[Wiix]

Do you think a person fares better in their life if they were raise in a privledged home or in a poor home?

My life has seen it's ups and downs and I found that the things I learned when I was growing up, VERY poor, have served me well now in later life when things haven't been so good.

I think that people who grow up with a privledged background, when they hit the hard times they are the ones that really fall apart.

My parents didn't do well economicly until I was in my 20s. Married and out of the house. So I didn't get any of the benefits. They both grew up poor and once they were well to do they really didn't do much in the way of investing or saving. They had a good time with their new found affluence and once they passed away there really wasn't much left.

People who grow up rich, don't know how to be poor but people who grow up poor can seem to do both. BUT, roots in poverty teach us very valuable lessons, don't you think??

[SandyC]

I grew up poor and often think I could never be rich because I am too frugal in many ways. I'd probably give my money away to the needy and live in a modest home and be happy doing that.

[FranksAngel]

i grew up in a single parent home ... mom worked to shifts to make sure us girls had everything we needed and a few of the things we wanted ... to others i guess i grew up poor but to me i had food and clothing and a roof over my head ... i learned what it means to be an adult ... handle responsibilities ... very early in life ... i think i benifited from this more than those who have everything handed to them ... they are the one who are not ready for the real world ... at least the ones i knew weren't

[Riverwild]

Not having any experience in being privileged, I can respond from the poverty side of things.

I have worked since I was 11 years old. I learned how to save. I learned how to make do. I learned how to survive anything that came my way. I credit my mother with her lessons to all of us kids in how to live on little money.

I've never had a high powered, high paying job. I've always taken jobs that interested me or gave me personal satisfaction. I have tried to make sure that all my skills are inter-related so when one job ended, another began with a solid foundation, even when it was in a different field.

There were times I worked four jobs at a time. I always volunteered my time, along with working, to assist my community.

I am not afraid of the doom and gloom that the news keeps blowing at us. I am not in the group of people this is going to affect. Yes, I lost money on my 403b, and on my little stock account, but it's all paper until I retire or I need it and I don't plan on that happening for at least 20 years.

Even if I lost my job, I am SURE that I could go out and get another job tomorrow to survive. If I had no job, I could still survive. I've done it before and I can do it again, if need be. I don't live beyond my means. I don't buy impulsively. I don't spend money on new things when I can make do with the old.

I think being raised in a home that taught me how to do things without a lot of money, and with parents who boosted my self confidence and told me I could do anything I set my mind to has made a HUGE difference in my life. They sent me out into the world confident in my ability to take care of myself and my family. I have remained a positive , happy person and for that I will always be grateful to them, fully believing that it will stand me in good stead no matter what life throws at me.

[JessieSue]

My Dad grew up very poor. He said many nights they would have "coffee soup" for dinner. Just coffee with bits of stale bread thrown in. Anyway, my Dad worked for everything and has, ultimately, become a very successful contractor. Now my fiance's father had two parents that were educated and employed as teachers. Not exactly common back then, and not a rich household, but compared to my Dad being brought up on a farm with 9 other kids, they might as well have been royalty. Anyway, my FIL will complain about how he and his sister would get new winter coats every two years, but the first year they hated their coats because they were too big. My Dad never had a new winter coat. If he even was lucky enough to have a winter jacket it was a hand-me-down. Then FIL !complains about how his parents made him work part-time in the summers to help pay for the car they bought him! And you know what, the man is 60 years old and still complains about everything. I get so nauseous just listening to him! He acts like God put him on this earth to be beaten around, and yet, the man has NOTHING to complain about! He and my MIL are both retired and quite comfortable financially. They go on cruises and vacations to see their daughter down in S.C. My Dad has never complained about his past nor his present, he's grateful everyday he wakes up in the morning. Thankfully I feel now that he has instilled a very good work ethic in me, and also to see the good in my life, not all the gloom and doom. Now, my fiance, was rather lazy when I met him. He worked part-time through college and all, but he has never gone above and beyond, you know? Like I worked 2 part-time jobs (one at K-Mart where I met Dennis) and also was a full time student. I was renting my own apartment, bought and paid for a beater car and took care of maintenance etc. Dennis lived at home with his parents who bought him a lightly used Cavalier that he need only pay for the gas, in order to commute to college. Early in our relationship I used to have some resentment, but I grew, and would not have changed places with him for the world ,I realize now. He's lot different now due to different factors, becoming part of my family, becoming close to my father, his time in Iraq, my MS and becoming too disabled to work and then to even drive. He's had life experiences and things that have changed him. His Dad, however, I believe will feel like the world owes him something to his dieing day. Sorry so long, saw thread and felt the need to vent, I don't even know if any of that made sense! LOL

[Wiix]

So many good points have been raised so far in so few replies.

Growing up my needs were barely met if met at all. To me luxury was a can of Campbells Soup WITH crackers for lunch. Many times we went without heat and I'd hide away in a neigbors house just to get warm and usually I'd fall asleep then get into trouble for it. I used to HIDE a can of peas in my dresser drawer because many if not all nights I couldn't get to sleep because I was so hungry. Both my parents worked but there just wasn't enough money for the neccessities.

Once I got to the age where I could work, around 14 or so, my mother took half of whatever I made so working didn't have much reward. I am not good with money. I am a terrible consumer because I haven't had enough practice. I hate shopping. Probably because when I was married any money I spent was so scrutinized and examined that I dreaded it. Those were the only times I ever had any money at my disposal and it wasn't all that much. I hate anything to do with money now. I don't even like to think about it.

Yes, I know how to make due or most of the time do without. I am very frugal too. Even now at living at half of the nat'l povery level I take better care of MYSELF now than I ever did while married or with my parents. I have control over my existence now whereas I never did before. Someone always seemed to be hovering over me telling me everything I Couldn't have.

Every job I ever had was fraught with sexual harrassment. Very demeaning. Probably why now I'm a Hermit and a recluse.

[Kitty]

I can honestly say that growing up my parents were well off financially but us girls never got anything handed to us.

There were three of us and we each had to save and buy our own first car. My Dad explained to us how to manage our money and my parents did provide a roof over our heads and food but once we had a job (which I did at 16) we paid for our own personal items that we wanted (toiletries and makeup, clothes, etc.).

At the time I didn't think too much of it...it was just the way we did things. I did see friends get new cars at graduation and birthdays and felt envious of them. But...in the long run I appreciate the lesson my parents were trying to teach us.

I can vividly remember once when I was 18 and had a car payment due. I didn't have the total amount (it was something like $97!!) and asked my Dad if he would pay it for me. He asked why I didn't have the money. I was honest and told him I had spent too much on "stuff" (probably clothes and makeup). He went with me to the bank and I got an extension on my payment where I only had to pay the interest and the principal was tacked onto the end of the term. I can remember thinking "why don't you just pay it for me" because I knew he had it....but the lesson that taught me was engrained in my mind forever. I never wanted to have to do that again. And never did.

I wound up being my Dad's primary caregiver during the last four years of his life. And all the money that he scrimped and saved and invested was used for his care. I'm not sure what we would have done had he not been so careful all his life with his money.

He taught me the value of a dollar. And today.....I can squeeze more out of a dollar than I ever thought I could! He would have been so proud of me and my frugal lifestyle!

[Kitty]

Jessie Sue my first job was at K-Mart!! I worked there for 2 years (from age 16 - 18) and loved it!!

[SandyC]

My first job was scraping you don't even want to know off nursing home walls.

I loved that job!

[KarenMarie]

My first job was a carhop at the Flying Saucer Diner in Poughkeepsie, NY - luckily no roller skates - klutz even then - tips were pennies - thought you were lucky if a nickel was in there somewhere - my cousin met her husband of 49 years there !