From Hand-Me Downs to Eating Expired Food
Growing up poor was a struggle that only those who have experienced it will understand. If you weren't constantly collecting free samples, you were jumping at sales to snag discounted items. Those habits probably still persist even now, even if you're living better on a high-paying salary. Think you can relate? Here are 20 things you'll likely only understand if you grew up poor.
1. Hoarding Food
Growing up without many options on the table has conditioned you to hoard food now whenever it's available for cheap. Your fridge, freezer, and cupboards are likely bursting at the seams because you keep shoving more discounted grocery items in them. Worse of all, half of those items are likely expired as well.
José Antonio Otegui Auzmendi on Pexels
2. Stitching Up Clothes Over & Over
You'll never understand why your friends throw out their clothes just because of a few holes. After all, can't they just stitch them back up? You, on the other hand, will wear the same clothes, shoes, and accessories until they're completely worn out and unusable.
PublicDomainPictures on Pixabay
3. Hesitate Spending Money
Whether it's a bigger purchase, like a brand new laptop, or non-essential grocery items, like full-priced snacks, you hesitate to spend money. You can't justify it in your mind—unless, of course, the said item was on sale and it was a really good deal. Otherwise, you'll probably just pass it.
4. Having More Hand-Me-Downs Than Your Own Stuff
Your closet and drawers growing up were filled to the brim with hand-me-downs: clothes your parents wore, shoes and backpacks and jackets your siblings had. Only maybe 10% of all those items were actually yours and specifically bought for you. You didn't mind, though; you likely took advantage of all these second-hand items until you finally had enough money to buy your own.
Maude Frédérique Lavoie on Unsplash
5. Using the Same Pair of Sneakers Until You Grew Out
If you did have your own pair of sneakers (and not second-hand), you were wearing them until they were completely worn out. Frayed laces, holes in the sole, seams coming apart? That didn't matter; as long as they were still wearable, you could look past those minor inconveniences.
6. You Know How to Budget Well
Growing up with little to no money has not only shaped the way you spend money, but also how you understand your finances. You have a strict budget every month that you've calculated down to the penny, and you know how to stick within the limits.
7. You Hate Owing People Money
Whether it's $2 for a pack of gummies or $20 for a meal, you hate having others cover for you. You do your best to pay them back immediately, or if you can't, you keep a mental (and even physical) note of it until you're free from that IOU.
8. You're Always on the Lookout for Free Stuff
Free samples, anyone? Yes, of course. You're not passing up on anything that's offered for free. It doesn't even matter if it's a skincare cream you don't need or a perfume vial you don't wear—what matters is that it's given out at no cost, and you're taking full advantage of that.
9. You Pounce at Sales
Discounted items aren't as rewarding as free items, of course, but you're still jumping at the word "sale" every time you see it pop up. Heck, you probably don't even ever buy things at their full, original price. If you don't have a promotion code to enter at checkout that will save you at least 10% off, you're skipping it.
10. Always Eating at Home
Eating out at restaurants was a luxury. Food is expensive, after all, and it's even more so when others are cooking it for you. So, you opt to eat at home. Groceries might be costly, sure, but you know how to budget, cook, and portion.
11. Summer Was the Worst
You were freezing in the winter if you grew up without central heating (or a heater at all), but it was way worse in the summer. In scorching temperatures, you were without air conditioning and likely only relied on portable fans, which did nearly next to nothing to soothe the heat.
12. Having to Miss Field Trips
Never mind essential back-to-school supplies—you often had to miss field trips as a kid because your parents didn't have enough money to pay for the fees. That meant you were always missing out on experiences, while your classmates and friends were out having the time of their lives.
13. Collecting Recyclables
You did everything to earn a couple few bucks or quick change. Whether it was collecting recyclable cans and containers or reselling your old clothes and belongings on online marketplaces, your mind was focused on how you could best make more money.
14. Never Having Lived in a Whole House
Growing up, you've likely never lived in a house that was entirely your own. You probably mostly stayed in rented apartments or lived in someone's basement. Whenever you got to play at a friend's house, you were always amazed by how they had the whole place to themselves, and not to mention their own room.
15. Eating Expired Foods
You know the difference between "expiry date" and "best before," and you take good advantage of it. If it smells okay and passes the taste test, you're digging in without thinking twice. After all, you're used to buying near-expiring items for cheap, so your stomach has been trained since you were young.
16. Never Traveled Abroad
You might be able to afford trips out of town or across the Pacific now, but there was always an awkward silence when people asked you about your "favorite out-of-country vacation" when you were young. You didn't get to experience the rest of the world outside your city until... well, maybe now, really.
17. Combined Birthday & Christmas Gifts
While your friends were bragging about what new toys and gadgets they got for their birthday and, later, Christmas, you were fiddling with a hand-me-down item or small present that was both your birthday and holiday gift. You were envious of others, sure, but you understood, and you were used to it.
Kira auf der Heide on Unsplash
18. Diluting Soap with Water
Whether it was hand soap or dish detergent, you likely balk at the fact that everyone else doesn't dilute it with water before using. What a waste! You don't need the full concentration, and you could extend its use if you just mixed a little bit of it with water.
19. Sensitive to Things Left On
When you see others leave their taps, lights, and electronics on, you wince. You grew up having to save electricity and not being wasteful, so you make sure to always switch off the lights before you leave a room, and you time how long you've kept the fridge door open.
20. Can't Stand Food Waste
You absolutely cannot stand food waste. You will finish a plate of food even if you're full, and if you can, you'll bring leftovers home. For dinner sometimes, you'll just piece together all the bites and eats you couldn't finish previously. What you won't do, however, is toss them out.
