[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Growing up poor (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 11/1/2013 6:15:30 PM EDT
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I was flipping through some old photos, and I kind of chuckled at how creative we got growing up.
can't afford a swimming pool? No problem. 
can't afford a swingset? No problem. 
Can't afford rain coats? no problem. 
The more time that passes, the more I realize... I was rich in all the ways that matter. |
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Growing up poor sucked. My brothers and I grew apart. They are still Suffering today, although
I managed to do ok. I did have great times with friends. Cheap booze and borrowed cloths. Lots of Hard rock and heavy metal music. A few close calls and the occasional girl. I did OK. You look like you had fun especially riding the horse. I grew up in a city, it was caotic and fun at the Same time. |
| I can't say I ever grew up poor but I didn't grow up rich either. I guess my dad was the "black sheep" of the family and he did everything he had to do to make sure my mom and me were comfortable while I was growing up and he retired at 55 from being a FF his whole life. His brothers and sister are wealthy and he didn't want to go into business, he wanted to put his life before others and I'm proud to say that. |
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Quoted:
I was flipping through some old photos, and I kind of chuckled at how creative we got growing up. can't afford a swimming pool? No problem. https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1452121_384111591722531_599772191_n.jpg can't afford a swingset? No problem. https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1424435_384111725055851_321574465_n.jpg Can't afford rain coats? no problem. https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/1392052_384112368389120_520122213_n.jpg The more time that passes, the more I realize... I was rich in all the ways that matter. 
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I know how you feel. No matter what, Grandpa always found a way to provide for his favorite grandson. http://i42.tinypic.com/2ed61yv.jpg 
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Wealth is not measured in things.
I saw a lot of smiles there. I saw family, and I saw love. I hope my son grows up as wealthy as you were in all the ways that truly matter. But there is just too many open spaces in those pictures for this swamp rat to be comfortable.
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We would cut holes in garbage bags to make rain coats, the grilled cheese was made with the iron and the only soap in the house was (Dawn) dish soap. It does great with stains and you don't need nearly as much as you think. What I miss the most was picking apples for some to make the years worth of apple butter.
The best thing about growing up poor is not feeling defeated when the scratch runs thin. Money doesn't make you, you make money. |
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Did you ever do bread bags in your boots during winter to keep your socks dry? That was a classic around here. The more I think about the stuff we did like that when I was a kid the more I realize that we were poor too. Grocery bags. Same difference. I grew up poor, and am still trying to shake that mindset. 
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Quoted: Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich.  I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself.
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| Great pics, reminds me of being a kid. We did the breadsack thing in the winters here and took our cheese sandwiches to school in them as well (not the same ones). It makes me think about all of the things I take for granted these days. I realized at a pretty young age we were poor and I was pretty embarrassed by it alot of the time. |
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Yeah, actually it does. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Quoted:
Quoted:
Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. 
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Quoted:
Did you ever do bread bags in your boots during winter to keep your socks dry? That was a classic around here. The more I think about the stuff we did like that when I was a kid the more I realize that we were poor too. Yep. I think a lot of things my parents did were learned from my grandparent's generation who lived through the depression. Whether you could afford it or not, you didn't buy what you could make or make do. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. You know exactly what I mean.
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Quoted:
Yeah, actually it does. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Quoted:
Quoted:
Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. We weren't that poor, but I know my parents had it tough. Then when my wife and I got our house we were broke again, paycheck to paycheck. She works hard at her job though and now makes pretty good money, and I am at a point in my life were I make in one day what used to take me one week. We waited to have a kid and I will make sure that kid always has not just what she needs to get by, but to thrive. And if that means buying 15 pairs of rubber boots so she doesn't have to wear breadbags on her feet then so be it. |
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Quoted: Yeah, actually it does. Quoted: Quoted: Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Spot on. |
| I grew up poor on a ranch in West Tx and remember going to the grocery store for a turkey raffle on thanksgiving because we could not afford one out right.. I look up to my father for being a successful businessman from a poor rancher boy. Him and my grandfather are in my opinion the American dream... I am working my hardest to give my family the same! There is nothing shameful of hand me downs! |
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What is that face for? You know exactly what I mean. Quoted:
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Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. You know exactly what I mean. I guess I don't. The only part about being poor that's shameful, IMO, is the kind of poor that's sitting on your ass taking handouts. |
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Yeah, actually it does. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Quoted:
Quoted:
Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Ranger I understand where you're coming from. My dad build his first house & I built my first house. The only difference was mine had indoor plumbing. My Dad was proud of my accomplishments 
Xmonger I love you pics and think you are going places in life
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Quoted: I guess I don't. The only part about being poor that's shameful, IMO, is the kind of poor that's sitting on your ass taking handouts. Quoted: You know exactly what I mean. I guess I don't. The only part about being poor that's shameful, IMO, is the kind of poor that's sitting on your ass taking handouts. If I don't make enough to keep my family fed, clothed, and clothiered in a fashion accustomed to their peers... I fail. When I fail, I should be ashamed of myself. |
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Quoted:
Yeah, actually it does. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Quoted:
Quoted:
Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. I conditionally disagree with that last part about "if you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself". Sometimes things are out of your control and just happen. If you are doing everything possible to better yourself then there is no shame. Being poor in of itself is not shameful. Just my opinion. |
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Quoted: That is the right brain, left brain crap that makes y'all pretty. Quoted: Quoted: You know exactly what I mean. I guess I don't. The only part about being poor that's shameful, IMO, is the kind of poor that's sitting on your ass taking handouts. If I don't make enough to keep my family fed, clothed, and clothiered in a fashion accustomed to their peers... I fail. When I fail, I should be ashamed of myself. |
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That is the right brain, left brain crap that makes y'all pretty. If I don't make enough to keep my family fed, clothed, and clothiered in a fashion accustomed to their peers... I fail. When I fail, I should be ashamed of myself. Quoted:
Quoted: You know exactly what I mean.
I guess I don't. The only part about being poor that's shameful, IMO, is the kind of poor that's sitting on your ass taking handouts. If I don't make enough to keep my family fed, clothed, and clothiered in a fashion accustomed to their peers... I fail. When I fail, I should be ashamed of myself. Well, to be fair, you posted this in a thread with pictures of children making do with what they have. I also just really disagree that a certain lifestyle needs to be achieved or there is failure. If a man makes enough to provide for his family's needs and some of their wants then he's doing his job. We've actually been having discussions around here recently of purposefully taking a pay cut in order to get out of a high stress job that he feels is taking too much out of him and away from us. I know the kids would rather take more family camping trips over whatever the latest and greatest things their friends are wearing. |
| We grew up "new rich". In my early life, we inherited a bunch of land from older members of our family, along with what little money we had left after the inheritance tax. I grew up running a chainsaw and burning brush and riverbanks. In the summer I mowed yards and did manual labor, storing up money for the school year when I couldn't work. Not much has changed since I entered college. Hopefully this mechanical engineering degree will make things easier one of these days. |
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Ya beat me to that one! |
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We grew up "new rich". In my early life, we inherited a bunch of land from older members of our family, along with what little money we had left after the inheritance tax. I grew up running a chainsaw and burning brush and riverbanks. In the summer I mowed yards and did manual labor, storing up money for the school year when I couldn't work. Not much has changed since I entered college. Hopefully this mechanical engineering degree will make things easier one of these days. 1%er 
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Yeah, actually it does. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. Quoted:
Quoted:
Good stuff! Money doesn't make you rich. I grew up dirt poor, and bought the first "new" clothes that I wore out of my own earnings at 16yo. Anyone who thinks that there is some nobility in being poor is both a fool and a liar. Fuck being poor... it is a dirty path that we all must take on the way to being richer than we once were. Being poor is shameful. If you are poor you should be ashamed of yourself. I think the point (the thing that went over your head) is that money doesn't make happiness, nor is it a necessity for everything. This is a thread about people having made do with what they had in difficult situations. Not about people trying to glamorize being poor. No one here is suggesting that you should just remain poor and lack ambition. Using your logic, I should be ashamed because, despite being a man who does all that he can to provide for his family, I am not rich and therefor am less of a man and person than say, Michael Bloomberg is. Surely that's not what you meant, is it? |
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i knew i was dirt poor when i was in second grade... it sucked and i hated it...
sammaches made with cheese that came from a block... it wasnt velveta... it was dry and hard bread bags that turned my sneakers into boots having to wash the trashcan because we didnt have trash bags unplugging the fridge in the winter and keeping all the food in the garage... milk and stuff in glass jars was kept on the back porch or when it was really windy it got moved to the bathtub 
walking a borrowed lawn mower back and forth across town and asking people along the way if they would pay me to mow their lawns and then giving the money to my folks so we could go food shopping splitting wood all summer with an axe because the handle on the maul broke i was thrilled when i turned 15 1/2 and got my licence because then i got to save all the money i earned so i could buy my own car and get a "real" job so i could afford to pay for gas, insurance, parts the broke, wiring harnesses that caught fire and a oil pan that i could put under my $400 car so i could catch the oil that dripped out and then dump it back into the car...
fuck i hated being poor... my folks nonstop fighting and drinking then divorce made it so i hated being at home... thank god i could get my chores done and be gone before they got home from work... then i could hide out in my buddy kennys room while he ate dinner but he would always bring me a handful of whatever so i could get some dinner... goddamnit i hated being poor |
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Quoted: Well, to be fair, you posted this in a thread with pictures of children making do with what they have. I also just really disagree that a certain lifestyle needs to be achieved or there is failure. If a man makes enough to provide for his family's needs and some of their wants then he's doing his job. We've actually been having discussions around here recently of purposefully taking a pay cut in order to get out of a high stress job that he feels is taking too much out of him and away from us. I know the kids would rather take more family camping trips over whatever the latest and greatest things their friends are wearing. Quoted: That is the right brain, left brain crap that makes y'all pretty. If I don't make enough to keep my family fed, clothed, and clothiered in a fashion accustomed to their peers... I fail. When I fail, I should be ashamed of myself. Well, to be fair, you posted this in a thread with pictures of children making do with what they have. I also just really disagree that a certain lifestyle needs to be achieved or there is failure. If a man makes enough to provide for his family's needs and some of their wants then he's doing his job. We've actually been having discussions around here recently of purposefully taking a pay cut in order to get out of a high stress job that he feels is taking too much out of him and away from us. I know the kids would rather take more family camping trips over whatever the latest and greatest things their friends are wearing. I don't expect that you have paid attention to who I am, nor what I have done. I made stupid money for a few years, and was stupid. I did get us ahead, but most of it went to private schools and dinner out. I also made shitty investments. We went from rich to "uh... you have to take lunch today or the electricty will be cut off. " I know both ends of this rainbow.
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