Grow up Broke? What did it teach you?

[Averageman]

Just an interesting perspective on what Life's lessons taught you.

[Gem1950]

A lot of people are "poor" growing up, it's a matter of being taught industry and self reliance or lethargy and dependence.

But to your point, one learns to make due with less and appreciate what one earns.

I'm afraid that the "Boomers" were the last generation to have the free enterprise/work ethos instilled in them. Younger good citizens on this site excepted of course. 😎

[k9barco]

It taught me that I didn’t need material things to be happy.

[gunnerblue]

A lot of people are "poor" growing up, it's a matter of being taught industry and self reliance or lethargy and dependence.

But to your point, one learns to make due with less and appreciate what one earns.

I'm afraid that the "Boomers" were the last generation to have the free enterprise/work ethos instilled in them. Younger good citizens on this site excepted of course. ��

Deleted

[Gem1950]

Or facts.

When one's parents lived through the Great Depression and WWII one is faced with a different set of values and experiences than those prior or post that era.

[lowprone]

When one's parents lived through the Great Depression and WWII one is faced with a different set of values and experiences than those prior or post that era.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Ain't that the truth ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[C-grunt]

I didn't grow up poor. But we weren't well off either. When I was young my father worked as a medical supply salesman. He sold everything from the blood pressure cuff machines up to CT scan machines. He made good money. Unfortunately they got bought out and he was laid off. He started his medical supply company but it failed. I remember I was about 10-12 years old at the time and him saying "nobody wants to spend a million dollars on a new machine from some guy who works out of his house".

Since then I have always tried to shop at local businesses when possible. When a good mechanic friend of mine cuts me a deal on my vehicles, I always give him a generous tip.

[Gem1950]

Deleted

Or facts.

When one's parents lived through the Great Depression and WWII one is faced with a different set of values and experiences than those prior or post that era.

[Bulletdog]

I learned all about the predator/prey relationship in my "hood".

If Dad worked a lot of overtime we could splurge and get McDonalds, but only ONE cheeseburger each. Many times I ate my Frosted Flakes with water since we couldn't afford milk, and I was happy to have Frosted Flakes. Shoes were repaired and clothes were patched. I learned the value of money, but I also learned the value of opportunities to earn money.

I learned to hustle. To look for opportunity and pounce on it. It was easy to outcompete my peers. Gen Xers. Most had little drive or initiative. Most had little sense of duty, and a poor work ethic. Making myself more valuable than them to any employer was not difficult.

I vowed that I would not live barely making it from paycheck to paycheck as my parents did, and I don't. I watched both of them work their bodies to the brink of collapse for a pittance. I resolved to live differently. I learned the value of residual income vs. and hourly one time wage. As I got older, I learned about investing and money management. Everyone wants their children to succeed and have a better life than they did. My parents succeeded.

My child is a near carbon copy of me mentally. She is not growing up poor and the differences are both obvious and interesting.

[chuckman]

My dad retired from the Marine Corps in 1975, died in 1977. My mother never had two nickels to rub together, she was horrible managing money.

She had cars repossessed, we had utilities shut off, my first pair of name brand tennis shoes was when I was in seventh grade. I think that was the only pair of tennis shoes not from Kmart until I got to maybe 10th grade. In elementary school they sold ice cream for $0.15, and we never had money for me to get ice cream.

But I ate, I had a roof over my head, and I know she did her best. What did it teach me? Life is hard, but hard times make hard men.