Growing up poor or disadvantaged can create a unique point of view on how we value the material things we have. Many things we were taught as children by our parents, who may have grown up poor as well, tend to stay with us for the rest of our lives. That said, it also may have taught many of us how to be resourceful and creative in finding ways to make ends meet and may have a deep appreciation for the value of money and hard work.
Buying Cheap Clothing
If you grew up poor, you probably never bought new clothes or ever paid full price. Today, this is a savvy way of buying clothes that could save you a ton of money. “Never buying clothing at full price. It just feels illegal.”
Replacing Items
“Never replacing anything unless there’s absolutely no way to use the old thing anymore, and going to absurd lengths to keep something “still usable.”
Hoarding
“Odd hoarding behaviors of things you probably should have gotten rid of out of fear you won’t be able to replace them easily.” The fear of letting something go that might be of valuable probably came from growing up with limited resources and the fear of not having something.
Cheap Meals
“Scanning the menu for the cheapest options possible when at a restaurant. “It’s ok, the soup is really enough for me.” If you’ve immediately scanned the menu for the cheapest item you probably had some financial limitations growing up, but today this is a great way to live within your means while eating out.
Recycling
“Difficulty throwing things away.”
“This plastic bag only has two small holes. It can still carry things larger than the holes!”
Expensive Appliances
“Still being marveled by an ice maker and side-by-side doors. I grew up thinking people with ice and water on their refrigerators were millionaires!”
Housing
“Realizing I wanted to have the house that all my kids’ friends came over to hang out at because that wasn’t really an option for big chunks of my childhood.”
Experiences
“Lack of exposure to cultural events. Missing out on experiences others may take for granted, such as attending concerts, traveling, or participating in extracurricular activities.”
Price Of Gas
“My personal favorite is all my friends asking me, “What do you mean you’ve never been there? It’s only an hour away!” Even traveling short distances was too much money.”
Travel
“Traveling – I went on 2 out of state trips my entire childhood.” Not everyone grew up with the privilege of traveling. Traveling costs money, so skipping that trip might be needed sometimes to save on expenses.
Expensive Hobbies
“In college, a rich friend once incredulously asked me, “What do you mean you’ve never been skiing??” like she couldn’t comprehend such a thing. Skiing is expensive, y’all.”
Summer Camp
“Never going to summer camps when 99% of the other kids do. Lots of very lonely summers.”
Class Trips
“I didn’t go on the 8th-grade field trip to Washington, D.C., because we couldn’t afford it. I told everyone it was because we had lived there for a year, so I had seen it already.”
Finishing Your Food
“Will eat all the food on their plate, even after feeling full, because they can’t waste food.”
No Cable
“I wasn’t in the know with all the cool Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon shows.”
Needs VS Wants
“My boot got stuck in the mud on a hike once and when I pulled it out, the boot ripped right in half. My wife immediately said, “It’s okay, we can just buy a new pair,” My brain was like… “I mean…… I don’t know if I NEED them….” with my ripped half boot.”
Shoes
“I have ”poverty toes.” We didn’t have much money growing up, so shoes were worn until they died, regardless of fit. My toes are curled with prominent knuckles from scrunched into too-small shoes.”
Too Expensive
“My parents always said, “No, that’s too expensive” to most of the things I asked for until I was probably 14, and by then, I was unwilling to ask for things or would apologize profusely every time I did ask for something. Now I debate for months before buying anything over $100, but I will buy several things that cost $5-10, on impulse, over a week.”
Always Reuse
“One day, my girlfriend asked me why I was washing Ziploc bags. I told her so we could reuse them later. Only after the following discussion and some thinking did I realize it was not very normal.”
Water Trick
“I didn’t come from money, and I still do the “add water to stuff” trick because it bugs me that there’s still shampoo in the bottle, and it’s just going to get wet on my head anyway.”
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Victoria Cornell helps women adopt a positive mindset even when the struggles of motherhood feel overwhelming. Victoria writes for multiple media outlets where she writes about, saving money, retirement, ways to reduce stress with mindset, manifesting, goal planning, productivity, and more.
Check out more of her articles: https://muckrack.com/victoria-cornell/
Victoria Cornell helps women adopt a positive mindset even when the struggles of motherhood feel overwhelming. Victoria writes for multiple media outlets where she writes about, saving money, retirement, ways to reduce stress with mindset, manifesting, goal planning, productivity, and more.
Check out more of her articles: https://muckrack.com/victoria-cornell/
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