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What were your "wow we're poor" or "wow we are well off" moments when you were a kid?

For me there were a few things that made it plainly obvious we were struggling financially top ones would probably be.

- When my mum had to work Christmas eve and Christmas day when we were kids because she couldn't afford not to take the shifts.

-When my packed lunches were bread and butter (before they started offering us free school lunches).

-Most of my clothes were second hand or hand me downs, own clothes days at school were just a recipe for bullying.

-When a pack of biscuits or crisps was a major treat

- the look of confusion and pity on friends faces when they asked me what I got for Christmas or birthdays, that one was probably one the worst.

-hearing my mum cry at night on the phone about money, that's when I realised mainly and stopped asking for things.

-never using the heating

Despite all that I had a great childhood my mum always took great care of us and despite being poor we hardly ever felt it as children.
(edited 9 years ago)

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I didn't actually realise I was well off until I was 16 and started mixing with people from different backgrounds and realised not everyone had what I had
Reply 2
Avatar for Reue
Reue
20
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
I didn't actually realise I was well off until I was 16 and started mixing with people from different backgrounds and realised not everyone had what I had


Pretty much this. My family wernt rich by a long way.. but we never went cold or hungry.
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
I didn't actually realise I was well off until I was 16 and started mixing with people from different backgrounds and realised not everyone had what I had


That's fair enough :smile: did you go to a public school?
Original post by SophieSmall
That's fair enough :smile: did you go to a public school?


I went to a state school but in an affluent area so everyone was pretty much the same, and we had a few millionaires. So obviously I just felt "normal" compared to everyone, as I seemed to be bang in the middle. Some mean chavs did call me posh though :lol: But yeah most people were well off so it wasn't really obvious
Original post by Reue
Pretty much this. My family wernt rich by a long way.. but we never went cold or hungry.

Yeah, I dunno whether we'd be classed as "rich" or not, a few of my friends think we are but to me it seems normal. I guess "normal" is what you're used to
Reply 6
Avatar for Reue
Reue
20
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
Yeah, I dunno whether we'd be classed as "rich" or not, a few of my friends think we are but to me it seems normal. I guess "normal" is what you're used to


We lived on the edge of a council estate and drove around in 2nd hand cars. Far from rich :wink:

My parents did retire though when they were 49 and went to live in the south of France.. so maybe they just hid their money :biggrin:
Reply 7
Avatar for ldsbabe
ldsbabe
15
That's such a good question!

I just always knew that we didn't have money, ever since I can remember, so there was no lightblub moment for me.
I never had new clothes like my friends did, I didn't have the latest toys like they did, we didn't have money for electric at times and my mum used to borrow money as much as she could to buy food for us. We never had a car and our house wasn't as nice as other peoples and I didnt like to invite people round...that's a big one. I look back and feel sorry for the younger me. They were not nice or easy times.
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
I went to a state school but in an affluent area so everyone was pretty much the same, and we had a few millionaires. So obviously I just felt "normal" compared to everyone, as I seemed to be bang in the middle. Some mean chavs did call me posh though :lol: But yeah most people were well off so it wasn't really obvious



Oooft millionaire classmates ey? :tongue:

I didn't (and still don't) live in the greatest of areas, and despite probably being one of the lowest income children at school I'd still sometimes be ridiculed for being "posh" but they weren't talking about wealth it was because I spoke properly and didn't have the local accent :lol:
Reply 9
Avatar for Leftee
Leftee
12
Hiding when the milkman came for his money was an indication that something was up, financially. :holmes:
Original post by ldsbabe
That's such a good question!

I just always knew that we didn't have money, ever since I can remember, so there was no lightblub moment for me.
I never had new clothes like my friends did, I didn't have the latest toys like they did, we didn't have money for electric at times and my mum used to borrow money as much as she could to buy food for us. We never had a car and our house wasn't as nice as other peoples and I didnt like to invite people round...that's a big one. I look back and feel sorry for the younger me. They were not nice or easy times.



Ah yes I'd forgotten that one, if I played with friends after school it was always at their house because I was embarrassed of mine when I was younger. I don't really care now though because bullying isn't an issue now I don't attend school, plus anyone to judge would immediately be out of my friendship book :tongue:
Original post by Reue
We lived on the edge of a council estate and drove around in 2nd hand cars. Far from rich :wink:

My parents did retire though when they were 49 and went to live in the south of France.. so maybe they just hid their money :biggrin:


Hahaha :tongue: I think we're probably richer than a lot of people, I mean I've always had ridiculously extravagant gifts and never gone without. But like I said, it seems normal. That's not to say I'm not appreciative though.
Original post by Reue
We lived on the edge of a council estate and drove around in 2nd hand cars. Far from rich :wink:

My parents did retire though when they were 49 and went to live in the south of France.. so maybe they just hid their money :biggrin:


Oooh south of France that sounds lovely :smile: always wanted to go to France
Original post by SophieSmall
Oooft millionaire classmates ey? :tongue:

I didn't (and still don't) live in the greatest of areas, and despite probably being one of the lowest income children at school I'd still sometimes be ridiculed for being "posh" but they weren't talking about wealth it was because I spoke properly and didn't have the local accent :lol:


Yeah but most of them were ***** :tongue: My ex was a millionaire and he was so spoilt, a right little ****.

Yeah I've found that...if you speak decently regardless of background you're mocked. It's like why
Original post by Leftee
Hiding when the milkman came for his money was an indication that something was up, financially. :holmes:


Ahh bad times, I remember one year on my birthday the milkman left a bottle of orange juice along with the milk and I was super happy because I thought the milkman knew my birthday and it was a real treat :') i was a bit stupid.
Original post by SophieSmall
Ah yes I'd forgotten that one, if I played with friends after school it was always at their house because I was embarrassed of mine when I was younger. I don't really care now though because bullying isn't an issue now I don't attend school, plus anyone to judge would immediately be out of my friendship book :tongue:



I don't know if you find this (or will find this), but when I finished my a-levels and started working in recruitment I would over compensate HUGELY. Like I would spent £1000 on a handbag and buy louboutins every month like it was going out of fashion. I felt and sometimes still feel like I can never ever have anyone mistake me for being a poor person again. It's sad :frown:
(edited 9 years ago)
Original post by Tyrion_Lannister
Yeah but most of them were ***** :tongue: My ex was a millionaire and he was so spoilt, a right little ****.

Yeah I've found that...if you speak decently regardless of background you're mocked. It's like why


I don't mind at all how much money anyone has, my ex was quite well off but it's when they're arsey about it and spoilt that's what annoys me. Just seems distasteful, I don't think my boyfriend ever even thought about the value of money until he realised how shocked I was he was wearing jeans worth £300 and I bought my clothes off eBay. I think the look on both of our faces was probably priceless :lol:

Yeah I really don't understand why it's "uncool" to speak properly.
I remember the sad day we had to sell our Mercedes. :frown: Thankfully we kept the other car but it's so much less hassle having 2 cars.

Oh and we actually had to use the NHS a few times. :afraid:
That's when it became clear we were falling on hard times.
Original post by ldsbabe
I don't know if you find this (or will find this), but when I finished my a-levels and started working in recruitment I would over compensate HUGELY. Like I would spent £1000 on a handbag and buy louboutins every month like it was out of fashion. I felt and sometimes still feel like I can never ever have anyone mistake me for being a poor person again. It's sad :frown:


No not really, I still buy a lot of my clothes of eBay and if I buy new it will always be in the sale. Though I am kind of still poor but student finance is quite high and so it's the first time I've ever really tasted money, but I give a lot of it to my mum to help her out. She insists she will pay me back every time but I know she can't.

I know it's sad but you shouldn't be ashamed of where you came from :smile:
Original post by tengentoppa
I remember the sad day we had to sell our Mercedes. :frown: Thankfully we kept the other car but it's so much less hassle having 2 cars.

Oh and we actually had to use the NHS a few times. :afraid:
That's when it became clear we were falling on hard times.


Phaha such poverty, many poor. wow.

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