I am wondering just how poor are you? Or were you? We grew up the poorest of the poor and my early years with my own children included a time when we lived in a 4 room house, with no lights or running water and 5 children under 12 years of age. We now live in a four bedroom brick and have 3 vehicles. We are heavily in debt but making it now. Which is a far cry from where we started, what is the worst and the best it ever was in your life?
[question posted by shewolf52002]
responses and comments:
I've been down and up and down and am now back to up...I was born into a family of 6 on a weekly pay of $200..We lived in a trailer...learned to entertain ourselves when the power bill didn't get paid on time...never knew just when dinner would or would not be on the table...didn't get breakfast most days...we were told to eat well at school because there was no dinner...it was tight...it would have been better with a little more love and less violence, but it was home.. I married a man who was out of work but from a middle class family..He quickly found himself is a nice job situation. We had the house, land, business, truck and car...Then we had our baby...She was very sick and required a lot of care..Hospital bills started piling up because insurance didn't cover certain things...We tried to move and start over but it wasn't possible...we lost everything... We spent 5yrs in a basement with very little heat and it never was fully finished...one time we lived there it had no kitchen, just a half bath...then the second time when we had to stay the full five years, a kitchen was added which was very nice to have a sink instead of shower for washing dishes...It was rough... We've been in a comfortable apartment for five months now...Very comfortable..Very blessed..Very happy :) [mrslisae]
... and Sid, if you don't get the Best Reply award for your post, I'll be amazed! [rjscott]
Well I was lucky to be born in a relatively rich family in my country. However it is lucky if you look at it one way, unlucky the other way. I can;t walk on the streets in my country since people are being kidnapped and murdered even if families pay ransom in my country. It has been going on for about 4 years and no one is being caught... My parents were both from poor families, my father and his 5 brothers used to sleep in the same room. They only had two rooms. My grandfather used to ride a biccle, pedalling goods door to door for huge distances each day, trying to provide for his family. After a while they saved enough money to open a small wooden shed in the local market. After many years of hard work, they opened a store and now the business has expanded to be one of the most successful businesses in our country. M father always shows me what can be achieved by hard work. Remember, never give up! Do whatever you are doing with full commitment and maybe you too will be successful like my grandfather and his sons. Thought a nice true success story would give you hope! [Tehgamer]
Yes, it does! I think in America we have forgotten that this is the way to wealth and success. You do what you have to when you have to. We have gotten used to drive throughs and instant everything so we are disappointed when prosperity is not instant. Thanks! [shewolf52002]
Pretty poor. Well let me explain. I don't work because I'm partially deaf. But my husband does work, but only 19 hours a week, and get's paid only once a month. We live in a nice mobile home, but we also have to pay rent which is about $315 a month, he only get's paid $500 per month. The rest of the money which is $185 goes on mostly bills and then the 40 or so left goes on groceries and gas for the car and bus money for my husband. How much do we shop for food. 14 bucks. This week it will be 80 on groceries because of the income tax check he got, so this time we go all out, but technically it's not always like this. If you wonder how I can afford the internet, it's paid for by my mother in law. I often wish we had more money a nicer home and more stability. It's not easy living on one meal a day. Thankfully on Fridays my mother in law takes us out to eat and on Sunday my mother takes us out to eat. [rockvixen]
Rockvixen, so sorry for your situation. Been there also...People online used to be so cruel to me..They said if I was really poor I wouldn't have a computer..My inlaws paid our internet also..The reason we had a computer was because when my husband went to pawn it, they would only give him $80...He had way more than that put into and refused to pawn..then when we opened our apartment doors and put everything up for sale, nobody would pay the $300 my husband wanted for the computer...so that is how we still had a computer and we kept our bed Mattresses and some of our clothing...People can be so cruel when they're on the outside looking in..Though times have been so tough, I am thankful to have been there..I feel extreme compassion towards good folks in bad situations...I always had a heart that cared, but I don't think you really understand until you've been there.. One thing I found to help with the one meal a day thing is rice..Its cheap, white isn't very healthy but it is filling...also when potatoes go on sale..You can make a meal out of a potato if you have an oven or microwave..When you do your groceries, try to get things you can stretch..Have cornmeal to make cornbread, flour for biscuits, rice, different types of beans...Things like that tend to be a little better for your health...Also if you have a local farmers market, quietly let them know of your situation...Mine would set aside food at the end of the day and sell it to me for nearly nothing...I'll never forget the day I got over 30 bananas for 13 cents a pound...I froze them and made delicious smoothies for weeks to come! If you run out of ideas, look me up. I lived on $15 for groceries for most of the 12 years I've been married...God Bless you~ [mrslisae]
I wasn't raised poor...quite the opposite but my parents did not cater to us. they taught us to be independent. I have been poor. I once lived in a tent with 3 small children....that was a very humbling experience. I learned to appreciate so much running water...a refrigerater ...stove...a dry bed at night. I raised 4 children on my own with child support that was never ever dependable. We learned to get by and budget and be very very creative and appreciative. Mostly we learned independence. No one in this world owes you a living and you can't count on anyone. the most you can do is very much appreciate those that do help you on your way and show them that you appreciate it. I still am considered poverty level but am so far from those days now. I work hard for and appreciate every little thing that I have. I know it does not take much to set one back to those kind of days and I am so grateful that I even have my job each day to go to. Have you considered consolidating your debts? also setting prioritys...like I have this computer now...something I could not ever have imagined back then. I do only have basic tv...17.00 per month and just to occassionally watch. I have 2nd hand furniture and a lousy stereo. I drive a used car that I paid cash for and so no car payments. I took my time picking it out and had help so I knew it would get me by at least a year and hopefully 2. I paid 600.00 for it with my income tax. I live in a 2 bdrm apt. My 2 girls have the bedrooms and I sleep on an air mattress in the living room. I store my clothes in a closet in the hall. It isn't great but it is still more room than I had in the tent and I got thru that nightmare. I t hink the more you go without the more you realize that you really can. [sid556]
At the minute I am very well off as I live at home with my parents. When I was at primary school Mum did not work and stayed at home to look after us, and Dad had to work 6 or 7 days a week! We had to sell our car too so mum walked everywhere with us and dad had to go to work on a bicycle. We always lived in a 3 bedroomed house with a bathroom, kitchen, dining room and living room and garage so we were not that poor, and we always had money for clothes,food and holidays! Now things are much better and we go ona few holidays a year. We also have 3 cars, one is mine and one is my brothers, and the other belongs to my parents. I do not have my own house yet as they are far too expensive but I really do not want to have to lower the quality of my life to try and afford it so maybe I shall stay with my parents for a while longer. [LauraT2008]
poor not to have all the things that make life worth living. [olisae]
As a child growing up I was very lucky, I was an only child and both my parents had extremely good jobs and so I never knew what it was like to go without. That all came when I foolishly left home and got myself pregnant, and then I appreciated everything my parents had done for me. I had nothing, I was on my own with my son and my parents although had not disowned me told me that I had made my bed and had to lie in it. At the worst point in my life I was feeding me and my child on beans on toast, because it is all I could afford for us. I was also working 13 hour shifts full time and I still had nothing. Now things are better, I met a wonderful man when my son was 7 years old and we married and now have 4 children, he works and I look after the children, it was hard at first we still had no money but we have now worked to the point where things are finally beginning to even out and we can afford a few more things in life, so this time is my best time out of all the years since leaving home. [gemini_rose]
well, im not poor i think we are on the line of middle class and poor, my family was poor growing up, i always had hand me downs and stuff. I will be rich one day though. My fiances boss grow up in a tent with barley anything and is now a millonare, but he still lives in a trailer and his wife says he still keeps his bath water for a few days before he will change it. GROSS, but i guess if you grow up like that then its hard even when you get money to you to change your living patterns [libertarianfreedom21]
i can't say that i am really really poor... i was raised in a medium family... we are not rich but not poor as well... we just have enough to fulfill all our basic needs, education and a bit of entertainment... that's it... my father works really hard to provide for the family... and he had done a really good job... i always respect my father and loves him because of that... now that i am already married, we are not rich as well... just enough... my hubby and i are working very hard to fulfill our needs and pay our bills plus mortgage and other loans... we barely have money leftover to save by the end of the month... basically, we live by our paychecks... but we are really thankful to God that our situation are still much better than other people and we never stop giving thanks to Him... [lingli_78]
My mother raised me up well and became a good provider even though my deceased dad is pressing down on her. My father back then was a drunk and he died when I was on fourth grade. My mom worked abroad and she made me go to private schools, the best of the best. I'm very lucky because I don't have to suffer such things during my life and i hope I would be in a good stature in the near future. [cr0ssf41r13]
I was, and am, very fortunate. I grew up in a 4-room "company" house until my dad decided that we (the family: dad, Mother, brother and me) would build our own home. That was years ago. All my family are gone now. At age 24 I had my own home constructed for $11,999, including the lot. Some years later I sold that house for $56,000 and bought another new house for $117,000. I later went on to sell that house for $149,000 and had a new one built for $159,000, including the lot. Four years ago I sold that house for $259,000 and moved to Florida where I bought another house for $278,900 which is now worth in excess of $320,000. It consists of 4 bedrooms, a massive living room, kitchen, 2 baths, a swimming pool and 2-car garageand it's located on a large corner lot. My house is paid for and the only bills I have are cable, maintenance (electric, etc), insurance and taxes. I consider myself VERY fortunate. I paid the small mortgage on my current house off on Oct. 1, 2007 and I lost my job on Oct. 16. I was poor growing up, but I was very rich in that I had a family who loved me and I loved in return. Today, I have no family, but I have an extremely close friend to whom I look to for guidance in times of need. Basically, Shewolf, I'm a very happy person. Thanks for your post, which made me realize how very fortunate I really am! I hadn't really thought about how far I've come from a 4-room company house to the luxury I live in today. Memo to self: Remember to thank God too, RJ. He played a large role in your life. (C) 2008 RJScott [rjscott]
I ran out from my parent and lived at a small house, just 3 room inside. But now I have a great job in a Power Plant. I believe God will help me to face up better future. [riosantoso]
when i was a little kid. i grew in a poor family. i eat rice with salt and water. and now i am a jobless person and im lean on to online job like now. but i was lucky enough to have a loving parents my father support me on my online job adventure hope mylot give me some post bonus here if mylot hears me. but even thought they dont well i dont have any choice but to follow points rule here. [carinio98]
How poor i am? well i was born with a family that only rents a house. im have my own family now and also still renting a house.. we dont have our own house or even land in other places. we are poor about money and other material things BUT we are rich , very rich having a strong relationships with each other and with GOd. [fajert]