Anyone grow up poor and are now well off?
- Thread starter Nealand Liquor
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Same here.
Divorce sucks. Single mom + 4 kids sucks harder.
We kinda scrape on by, but only our oldest sibling has moved out of the house, and even then he does it with roommates.
It's usually only myself and my mom who actually buy food for the kitchen, though the others frequently go out to eat. Probably a waste of money, that. Oh, well.
Mortgage is almost paid off at least, so once that's over things should be more comfortable.
……forgetit
Member
I wish neogaf had a like button just for posts like this, but instead I'll post a gif.
IchigoSharingan
Member
good thing i said decent job!
then i guess i don't understand the philosophical aspect of money either, admittedly!
I'm poor, and reading these posts I can't help but infer that everyone here had to latch onto some sense of moral superiority that prevented them from developing empathy. for those like themselves.
I'm sure now that I've said this everyone will be quick to detail their paltry gestures of meaninglessness that theoretically contribute to those suffering in some way, aka some local charity, food club, etc.
Regardless, it just bothers me how those who've suffered now justify their apathy.
I'm convinced that I will never succeed as I care too much about those suffering to deny them time,care, and food when they're hungry.
Until I die, I believe firmly that I don't deserve anything more than a dying person lying homeless in the cold streets.
Yeah, my family didn't had much money at the beginning, we kept renting houses but after my parents separated I knew true poverty, I lived for years in one of these:
All that changed when I started working as a programmer after high school and now I have my own house and enough to make a decent living. I hope to get more money though.
All that changed when I started working as a programmer after high school and now I have my own house and enough to make a decent living. I hope to get more money though.
IchigoSharingan
Member
it's overly simplistic, probably. but it's the mindset i have when going after better jobs and opportunities. it makes it easier to compete and remain focused on my goals. makes a world of difference. i KNOW much of it is hard to do but if i let that get to my mindset, it'll obstruct me.
You need to define your terms here. What do you consider to be a "decent job"?
I have what I would consider to be a "good job" and i can't even come close to putting 34% away.
Otakumegane
Member
My grandpa in South Korea lived during the aftermath of Japan colonialism and post Korean War.
South Korea was one of the most poorest countries in the world, even poorer than Somalia. With so very little to eat, he stole food from stores, killed a chicken with his brother from a farm down the street and a bunch of fucked up things, all the while studying to be a doctor. His dad died and his mother was busy taking care of the family, so the only income he had was his grandma working in the fish market.
He was dirt poor and married my Grandmother, who went to Vietnam as a nurse (Koreans would go in exchange for U.S AID). Afterwards he became a dentist. It wasn't until my mother was born and entered highschool that he started really succeeding and became of of the best dentists in the country. My uncle followed up on this and became the best thyroid surgeon.
Now he's quite well off, has a great place and is respected a lot in his community and teaches other doctors from time to time. He retired a couple years ago. My mom says he still cries from time to time remembering the hell he had to go through.
I see him as an example of what lengths Korea went through to perform the economic miracle from one of the poorest nations into 13th in GDP in a mere 50 years.
South Korea was one of the most poorest countries in the world, even poorer than Somalia. With so very little to eat, he stole food from stores, killed a chicken with his brother from a farm down the street and a bunch of fucked up things, all the while studying to be a doctor. His dad died and his mother was busy taking care of the family, so the only income he had was his grandma working in the fish market.
He was dirt poor and married my Grandmother, who went to Vietnam as a nurse (Koreans would go in exchange for U.S AID). Afterwards he became a dentist. It wasn't until my mother was born and entered highschool that he started really succeeding and became of of the best dentists in the country. My uncle followed up on this and became the best thyroid surgeon.
Now he's quite well off, has a great place and is respected a lot in his community and teaches other doctors from time to time. He retired a couple years ago. My mom says he still cries from time to time remembering the hell he had to go through.
I see him as an example of what lengths Korea went through to perform the economic miracle from one of the poorest nations into 13th in GDP in a mere 50 years.
……forgetit
Member
Did you grow up poor or middle class? Good luck getting a better job when you can't afford nice clothes to wear to interviews, already work 3 jobs and have kids.
smoothj
Member
I grew up pretty damn poor living in Mexico. Just my mom, brother and I. We used to have to got to my grandmas house to make phonecalls. When it rained we'd have to leave our house because it would flood. Good memories but bad times.
Now I work in a great paying IT job and my brother just graduated from Berkeley and my mom from UCSD!
Not too shabby.
Now I work in a great paying IT job and my brother just graduated from Berkeley and my mom from UCSD!
Not too shabby.
IchigoSharingan
Member
Any 40 hr job that allows you to save upwards of $800+ a month after monthly expenditures, assuming you have average local expenses with few luxuries. I'm not going to pin state average rent because certain counties create outliers.
does >damn< poor count? if so, throw me in there.
I made the transition a couple months ago. The stuff I want is pretty cheap relative to my salary so I am saving over 50% of my income. Other yuppies I know complain about bills in small talk and I don't understand. It's said that purchases increase as income increases, and mine have, but I'm nowhere near just breaking even.
I'm paralyzed by choice when I go grocery shopping. Before, I would go for the best $/calorie ratio, but now I have to figure out what I actually want! I was staring at a wall of bread while on the phone with a friend and I got him to pick one. Some things are easier - I used to buy a pack of hotdogs for $1 and now I buy two ribeyes for $10. Juice and fruit is always in my fridge. In the future I'll probably learn to eat nutritionally. I eat at restaurants on my lunch breaks, which is a big boost to my QOL and happiness.
I have the luxury of being more generous. so I give some of it away when I can. I always give to street beggars if I have cash and I'm not in a hurry. I might do that less often because I got spooked yesterday when beggars tried to upsell me. A couple of friends have told me about things they were saving up to buy. They weren't very expensive so I just paid for them right there. Sending money home is on the agenda.
The only thing I can see breaking my budget in the forseeable future is if I decide to pour money into personal game development projects. I took a break from my longterm project when I started looking for work and haven't returned since because my free time is limited. I just started work on a game of much smaller scale and maybe I can complete that.
I'm paralyzed by choice when I go grocery shopping. Before, I would go for the best $/calorie ratio, but now I have to figure out what I actually want! I was staring at a wall of bread while on the phone with a friend and I got him to pick one. Some things are easier - I used to buy a pack of hotdogs for $1 and now I buy two ribeyes for $10. Juice and fruit is always in my fridge. In the future I'll probably learn to eat nutritionally. I eat at restaurants on my lunch breaks, which is a big boost to my QOL and happiness.
I have the luxury of being more generous. so I give some of it away when I can. I always give to street beggars if I have cash and I'm not in a hurry. I might do that less often because I got spooked yesterday when beggars tried to upsell me. A couple of friends have told me about things they were saving up to buy. They weren't very expensive so I just paid for them right there. Sending money home is on the agenda.
The only thing I can see breaking my budget in the forseeable future is if I decide to pour money into personal game development projects. I took a break from my longterm project when I started looking for work and haven't returned since because my free time is limited. I just started work on a game of much smaller scale and maybe I can complete that.
……forgetit
Member
Not sure what you mean by "damn" poor lol.
Good luck mate, wish you all the very best
OT: well I can't say I grew up poor. I had some rough periods in life when it comes to money as a kid but compared to some of my friends, it really wasn't bad at all. My family was middle/upper-middle class family in my country. But my dad definitely did grow up poor. His family didn't do much to help his education either so he did manual labor in the fields while going to school when he was very young. And by manual labor I mean really really hard work (for example one of the things he did was helping cutting trees in the mountains and dragging the timber all the way down by using ropes). But he eventually got to a point in life where he became a senior manager at a large government agency in the Country, nice big house, three children (all of whom studied abroad) and an overall stable life. So he is one of my biggest inspirations in life. Usually when I'm in the dumps I always try and remind myself the struggles he went through. He wanted to give his children a better life than he had..and I want to do the same
Ok, so going by your numbers, $800 is about 1/3 of the monthly salary of a "decent job." That means you take home $29,000 after taxes.
That leaves $1600/month to split between rent/mortgage, car payment, bills, food, and medical care (assuming you don't have employer-provided health insurance). Also keep in mind that many people in our generation have tens of thousands of dollars of student loans to pay down. It also ignores car repairs, house repairs, and unexpected medical bills.
I live in Oklahoma (one of the cheapest places to live in the US) and that strikes me as unrealistic.
Grew up in civil war, then later in a refugee camp. Now i am doing well and can afford most things i want, i am incredibly cheap still and try to save money any way i can
Sometimes i think that something good came out of all that, seeing so many people on happy pills, no motivation, lack of discipline and ever present "what am i suppose to do with my life?" For me during the war and living in that camp it was just survival and finding joy in the smallest of things, and while much has changed, that has not, i still find joy in the small things and dont burden myself with most worries other people have.
Sometimes i think that something good came out of all that, seeing so many people on happy pills, no motivation, lack of discipline and ever present "what am i suppose to do with my life?" For me during the war and living in that camp it was just survival and finding joy in the smallest of things, and while much has changed, that has not, i still find joy in the small things and dont burden myself with most worries other people have.
godhandiscen
There are millions of whiny 5-year olds on Earth, and I AM THEIR KING.
Excellent post man.
Winterfang
Banned
Yeah, my family didn't had much money at the beginning, we kept renting houses but after my parents separated I knew true poverty, I lived for years in one of these:
All that changed when I started working as a programmer after high school and now I have my own house and enough to make a decent living. I hope to get more money though.
What kind of house is that? It looks pretty big
Corronchilejano
Member
I wasn't born poor. On the contrary, if I were to tell the story of someone that grew up in absolute poverty and made it to have his own house, lots of money and a nice family, that would've been my father. The problem is what happened after he achieved all of it.
Long story short, when I was 10 my father took a mortage on the house we lived in to invest in a company he owned. The problem was, a few months later he left my mother for his secretary (one of the many women he had in his life, while married). He took the mortage because he wanted to leave my mother in the street and for us to go live with him, of course, we didn't take any of that and stayed with her. Then through the corrupt justice system here, he payed the family judge to exhonerate him of giving any money to my mother, and thus, to us. We had to sell the house on the cheap because my mother had no job, and so she sold everything she had to give us an education.
A few years later, when I was on my 20s, money definetly ran out, and I was unable to finish college since I was the only one not studying in the capital. We all decided to move to the capital itself (we had our house in the coast), and my mother sold the small apartment she bought when we sold the house to see if my brother and sister could finish college with that money. From living in a huge two story house in one of the best neighborhoods, we passed to live in a very small apartment in a very poor neighborhood, all four of us. We had no chairs, tables, internet, TV and would only get water every other day. We had a 7 year old computer which we used as entertainment, ate weiners and rice for every meal and had to walk hours to get to college. This was the lowest point in our entire lives, but we stayed together and remember those years fondly, just because we never felt alone.
That was eight years ago. Today, my brother and sister finished college and each own their own house. I'm having a bit of trouble, but at least the apartment we live in has everything we'd ever need to live, and even though I do not hold a degree I work in a software company, which is all I ever wanted. In a few years I'll probably finish my studies and also be able to get my own place (which is really, REALLY hard here in Bogota right now).
I can't say I was born into poverty, but my father did everything in his power to leave us in the street. I am still amazed we made it through though. I still remember a time not so long ago when people avoided me on the street because I looked terrible, with ragged, dirty old clothes, and hair unwashed for many days. It definetly changed my view on what the social safety net means and what its supposed to achieve, since never did we have any sort of help from the goverment (that does not exist here in Colombia). We were lucky because we all ended up working in a call center for bilinguals, but what about all the people out there that don't speak english? I was one random step away from being homeless for the rest of my life.
Long story short, when I was 10 my father took a mortage on the house we lived in to invest in a company he owned. The problem was, a few months later he left my mother for his secretary (one of the many women he had in his life, while married). He took the mortage because he wanted to leave my mother in the street and for us to go live with him, of course, we didn't take any of that and stayed with her. Then through the corrupt justice system here, he payed the family judge to exhonerate him of giving any money to my mother, and thus, to us. We had to sell the house on the cheap because my mother had no job, and so she sold everything she had to give us an education.
A few years later, when I was on my 20s, money definetly ran out, and I was unable to finish college since I was the only one not studying in the capital. We all decided to move to the capital itself (we had our house in the coast), and my mother sold the small apartment she bought when we sold the house to see if my brother and sister could finish college with that money. From living in a huge two story house in one of the best neighborhoods, we passed to live in a very small apartment in a very poor neighborhood, all four of us. We had no chairs, tables, internet, TV and would only get water every other day. We had a 7 year old computer which we used as entertainment, ate weiners and rice for every meal and had to walk hours to get to college. This was the lowest point in our entire lives, but we stayed together and remember those years fondly, just because we never felt alone.
That was eight years ago. Today, my brother and sister finished college and each own their own house. I'm having a bit of trouble, but at least the apartment we live in has everything we'd ever need to live, and even though I do not hold a degree I work in a software company, which is all I ever wanted. In a few years I'll probably finish my studies and also be able to get my own place (which is really, REALLY hard here in Bogota right now).
I can't say I was born into poverty, but my father did everything in his power to leave us in the street. I am still amazed we made it through though. I still remember a time not so long ago when people avoided me on the street because I looked terrible, with ragged, dirty old clothes, and hair unwashed for many days. It definetly changed my view on what the social safety net means and what its supposed to achieve, since never did we have any sort of help from the goverment (that does not exist here in Colombia). We were lucky because we all ended up working in a call center for bilinguals, but what about all the people out there that don't speak english? I was one random step away from being homeless for the rest of my life.
Half and half
Member
I wasn't dirt dirt poor. But we went through a phase of having trouble with bills, three of us living in a one room house, dealing with the repo man, dudes selling and smoking crack on my block, etc.
Living much better these days. Drinking and eating well, got money in the bank, retirement accounts, working vehicles, electronic gizmos, and whatever else we want. My kids are better off than I was.
Cheers to all the people in this thread who worked hard and came up/coming up.
Living much better these days. Drinking and eating well, got money in the bank, retirement accounts, working vehicles, electronic gizmos, and whatever else we want. My kids are better off than I was.
Cheers to all the people in this thread who worked hard and came up/coming up.
First of all, congrats OP. The bit about your kids being in a good school is particularly cool.
If you don't "understand" money, more power to you I say. Keep buying whatever you need and just save and forget about the money you still have left.
Also, make sure you get your kids to understand that they're not just lucky, but that you actually worked hard for them to have a different life than the one you had.
If you don't "understand" money, more power to you I say. Keep buying whatever you need and just save and forget about the money you still have left.
Also, make sure you get your kids to understand that they're not just lucky, but that you actually worked hard for them to have a different life than the one you had.
Nealand Liquor
Member
I think you are reading into things that aren't even there. I can't say I have seen more than one post that can even be construed as exhibiting the tone you are talking about.
Based on your posts I think you are misdirecting your anger and inventing things that simply aren't there. Most people posting itt have been poor and more sympathetic towards the plights than those who haven't been there.
TheKaeptain
Banned
I'm still poor. Will probably be poor for a few more years.
IdreamofHIME
Member
What's poor?
Growing up I lived in a nice house, always had clothes and food, never went without at Xmas/Bdays and even went on nice vacations.
But my parents worked 4 jobs between them to provide that.
Growing up I lived in a nice house, always had clothes and food, never went without at Xmas/Bdays and even went on nice vacations.
But my parents worked 4 jobs between them to provide that.
-Pyromaniac-
Member
Not dirt poor but yep. Jus livin wit my moms. Hard times. Not really WELL OFF yet but not struggling at all.
IchigoSharingan
Member
house repairs? cars I can understand, but not everyone is college educated or owns a house. we need to break this down to expense per person.
Carnby
Member
A few months ago I spent literally half of my life savings to buy a cheap suit for job interviews. I agree that it's tough, but it's not impossible.
Aliquidmeri
Member
Not me, but my father grew up in a two room house with 4 siblings in a tiny Tennessee town. His dad died when he was 14 so his mom supported the whole family on a part-time wage. He worked full-time to pay his way through college
.
Because of his childhood he's very stingy, just on this side of being a miser. But he has a weird case of tech lust that is very disproportionate to his understanding of it. He bought a giant smart tv but has no idea how to use the smart part. He loves video chatting and bought a laptop with a webcam to do it, and I have to walk him through reinstalling Skype every time.
He still eats like he's poor a lot too. He eats bread with hot sauce, or a slab of spam on bread all the time.
and met his polar opposite in my mom, who's from a wealthy, urban Catholic family
Because of his childhood he's very stingy, just on this side of being a miser. But he has a weird case of tech lust that is very disproportionate to his understanding of it. He bought a giant smart tv but has no idea how to use the smart part. He loves video chatting and bought a laptop with a webcam to do it, and I have to walk him through reinstalling Skype every time.
He still eats like he's poor a lot too. He eats bread with hot sauce, or a slab of spam on bread all the time.
kiunchbb
www.dictionary.com
Both my parent made minimum wages, we were poor, but no danger of running out of food, and at least I got a cheap PC to play pirated PC games with.
Now I have a house, too many games in my steam, managed to support myself, my unemployed parents (need a few more years for social security), and my sister. I even sent them to a few long vacation in China and Europe. I can barely save any money, since my income is kinda average, but I am not going to complain.
College financial aids was so generous 10 years ago, I went to a state university, and they paid 100% of tuition + $3k cash for books and lodging every quarter. I don't know where I would be without it.
Now I have a house, too many games in my steam, managed to support myself, my unemployed parents (need a few more years for social security), and my sister. I even sent them to a few long vacation in China and Europe. I can barely save any money, since my income is kinda average, but I am not going to complain.
College financial aids was so generous 10 years ago, I went to a state university, and they paid 100% of tuition + $3k cash for books and lodging every quarter. I don't know where I would be without it.
Nintendont
Banned
I've been stalking your posts for a bit...I gotta say you're really fucked up in the head. Get some help.
Threads like this shows where poor is relative.
-Homeless and hungry? Yup, that's poor.
-Car and student loans? You've got a car and going to college? Some people would consider that extremely privileged. Not poor.
-Then some people call themselves poor because daddy won't buy them the latest IPhone. Definitely not poor.
Iacobellis
Junior Member
I wasn't 'poor'' but I went to the type of school where some kids (the really stupid, sheltered smart kids) were amazed I had two parents that worked, especially two 'working-class' parents. You had a lot of people with lawyers, directors, stuff like that as a father. So I come from a rather modest family. My parents started with no savings when they married, but they still had enough money to buy everything I and they needed. They were just awesome savers, so I have learned that.
Megalosaro
Banned
My family has been in waves.
When I was born, my parents were combined making 20k.
When I was 10, they were making 80k.
When i was 16, we were homeless and didn't make any money.
When I was 20, my parents were making 50k.
Now I live on my own. I make 35k a year.
When I was born, my parents were combined making 20k.
When I was 10, they were making 80k.
When i was 16, we were homeless and didn't make any money.
When I was 20, my parents were making 50k.
Now I live on my own. I make 35k a year.
I grew up during the troubles in Northern Ireland. Our family was poor and to cap it off my mother and father were functioning alcoholics. Our house was used as a safe house for the IRA which meant loads of people coming and going but also loads of alcohol fueled parties when runners stayed. I seen guns,bombs and people shot by the SAS all by the time I was 8.
We had little food and I remember being hungry many times. My father beat my mother regularly and very badly and I went to literally the worst school in Northern Ireland. I left school with no exams and little prospects.
I sit here now having completed my PhD 3 weeks ago and tomorrow I start a well paid job.
Fight back hard, nothing is impossible.
We had little food and I remember being hungry many times. My father beat my mother regularly and very badly and I went to literally the worst school in Northern Ireland. I left school with no exams and little prospects.
I sit here now having completed my PhD 3 weeks ago and tomorrow I start a well paid job.
Fight back hard, nothing is impossible.
My parents were refugees and restarted from zero economically. They could do this in Switzerland though, and the 80s were basically zero unemployment. Back then, we didn't have lots of savings but enough food.
Since then we have been going up without many downs, but ironically I think life is harsher now than decades ago, because retirement is less certain than before and we are all in hard saving mode.
Since then we have been going up without many downs, but ironically I think life is harsher now than decades ago, because retirement is less certain than before and we are all in hard saving mode.
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