Do you remember being "poor"?

I'm not talking about growing up poor.

I'm talking about when you just start off in the world.

Everything was new and exciting.

Your first apartment, your first car.

Making 7-8 bucks an hour, maybe 14 bucks an hour if you had a spouse?

I do.

I remember paying my rent on time.

Making my car payment on time.

It was cool to take my daughter once a week to the Dairy Queen to get ice cream.

Going to the movies.

I remember.

Now that some of us that make 3-5 times more now than we did back in the early 90's.

Do you feel "really poor"?

I do.

reply to post by Frankenchrist


I definitely hear what you're saying ! In the eighties I was making 8.50 an hour , car payment , rent , groceries , 3 kids , wife worked part time , it wasn't always easy but we managed , now I make over 3 times as much , quit smoking , don't drink , and I'm still broke at the end of the week ?? Go figure ?

reply to post by Frankenchrist


Ha ha awesome! This is exactly where I'm at right now. It is fun to be able to make limited resources go as far as you can, maybe when you get older, this skill gets dampened or something. But remember - you don't need money to create, and you don't need money to experience the world, and you don't need much money to be happy!

There are lots of ways to have a highly enriched life experience on little cash if you don't let society's preconceived notions of how things should be run your life, and how you need sooo much money, and you start thinking outside the box. Hope that helps.

I don't remember anything but being poor.

bottom rung all the time.

And yet they say someone earning $100,000 a year is hurting.. Oh my heart bleeds!

damn fancies... screw them!!

reply to post by darkbake


You are definitely right !! The past few years my wife and I were spending far beyond our means , trips to Cuba , restaurants a few times a week , weve tightened our belts in the last 6 months , sold a few toys , got rid of cable tv and got an antenna , and started spending quality time together . It took a bit of getting used to but were much more happier now and the stress level has gone down !! Thanks for reminding me !!!!

Yes. We still aren't doing well financially. I don't care though. I don't like being in debt, but I don't need a lot of money to be happy. I feel that what we do have is more than enough.

I look back at a time in my life when I was really content, and the funny thing is it was when I had the least money and material belongings ever. I had a one room apartment with very little furniture that came with it. I worked at a fast food place and I just graduated high school. I made about $80-$90 a week, my hours varied, and my rent was, if I recall correctly, I think $300 a month utilities included. I walked everywhere. I bought groceries when I could and went to the laundromat or washed my clothes by hand if I didn't have the money. I had no phone and my dad didn't like that so they got me one and paid for it for me. I used to eat at work and felt fine. One time though, my dad and stepmom brought me some groceries out of the blue, I guess worried about me.

Anyway, I was content. I took walks all the time and spent my free time in the library or parks. I read a lot. I wish I could have a spare life again.

Yeah, I make more money now than I ever have, and am more "poor" than ever. I don't even have any payments such as car payments or credit cards like I used to.