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48 Poverty Habits That People Still Have Even Though They’re No Longer Broke
Interview
Never wasting food, using every single drop of a product, buying things when they’re on sale, price shopping, and repairing your belongings are just a few habits that everyone should adopt for the better of our wallets and the planet. However, some people have no other option but to do these things to make ends meet. And such behaviors are almost impossible to shake off, as people from this popular thread can definitely confirm.
Scroll down to find ‘poor people’ habits these adults still have from growing up in low-income families, and don’t forget to upvote those that are straight-up hacks for smart living!
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with redditor nicknamed WALLSTREETBRIDE, who started this discussion and kindly agreed to tell us more about it.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Not getting rid of things because I might need them in the future. We never had the $ for random things so we didn't get rid of things, just in case.
Little Bit 3 months ago
I've always found it difficult to let stuff go, but there have been numerous times when no sooner have I got rid of something I've needed it.
RELATED:
#2
Pushing the slip of soap onto the new bar of soap.
#3
Put good money into things that you use a LOT and don't spend money on stuff you really won't use. Only use a weed whacker once or twice a summer? Buy a cheap-ass weed whacker. Cook a lot? Buy the best pans you can afford.
Redditor nicknamed WALLSTREETBRIDE, who started this discussion in the first place, told Bored Panda that what inspired them to take this question online was a random thought they had.
"I was thinking about how much our past shapes our present, and the relationship with money is one of the strongest examples of that. I was genuinely curious to see the common threads in people's experiences."
#4
avettestingray:
Buying more groceries than I need during sales - or "food hoarding" as my husband calls it.
Tomytom99:
My dad has always done this, and I thought it just makes financial sense, mainly on shelf stable foods that you'll be using eventually anyways. Of course I picked the habit up from him.
I think I once drove my girlfriend insane by buying five packs of something to get a discount. It might have been apple sauce? It's been a while.
#5
I'm not rich, but I don't think I will ever give up using those "Tupperware" things lunch meat comes in as.. Tupperware.
Sarah Suelzle 3 months ago
I don't think there's anything wrong with that :) In fact, I think they do it on purpose. They're good containers...perfect for leftovers and lunches...also perfect for sending food home with someone...you don't have to worry about them bringing it back :)
#6
PrudentOwlet:
Waiting until something is completely unusable/broken/dead before I replace it.
People sell old stuff at yard sales and on marketplace and stuff, but that concept is foreign to me. If I'm not using it anymore, it's because it's trash and nobody else would want it anyway.
canisdirusarctos:
My wife wanted to do a garage sale and she wanted me to contribute, but it broke my brain. I had no childhood experience with such a thing. You need to have stuff you don’t need. The stuff I buy that I don’t need is stock for lean times.
Little Bit 3 months ago
When my financial situation was at its worst, I had no choice but to sell some of my possessions in order to pay a bill or buy food.
Answering their own question, the redditor said, "I constantly check my bank account. It's not about enjoying the number; it's a fear-based habit, just making sure it's all still there."
Having a few mindful spending habits themselves, the redditor agrees that money-saving behaviors can benefit everyone, not only people with low income. That said, they believe it's important to distinguish healthy frugality from a scarcity mindset.
#7
The one I've never been able to shake is having way too many blankets. I have more blankets than I'll ever need. Cause you never know when you aren't going to have heat.
Never missed a single utility bill as an adult. Never had my power off for anything other than a utility outage. But at 35, I still need atleast two blankets in every room.
Coats and hoodies too, to a lesser extent.
Little Bit 3 months ago
I'd rather snuggle under a blanket than put the heating on and I often do.
#8
I still make my lunch for work every day.
The cost every day is insane if, assume a reasonable $10/day meal... that's $50/week, $200/month, $2400 year...
But then it's backed up by saving calories and then saving time... I don't need to go anywhere, wait for them to prepare it, etc.
I still socialize and will go out with coworkers and stuff but day to day, nah.
Little Bit 3 months ago
My work colleagues look at me like I'm crazy if I have last night's leftovers for lunch or take a packed lunch. I used to work with someone who would start the day with a Starbucks or Costa Coffe which she would never finish. At lunch she went to sandwich bars, supermarkets, fast food restaurants or orderd on Just Eat and then she would take a couple of bites out of whatever she had just bought and the rest would end up in the bin. Afternoon was snack time. Again she would take a couple of bites of something and throw the rest away. Then she complained about not having any money.
#9
I rarely buy anything that is not on sale
Der Kommissar 3 months ago (edited)
Sometimes markets put stuff on sale because it is going bad. I bought some blackberries at a Sprouts once. that was my first and last visit to a Sprouts.
"For those who are well-off, habits like repairing items, reducing waste, and avoiding debt are smart for building long-term wealth and are better for the environment. It’s about being resourceful," they said.
"However, the habits born from poverty often come with a heavy dose of anxiety and trauma. So while the actions might look similar, the feeling behind them is completely different. The goal for everyone should be to practice wise financial habits from a place of security, not a place of fear."
#10
I def price shop - meaning, Im never not looking at the price - I don’t care if it’s a can of beans, let’s get the 1.19 one over the 1.79.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 3 months ago
There are some food brands I wouldn't buy just because they are cheaper. I've tried many but don't like the taste. Why buy a food cheaper if you don't like it? But I'll definitely buy the brands I like on special in quantity.
#11
Buying multiples of things and having both open. Like chips, that was a big one growing up. My mom went to the grocery store once a week so we'd get one bag of chips to last for the week for a family of 4. If we ran out, oh well, gotta wait for the next grocery trip. And it was only ever one flavor. Same for cereals, cookies, juice etc. Oh you don't like that flavor? Too bad, maybe next week will be one you like. It wasn't until a few years ago when I was at the grocery store with my husband and I saw a bag of chips I really wanted but we already had a bag in the cart and he said "well just get it." And I was like "I can just get it?" And then, I struggled with having two bags of chips open. Like I wanted one to be empty before I opened the other one, but why should I have to wait when I wanted those chips?
#12
Saving extra condiment packets from fast food places.
Rika 3 months ago
This is about having common sense: I love ketchup, I could afford to buy a big bottle from the store, but I'm the only one eating it in my household. It's best for everyone (and the planet) if I ask for a few extra packets from the fast food place rather than buying a bottle and having it go bad before I even finished half of it.
As we all know, too much of a good thing can become harmful, and redditor believes the same thing can be applied to frugal habits.
"You take it too far when you're 'penny wise and pound foolish.' For example, buying the cheapest possible shoes that hurt your feet and wear out in three months, or avoiding a $100 car maintenance that leads to a $1,000 repair down the road."
#13
I grew up having to use an outhouse. To this day, at 62 and upper middle class financially, I still check the inside of the toilet paper roll for spiders.
Still eat biscuits and gravy too
#14
Adding water to the last bit of the hand soap bottle and shaking. Unlimited soap glitch
#15
Stuffing my glove compartment with those brown napkins
MotherofGuineaPigs 3 months ago
That's all that is in the console in my car, except my work badge.
Lastly, the redditor wanted to leave our readers with a kind reminder.
"Anyone who is still struggling financially, know that things can get better. And for those who have made it to a more stable place but are still fighting those mental battles, be kind to yourself. It takes time to unlearn a lifetime of scarcity."
#16
Growing up with food insecurity I definitely have a need to always have extra food in the house. Always extra canned, frozen, dried food products and baking supplies. Just in case there is a zombie apocalypse and I want to make some poundcake.
#17
Clean plate syndrome... Always eat everything on the plate and never throw food away
Little Bit 3 months ago
Today's leftovers is tomorrow's lunch. I always do this because I was brought up not to be wasteful, nor can I afford to be. I got mad at my daughter a few weeks ago because she threw away a perfectly good sandwich which I could have had for my own lunch if only she said she didn't want it.
#18
Nothing feels as good as having an emergency fund. Impulse buys and instant gratification purchases just chip away at my peace of mind. Nothing is worth that.
#19
crownapplecutie:
My dad was a depression baby (1936), he hoards napkins and sugar packets anytime we go out to eat
LawOfSmallerNumbers:
My mother is a depression baby (1931). Oklahoma.
She lives in the suburbs and has a fridge/freezer in the kitchen, and standalone fridge and separate freezer in the basement. We were pretty glad when she got rid of the mini-fridge in the TV room, and the chest freezer in the garage. The latter had the remains of steaks and organ meat from a side of beef purchased years ago. Kept it just in case.
Lee Gilliland 3 months ago
I still wash plastic bowls that are intended to be one use and reuse them. There's too much plastic waste as is.
#20
C*****g open the lotion, shampoo, or soap bottles to get the last bits out of the bottom. The pump bottles leave a lot in the bottoms.
BrownEyedGrrl 3 months ago
I hate pump bottles for shampoo. I can rarely get them to work right.
#21
dharmattan:
Fear of spending money.
WhisperingHope44:
The amount of times I stress over a purchase… like I used to have to make sure whatever I bought was worth every penny… now I have the resources to buy what I need without hesitating, most of the time, and yet I’ll make my self sick with anxiety over if I should buy the item or if I’m buying the right one.
Little Bit 3 months ago
If I were to win millions on the lottery I would be too scared to spend any of it for fear of being left with no money again. Day to day I make every last penny count and only ever spend if it is absolutely necessary.
#22
I still eat like I'm poor. Beans, rice, pasta, potatoes. Meat is a flavoring, not a main course.
The other issue that comes to light (now that I'm moving from a 2-bedroom apartment to a 1-bedroom apartment) is hoarding things. Growing up, the few things I did have were hard-won and if anything happened to them, they'd never get replaced. Therefore, if I get ahold of anything I feel like I must hang onto it or I'll never have it again.
I'm getting better about it, but while getting rid of stuff, some choices are easy, some are not.
#25
I hoard sh*t like “I can afford it now but maybe not tomorrow, so I’ll buy a f**k ton of it now and then I won’t have to worry about it later”. It’s stupid but I can’t let it go
#26
Emptying a can of tomatoes and lightly rising/soaking jar to get that lil extra bit out
#27
Throwing away food, even if it’s a little past its expiration date. Starving is such a horrible thing. I hated eating “crumb soup” and fantasizing over food on the television.
Yrral Spavit 3 months ago
It is appalling the amount of food people waste. Did not not grow up short of food but have spent time in parts of the world where people were literally starving in the streets. Definitely makes an impression on you.
#28
Never throwing anything away until it’s completely empty or unusable. I had a phone for 8 years c*****d screen and never got another unit it broke.
#29
Buying the store brand version of pretty much every food I purchase.
Michael P (Perthaussieguy) 3 months ago
I don't mind the 'Black & Gold' (IGA brand) cornflakes at less than half Kelloggs price, but I hate the taste of their baked beans. Only Heinz for me. So, it varies.
#30
I still can't bring myself to waste money on purely decorative things. If it doesn't have a practical use, I can't spend money on it. My apartment has 0 wall decorations due to this mental block.
Rika 3 months ago
I have no decorations in my apartment, but I still wouldn't have any even if I had a billion in my bank account. I just see no point in buying stuff when its only use is gonna be wasting space and gathering dust (or waking me up in the middle of the night when one of those wall decorations decides to end itself.)
#31
Don’t leave lights on. Water running. Knowing the cheapest gas station close to you. My husband never knows the cheapest gas station. He says “you have to get gas no matter what, who notices the prices?”
Zig Zag Wanderer 3 months ago
I ALWAYS find the cheapest fuel. My tank is 150 litres, so it makes a significant difference.
#32
Mentally calculating the total when grocery shopping. Most of the time I'm accurate within a couple dollars. And checking my bank account total before checking out.
#33
My poverty habit is feeling as though I'm broke regardless of how much money is in the bank. Number two is getting analysis paralysis over just about any purchase over $100.00.
#34
Using every drop of water in a glass. Water has dust in it? I need to find a plant I can pour it into
#36
My sister and I still like to go “shopping” where we walk around for a few hours picking everything we want and then at the end we don’t get anything and just go home. The joys of shopping without spending the money
Jan Rosier 3 months ago
'window licking' in other words. Wife and I (59m) like that too some times, especially in unfamiliar cities.
#37
Not seeing the opportunities and possibilities that a half-decent income has already enabled. Kind of getting used to making do with what you have when in reality, you can now afford things that bring you extra joy.
Example: I was dying to get an electric guitar as a teenager. I was passionate about guitars and memorized tons of riffs. But we couldn't afford one, let alone classes for learning to play.
Fast forward 20 years, I finally realize that thanks to my income, a guitar, amp and classes were now well within my budget, and had been for the past 10 if not 15 years already. I had literally held on to the image of guitar playing being inaccessible, then realized I can march into a store right now and buy one (or three) if I want to.
Bob Brooce 3 months ago
Do you have any idea how many successful, and rich, musicians started with a really cheap guitar? Bryan Adams says he bought his first real six-string att he five and dime. FWIW, I also know of a friend of a friend who found an old guitar in desperate need of some TLC at a garage sale and paid about $150 for it (albeit back in the '80s). It was a late 50s Les Paul that some guy's kid had played for a week and then put it in the attic.
#39
Picking up pennies from the sidewalk.
Little Bit 3 months ago
The trouble is now that we're becoming cashless, finding a penny is becoming a rarity.
#40
Fixing everything. If it stops working, I'll pull it apart and fix/rig it up. I'm kind of known for it but if I can't fix it, I take it to my Dad, if he can't fix it, I cannibalise it and keep any parts that might come in handy later.
Little Bit 3 months ago
This was the norm when i was growing up. It is a crying shame what gets thrown away just because it needs a replacement part. I hate our wasteful throwaway world.
#41
Still hesitate to spend on anything that feels “non-essential,” even if it’s something that could save time or improve quality of life. That mindset helped me stretch every resource while building my digital projects but now I’m learning that investing in ease isn’t wasteful, it’s smart.
Old habits die slow, but growth is real.
#42
Not wasting food. I grew up food insecure and wasting food was a cardinal sin.
Thrifting clothes. I know what brands look good on me and fit me properly as I've got a difficult figure (hourglass, busty, no bum) so I go to Poshmark, Depop, Mercari, ThredUp. Why spend $200 on a blazer when I get can get it used for $50? Obviously I buy new underwear and socks, things like that...but I thrift damn near everything else because even though I can afford to buy things brand new, why would I when I can score them for pennies on the dollar? Let someone else spend the cash up front. My kids have picked up this habit too, and they love telling their friends how much they saved on a skirt or a top by buying on Depop instead of in the store.
In the same vein, buying makeup on ebay. Buying perfume and name brand makeup/haircare(translation: expensive) on fragrancenet.com rather than full price at Sephora or whatever. Why would I pay full price for Bumble & Bumble or Verb when I can get it cheaper?
Dupes of perfume if I don't want to pay for them on fragrancenet.com. MIIM.MIIC, Dossier, Fine'ry and others have great dupes for very expensive fragrances like Baccarat Rouge, Phlur, Le Labo, and others.
Turning off the water when brushing teeth, not flushing over night if I have to pee (old habits die hard, I'm originally from Southern California and even though I'm now on the east coast and have a well so I don't pay for water other than the electricity for the well pump, I still don't waste water).
Adding water to laundry detergent, shampoo, and dishwasher soap (the sink kind) to stretch them.
Smashing together the soap sliver + new bar of soap so I don't waste soap.
Reusing Ziplock bags for the same things (like cheese).
Price shopping and buying the cheaper thing. Beans for X amount or X-10% amount. Store brands versus name brand.
Checking my bank account daily or near-daily. This came in handy the day someone got access to our bank accounts and tried draining us of $8000 in a single blow.
Shopping for things like insurance every 6-12 months. Amazing how much you can save by switching.
Calling up my TV and internet providers and threatening to leave to get discounts.
Picking up to-go food instead of paying exorbitant prices for DoorDash to have it delivered.
MotherofGuineaPigs 3 months ago
80% of my wardrobe is from Poshmark. Especially purses, have gotten pricey ones that will last for years at really good prices.
#44
At this very moment, I am at a salon and came for a haircut. I wanted to get highlights since more than a year and still assumed it's too costly for my short layered bob cut. While cutting my hair, the hairdresser said, if you want to go for highlights, I won't charge you for the haircut. Now, I can pay for both the services, but the relief I felt is that this high-end salon is giving one service for free. After reading the comments, I cried a little while wearing the foils and everything inna room full of strangers. And decided to share my experience. Hugs to all poor grown children who has enough to pay for stuff they want now.
#45
I moved so much that I have trouble hanging things on walls. I can't bring myself to put a nail in the wall because my brain goes "not worth it - we're just going to have to patch it when we move soon".
Fire Singer 3 months ago
My husband has this insecurity too, so I've taken to using removable hangers like command strips and stuff. Then I can hang things and he's happy I didn't put a hole in the wall. :)
#46
I almost never had enough money to buy something for myself, so I would keep a list of things I wanted and would periodically re-evaluate its order. Things I want the most were at the top of the list. Things that turned out to be impulse buys I don't really want anymore, I'd take off the list. I still do that.
I base my meal decisions on a $2.50 a night budget. If I can stretch a dinner to enough nights to get the total cost to make it down to $2.50 a night, I'll make it.
I will not heat my house until sweaters are no longer enough, and I have all the registers closed in every room I don't use so I don't waste heat. Cooking in the winter is nice because I can leave the oven door open afterwards (after turning it off) so the heat warms up the room.
#47
While no longer going to garage sales as we don’t need anything, I am still very careful to rotate the same few garments so most are still nearly new. The idea was from my youth to not need to buy a lot every year. Now comfortably retired, I have more clothes than I will live long enough to need to buy more. I do now throw away anything showing wear, damage, or strains and feel guilty when putting the mending in the trash.
When my turn to cook, a casserole of pasta, meat, and sauce were the go to for stretching food dollars when a child so I still make those. At the grocery store I really don’t pay much attention to prices. We are in our old age for which we saved for decades. Brand name Fritos! Big containers of delux nuts with no peanuts!
#48
My wife grew up borderline malnourished at time and even though that was 15 years ago, she still hoards food despite having more than ample savings.
#49
Buying things for myself that aren't strictly necessary. I'm getting better, but I used to look at all purchases from a purely utilitarian standpoint.
#50
Passing up free food. I can have just eaten lunch at work and if free food suddenly shows up I have such a hard time turning it down.
#51
My Mom grew up poor and always rips the dryer static sheets in half. Has my whole life. Let's just say I was not raised poor, and we could afford Bounce sheets.
#52
Paper towels are expensive and only to be used for extremely messy messes or spills on the floor (my mom is a frugal germophobe)
#53
Price anchoring. I know what the lowest prices are for things (on sale), and can't bring myself to pay full-price for them, even though it would be no hardship at all for me to do so.
#54
I keep detailed inventory of exactly how much food and consumable supplies I have and when I'm likely to run out, and start to panic when it gets down to less than three weeks. And I almost never buy perishable food except for necessary milk and dairy - whatever I have may need to last me a month or more.
Geoffrey Scott 3 months ago
Since we live 25 miles from a big grocer, when I worked (now retired) we would go 2x month. We still keep a list of stuff we are out/nearly out of.
#55
Spending too much money.
Now that I’m well off I buy things I dreamt of when I was younger. I just bought a 20 acre ranch with a river on it and I’m about to do some crazy shit out there.
#57
I put used parchment paper in the freezer so I can reuse it. It works great for nachos.
#58
I'm solidly lower middle class now and grew up with both my parents having never graduated high school(USA) but I never stopped the mentality I had when I was in the working world and pushing myself through my first degree in college(that sounds privileged, I am aware, but I paid my own way and worked my ass off).
I'm a fantastic cook, have a taste for plain water, and my entertainment is very cheap. My only "binge" spending is in books... and they're mostly textbooks for my career. I enjoy it though.
Geoffrey Scott 3 months ago
My Doc and my wife gets after me for not drinking plain water. I drink cold tea as my beverage, costs about $5 for 24 gallons.
#59
I buy cans of whole olives and slice them if I want sliced olives. Because my family stressed that sliced olives weren’t worth the extra 50¢-$1 and that it could be used elsewhere.
#60
I have never had food delivered. I rarely go out to eat. I have a couple of nice outfits to wear when going anywhere, but at home, I wear cheap, raggedly clothes.
#61
I still live like I was in college. If it wasn’t for my wife I’d still wear old hand me down clothes and flavored ground beef mixed with rice and sauce for meals (I still eat this). Very hard for me to spend money on essentials to this day. A $30 meal or shirt, although the other one is trashed literally hurts me.
Multa Nocte 3 months ago
"If it wasn’t for my wife I’d still wear old hand me down clothes and flavored ground beef mixed with rice and sauce". She's taught him not to wear food - that's a good thing.
#62
Manager special meats. I’m retired so I can go early in the day and get them before the crowds.
#63
Evaluating every purchase based on price and quality. A friend says I can afford to buy what I want, but unless something is broken, I’m not going to buy another. And every week, I buy extra food in case there’s a pandemic. Strangely, I buy more food than any rich person will because of growing up poor.
#64
For me it was not wanting to live like my parents, especially my father. But I still have a fondness for white trash cooking.
#65
Using everything until it breaks, still have an iphone x.
#66
My wife can't shake buying the cheapest possible item, price first, value second (if ever). She still can't seem to figure out that we make enough that we can actually buy a quality item that's not necessarily the name brand, but has more value than the cheapest option.
#67
Store brand everything. I used to do it because I HAD to...now I just do it to feel like I'm giving even the smallest middle finger to the fuckin greedy corporations that think they can suck us dry with fuckin $7 Doritos and $1.99 for a fuckin 16oz bottle of Coke at the checkout. I'm probably delusional since the mega conglomerates probably make the store brand stuff too, but it FEELS good to watch those fucks make a few less dollars.
#68
Not me, but my husband still puts water in the bathroom hand soap when it’s almost empty to make it last longer. Like sir, we can afford $2 for more hand soap. Drives me crazy when I go to pump the soap and a bunch of what is essentially just water shoots out.
#69
I don't pay for intangible "experiences"
Zig Zag Wanderer 3 months ago
Experiences are what I spend most money on in retirement. Stuff property, experiences rock!
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Nils Skirnir 3 months ago
Most all of these are good habits and good preparation for what’s sure to be coming. The decline of an empire, like the US, is never pretty. Neither is stagflation. Live simply, save stuff, and be happy.
Patricia Steward 3 months ago
Yeah, well, most of us will probably be darn near broke if things continue as they are, so keep on doing that stuff.
Faelwolf 3 months ago
We had Schrodinger's butter tub. Could be butter, could be leftovers, you don't know until you open it. :)
Philly Bob 3 months ago (edited)
My Mom used to save those "Shedd's Spread" containers. Vile stuff!
Load More Replies... Nils Skirnir 3 months ago
Most all of these are good habits and good preparation for what’s sure to be coming. The decline of an empire, like the US, is never pretty. Neither is stagflation. Live simply, save stuff, and be happy.
Patricia Steward 3 months ago
Yeah, well, most of us will probably be darn near broke if things continue as they are, so keep on doing that stuff.
Faelwolf 3 months ago
We had Schrodinger's butter tub. Could be butter, could be leftovers, you don't know until you open it. :)
Philly Bob 3 months ago (edited)
My Mom used to save those "Shedd's Spread" containers. Vile stuff!
Load More Replies... You May Like 40 Companies That Deserve A “Corporate Darwin Award” For Destroying Their Businesses Employee Denied Time Off After Covering A Crisis All Weekend: “The Stupidest Person Alive”
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