my mind would know. And as the pain in my body ebbed, the pain in my mind began. I know. I couldn’t put it into words yet."
Leah Woodard 5 years ago
When we were dirt poor and my daughter offered to give her presents to 'the less fortunate', I was overwhelmed both with pride for her generosity and deep gladness that what she saw was how much love we had, not how little money.
Dimity Herbert 5 years ago
You were not deprived because you never felt deprived. That is a huge gift. Your parents would have loved to know that you felt like a privileged kid (because that's what you were) xxx
Brett Layton 5 years ago
Im betting they were proud as hell of you, them thinking they couldnt give you everything you wanted only to find out that you had everything you needed and were concerned more about what others were missing than what you may have been missing.
Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago (edited)
Christmas 1991. I had been laid off for most of the summer and explained to my 11 year old son that money was tight, so please don't expect too much. (I also had a 2 y/o daughter). We went with a friend to downtown Seattle to see the lights & ride the carousel. My son met a homeless guy and his dog. He wanted to sit & chat with this guy instead of riding the carousel. As we were leaving the gentleman thanked me for letting Joshua hang out with him. On the way to the car, Josh was really quiet. He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Mama, I really don't care about presents this year". Meeting that man had given him a perspective on "need vs. want". I have never been so proud in my life.
Paulina De La Loza Espiritu 4 years ago
I always ask for cheap presents at a young age cause My family was always poor and so i would only ask for a craft kit and art supplies from dollar tree cause they have really good art supplies
Luisa Vasconcelos 5 years ago
It made me proud. Hope my kids can have this compassion mind one day.
#15
Until the age of 12, I thought that you weren’t allowed to buy things that weren’t on sale. My mom only bought things when they were on sale and/or she had a coupon, so I thought that the “non-sale” items weren’t being sold.
tangy chip 5 years ago
that logic actually makes sense. it was the same with my mom (still is)
Obi Wang Kenobi 4 years ago
Same! Even though we are not really poor! The only one that I bought this year that wasn't on sale was Gorgu! :D
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Vikram Bedi 5 years ago
That is not being poor that is being frugal... my mom likes to buy things on discount and in bulk... say 10 soaps at once... 12 bottles of 600ml shampoo( lasted us a couple of years😂)
Fiona Dawson 5 years ago
I very rarely buy things at full price. I love that feeling of getting a bargain
Marky Mark 5 years ago
I'm middle-aged and now financially successful. But when I go grocery shopping I still only only buy the Store Brand stuff and sale items. Some childhood things just stay with you.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
I stayed for a few days with my friends Brian and Lisa from school. Their mom took us shopping. We were all smart and good at math, so with our calculators, we figured out which brands offered the best deal. We were in charge of the coupons and making sure they were applied at the register. It was fun! I didn't realize our families were scraping by.
#16
going out to eat at a restaurant
로희 5 years ago
I grew up poor and fast food restaurants like Pizza Hut and McDonald's used to be a luxury for my family. I had my first pizza when I was already a teenager.
N G 5 years ago
I still have the journal from when I was 10, with the entry all in CAPS i was so excited - we went to McDonalds and it wasn't someones birthday! It was *just because*!!! (It wasn't just because. It was because my mum had just found out her dad's cancer was terminal, so my dad was trying to keep her from dwelling on it in front of us kids).
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Kari Panda 5 years ago
That or even a café. I was raised in the spirit of restaurant and cafés being a waste of money, so when I began to have friends who would simply go to a café for a coffee and a piece of cake, I was completely flabbergasted that 'normal' (aka not super rich) people would do that.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
"Going out to eat" when I was a kid was at a drive-in restaurant where the trays were hung on the window.
Josey Griffin 4 years ago
My parents never took us to a restaurant. No fast food. Nothing. Clothes were hand me downs. Lots of kids were like this back in the 60 especially. Now kids are far to spoilt.
Anna Harding 4 years ago
We weren’t poor but my mom had grown up poor. When Wendy’s first came to our town my mom said that everything cost extra on a burger so we couldn’t get it. It wasn’t until I was in college that I found out that ketchup didn’t cost extra.
fenderfan85 5 years ago
I dont remember my family going out to a real restaurant ever in my childhood. Ordering a pizza would of been a luxury
#17
My Mom had 7 children in 10 years, 1950-1960. I remember having a whole bottle (those smallish glass ones that came out of the machine for 10cents) of soft drink to my self instead of sharing 1 bottle between all 7 of us. I was perhaps 5 years old. I still remember this as the best thing ever.
lara 5 years ago
For me it is being able to buy a "creamsicle" for 5 cents when the ice cream man came by. I never did. We lived in a housing project in Kansas City while my dad was going to medical school. I knew we didn't have any money, but it never occurred to me that we were "poor."
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
I think most kids don't realize it. To a kid it's just what is. Some things you can afford and some things you can't. Just like adulthood.
Load More Replies... Ninja Nonna 5 years ago
My mother had 7 in 10 years too, most of the comments here resonate...
Anthony Mann 5 years ago (edited)
My grandmother had five children, including triplets (and all five were girls), all born late 40's/early 50's. One of their fondest memories was getting their own small bottle of coke, and not having to share.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
A treat in our house was getting to pick out which color of punch we were going to mix up. We only used half the amount of sugar. To this day I prefer things that are less sweet.
#18
A hot shower. Cold showers were always available, but when you scraped enough cash to get some diesel fuel and get the burner to kick on long enough to have a hot shower man, absolutely nothing better.
Nerdlife 5 years ago
Yup my mom spent almost 3hrs everyday carrying loads water cans from a far away place and store it... for 12yrs
Load More Replies... Flash Henry 5 years ago
Fighting over who got to have the first bath, because it took fecking ages for the hot water tank to fill up. So we shared bathwater. You condition yourself to withstand boiling bathwater just to be the first one in.
Tamera Gardner 4 years ago
My husband and I were foster parents at a ranch for boys. One day a couple of the boys causally said something about their shower water being cold in the bathroom they shared between their rooms in the ranch cottage. When I questioned them about why that didn’t tell us I realized that they were no strangers to cold showers at their own homes. 😢
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
This is more of a rural thing. If you’re poor in the city, hot water is just part of your electric or gas bill. In fact that’s even true in most rural places. Hot showers aren’t good for you anyway
#19
New clothes.
I grew up pretty poor (no TV, no toys, but had a Sears catalog). My dad got in a serious accident when I was in 4th grade and almost lost his life. He won a small settlement from the community college he was working at and I was able to buy new clothes for the first time in my life. Before this all I ever had were hand me downs from my cousin and donation clothes from the church. Most were worn to the point of having patches on the knees.
The worst part about getting new clothes for the first time is I felt terrible the whole time picking out new clothes because I always felt like a financial burden to my parents. I remember going to Miller’s Outpost and picking out typical 80’s clothes (OP, TnC, etc.).
It’s funny how growing up poor affects my everyday choices, for better or worse. I’ll never outgrow some of the feelings I had as a poor kid and I feel for any kid who has to endure a childhood of poverty. It will affect them and their choices for the rest of their life.
lara 5 years ago
I wore "hand me downs" until I was 16, didn't think a thing about it. They were nice clothes and it never, ever occurred to me that it was "embarrassing."
KatHat 5 years ago
It's not "embarrassing" if you're not embarrassed. This person was. Just as their experience doesn't define yours, your experience doesn't define theirs. It can be very eye-opening simply to consider someone else's story without needing to immediately respond with "Well I - "
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GirlFriday 5 years ago
Oh this!!! I am the youngest of 13 and the only girl so I had to wear my cousin's hand me downs and she was 5 years older and 10 sizes bigger than me. I had to tie knots in my shirts and roll up my jeans I wouldn't trip and wear belts with all my pants. I was so excited when I finally got to buy new jeans in the 7th grade.
Kari Panda 5 years ago
Oh, that guilt for buying something nice is such a difficult thing to get rid of. I was used to buying only the cheapest food possible, and even after getting a job and earning money, I still bought only that. It took two years and the help of my now husband to learn that I am not a bad person just because I dare to buy smoked salmon once a month, despite it costing 3-4 €.
KatHat 5 years ago
These things really get internalised in us, don't they? Those thoughts and habits formed early stay with us. I'm glad you're learning that. You are not a bad person and you do deserve nice things. All the best to you :)
Load More Replies... E Menendez 5 years ago
I thought JC Penny was for rich people for an embarrassing amount of time. Didn't realize places like Macy's or Bloomingdales existed until I was in my 20s.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
It's true. Growing up with struggles sticks with you. My golden child other half doesn't understand why I buy multi quantities on Sale. If a 3pk of deodorant costs the same as a single, my anxiety kicks in I won't be able to afford it later if I don't save now. I truly wish I wasn't like this.
Gretchen Esquilin 5 years ago
I'm 41 & since all my nieces & nephews (& oldest daughter) have outgrown me, I'm now getting to wear THEIR hand-me-downs! It's awesome b/c I get to be trendy & it frees up my budget for clothes for the rest of my family. (I hate spending money on myself. Ugh!)
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
My hand-me-downs fit crap (I was not the same size as my five-years-older sister, obvs, and then even after I hit puberty, *no*).... And shose? Ha! Two pairs a year. School, and farm. THat was it. Outgrow 'em? Too bad. Wait till next school year.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
One thing my father always insisted on were good shoes. And no hand me downs on those. He worked on his feet all day and knew that if you take good care of your feet, they'll take good care of you. And if he had to, he went out and found side work so we could have those shoes.
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Tricia F- S 4 years ago
Mom died when I was 12 yr was developing didn't get my 1st bra till 14yr old and that was from the 2nd hand shop
#20
Restaurants were definitely somewhere at the top of my list. I lived through the tail end of Apartheid in South Africa so we weren’t allowed into restaurants. Also, non-iceberg lettuce. Dairy products, like a full glass of milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, flavored milk. Lawns. A dining table and family meals at the table. Vacations that didn’t involve staying with relatives.
Nikki Hilton 5 years ago
I hope you are able to enjoy so of the things you missed out on as a child.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
@Robert Catte. You are getting downvoted here because your comment is both off-topic and very insensitive. Have you not noticed that this post is about what people experienced when they were growing up poor???
dandelion moon 5 years ago
I didn't know that not staying with relatives for vacation was a thing. We usually have up to 30 of us staying in one house
nala simba 4 years ago
That is tragic. Hope things are much better for you now. Except that this awful Pandemic thing is not helping much. I sincerely wish you everything you missed out on, these things that we/I took for granted.
Nicki 5 years ago
I can relate to the vacations. Both my husband and I grew up poor with single moms, and we both promised that when we had kids we would make sure to take our children somewhere awesome when they got old enough to remember it. Last year to celebrate our 20th anniversary we took the kids to London and Paris. It was amazing to see the wonder in their eyes when we told them that certain buildings are older than the United States!
Luisa Vasconcelos 5 years ago
I still don't know what are " Vacations that didn’t involve staying with relatives". Because although my kids don't miss nothing, holidays are still a luxury for us.
#21
Pancakes
But now as an adult and knowing how cheap pancakes really are, I think my mom just didn't want to make them
Lauren Caswell 5 years ago (edited)
Trolls come on new threads and downvote at their leisure, and/or upvote themselves (I'm often on when some of the new threads come out I see it a lot). However this is (mostly) corrected as more pandas read the thread. I feel I MUST for your sake point out there is also a general dislike of simgle word repetitive comments as they are often bots. Most pandas comment if they have an interesting side story, question or joke. Sorry they have done that to you, but don't let it get you down most of us pandas r good ppl :) it's gotten me down before too, but then another panda was nice and it helped. I hope this helps you in some way, even if its just to understand why it's happening! I look forward to reading your future posts ^-^
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Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
Well, I know an older woman who never forgave her mother in law for not letting her give an egg to the baby to eat, the egg should go to her son, the father of the child. This was in the 1950s.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
That’s straight up weird. Who argues over an egg
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Sarah Swenson 5 years ago
Depends. They aren't cheap if you really need those two eggs for a meal that will stretch farther or two even. Or if you don't already have some of the ingredients, it can add up. It is also possible she may not have known how to make pancakes with a prepackaged mix and that can cost as much as a loaf of bread and a package of bologna that would be sandwiches for a week.
Jasmina Pavlovic 4 years ago
That's sad ... you only need flour, milk, eggs and maybe salt/sugar and fat for cooking. We've used to made them on sundays...🥞
Stannous Flouride 4 years ago
Making pancakes at home is troublesome. Most people don't have a grill surface large enough to do more than 1 or 2 at a time. It takes 3-5 minutes to make each batch. So, do you serve the first ones? If so, to which kid? Or do you put them in the oven to keep warm (which makes them tough)? After you've served your family you finally get to eat yours. Probably at an empty table. (I was a short order cook at a pancake house. Our grills were as large as some people's dining room tables.)
Emily Kerkstra 5 years ago
pancakes were my favorite food and I didn't understand why we didn't have them for dinner on my birthday. But my parents grew up poor too and they'd be damned if we were going to eat like that. We had a balanced meal every night.
#22
Man, new school supplies! An actual Trapper Keeper is all I wanted.
M O'Connell 5 years ago
I made a habit of 'harvesting' good used school supplies from the trash cans in the hallway on the last day of school so I had good stuff in the fall for the next school year. I'm in my 30's and I still have pens and pencils left from that effort.
Fact Perils 5 years ago
People actually throw away their perfectly good supplies??? I come from a pretty well-off middle class family and I never did that, I kept them till next year.
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Rachel Grieshop 5 years ago
The problem with getting school supplies with my dad is that he would go for being practical. We would go for being cute. Folks, try going for something in the middle (it helps lol)
Karen Scheltema 4 years ago
I'm old enough that a Trapper Keeper brings back fond 40 year old memories.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
Oh my word!! My grandmother bought me a Trapper Keeper for High School. It was my Everything!!
infinite upvote 5 years ago
F**k, I wanted that dolphins in space Trapper Keeper so freaking bad. They cost like $25 at the time and it just occurred to me that that's like $40-50 bucks in today's money. Def couldn't afford
Misty Mills 5 years ago
My dad will go through all my school supplies from last year and find ones that are still usable
Stack o' Pancakes 5 years ago
The first really good school thing was a five-star binder, but on the last day I accidentally threw it away. I will never stop being sad about it.
#23
Parents staying home. I was always alone.
Your Local Lizard 5 years ago
i used to stay in my room hugging the pillow every night until they came ;-;
Load More Replies... Ivana 5 years ago
After we were 5 years old that was it for having a baby sitter. We could make a PB&J, thus my parents decided we would survive. We did. My sister and I always made sure that we patched each other up after every fight, agreed that if our parents asked, it was from falling off out bikes. I kind of think it was sweet looking back. My sister may have hit me with a baseball bat, but she always helped me ice it after and we never told a soul.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
...and the pain/embarrassment of hearing other parents calling you a "latchkey kid" when they think you can't hear.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
All you’re doing is drawing attention to them. You don’t have shít else to contribute? Like you really couldn’t think of anything at all? There’s even a topic provided for you. You are helping the troll, good job.
Load More Replies... Heather Menard 4 years ago
Teah and when you get asked a question and you say well on this tv show they said this.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
People always talk about quality over quantity, but there was something so comforting about just knowing my mom was always home. I always felt safe and loved when she was simply in the room.
#24
New shoes
Average Grizzlies Fan 5 years ago
I know a lot of people need shoes. Some don't even have shoes, let alone have worn ones. Luckily, there are good people that make organizations to provide people with this.
fenderfan85 5 years ago
My mom would buy us converse hi tops from the drugstore to wear. Got made fun of in school. Look how popular they are now lol
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
My grandmother would buy me new sneakers every year so I would have "good support" .She was not on board with the Woolworth's ones my mother could afford. One nice thing my mother did was tell her Nike was a better shoe so I could have the red Swoosh on my shoe. I was an active kid & they were comfy and almost lasted until the next school year :)
Eric Mac Fadden 5 years ago
I'm through this now.... they became freaking expensive last years in Brazil (the quality ones)
Paige Grieshop 5 years ago
Any people but 1000 dollar shoes and there are people that have none
Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago
My grandmother (who wasn't wealthy by any means) always bought all 4 of us a new pair of shoes for the school year. We went to Catholic school, where the rich kids could be absolutely brutal, but we always had new uniforms & shoes!
Ophelia Vandergurgleduffen 4 years ago
My dad took me to the Salvation Army Christmas Party for kids. We went to a scruffy neighborhood and picked up a family of two kids, then went to the party. The kids got two presents: a new toy and new shoes. I didn’t get anything and I didn’t understand ( I think I was maybe 7 or 8). Dad explained that I had presents at home but these kids were unlikely to have anything because they were so poor. It’s a lesson I have kept to heart since: help those in need when you can.
#25
Being allowed to turn on the heat during the winter, and also being able to hire a professional to fix broken appliances, plumbing, etc
Robin Childers 5 years ago
I have heat, but still can't afford to hire anyone to repair things or work on my car. I'm a 36 y/o woman for Pete's sakes!
Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago
Yep! We had a fireplace and woods behind our house, so we'd gather firewood. But - Seattle winters can still be brutal. I can remember my Mom's response to it's cold being "Put on a sweater!" (I fixed the appliances, usually. She was hopeless with stuff like that & my attitude was always, "Hey - if it's already broken?" Kept the vacuum cleaner and clothes dryer going for longer than they should have!
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
Robert, then comment ON THE TOPIC if and when you have a relevant comment about the post. This can not be about what you like because this post is about something quite different. Show some respect already.
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Onion rings like to make your breath smelly 4 years ago
My dad is everything-in-one. He can make walls, do electricity, renovate a whole bathroom, etc... and he learned all that from youtube
Susan Egan 4 years ago
We weren't poor but my dad made all our repairs. I was in shock the first time I had to take my car in to be fixed. To this day I still attempt repairs myself. YouTube videos have saved us major bucks.
#26
My mom bought me the bag of chips I wanted as a birthday present.
#27
Having a fridge full of food.
Jean H. 5 years ago
Our freezer was always packed with discount bread from the bakery....and it was locked with a chain and key lock! Mom slept with the key attached to her PJ's. There was never a brand name anything in the fridge and government cheese.
Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago
I go a little crazy when the pantry isn't that full. I can make just about any delicious meal from pantry staples, so I guess growing up poor wasn't all that bad.
#28
"We're ordering pizza for dinner"
Victoria Duncan 4 years ago
Store bought pizza can be bought on sale pretty cheap or buy a cheap brand. Can feed 2 or 3 people.
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Steve Cruz 4 years ago
I still make my own pizza, and my adult friends think that is a luxury.
Louloubelle 5 years ago
Never had an actual pizzeria pizza until I was in my 20's. We had frozen ones, but my town didn't have a pizza place.
DDmaybeandor 5 years ago
When I go to a friend's house, even as an adult, and they order in food, I get really uncomfortable. If be 100% happier with a pack of roman noodles, or me bringing somthing from my house, or just not eating at all.
#29
Being able to get candy at a store.
New school supplies.
Brand name food.
tangy chip 5 years ago
my parents always bought "fruit o's" instead of froot loops because "it tastes the same and saves us money". we were middle-class...?
lil peep stan 5 years ago
prob to save money for other things, such as bills
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Mike Woodhall 4 years ago
the wealthiest man in canada,Fred Thompsan,was often seen buying his clothes at Goodwill or The Sally Ann
#30
Honestly didn't know that pasta roni was 1$ until I was a grown ass man. I thought that was some gourmet s***.
Cori 5 years ago
It's dinner at our house along with chicken and some frozen broccoli. That and mac & cheese with tuna and peas are my favorite poor people people meals. The kids and I live off around $900 a month so those meals come in handy. Despite the tight budget, I still make sure they have clean clothes that fit, plenty to eat and anything else they need. My kids might not get everything they want but they will always have everything they need. At the end of the day I ask myself 'are they happy? Are they healthy? Are they safe?' As long as the answer is yes, yes and yes, we're doing just fine.
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DDmaybeandor 5 years ago
I think you're saying that it was too expensive. It was at our house. Of course, I was one of 8 kids and feeding everyone that would mean $8 worth of cans. It was MUCH less expensive to cook $1 worth of pasta and $2 worth of sauce. Tasted better too.
#31
McDonald's Clothes that fit Soda Having a toy that other kids thought was cool
Pagan Child of Fire 5 years ago
@Robert Catte, shut the f**k up, asshole. Stop being a d**k, no one thinks it's funny.
I'manoob! 5 years ago
I apologize if this comes off as criticism or something, but could you please not tell Robert off just to get your point? You can downvote them all you like, just please don't belittle them. They are still a person.(p.s. - you can downvote me if you disagree, I won't mind)
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Olayinka Awobajo 4 years ago
You are mean and stop cyberbullying also shut up no one care about everything you said IMG_202012...129c28.jpg 
Lauren Caswell 5 years ago
Ravager: nice of you to jump on the bandwagon and pick on someone who is already inundated with nasty messages. Feel big and powerful now?
Load More Replies... #32
Electricity lol. Thanks for paying the bill this month, mom.
Janet Bird 5 years ago
In order of importance rent, electricity, gas for heating and then food. Somebody will always give you food I'm sure, but not those others. To this day I hate to be cold.
Ivana 5 years ago
I thought the electric went out once, not that it had been cut off. We had this huge cardboard box in the living room that I cut up and drew on to make it look like a TV. Then I proceeded to be a news caster to my stuffed animals. I even included commercial breaks. Did a cooking segment on how to make a turkey sandwich. Entertained myself for 10 hours until my mom got home from work.
Heather Menard 4 years ago
my order to this day pet food for the pet's, rent, car payment, insurance and paid all the other bills with what I had. I didn't eat unless work had snacks for us.
#33
Taking a bath. I mean we bathed every night, but it was by heating up water (that we would go to the park down the road to get in 5 gallon jugs) and filling up a mop bucket to wash off with. Staying over at a friend or family members house and getting to take an actual shower was amazing though.
Dreamwolf 5 years ago
Robert, how long have you? I just started seeing you, and all I hear is "Okay". I don't get the joke.
Grumble O'Pug 5 years ago
When I was a student in the UK in the 80's (for my BHS tests) I stayed with a family that weren't poor (husband was a solicitor, mom was a middle class grabber). BUT they made me use the bath water AFTER the two 7 and 9 year old sons did. I was in shock. Oh that and the steak and kidney pie that smelled like a urinal. Fortunately I was able to find other housing. Yoiks.
Mike Woodhall 4 years ago
lived in a town that hadnt been hooked up to the water pipeline when i lived there .had to go to a communal well to get water.even worse ,the water was contaminated with sulphur
Dl B 5 years ago
Did not even have a bathroom until I was 12. Used an outhouse and took our baths in a tub placed on the bedroom floor. Water heated on the stove. At least we had running water to fill the bucket to heat the water. Father worked in a foundry where he would come home all covered in soot. Mother would have the tub ready (placed on my bedroom floor) so he could clean off as soon as he got home everyday.
Ivana 5 years ago
Good tip for people that don't have hot water. Get a 5 gallon bucket, heat up a stew pot of water on the stove, mix it with the cold water. It comes out the perfect temp. My husband and I had our morning shower routine down to a science. 10 minutes every morning and by the time we were done the coffee would be ready.
#34
Owning books.
Joey Marlin 5 years ago
My parents always took us to the library once a week. That was a treat.
Ivana 5 years ago
Same. I got two books a week from the library, plus one book a week from the school library. Had three goosebumps books to last me the week.
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Kari Panda 5 years ago
YES! I loved reading as a child and it was always such an extravagance to get a book for maybe 10 bucks. That seemed so expensive to me as a child. Now I buy whatever book I want to have, and it is one of the few things I never felt bad about buying.
ravn 5 years ago
I always though we were poor because my mother would always respond to random child desires (for Hot Wheels, candy, etc and so forth) with "We can't afford that". But any time we were at the second-hand bookstore she'd buy everything I wanted.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
You were rich and you still are because you have a mother with good judgment and with her priorities in the right place.
Load More Replies... Pheebs 5 years ago
Did not have books, mom refused a library card. I think she thought I’d rack up late fees. Got my own freaking library card as a teen, worked in a bookstore in college, and convinced my (now) hubs to let me build a library in the house almost immediately after moving in with him. Now I don’t watch tv - just read. 😂
Anne Reid 5 years ago
I love your determination! I wish you had the childhood I did, we were poor (much more fortunate than most of the people on here, though!) but we were surrounded by books. Library cards were gotten at the age of three and yard sales were hit up for cheap books. Enjoy your library fellow bookworm!
Load More Replies... Mimi777 5 years ago
Just wanted to share this. But Dolly Parton has a program called imagination library it’s free to sign up it’s for kids age newborn to 5 years old and they receive one free book every month. It’s awesome and helps a lot of families out there who can’t afford to buy their kids books.
Blue of the yams (They/He) 5 years ago
Dolly is such a hero. I love her so much
Load More Replies... Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
I had thrown a very bad and spectacular tantrum as a three-year-old because I wanted a book in the book shop and my mother wisely did not buy it for me. No. It was not a children's book. I just liked the colour of the cover. She took me to the public library for the first time when I was five and the very first book I borrowed was that very same book. I have no recollection of it at all but I was told about it enough times to realize that she never quite forgave me for that tantrum, but it was a grudge with a smile. I wish everyone had access to good libraries.
Isabel Care 4 years ago
We had no money for basic stuff (both parents head of dept teachers) coz dad bought thousands of books he wanted, rather than use libraries for himself. Now he's passed on my mum wants to sell them to get the money he wasted (some are still in wrappers 50 years later) Hunted down sites, local book shops, schools, colleges etc. The online sites will pay 75p for a set of art books that cost £120. She will never get a decent amount back. We might have to wait til she passes before asking all local libraries etc to take what they might be able to use.
#35
It's a long time ago - but when I was young (about 6-8 years old) back in the early 1960's we had meat once a week for the family dinner - on Sundays.
Martha Meyer 5 years ago
This is how it used to be. Would be healthier for people and the planet at large if we went back to this.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
If we all ate meat only once a week, both we and our planet would be in better shape than it is.
Steve Norquist 4 years ago
Cheap steak & ice cream twice a month for my '60s fam. On Dad's paydays.
Steve Norquist 4 years ago
Cheap steak and ice cream twice a month for my family--on Dad's paydays.
Vickie Martin 5 years ago
I moved out when I was 18 but still came home for Sunday dinners as it was the only real food I got all week. I thought my parents didn't realize it though my Mom packed up all of the leftovers for me to take with me.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Omnivores: “Being vegetarian is so expensive, only yuppies do it!” Also omnivores: “I remember being too poor to eat meat. It’s a luxury!” Meat makes you stupid, apparently.
#36
For my school's spirit week, they had a "thrift shop" day, where most everyone dressed in old ratty clothes, or the weirdest stuff they could find in a thrift shop. Needless to say, as someone who's clothes were 80% second hand, it was an eye opener.
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
Not all ideas that seem good at the first glance are any good at all.
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LeAnn Munson 5 years ago
Frankly, I think that was a very poor choice for the school to pick for spirit week. They could have chosen countless other things. I went to thrift stores as a kid with my mom, and we got alot of clothes from there. Now its considered normal to go to thrift stores, and the clothes are much better quality. I started working at 11, babysitting all summer to afford to buy clothes that the kids wouldn't make fun of. And I babysat alot. First real job at 15. Been working ever since. I bought alot of my own things since I started working at a young age.
Vickie Martin 5 years ago
WTH I'm 66 and still buy my clothing at thrift stores. And I'm still poor lolol.
#37
Renting a movie from blockbuster the first weekend of every month. My brother and I got to pick any movie we wanted as long as it wasn’t rated R. On really special nights, we even got a 2-liter bottle of Sprite for the family to share.
Benjamin McDonald 5 years ago
YAS my small town still had one until 2008 then we just rewatched movies we could find at yard sale
Philly Bob Squires 4 years ago
I remember being like 7 or 8 back in the early 60's and being allowed to stay up and watch a special show on TV. And having popcorn or on a real special night, a pizza.
Dimity Herbert 5 years ago
I bet that is a good memory. Children ask for so little, and are always so grateful, xx
DDmaybeandor 5 years ago
I remember this! I got to rent a movie if I got "honor roll" (good grades at school for a 6 week period).
#38
Having breakfast. It's gotten to the point where I can't eat in the morning because my body is so used to waiting
Ninja Nonna 5 years ago
I know this one well, I always made sure my kids had a cooked breakfast,
Magpie 5 years ago
I did not even realise breakfast was normal until after I left home. It was one meal a day. ....and i still do not know why we did not have doors on our bedroom.
Joonscrab 4 years ago
Because your parents couldn't afford it ?? Or didn't prioritize it over others.
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Lsai Aeon 4 years ago
I can't eat breakfast either. From as early as I can remember (about age 2) My grandmother would literally throw me out of bed at the butt crack of dawn, dress me in the best dress she could find (I have always hated dresses and ruffles) then force feed me a "Traditional Southern Breakfast" 2 eggs (usually scrambled) 2 bacon, 2 sausage, large piece of ham, either waffles, pancakes or biscuits, cereal, large glass of milk and a large glass of orange juice. Orange juice has ALWAYS made me vomit, too much acid or some such. So, I was forced to clean my plate, empty both glasses and since there was only orange juice, I would stand up from the table take 2 steps and vomit everywhere. I never eat breakfast, rarely eat lunch, (Granny would tell me when I asked for lunch after puking up breakfast, that I was too fat and needed to skip several meals, yeah my family was horrible) if my broken body can get up and make dinner, I'll eat dinner.
miten sasmita 4 years ago
I hope you're doing well now. I can't imagine going to school with empty stomach daily.
Mike Woodhall 4 years ago
i remember the first time i got to eat as much as i wanted.1968 when i wa s seven.was scared to ask for more,but someone just kept on refilling my plae.was sick for the rest of the day
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
That is not a healthy regimen, but maybe you are eating at least some fruit during the day?
Load More Replies... Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago
It's funny how we train ourselves - don't do breakfast either. When we were kids, I always made sure the littler ones had milk for their cereal (not being overly altruistic - I hated milk), but used it in my coffee. Yes - I drank coffee at the age of 12.
#39
Air conditioning. Sometimes we had a jacked up old window unit that would cool down my parents room on the hottest of summer nights and we would sleep in sleeping bags on their floor. Sometimes it was broke. Sometimes it just wasn't hot enough to justify running it. Never during the day though, that's what the library was for.
DogMatic 5 years ago
Currently sat in bed with hat & gloves on (north UK), I know what you mean! Replace "air conditioning" with "heating" to relate to these stories!
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Anne Kilpatrick 5 years ago
I was 22 when I first had air conditioning. My parents bought for my mobile home because I had a newborn. We stayed in that one room a lot.
Mewton’s Third Paw 4 years ago
Air conditioning doesn’t feel good 90% of the time anyway. Just enjoy the seasons as much as you can. Being hot is part of summer.
Philly Bob Squires 4 years ago
I preferred sleeping with a fan... you didn't wake up stiff as a board (this was from window units... I had my first central air system when I was 47!) and I always loved the hum of the fan. I still sleep with one running today, even in the winter in the mountains of PA! A fan moves the air around and I sleep better.
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Rachel Grieshop 5 years ago
Yassssss! Imp mean I can’t relate but acs in libraries are always so good at their job!
#40
A new winter coat. I don’t remember having a new winter coat until I was probably 14 or 15, they had always been hand-me-downs from my cousins. They were usually at least ten years old by the time I got them and the stuffing would be all clumped up.
Joanne Haywood 5 years ago
How I got my nickname of Ferret. My nana bought me a winter coat made from cony fur and my mum said I would have to wear it as she couldn’t really afford to buy another one (and I shouldn’t be so ungrateful!). Every morning when I got on the school bus all the lads would grab little bits of the fur and say it was ferret fur. Nearly 40 years later and whenever I see anyone from school they’ll call me Ferret.
Pink 5 years ago
At least the nickname is cool if you don't know the story behind it..?
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Enamelcamel 5 years ago
My dad tells a story about losing one of his winter boots in a snowdrift in 1930's Nebaska, and not staying to find it. Said - when he got home - his mom beat him 'til he couldn't sit ... because it was only November, and there was no money for more boots.
Kay Westley 3 years ago
Winter boots. We had to wear extra socks with our regular shoes and try our best not to get our feet wet when the snow became slushy and started to melt. I got mild frostbite on my foot once and it was excruciating, so I can’t imagine what full blown frostbite feels like.
Steve Cruz 4 years ago
I'm glad Denver and the surrounding cities have COATS FOR COLORADO. A few dry-cleaning chains participate: they collect the coats, clean them, do minor repairs, and then the coats are distributed to large spaces -- usually school gyms -- and people who need warm coats can choose one. They can come back the next day and get a second coat from what remains. There are also gloves and hats.
Isabel Care 4 years ago
Dad provided 5 bright orange waterproofs. The thin ones, but still wind and waterproof. We couldn't use them for school as they were orange. Went without coats for school for about ten years. All of us used buses and would get soaked waiting. He was a teacher and should've thought to buy a colour we were allowed to wear. We used his one as a beach changing tent for years
Vikram Bedi 5 years ago
I was a chubby kid so my clothes were given as hand me downs to cousins 2 years older than me...( moms younger sister‘a kids)
#41
Buying new clothes. The days I justify ordering all kinds of dumb stuff online but I’ve always felt a mental block on buying new clothes. It feels like an unjustified luxury because I always got by on second hand clothes and free tee shirts
Bird Mom 5 years ago
I always feel guilty asking for things on Christmas and stuff. I'm not forcing anyone to buy it, it just seems like I am being greedy.
Helen Haley 5 years ago
I have the exact same issue! I can't convince myself to buy anything that isn't work clothes. Even just buying a cheap sweatshirt causes anxiety.
#42
My mother used to consider any kind of cereal a luxury, they only had one box a month.
Janet Bird 5 years ago
It wasn't so much the cereal as the milk. We couldn't have cereal growing up because it would "use up all the milk."
Leo Domitrix 5 years ago
We had cows on the farm. And we often didn't go hungry once we lived there. But before? Milk was a super-huge luxury.
Load More Replies... Arctic Fox Lover 5 years ago
I used to have something like 1 box every 2 months, but now we're good :D
#43
Having my own bedroom
Kari Panda 5 years ago
We only had one bedroom and I shared a full-size bed with my mother until I moved out at 18. Never having any place to retreat to is not the worst part of being poor of course, but it definitely has a significant impact...
Nimoy 5 years ago
I only recently got my own room. I shared a bed with my mom, and my dad slept in his truck for 14 years. It is very nice to have my own space to retreat!
Load More Replies... Ninja Nonna 5 years ago
I never did...went from sharing with 3 sisters to sharing with my husband.
Joanne Haywood 5 years ago
My sister and I shared a bedroom which was so small we had to have bunk beds. She didn’t leave home until her late 20s and I was so excited when I was able to spend the first night alone in MY bedroom even though I was in my early 20s! Thinking back though, the only kids in my school year who had their own bedrooms were in one child families or families who had mixed sex siblings.
Yolkie 5 years ago
growing up middle-high class doesn't mean you have your own bedroom when your temporly independent country has land problems
Load More Replies... #44
My gramma would take me to Chuckee Cheese on my bday and give me a bunch of tokens. That s*** was lux!
TheGayPandas 5 years ago
I've only been there once for a friends bday. I don't even remember it. I was 2.
queer weebio 5 years ago
Didn't have a Chuck e. cheese where im from but we had peter piper pizza. I swear that was the life... till it closed a few years ago :p
Bama Belle 5 years ago
We had ShowBiz Pizza, which I think was affiliated with Chuck E. Cheese's parent company. 80's kids know what I'm talking about. I used to dream of going to ShowBiz. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSspI_Nyvh4
Load More Replies... #45
Jeans from the mall
Petra, princess of Brigid 5 years ago
Robert Catte. Stop saying "okay" to everything. It's annoying. Kinda disrespectful too. (I sound like my dad and I'm only a teenager!)
Charlotte D. 5 years ago
thank goodness someone said that. i was all like "bro will this man just stop saying the same thing over and over again"
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Isabel Care 4 years ago
Loved my first jeans from Oxfam. Kids laughed at me after I grew a bit and they were a little short (and flared) but they were JEANS! so I didn't care
Curry on... 5 years ago
I was almost 16 before I got to buy any clothing from a department store. Mom made my clothes or bought them 2nd hand.
#46
Going to the movie theater!
#47
Chef Boyardee. Not even kidding.
Larry Helms 5 years ago
We used to eat Spaghetti-Os ALL the time, cause they were dirt cheap and that's all mom could afford. The smell of them today... makes me want to hurl.
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
@ Larry Helms~ Oooh! You were lucky. !On the rare occasion I was allowed to have spaghetti-o's, couldn't get the ones with meatballs.
Load More Replies... M O'Connell 5 years ago
It's a company which makes canned pasta products. As a child, I was a particular fan of the mini ravioli.
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Stack o' Pancakes 5 years ago
Maruchan instant noodle!!! We lived off of those and to this day I can't eat the chicken flavored ones because of how much I ate them as a little kid.
DDmaybeandor 5 years ago
Yup, it was the same at my house. But it IS a luxury when you realize you could have pasta and sauce for less than half the price. It's like lunchibles.
#48
Doritos. Or any name brand chips, actually.
I love izuku midoriya 5 years ago
I like cheddar and sour cream and onion pringles and nacho cheese doritos I'm glad you are able to get the stuff you want
Dreamwolf 5 years ago
Robert, this time I don't realize why people are downvoting you. They taste good (depending on the brand, of course.)
Monika Soffronow 5 years ago
He is being downvoted because this post is not about our favourite snacks. It is about the hardships people lived when they were children because their parents were poor!
Load More Replies... Isabel Care 4 years ago
Crisps were for birthday parties (2 friends plus cousins and siblings) and Christmas. Had school friends who had them every day with lunch
Eagle Girl 5 years ago
OMG! Could everyone stop commenting on Robert Blah Blah. You're killing my scroll lol!
Load More Replies... #49
Brand name cereal was for the upper class, man.
Lonely Leafeon 5 years ago (edited)
Hey, several of you are acting very rude to Robert Catte. Giving someone advice is one thing but telling them to stfu is another. Don't be jerks over something silly! Let's talk about this in a mature way ok?
Blue 4 years ago
I agree. And down voting all his other comments reeks of bullying trolls. You all should be ashamed .
Load More Replies... DDmaybeandor 5 years ago
Oh man, I remember first going shopping with someone on food stamps. They were buying all this name brand stuff and I was livid. I don't know if we as a family refused governed help or if we couldn't get it, but I do remember sharing an egg with my sister because that's all the food we had. We never bought name brand anything, except maybe toilet paper. Cheap tp cost more in the long run.
Matthew Xu 5 years ago
robert catte you realize that the dude is talking about the UPPER CLASS, upperclassman are juniors and seniors in high school smh
jleitner 5 years ago
@Robert Catte, gonna try to give some constructive criticism here. If you like a post, give it an upvote. If you have nothing to say, say nothing. Saying "okay" to every post comes across as if you're trying to actually be obnoxious. Apparently you're not, so sorry for the downvotes, but try to add something relevant to the discussion. Imagine if every single person who looked at a post commented "Okay" to every single one. The comments sections would be rendered useless...
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#50
Poptarts and Toaster Strudels!
Arctic Fox Lover 5 years ago
Whenever we get Poptarts or toaster strudels, ma and my family have to split them equally and eat them for dessert. On the other hand, my brother's friend eats them for breakfast lunch and dinner.
Stack o' Pancakes 5 years ago
I just got to taste toaster strudels and I can't believe I've been missing out on them for so long
lil peep stan 5 years ago
you dont have to comment "okay." on every post, it literally isn't needed
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Tiny Dynamine 5 years ago
I grew up fairly poor, but not struggling to survive or anything. As a young adult, I'd sometimes ask my nan if she could lend me any money (you know what nans are like, they give you it and don't expect it back). To me, it was always lending and I never forgot it. Years later when I had money, I gave her a Xmas present of a cheque for £200. She and my mum used it to have a holiday together. My nan died a couple of years later. I'm so glad I did that.
Shelp 5 years ago
I think that they have been removed because I didn't see any. Maybe "Robert Catte" is one of those very old and technologically unaware folks who are sometimes made fun of on BP. Maybe he genuinely thinks that it's a good think to answer. Or maybe he's a foreigner with other cultural norms. I had a friend from Cameroon who also would answer "okay" without the slightest sign of emotion when asked something. Or maybe I'm just thinking about this too much.
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Bisexual bean 5 years ago
mine is having my house. my family bounced around and never had any friends. My father had trouble getting a job, because of his limited english. one day, some kids were playing with some matches they ound and set fire to our house. it was ruined, and we coundnt buy a new one. we were homeless for about 3 months. then, we found some nice people who took us in. I am forever grateful. We are currently living with them and They are the nicest. they have the money to support us and words cannot express how grateful i am.
Tiny Dynamine 5 years ago
That's so great of them. I wish you the best for getting things sorted for your future.
Load More Replies... Guy on the internet 5 years ago
I can relate to almost all of these. My family grew up poor. My mom and dad worked hard day and night for their children. I really know the value of money now, and I am so grateful for my parents. Now that I'm an adult, whenever I see somebody on the sidewalk, I take them home and offer them a cup of tea or water and give them a place to stay for the night. It's not much, but you do what you do, right? One day I plan on opening a homeless shelter. One day.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 5 years ago
I can relate to so many of these. Ahh the memories I can do without.
M O'Connell 5 years ago
Many, many years ago I was invited to a sleepover at a wealthier friends house. I was having a good time until I noticed that I was the ONLY person there who had holes in the bottom of their socks. For some reason that mortified me. Now I am happy to say that once socks wear through on the bottom, they get turned into rags. I don't have to keep wearing them like that.
Kari Panda 5 years ago (edited)
Oh, the memories :D I never threw away socks unless the hole was at least 5 cm large. Once a new friend invited me to her family‘s house for a game night, and her brother mocked me about the holes in my socks all night and eventually brought me a new pair from himself because he couldn’t 'bear' it anymore. I was so annoyed about his attitude. Now I‘m married to him and he makes me throw away my socks whenever he spots a hole in them.
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Bleeding-Angel 5 years ago
I think this is very cool. My dad grew up very poor and considered things like these as luxuries. I wanted to learn more about it so I can help people in need. No one should have to go without basic necessities and no one should be living in squalor, I'm sorry for all of you but it's wondeful to see these luxuires you recieved and stories. Thank you, I've learned a lot.
Nemopoint 5 years ago
Buying nice underwears. Not the 5 pack in stores, but a real ones, with a matching bra perfectly sized. Just feeling pretty and be the only one knowing why.
Wendillon 4 years ago
ah this one! It didn't matter that nobody else knew because you felt awesome.
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Tiny Dynamine 5 years ago
I grew up fairly poor, but not struggling to survive or anything. As a young adult, I'd sometimes ask my nan if she could lend me any money (you know what nans are like, they give you it and don't expect it back). To me, it was always lending and I never forgot it. Years later when I had money, I gave her a Xmas present of a cheque for £200. She and my mum used it to have a holiday together. My nan died a couple of years later. I'm so glad I did that.
Shelp 5 years ago
I think that they have been removed because I didn't see any. Maybe "Robert Catte" is one of those very old and technologically unaware folks who are sometimes made fun of on BP. Maybe he genuinely thinks that it's a good think to answer. Or maybe he's a foreigner with other cultural norms. I had a friend from Cameroon who also would answer "okay" without the slightest sign of emotion when asked something. Or maybe I'm just thinking about this too much.
Load More Replies... Bisexual bean 5 years ago
mine is having my house. my family bounced around and never had any friends. My father had trouble getting a job, because of his limited english. one day, some kids were playing with some matches they ound and set fire to our house. it was ruined, and we coundnt buy a new one. we were homeless for about 3 months. then, we found some nice people who took us in. I am forever grateful. We are currently living with them and They are the nicest. they have the money to support us and words cannot express how grateful i am.
Tiny Dynamine 5 years ago
That's so great of them. I wish you the best for getting things sorted for your future.
Load More Replies... Guy on the internet 5 years ago
I can relate to almost all of these. My family grew up poor. My mom and dad worked hard day and night for their children. I really know the value of money now, and I am so grateful for my parents. Now that I'm an adult, whenever I see somebody on the sidewalk, I take them home and offer them a cup of tea or water and give them a place to stay for the night. It's not much, but you do what you do, right? One day I plan on opening a homeless shelter. One day.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 5 years ago
I can relate to so many of these. Ahh the memories I can do without.
M O'Connell 5 years ago
Many, many years ago I was invited to a sleepover at a wealthier friends house. I was having a good time until I noticed that I was the ONLY person there who had holes in the bottom of their socks. For some reason that mortified me. Now I am happy to say that once socks wear through on the bottom, they get turned into rags. I don't have to keep wearing them like that.
Kari Panda 5 years ago (edited)
Oh, the memories :D I never threw away socks unless the hole was at least 5 cm large. Once a new friend invited me to her family‘s house for a game night, and her brother mocked me about the holes in my socks all night and eventually brought me a new pair from himself because he couldn’t 'bear' it anymore. I was so annoyed about his attitude. Now I‘m married to him and he makes me throw away my socks whenever he spots a hole in them.
Load More Replies... Bleeding-Angel 5 years ago
I think this is very cool. My dad grew up very poor and considered things like these as luxuries. I wanted to learn more about it so I can help people in need. No one should have to go without basic necessities and no one should be living in squalor, I'm sorry for all of you but it's wondeful to see these luxuires you recieved and stories. Thank you, I've learned a lot.
Nemopoint 5 years ago
Buying nice underwears. Not the 5 pack in stores, but a real ones, with a matching bra perfectly sized. Just feeling pretty and be the only one knowing why.
Wendillon 4 years ago
ah this one! It didn't matter that nobody else knew because you felt awesome.
Load More Replies...
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