Buy new things just to have the latest versions, continue to have children while living in an impoverished crime ridden area, owning pets, get payday loans with high interest, run up credit cards/make minimum payments.
Not having a plan and repeatedly doing things which delays/prevents them from ever getting ahead in life.
Back to school shopping during the sales will be your clothes for the whole year, take good care of them or else your mom will be furious. If you really want something ask near the 15th or the 1st, carpooling with people everywhere, summer camp at the rec center.
Keep using the mostly broken thing because it’s not completely broken–like it still works if you jiggle it or hold it a certain way–so you can’t justify spending the money for a new one.
I dated the daughter of an executive in the 2000s, whose family’s stray monthly credit card bill–paid in the 25-day grace–looked like my W-2. Her parents had never heard of such a thing.
Spending a windfall like a tax refund on a high-dollar item like a big television or gaming console. Because it’s the only opportunity you ever get to level-up and feel good about something for a change.
Buying new cars or phones or apple watches when the price is too high for their means. I’ve met people who don’t have money financing phones or apple watches. You don’t need the newest phones these days.
I’m not rich, but I’m rich compared to some of the poor people I know. And their grocery store habits astound me. I’ve run into poor friends at the store and seen their carts loaded up with expensive, unhealthy, pre-packaged junk food. Meanwhile, I’m buying *ingredients*, because it’s healthier, *and* cheaper. I can’t afford to eat like the poor people I know.
Being poor is so expensive. The stress of constantly just managing wears you out. People who aren’t rich want the same things for their kids that the wealthy want for them.
Be sensible rational human beings but own so many clothes.. They just can’t really understand how that often happens on a very low budget when a person is behaving rationally and so they dismiss it as irrational behaviour.
After reading some of the comments I feel extremely bad for being born lucky and for having a good paying job. I wish poverty on no one as it sounds like hell
Growing up lower middle class, mom worked 2 jobs to put a roof over our head. Food wasn’t scarce, but 2nds weren’t on the table so to speak. As an adult with my own money, I eat in excess and make sure my fridge, freezer and pantry are fully stocked first, and everything else comes 2nd.
Planning ahead on if you can afford that nice meal or item you’ve wanted for a while and even putting food back because it’s a little over budget. Wanting quantity over quality when it comes to your money being spent.
Budget planning and mapping monthly expenditure via spreadsheet or a budgeting book. Every month. Even when your situation starts to improve. The trauma of trying to make things stretch never leaves you. Never.
Caring about their children. You may be rich and frustrated becuse your children have problems but you dont have to worry that your kids will see you suffer or that they will not be able to eat.
When poor people buy a lobster instead of paying down their medical bill. Rich people be like, “i don’t like that. It’s so irresponsible”
They don’t understand how it feels to have a lobster in front of you when no amount of money is gonna pay off those bills…
Live paycheck to paycheck. Live hand to mouth. They will never understand what it’s like wondering how they’ll feed their kids or how they’ll make Christmas good for their children knowing the other kids in their school will get everything they ask for.
Comments
Turning grocery shopping into a game of “what can I remove from my cart to stay under $20?
Feeling guilty for eating something “nice” even if you saved up for it.
Pay taxes
Deciding between barely surviving and death. I hope they all see hell.
Skip a meal
Spending on cigarettes and lottery tickets.
Going to sleep when hungry
Wear hand me down clothing.
Stressing over bills.
look at food that’s possibly gone bad and have to decide if they can afford to toss it
Vote against their own interests
Buy new things just to have the latest versions, continue to have children while living in an impoverished crime ridden area, owning pets, get payday loans with high interest, run up credit cards/make minimum payments.
Not having a plan and repeatedly doing things which delays/prevents them from ever getting ahead in life.
Back to school shopping during the sales will be your clothes for the whole year, take good care of them or else your mom will be furious. If you really want something ask near the 15th or the 1st, carpooling with people everywhere, summer camp at the rec center.
Caring about people’s wellbeing other than their own.
Work
Keep going despite not making enough to survive on.
Buy lottery tickets
Giving things to other poor people even when you have so little
How rewarding it is to achieve something in a world set up for you to fall short
Keep using the mostly broken thing because it’s not completely broken–like it still works if you jiggle it or hold it a certain way–so you can’t justify spending the money for a new one.
Going to the grocery store for a date and treating ourself to a rotisserie chicken to eat when we get home because even fast food is to expensive.
Considering price when grocery shopping instead of just tossing whatever you want in the cart.
Or are we talking about the really rich? In that case, shopping for groceries at all.
Save plastic grocery bags
Reheat leftovers for lunch/diner.
Knowing the exact day and time when meat gets discounted at the store, like some kind of broke-person insider trading.
Payday loans
Spend more money fixing a car than the car is worth
Checking prices on things they want to buy.
How they don’t just pull up their bootstraps and go out and not be poor.
Food insecurity
Trying to fix something instead of replacing it, even if it’s something cheap like $20 walmart sneakers.
Carefully choose where and when we can go out to celebrate an occasion, so we will be able to pay the bill.
deciding if to buy something or better not
Leaving the oven door open after baking to help heat the house.
Share
Starve.
Have empathy
Getting a tax refund.
I dated the daughter of an executive in the 2000s, whose family’s stray monthly credit card bill–paid in the 25-day grace–looked like my W-2. Her parents had never heard of such a thing.
Spending a windfall like a tax refund on a high-dollar item like a big television or gaming console. Because it’s the only opportunity you ever get to level-up and feel good about something for a change.
Be scared everyday where your next meal is from, or where you will sleep, or if you can pay your bills, or feed your kids.
Fuck the goddamn rich.
Buy off brand Mr Noodles
Buying new cars or phones or apple watches when the price is too high for their means. I’ve met people who don’t have money financing phones or apple watches. You don’t need the newest phones these days.
Praying that your major house systems and appliances keep working while you save the arm and leg it costs to fix/repair/replace.
Same with the car
Cash in their spare change
Hesitate seeking medical care because you can’t afford to pay for it.
How it feels to live your life, with no meaning or control
And with nowhere left to go
Being (genuinely) scared of the rain, or any extreme type of weather
Waste money on lottery tickets
Buying a crap load of junk food and groceries the first of the month
Not understanding compounding interest
Trying something risky because you have nothing to loose.
Exist
Dance, and drink and screw, .. cos there’s nothing else to do.
Count change
Minimum Payments
Buying junk food.
I’m not rich, but I’m rich compared to some of the poor people I know. And their grocery store habits astound me. I’ve run into poor friends at the store and seen their carts loaded up with expensive, unhealthy, pre-packaged junk food. Meanwhile, I’m buying *ingredients*, because it’s healthier, *and* cheaper. I can’t afford to eat like the poor people I know.
Have a bunch of kids they can’t afford.
Work at a job where they might get dirty .
Save bags upon bags, any bag, all bags
Thoughts of how you could use your body to make money.
Keeping our eyes down looking for coins. Especially in the morning outside bars/clubs 😁
Payday loans.
Not having maids, servants, personal shoppers etc
Resulting in them not even knowing literally what it’s like to go into the same stories we rely on
Working for a living…
Rest peacefully at night knowing that our loved ones actually love us for who we are.
Going out of your way to pick up empty soda cans to try to sell
Giving financial advice
Work
Add up the shopping on the way around the supermarket.
Their own work
Rob Peter to pay Paul. If your family was really poor, you understand this expression.
Struggle
Struggle.
Going hungry
Shop for groceries.
In Europe having no choice but to shop a discount places like Aldi, Lidl. Better off people go there to, but they don’t have to.
Dancing under the rain
Price of groceries
Being poor is so expensive. The stress of constantly just managing wears you out. People who aren’t rich want the same things for their kids that the wealthy want for them.
Burning plastic for heat
Be sensible rational human beings but own so many clothes.. They just can’t really understand how that often happens on a very low budget when a person is behaving rationally and so they dismiss it as irrational behaviour.
“Can you tell me what my tab is up to?”
survive
Help someone, especially a stranger, unconditionally
After reading some of the comments I feel extremely bad for being born lucky and for having a good paying job. I wish poverty on no one as it sounds like hell
Save everything. Don’t throw out that splash of milk! Rinse out the shampoo bottle and make sure you use every last drop!
Using the public transport.
Save money 😂
Struggling to fulfill kids needs
Be poor
Choosing to give your children the best food, while choosing to not eat or eat the worst part of the meal. (That’s what my parents did for me)
… odors because of hair and house cleaning products. The odors are pungent.
The smell test because you have limited clothing options.
Growing up lower middle class, mom worked 2 jobs to put a roof over our head. Food wasn’t scarce, but 2nds weren’t on the table so to speak. As an adult with my own money, I eat in excess and make sure my fridge, freezer and pantry are fully stocked first, and everything else comes 2nd.
Planning ahead on if you can afford that nice meal or item you’ve wanted for a while and even putting food back because it’s a little over budget. Wanting quantity over quality when it comes to your money being spent.
Mentally calculating what the cost of their groceries will be as they’re shopping
Add up the price of the shopping in my head as I go round so I’m not embarrassed at the till.
Live paycheck to paycheck.
Darn socks.
The act of sharing with somebody who has less than me, and NOT WANTING something in return!
Buying a 16 oz jar of peanut butter even though the 40 oz jar costs less per ounce
Budget planning and mapping monthly expenditure via spreadsheet or a budgeting book. Every month. Even when your situation starts to improve. The trauma of trying to make things stretch never leaves you. Never.
Struggle daily ,and stress about every dime.
Not figuring out how to make more money.
Caring about their children. You may be rich and frustrated becuse your children have problems but you dont have to worry that your kids will see you suffer or that they will not be able to eat.
Budgeting. Using coupons. Waiting for sales and discounts.
Using whatever you have in your kitchen to make some bizarre meal.
Holding on to shoes and clothes until they are not wearable anymore.
Angle your old socks on your feet so the toes don’t poke out
Have lots of babies. Sex is free, enjoyable, and unlimited.
Clean up after themselves.
That’s where the term filthy rich comes from.
Not base your vote on abstract policies, safe in the knowledge that you’ll be OK whatever happens.
Cutting open toothpaste and other bottles to get the last bit out instead of buying more😂
go hungry
Eating leftover food.
buying carrots in one shop and potatoes in another.
When poor people buy a lobster instead of paying down their medical bill. Rich people be like, “i don’t like that. It’s so irresponsible”
They don’t understand how it feels to have a lobster in front of you when no amount of money is gonna pay off those bills…
I’ll just refer you to the 1995 Pulp song, Common People…
Struggle.
Using junk mail as scrap paper.
Live paycheck to paycheck. Live hand to mouth. They will never understand what it’s like wondering how they’ll feed their kids or how they’ll make Christmas good for their children knowing the other kids in their school will get everything they ask for.
Chores around the house
Debating whether it’s worth the gas money to go to a cheaper store, only to realize the math doesn’t math.
Clipping a physical coupon to use at the store.
Everything