2 days ago
"That Doing This Thing Is A Big Deal For Most Of Us": People Who Grew Up Poor Are Revealing The Everyday Habits They Had To Learn That Rich Kids May Never Understand
Growing up without having a lot of access to money can really impact how someone views their world. For instance, when I was younger, there were certain things I had to learn how to do on my own that my friends, who were considered middle class, had financial help with.
And I love my friends; nothing against them, we just grew up differently!
So when I saw Reddit user Donte_writes asked: "What did growing up poor teach you that rich kids will never understand?" I thought I would share some of their responses below:
1."The satisfaction of repairing something yourself. When you have no other choice, it's amazing what you can do!"
—Goddess_BeatrixFDC
"I'll add to this: buying something expensive that's broken and getting it working again. I got a MacBook Air recently for $200 that someone sold because some of the keys weren't working. Watched a tutorial on how to remove Mac key caps safely, realized they'd gummed them up eating while using the PC, cleaned them out, and now I have a 2020 MacBook that works like a dream."
—tiparium
2."The deep psychological weight of 'no.'"
—Fit-Promise262
"Nor the catharsis and ecstasy of actually getting something you wanted for a really long time. Well... I was thinking of things like games and books, but I guess rich people chase that feeling in far more unhealthy ways."
—nickchecking
3."How the butter knife is the most universal tool."
—Truestorydreams
"I feel the spoon is the most versatile utensil there is. I eat my salads with it mainly because my wife chops or slices things so small that eating a salad would otherwise take weeks with a fork. I just scoop it all up, including the dressing resting on the bottom of the bowl or plate. So easy."
—AgITGuy
"A butter knife is also a screwdriver, pry bar, straight edge, saw, scalpel, and you can whack things that need percussive maintenance. It's how you get bike tires back on the rim. Garbage disposal repair in a pinch. It's the one tool that does it all."
—TenderDiatribe
4."Your socioeconomic status can and will affect who you grow up to be."
—Super-Cod-4336
"At a job early in my career, there was a large group of us who were low-level and all had the same manager.
One woman would refuse to do the simpler tasks because they were 'below her.' Sometimes this would piss off the manager, but most of the time, the manager was impressed and 'loved the initiative.' However, this manager was the type who, if you pissed her off at the wrong time, you were fucked.
My colleagues and I were discussing whether we should do the same, but we all decided that it wasn't worth risking our jobs if we pissed off the manager on a bad day.
Then I found out that this woman was from a very wealthy and well-connected family. So she had the attitude of 'if I take this risk, it may help grow my career. And if I get fired, daddy will get me a new job.' But everyone else thought, 'Yes, taking a risk may grow my career, but it could also get me fired, and then I'm fucked. I'll play it safe.'
Guess who grew in her career?
It really showed how being rich helps."
—gouwbadgers
5."That graduating from high school or college is a big deal for most of us."
—Weekly-Inspection247
"I remember in high school, I shared with my classmates that I was excited to get my acceptance letter from my local community college. I went to a pretty wealthy school district, and the standard was to go to a university or a large college after high school.
They didn't understand that getting an acceptance letter to a community college is a big deal for someone like me who came from a family of high school dropouts who struggled later on to get their GED."
—MidwestCherry
6."The difference between 'want' and 'need.'"
—PrairieGrrl5263
7."Second-hand clothes that your mom got from a friend or coworker, that she brings home in a big trash bag. I got my best clothes from those bags."
—salvagemania
"Lol, these days, even the rich kids love second-hand clothes."
—badgyal876
8."What actual hunger is. They don't understand that kind of hunger. The one where you are hungry, but there is no food in the pantry, and no money for it. It's hunger, not by choice, and it changes you. Profoundly."
—Healthy-Sherbert-934
"Also, no such thing as I don't want leftovers again. If that's what's on the table, that's what we are eating."
—keii_aru_awesomu
9."In a pinch, you can eat cereal with no milk. Saltines with jelly were a treat."
—1969quacky
"Yes! We would have a spoonful of peanut butter as a snack."
—byfar82
10."I only ever had one pillow, and it was never replaced. I was well into adulthood before I allowed myself to purchase a second pillow. The luxury of replacing my pillows every few years and having more than one has never gotten old. There are many other things I did without as a kid that I have never gotten to the point of being 'normal,' it always feels excessive or that I am being extra to have the 'luxuries.'"
—iambringingrexslunch
11."Without money, some consequences hurt a lot more (i.e., traffic ticket, making a mistake on a purchase, missing a bill payment, etc.)."
—twoDuckNight
12."Patience. Saving a little money each week until I can buy a big item, instead of just buying it when I need it."
—MrMonkrat
13."Nothing is ever given. One year, as kids, my siblings and I had zero toys for Christmas. Our parents did their best, but it just didn't work out for us on the big day. The Boy Scouts came to our house on Christmas Eve and gave us presents as kids. I was so happy to get a low-quality basketball under the tree. It meant the world to me because somebody gave me something, and it felt like I mattered. So, this Christmas, go to a store or mall, take a tag off the tree for an angel gift, and make a kid's entire Christmas with your donation. It really does make a difference!"
—Pandemonium1x
Is there anything else you would like to add to this list if it resonated with you? If so, tell us in the comments or anonymously in the Google Form below.
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