Who here grew up poor but made it?

[Broheim]

I grew up upper middle class, I'm not done with school yet so I can't really say with any certainty where I'll end up but I'd surprised if it isn't upper middle class as well. This is how things have always been on my dad's side of the family, so I really have nothing to complain about.

 

[zanejohnson]

im poorer than my parents, does that count?

 

[Binarycow]

in America, if you're at least average mentally and have decent health and yet you're not doing decently financially then either your luck is crap or you're simply a lazy bum and dont want to apply yourself. America literally hands financial success on a silver plate to anyone and everyone and she asks for very little in return in that trade.

 

[Binarycow]

I grew up upper middle class, I'm not done with school yet so I can't really say with any certainty where I'll end up but I'd surprised if it isn't upper middle class as well. This is how things have always been on my dad's side of the family, so I really have nothing to complain about.

take advantage of that. I am doing pretty ok myself but would have loved to have parents who had been in the upper middle. that would give anyone such a great head start in life.

 

[DCal430]

I grew up poor, almost dirt poor, but not welfare poor, also not free lunch poor. So we weren't super impoverish, but still poor.

Even though we were poor we still managed to go on a vacation nearly ever year, mostly to Disneyland and/or Las Vegas, often to both. We even managed to go to Miami and Orlando one year.

Now I am about middle class, not poor, but not rich.

 

[Cpus]

I grew up poor, almost dirt poor, but not welfare poor, also not free lunch poor. So we weren't super impoverish, but still poor.

Even though we were poor we still managed to go on a vacation nearly ever year, mostly to Disneyland and/or Las Vegas, often to both. We even managed to go to Miami and Orlando one year.

Now I am about middle class, not poor, but not rich.

Even though my parents earned a shitload of money they were so fucking cheap except things for themselves. We never went on vacation( not once).

 

[DCal430]

Even though my parents earned a shitload of money they were so fucking cheap except things for themselves. We never went on vacation( not once).

My parents were the opposite, they were very cheap on them self. When it was just for them they would go cheap, but if it was for me, my siblings, or our whole family they would be willing to spend good money as they could afford.

 

[Jules]

cool story

 

[KK]

I once heard from someone, if you have god in your heart, you aren't poor. I'm going to hell broke.

 

[halik]

im poorer than my parents, does that count?

your parents probably don't spend money on drugs

 

[IronWing]

If I were rich I'd biddy-biddy-bum and I'd do so pretty much all day long.

 

[alkemyst]

my parents grew up eating just pasta and sometimes butter with it. My dad went on to become an AVP by my 5th year and then by middle school moved to a nice neighborhood then 3 years later moved way up.

I understood this my whole life. Didn't stop me from loving my $40k 1966 Mustang GT restoration car as my first ride. My dad made me to most of the labor.

 

[JJChicken]

Let's hear it. Your own definition of poor and rich.

I certainly did. Not saying that I made it yet but I'm at least not at poverty level.

My story copied over from another thread:

Great story, really uplifting

I made it, but I came from a well-to-do family, middle class all the way. I can appreciate the struggles of poorer people, but haven't faced it myself. I do try to be generous with charity to help those who have less.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I grew up poor, almost dirt poor, but not welfare poor, also not free lunch poor. So we weren't super impoverish, but still poor.

Even though we were poor we still managed to go on a vacation nearly ever year, mostly to Disneyland and/or Las Vegas, often to both. We even managed to go to Miami and Orlando one year.

Now I am about middle class, not poor, but not rich.

Is this troll?


Seriously... You were not poor. Perhaps lower middle class, but going to disneyland, vegas, etc.....

 

[SpatiallyAware]

in America, if you're at least average mentally and have decent health and yet you're not doing decently financially then either your luck is crap or you're simply a lazy bum and dont want to apply yourself. America literally hands financial success on a silver plate to anyone and everyone and she asks for very little in return in that trade.

I agree with this.

Being poor tends to mean you went to terrible schools. It is actually very easy to do well since the bar is so low, for anyone who is even remotely willing to put forth some effort. There are scholarships designed for these sort of situations that are very easy to obtain.

The difficult part for these kids is starting out in college, where even the poorly performing rich kids are better prepared than the poor A students.

 

[DCal430]

Is this troll?


Seriously... You were not poor. Perhaps lower middle class, but going to disneyland, vegas, etc.....

Considering I live in California, it wasn't very expensive to go to those places.

 

[Mixolydian]

Nah, I grew up in an upper-middle class family.

 

[Jadow]

I saw some my parent old tax forms from the early 80's, and though I didn't realize it, we didn't have a lot.

When I was 2-3 around 1981 my dad was making about 20k and my mom stayed home. She went back to work in 1985 after my sis and I were a few years old, and he kept the same job all through that time, getting raises throughout.

I never wanted for anything when I was a kid, I do vaguely remember them arguing about money in the kitchen a few times when I was young though.

One thing that helped a lot I think was that my dad built our house (nice 1600 sq foot ranch), had help from grandpa, uncle that was an electrician, etc... Never had to live as renters and has a nice stable house all throughout, which they still live in today.

We got by jut fine and their wealth steadily increased.

Now they're both in their mid 60's, both working (more to stay busy that because they have to), and are sitting on over 500k in savings an investments, not counting their house and all other assets, cars, boat, etc...

edit, I'd say I made it, my wife and I are both college educated professionals, own our house, and expecting out first child next year.

 

[RichieZ]

I'm silicon valley poor

 

[Arkitech]

Yet, as fucked up a personality you believe me to have, you'd be hard pressed to find me posting a personal attack on a member of this forum.

exactly. you only make attacks on economic classes and certain minorities

 

[Arkitech]

I grew up poor, almost dirt poor, but not welfare poor, also not free lunch poor. So we weren't super impoverish, but still poor.

Even though we were poor we still managed to go on a vacation nearly ever year, mostly to Disneyland and/or Las Vegas, often to both. We even managed to go to Miami and Orlando one year.

Now I am about middle class, not poor, but not rich.

What's your definition of dirt poor? Dirt poor people as far as I know usually need assistance just to get by. Also poor people don't go on vacation every year. In fact I don't think most poor people go on vacation ever.

 

[DCal430]

What's your definition of dirt poor? Dirt poor people as far as I know usually need assistance just to get by. Also poor people don't go on vacation every year. In fact I don't think most poor people go on vacation ever.

I wasn't dirt poor, I said almost. I know families who got to go to places like Hawaii, Mexico, Orlando, far away places almost each year. Compared to them I was poor.

 

[gorcorps]

I wasn't dirt poor, I said almost. I know families who got to go to places like Hawaii, Mexico, Orlando, far away places almost each year. Compared to them I was poor.

No you weren't

 

[dighn]

not dirt poor but certainly less affluent than normal. rented basement, had used/discarded furniture (I don't wanna know where that mattress came from), never went on a vacation etc.

we're doing pretty well now. parents paid off their house a few years ago. we got nice cars, a lot of savings and investments etc. we live below our means though. some habits die hard.

 

[lxskllr]

I wasn't dirt poor, I said almost. I know families who got to go to places like Hawaii, Mexico, Orlando, far away places almost each year. Compared to them I was poor.

I grew up solid middle class and didn't go to many fancy places. Our vacations were the beach, or the mountains. I did go to Bermuda once, and Niagra falls, but those were the exceptions. If you're going on vacations where you're staying in decent hotels, and eating good food, you aren't even approaching poor.