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"Money makes the world go round," sang Liza Minnelli's character, Sally Bowles, in Cabaret. Some say that money doesn't matter, but that usually comes from the lips of people who have and have always had money. People who haven't struggled financially see life differently, and it's often reflected in the things they say and do.

In one recent online thread, someone asked: "People who grew up really poor: what's something middle-class people say that instantly reveals they've never struggled?" From taking "annual vacations," saying "Just ask your parents for money," or "It's not that expensive," people have heard and witnessed all kinds of tells that give away a financially privileged person. Read on to find out what other things middle-class people say and do that scream, "I was never poor."

#1

Devastated neighborhood after a tornado, showing destroyed homes and debris, highlighting the impact of natural disasters. This exposes privilege. I grew up in government subsidized housing with food stamps. My mother had 4 kids (same dad) and no husband. I was very very poor. I’m now too 10% in total net worth regardless of age but I’m under 40.

The biggest things I’ve noticed are the inability to escape natural disasters. For instance, during Katrina a lot of people were wondering why didn’t the locals just leave. Well turns out people with no savings, no food stocks, no vehicles and needing money in case the storms missed forced them to stay put.

The second thing that still makes me sad to see is people walking around a city not built for it, specifically parents with young children. “Why don’t the take kids to library or other “free” activities?” Not understanding how hard or much of a burden it can be without proper transportation.

I pay a lot in taxes and I hope some of it goes to giving back for the programs I used. Thanks to those who paid taxes before me. Let’s try to be better to each other.

fukreddits , Chandler Cruttenden Report

azubi
Community Member
3 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've recently read that taxes in Germany were much higher before 2000. Checking my pay slips from the 90's, I found that to be true - I'd been paying nearly double the percentage. The thing is: I'm not any happier today, other than conservative ideology suggests, rather on the contrary. Turns out, cheaper rent and better healthcare were way more important than more net income.

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    #2

    A man looks distraught reading a letter in a kitchen, while a woman looks concerned. Exposes privilege instantly. That ‘money doesn’t matter.’
    Lol. Money only doesn’t matter if you have it. When you don’t, it freaking matters!

    Sensitive-Air9342 , Vitaly Gariev Report

    Sapna Sarfare
    Community Member
    2 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Exactly... i mean when you have enough, it wont be important. But when you live paycheck by paycheck and cannot afford even the basic, getting a fever is the scary part

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    #3

    A woman in a white shirt and brown pants looks distressed on a couch as another woman comforts her, discussing ignorant things. "Just quit, then," re: any terrible job that you desperately need and were lucky to get but need to vent about to stop from going insane.

    HSIOT55:

    In that same vein I've seen a supervisor fire people like crazy and say [stuff] like "Getting fired isn't the end of the world." For a lot of people without a sizeable savings it is. 

    mitchwacky , Nini FromParis Report

    fly on the wall
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yes! Like big companies " down sizing" just before xmas. Heartless bean counters.

    #4

    Workers preparing food in a brightly lit food truck at night, demonstrating aspects of privilege. The phrase "annual vacation".

    elphaba00:

    At one of the parent meetings before my oldest went on a band trip to Universal, the band director reminded the students to be on their best behavior because there would be other people at the resort and park and this "might be their only trip of the year." I kept my mouth shut. For some of the kids in the band, mine included, this would be the only vacation they'd taken in years, if at all. And a trip to Universal was probably more than they could imagine.

    Ok_Olive9438 , Calvin Seng Report

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    #5

    A woman in a supermarket reaching for a product. This image highlights aspects of middle-class life and privilege. Literally any time at all that they say something is not that expensive.

    When you're poor, EVERYTHING feels expensive.

    dayumbrah:

    Got really good health and dental through my job a few years ago. Went to the dentist and they were doing a cleaning and would not stop pressuring me for xrays.

    It was my first time there and they were not sure if they took my insurance so I could not get stuck with a huge bill. A cleaning was doable but xrays?!

    The person literally would not stop.

    Them: You should really get them.
    Me: im not sure if you take my insurance and how much is covered if you do.
    Them: You should really do it though, its important.
    Me: I understand that, I cannot afford it.
    Them: it doesnt matter if you cant afford it, you really should get it.
    Me: it does matter if I cant afford rent or groceries or my car payments. Which will make future dentist visits impossible. I am negative money before the copay so unless you are giving out xrays for free, I wont be doing it.

    SacredPrime , Yunus Tuğ Report

    General Anaesthesia
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So the X-rays aren't for you but for the dentist's bottom line. Now, about the extended warranty...

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    #6

    >"Burger flippers don't deserve a living wage they're all kids and teenagers"

    Clearly someone who has never worked in fast food, ever.

    Everyoneheresamoron Report

    Trillian
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Also, if you do the job you deserve the pay. No matter if you "need" it.

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    #7

    Hand stirring a pot of simmering tomato sauce with mushrooms and vegetables, showing middle-class cooking habits. When they talk about eating something different every day. My mom regularly made a big pot of something on Sunday. We would eat that most of the week until it was gone.

    guts24601 , kaboompics Report

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    #8

    Hands exchanging US dollar bills, representing middle-class financial transactions and discussions around privilege. "Just ask your parents for money" was a phrase my upper middle class room mate used all the time in college. Dude, they didn't have any money either. He was given money from his parents and grandparents every weekend and blew it all on booze and clubbing. I struggled to figure out how to pay for my next meal.

    zerbey , Getty Images Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I used to ask my dad for money, but that was usually when doing something special and would be an IOU as I use my own money for something he'd pay for later when he got paid (I always got paid back btw). E.g. Mother's Day lunch out.

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    #9

    Man carrying a clear box of personal items, leaving an office, illustrating instant privilege. Had a cousin once get laid off from her job at the same time as me. Made this comment: “do you think you’re gonna try to find a job right away or live off your savings interest for a while?”
    My what what? My WHAT.

    KG7DHL:

    I was in my late 30s, still grinding, and we were associated with a family where he was early 50s, and Retired. I asked how he had retired early, and he said, "Oh, I decided I could live off of my Portfolio Dividends.".

    My mind was blown.

    Come find out he had been in the right place, right time, early Internet Stock portfolio that diversified into divided paying stocks, and the portfolio was dispersing, as income, enough to live like a richer without touching principal.

    SnooGadgets3710 , Getty Images Report

    #10

    A child sitting on the floor watching a video game on a TV, reflecting themes of middle-class privilege. Honestly having parents at home. My parents were never home because they were always working.

    Apisit100 , AR Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My parents were reasonably in middle class, but they were also constantly working, usually all night and early morning then sleeping all day.

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    #11

    A doctor in a white coat talks to a woman sitting on a hospital bed. This image highlights aspects of middle-class privilege. You should go to the doctor.

    I’d really really love to, for a lot of things. But even with insurance i am 5k in debt after one medical visit in 2026.

    jeff1074 , RDNE Stock project Report

    #12

    A child cries on the floor while another child stands nearby. This scene could expose privilege dynamics. I remember being really sad at school because I had ripped one of my T-shirts, and a friend told me to just ask my parents for a new one. That was the day I realized not everyone had to wait for a new school year to get new clothes.

    Far_Dragonfruit_9502 , yang miao Report

    #13

    Friends laughing while eating burgers and fries, exposing everyday privilege and showing ignorant things middle-class people say. Not necessarily “say” but when I see people leave portions of food on their plate only to throw it away or give it to the waiter.

    Late-Astronaut-9448 , Yunus Tuğ Report

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    #14

    Hands tying brown work boots with yellow laces, standing in a shallow puddle. A relatable image for discussing privilege. Telling me to get a product that’s more expensive than I could afford because the quality was better and it’d last longer. Like I wish I could do that but sometimes it’s not possible.

    feeling-lethargic , Tom Sodoge Report

    Wyrdwoman
    Community Member
    1 hour ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Referring to the Sam Vimes "Boots" Theory of Socioeconomic Unfairness.

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    #15

    People on welfare/benefits are mooching off us taxpayers and getting more money and have a nicer life than people who work! - said by literally nobody's who's had to depend on benefits ever.

    himit Report

    Never miss a story that brings joy to the world. Follow on Google News

    #16

    A person with braces touching their lip, symbolizing struggles with middle-class privilege and daily ignorant things people say. I can look at someone’s teeth and know whether or not they grew up as poor as me. If they needed braces as a kid but didn’t get them, we are much closer in economic background.

    geekhaus , SHVETS production Report

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    #17

    A classic light blue VW Beetle with a red bow sits in a driveway in front of a modern gray house, exposing privilege. “My parents got me a car when I turned 16.” It doesn’t matter what the car was, if your family had enough to make one appear we were not in the same tax bracket.

    galspanic , Gene Giromini Report

    #18

    "If we have universal healthcare it'll be worse because there will be long lines!"

    So you're saying more people getting healthcare is bad because it will be an inconvenience? Everyone I've ever heard say that I know for a fact hasn't -ever- been in a situation where they have to choose between medicine and food.

    Arsalanred Report

    Len Hill
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And yet universal health care works in almost every other country in the world. Why?

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    #19

    One thing I heard from classmates in high school when they heard I had to take the city bus everywhere was “oh my mom said actually that the monthly bus fee isn’t that much cheaper than gas prices, so you might as well just take the car”. In retrospect I’m not convinced that was _ever_ true, but realistically it doesn’t matter if it was because my response was “sure but where are we gonna get the money to buy a car?” and that shut them up because the thought that affording even a beater car wasn’t achievable for us had never occurred to them.

    tmrika Report

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    #20

    "you should have seen how bad it (very nice childhood home) looked when my parents bought it!"

    This tells me they do not understand that even if poor people can buy a home, they can't afford to make it nice. Broken [stuff] stays broken or is never replaced. Their parents could afford tens or hundreds of thousands in renovations- you grew up comfy bro.

    bbdoublechin Report

    #21

    Was on the board of the local Little League a few years ago. Every year we'd have a few kids whose parents couldn't afford the fee (<$100) and we'd let them in for free or heavily discounted.

    At a meeting of the board the guy in charge of finance was frustrated we allowed this and said "I don't believe people have money problems - they have priority problems." I do well financially now, but I've been in a position making $12 an hour while trying to keep myself, my wife, and child alive. I can guarantee some folks are working hard, have their priorities right, and yet have real money problems.

    jpen_365 Report

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    #22

    “Why don’t you just save money?” Or “you should plan better so you don’t overdraft.”

    the bills were more than the income, and I was the sole earner while both parents were disabled when I was 16.

    lemonlovelimes Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Years ago, I was going over income and expenses with a utility person in hopes of getting bill partially paid.Afyer I gave her the numbers, she said " this can't be right, you spend more than you bring in". My reply" this I why we are having this conversation '.

    #23

    "Just throw it away"

    This is for a lot of things. Food scraps, "broken items" old items, etc.

    I had a girlfriend that would throw away half an onion, celery, or carrot instead of saving it to make powders or stock. Fat trimmings got tossed instead of rendered. The amount of food waste was insane.

    A toaster stops working, her first thought would be to go to Amazon and buy new one and then toss the old. I've fixed so many things that are designed to break. I've reinforced [badly] made furniture instead of junking the wobbly $30 target [stuff].

    If your first thought is to buy another or a new one and not "how can I get the most out of this?" or "can I find a spare part?", you've never struggled.

    nottrynagetsued Report

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    #24

    Didn't grow up *really* poor, but I'm constantly amazed by how many people (many of them much poorer than I've ever been) just throw away pizza crusts like they're not made of food.


    The very first lesson of even mild poverty is Never Throw Away Food.

    Strength-InThe-Loins Report

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    #25

    Just quit and get a better job.

    Why don't you go back to school so you can get a better job?

    If this state is so bad, you should move to a better one.

    Where are you going on your vacation this year?

    Hey we're gonna have a family reunion at Christmas. Better get your plane tickets now!

    It's worth it to spend more to get quality.

    Hanging_Thread Report

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    #26

    My stepdad asked me if I wanted to go clothes shopping for the new school year the first year after he married my mom. I said yes, and was AMAZED when we went to Kohl's, not the thrift store. I got one pair of pants on clearance and two shirts on clearance, and told him I was ready to check out. He took me back to the clothes and picked out more for me. I nearly had a panic attack when we got to the register and it was over $100 (this was late 90's, so a lot of money for clothes back then, at least to me). I started pulling stuff out to put back, and he stopped me and asked what I was doing. He paid and I got to take all of it home, and he did this every year until I moved out!

    Before this we weren't allowed to turn on lights in the house during the day to keep the electric bill low.

    loosesocksup Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My dad is the opposite, he tries to encourage me to buy clothes or at least ask him for clothes, but I just never want to and have some of the same clothes since I was a tween (those clothes were oversized and I'm a small person)

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    #27

    Diagnoses and treatment for various life altering but not necessarily debilitating illnesses/disorders. I grew up pretty poor and am now in grad school with a lot of people that grew up without a lot of financial stress, and something that sticks out to me is how many of them have some sort of ailment, allergy, disorder, and/or syndrome, that probably would've just gone undiagnosed/untreated in the community I grew up in. Now, I'm not arguing that the people with these conditions need to "rub some dirt on it" but rather healthcare and health literacy should be more accessible to all so that more people can figure out if they have something going on that is making their life harder.

    TheLilyHammer Report

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    #28

    My primary years were the upper level of the low socioeconomic community. We then moved to a nicer area in my teens with better school opportunities. I learnt what was not normal or not to say to friends in both brackets and sometimes it was the same but for opposite reasons. Example: our freezer was always jam packed full of portioned meat or batch cooked meals. To my rich friends, they didn’t need to bulk buy when things were cheap, but to my less well off friends they couldn’t afford the upfront cost to bulk buy.

    hokeypokey27 Report

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    #29

    I worked in a school; some of the kids get free lunch and some kids lays buy their lunches.

    The kids were going on an all day field trip. Just before we called the classes down to get on the buses, I asked one of the organizers (who worked in the district) where the lunches were. ( I was expecting at least a few brown bagged lunches for the kids who get free lunch or the kids who always buy lunches ).

    The organizer said that the kids should already have their lunchboxes in their backpacks.

    So I clarified that I was asking about the kids who get free lunch, and if someone needed to get the brown bagged lunches from the kitchen.

    Other adults had circled around as I was asking about getting the lunches.

    All of them were confused. They had never thought about the possibility that some kids need to get their food from the school.

    The organizer said: “their families can make one lunch. It’s a field trip! We don’t do bagged lunches.”

    The kids went on their field trip.

    I spoke to a lot of people about lunches and privilege.

    Every field trip since, every single student gets a free bagged lunch for field trips. (If their family wants to pack something else, they can).

    relishlife Report

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    #30

    I’ve been a part of several social classes in my life. A big one for middle class is worrying about the concept of money or time while actively affording things.

    Background_Tower6226 Report

    #31

    Having birthday parties.

    fatkidking:

    I feel this one, at one point my family stopped celebrating any birthdays, didn't take me long to realize it was because we didn't have any money. I didn't go back to celebrating birthdays until I went into foster care, but to this day I don't really care about my birthday.

    Takie_Me Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    6 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I only got a birthday every second year until I was 10 years old

    #32

    We have cable. When cable use to be a thing...

    Spare-Breadfruit8270:

    I remember the one that told me I was poor: 
    Friend: "Come over to my house! My mom will take us to Blockbuster and we can rent movies!" 
    Me: "You have a VCR?"
    Same thing later with computer, then Internet, etc etc. 

    emo-poster-child Report

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    #33

    They had a pool.

    Tarnagona:

    Having a pool was definitely a rich person thing in my mind growing up (even though I knew a kid who had a pool and his family was middle class like mine), just unattainable. Now I live in a house with a pool, and it’s not as wildly expensive as kid-me imagined (but still not something you’d have if you were poor).

    Pandy_45 Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We had the metal side above ground pool. Putting it up was a ritual. We felt so rich.

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    #34

    "Just put it on your credit card and pay it off before the end of the month."

    marchmay Report

    #35

    When someone complains about their parents not paying enough for their college, I’m like, bro we didn’t have food or electricity or heat in our house….college wasn’t one of the things.

    The world's smallest violin.

    TXtogo Report

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    #36

    Just how confident they are about life and the future. The natural belief that good and positive things will just happen.

    They will have had some setbacks in life of course. But they don't have the life experience of the gruelling constant set backs happening throughout one's lifetime.

    yeiamsatonthetoilet Report

    #37

    My spouse and I were visiting their grandma and the subject of dessert with dinner came up. I remember exclaiming “you all had dessert EVERY night?” and they were confused that I didn’t.

    Vezra-Plank Report

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    #38

    Whenever I mention how spam actually tastes pretty good and they look at me like they have never heard of it....

    Lonely_Upstairs_5263 Report

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    #39

    As a child: when they refer to their mom and dad as a unit instead of just referring to one parent, going to tutoring, complaining about the lunch their parents packed.

    As an adult: mentioning a semester abroad, meeting your spouse in college and getting married after you both graduated, visiting your parents cabin.

    Edit: the mom and dad thing means that the parents likely stayed married and that statistically means the child will have more advantage than someone with only one parent present. Tutoring is often free, however, when I had paid for driver's Ed ($350!) all by myself at 15, I needed my mother to pick me up afterwards twice a week. I could only reach her by calling the local bars from the front office or someone's cell phone. One day she wrecked on our way home because she was so hammered and angry about having to come get me.

    I tried to do a semester abroad in high school and college. In high school, my mother threatened to tell the police my father was abusing me if I went to France. I had been studying for years and wanted to do my last year there. She had another baby and needed someone to take care of her. I did go for college. I got lucky. Meeting your spouse in college means you probably had a sober or present parent sign some paperwork or some kind of resources to get you through things, that someone without an ID, cell phone, or home would have access to. Im not saying you didnt work hard (I think you worked [hard[!) but the question was about "really poor" people compared to middle class. I think if you graduate college, you're likely middle class, and if you graduated while being able to date, you probably had more support than struggle than you think.

    New-Age-7524 Report

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    #40

    "I don't know how much it costs."

    My husband and I were living abroad and planning to return home and I wanted some idea of costs. We were going to stay at my in-laws second home (they are affluent, but not rich) on an island and I asked about the single market and the costs. I asked my sister-in-law how much chicken breast cost and she said, "I don't know how much it costs. I never look at the prices."

    It is inconceivable to me as someone who grew up poor that people can shop for food and not know or look at prices. We always had to do that because we couldn't outspend what was left in the bank account.

    DerHoggenCatten Report

    #41

    “Just find a job you love then it won’t feel like work”.

    succed32 Report

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    #42

    I have two. First is, I live in a "rough" neighborhood. It's what I can afford. I've been here a long time; it has its moments, but I do not want to go into debt at this point in my life. It's not horrible; just a bit rough sometimes. My life is pretty decent otherwise. People constantly say, you should move. I ask them, if you had to sell your 3-4 hundred thousand dollar house, and buy a million dollar house, could you do it? Their answer is "Of course not". Well, I can upgrade either without completely disrupting my life.

    The second is, I have SiriusXM. You can wheel and deal with them via chat, and get a good rate. I pay $5.30 a month. It took about an hour of time to finalize that through chat. I told my friend, who let his auto renew, to do the chat. His bill is around 27.99/month. Same plan. He makes a good living and said he can't be bothered for the difference.

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    #43

    Didn't grow up poor and my parents really like to talk about how they or their kids **"have money because we worked hard for it"** and they HATE any talk of luck or privilege. They hate it. It makes them so irritated and uncomfortable even though there's a ton of luck and privilege in my and my parent's success.

    I always assumed that attitude of associating financial success purely with hard work and refusing to acknowledge other factors was something only people who never struggled would think.

    Beautiful-Cup4161 Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My dad was always one who talked about privilege too, but he also has a belief that everything is luck based and random, but for a reason. No, he's not religious.

    #44

    "Don't worry about it" (in regards to costs or finance).

    You can tell people who never had to REALLY struggle with finances don't have the crippling, sometimes irrational, fear of financial ruin.

    If I get a $75 parking ticket, I've gotta do breathing exercises and really work to just not let it ruin my whole day. This is in spite of the fact that I have a good job and one parking ticket will not lead to homelessness in any rational context for me.

    People who haven't struggled have a natural abundance mindset. They do not worry about unexpected bills, how much everything costs, and so on.

    They make decisions from that space too and don't understand just how deep financial anxiety goes if you grew up poor.

    scotsworth Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    16 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This also allows them to take bigger financial risks and the rewards that come with them..

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    #45

    My friend helps organize the summer internship program at his NYC-based company. Someone suggested getting rid of the stipend and raising salaries by the same amount.

    Friend said hell no, because how is a college kid going to put down a summer rent deposit without money up front? Basically anyone who didn’t have wealth already wouldn’t be able to start.

    He’s from a working class background at an elite firm, apparently they overlook stuff like this all the time.

    sach2269 Report

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    #46

    “Just buy the bigger pack, it’s cheaper.”

    Yeah, I know. But sometimes you only have $6, not $18.

    Upper_Possibility_15 Report

    WhyamIhere?
    Community Member
    5 hours ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I always made sure the judge it on the price per 100g or 1kg or 100ml because that allows you to really deduct which is cheaper.

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    #47

    They have never loaned their parents money.

    GLASSMANJD Report

    #48

    “But it only costs $xxx!”

    I’ve heard this about airfare, new cars, electronics, concert tickets and I can’t remember what all else. Just because I know the price of something doesn’t mean I can afford it. Stop implying I’m too stupid to look this stuff up.

    “Why didn’t you get some grants or just take out a loan?”

    I’ve heard this about higher education for decades. I barely paid for college and opted to not go to grad school because I couldn’t afford it and nobody was giving me money to go. People who say this almost universally didn’t pay for any of it themselves and have no school debt.

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    #49

    In my country, you use the same expression to "mop the floor" and "wash the dishes".

    I was telling this girl in college jokingly how much I hated washing the dishes: that you need to wash after breakfast, lunch, dinner. That I've been doing it since I was a kid and it is a task that never ends.

    She was laughing and looking at me like I was crazy, until she asked "if it was really necessary to keep the floor that clean".

    Turns out she had never cleaned a dish by hand because she has always had a dishwasher/maid and she couldn't link both concepts, thus the confusion.

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    #50

    “I went to get my oil changed…”

    What? You don’t change your oil yourself?

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    #51

    “Went to restaurant”.

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    #52

    That they throwaway their toothpaste when it still has paste you can squeeze out if your try hard enough.

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    #53

    When I was a teaching assistant at UPenn, I was telling the students about a job I had in college, and they were all, "Why would your parents let you have a job when you were supposed to be in college?" Not understanding that this was how I could pay for college.

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    #54

    "Ugh, who'd want to live here?" Driving through a lower end neighborhood with someone whom we don't associate with anymore.

    OneUnderstanding103 Report

    #55

    Not believing privilege is a real thing.

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    #56

    “Let’s call someone to get this fixed.” Is something you hear from people who had the money to pay someone else to fix whatever It was that needed to be fixed.

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    #57

    When ever a friend tells me their parents are paying for something (rent, car bills, weddings, etc) at their big age of 30+.

    Or they have a summer/ beach home to go to.

    yerrgurl24 Report

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    #58

    In Poland we call them "banany", which means "banana people", because they grew up far away from the ground. Just to name three quick shots:

    1) Eating habits. It's that simple. Them telling you what they ate. And you hearing these weird food names usually from restaurants or top-brand groceries I would never buy and eat, because they are too pricey for my liking.

    2) Their quick answers towards complicated and nuanced problems - "Just XYZ". Their lack of forethought, reflection and narrow horizons.

    3) Approach to cleaning and household chores. - "Leave that, a lady will come in the afternoon and will clean that for us". "No I won't do that - It disgusts me!"

    I was born an underdog. And I will keep this close to my heart. Despite having money now. But at the same time I will always play dumb around these people.

    _azurdix_ Report

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    #59

    "Just use your allowance."

    I would Derrick but I'm lucky I get boiled noodles covered in butter, salt, and garlic powered.

    KeesterFeester Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    4 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yum, comfort food. My go to before Chinese noodles became ubiquitous.

    #60

    Speaking from the opposite side of things: in college I was dating a girl who grew up lower income and I mentioned that we had boats growing up and she incredulously replied “boatS!? Multiple?”

    I didn’t realize my family was wealthy until college because I grew up in a bubble with other rich kids and was relatively middle class compares to some of them. My hometown is in the top 15 wealthiest towns in the country for reference.

    healthierlurker Report

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    #61

    “I’ve slept in my car!”

    I swear like 90% of these folks slept in their car one time after a concert in the 80’s and now feel like they can relate to homelessness.

    2235731 Report

    #62

    They don't eat leftovers.

    Ok-Manufacturer6287 Report

    #63

    In highschool, I instantly thought a kid came from a rich family if he had his own car.

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    #64

    “Where do you ski?”.

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    #65

    Summer camp.

    deadR0 Report

    #66

    One of the people I work for is obsessed with their chiropractor. They have a weekly appointment with them.

    More than that, if I mention having any sort of malady, they recommend I go see Dr. Soandso. Muscle cramp? Go see Dr. Soandso. Stomach ache? Dr. Soandso. Migrain? You guessed it.

    They recommended it so much I figured his appointments had to be something reasonable, in the $20-50. I mean, he's not a real doctor, so he couldn't be charging real doctor prices, right?

    $200 minimum for 30 minutes.

    MalyceAforethought Report

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    #67

    ‘Just’ you start any life or financial advice with the word ‘just’ and I know you.

    PracticableSolution Report

    #68

    “My family has a house in….”.

    Positive_Type Report

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    #69

    My stepdaughter (Christian Nationalist) was telling people she grew up poor (only child of divorced parents).

    I gently reminded her she went to private schools and was given a horse as child so she would not want to visit her Dad as it would be "weekends away from the horse".

    I grew up on food stamps in a wealthy neighborhood (thedirty Catholic family). A fellow student pushed back when I was unsure I could afford college "Why don't you just ask your parents?". Of course it "occurred" to me.

    AcanthisittaShot4232 Report

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    #70

    "Why do people still need to hunt when you can go to the grocery store?"

    Hunting fed us for the winter in my house. Venison was not a gourmet meal, it was what the freezer was full of. Losing power for a day or two was a CRISIS is my house, we'd have blankets wrapped around the freezer or put food out in the snow if it was cold enough.

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    #71

    "They brought it on themselves.".

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    #72

    Took my hun into dollar tree one time and he said, idk why they would even sell food here.

    TopNobody891 Report

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    #73

    Eating out once in a while, taking a trip somewhere once every year, having a family car on top of their daily drives, and the stress-free attitude.

    Frostty_Sherlock Report

    #74

    I grew up in USSR. One of the first things I noticed after we left the airport in America, was a green garage sale flyer on the street. I didn't understand English well enough to know what was on the flyer - I was just amazed someone just let a perfectly good piece of green paper with an entirely clean reverse side, just sit in public so anyone could take it. A free solid piece of green paper! I could make an airplane out of it! I could draw on it!

    wakigatameth Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    8 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You never see an old paper clip in USA.

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    #75

    Not cleaning up after themselves.

    This isn't something that people say, but it's their actions.

    I've noticed that people who grew up with maids rarely help to clean up or make sure they clean up where they ate, etc.

    Also, people who always need an appetizer for their meals while not finishing their main meals. In a similar vein, people who never take their leftovers home.

    redracer67 Report

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    #76

    Just having steak whenever. I was raised in a large family of a single mother and when we went to my dad and stepmoms for our every-other-weekend visit and my stepmom would ask what we wanted we would say “meat”. She would ask what kind/cut and we had no idea what that even meant.

    Now, thanks to inflation, my kids are in the same boat. We make a Costco rotisserie chicken last almost a week and red meat is nearly always ground beef and it’s rare. Still a step up from the perpetual quesadillas of my youth.

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    #77

    When they talk about all the places they've gone on vacation.

    I'm going on a vacation for the first time ever in 33 years this year.

    HuTaosTwinTails Report

    Sue User
    Community Member
    5 minutes ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I now have the means to go. I have no idea how to do it. I wish travel agencies were a thing. How do you choose a destination? Coordinate air , hotel, car ? Find things to do when you are there?

    #78

    “…my garage”
    “… my house”
    “…my pool”
    “… back yard”
    “… my (sibling) locks the door to (their) bedroom “
    “…guest bedroom/bathroom”.

    Radiant_Selection- Report

    #79

    The other day my wife and I were looking at a book on Amazon and I said let me see if I can reserve it at the library and she said I don’t want a library copy I want a new one. 

    Her dad made 400k a year as an engineer. My dad made 50k at his peak. I remember sometimes he was unemployed for months. We went through several bankruptcies. The only reason we owned a house is my dad got a bonus when he was working at HP in the 80s. It was 10k and he took that whole bonus and put it on a 70k house at 16% interest for the rest. They had to fight their whole lives to keep it. I’m 45 now and I think it’s the reason I still rent. I don’t want any of that mess.

    jtmonkey Report

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    #80

    “It cost me $X to fill up my tank.”

    I got real good at stopping the pump at $10.00.

    QuicheSmash Report

    #81

    "I have no money right now" After checking a robust savings account.

    ConsumingFire1689 Report