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Original poster

Things your parents led you to think were 'special' or 'expensive' that you now take for granted?

831 replies

VladmirsPoutine · 29/10/2017 22:56

for the po-faced Grin

Growing up my siblings and I were wary over using too much kitchen roll - we'd get a sheet and fold it in half to tear before using, the faff was a PITA but to this day I still get a bit territorial over my kitchen roll.

We also had 'special' China plates, cups, cutlery, that sort of thing. Only used when we had guests or at Christmas - I didn't carry that into adulthood but whenever I visit my DM I still fondly look at the unit containing all those 'special' cups Grin

My dad died when I was relatively young but prior to this death he used to always take us (siblings&I) to our weekend clubs when we were young, on Saturdays one of my sisters and I attended clubs that finished at similar times and it was always Saturdays that mum worked nights so the 4 us: dad+siblings would always get McDs and think it was basically gourmet dining.

I didn't have a deprived childhood by any definition but I do find those quirks quite funny looking back.

OP posts:
DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:30

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grannycake · 30/10/2017 17:29

I was born in 1956. No central heating just a coal fire in the living room, outside loo until I was about 8. Food was definitely more expensive and there wasn't the same variety. A pp mentioned only tinned salmon - this has only become affordable to the majority due to salmon farms before that it was definitely a luxury item.

Electrical goods and clothing were really expensive. I remember a coat that I had for Xmas when I was about 15. It cost £15. My grandfather earned that amount per week. Housing was cheaper than now but everything else was more expensive.

I think we have so much "stuff" nowadays we can't imagine going without what we consider essentials but they weren't seen as essential then

DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:29

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x2boys · 30/10/2017 17:29

No we weren't either Dixie my friend got the pop man Envy

x2boys · 30/10/2017 17:28

Or sometimes you didnt get warm orange squash if we had run out of our one bottle a week we had to drink Iuke warm tea with the adults.

seagreengirl · 30/10/2017 17:27

Yes, DHs parents used to fold the back seats of their car down for long journeys so that DH and his brother could play with their lego in the back. No seat belts!!

DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:27

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DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:24

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LucyPevensie671 · 30/10/2017 17:24

We only had fizzy drinks at birthdays and Christmas. I didn't like them when I was a child but I always tried some on special occasions. I love fizzy drinks now so don't know whether not having them much has made me crave them now

2014newme · 30/10/2017 17:23

^yes, sticking to the vinyl seats! We didn't have a car but my grandparents did.

GrumpyOldBag · 30/10/2017 17:22

We lived in a small village and our phone number was just 3 digits!

LindyHemming · 30/10/2017 17:22

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2014newme · 30/10/2017 17:22

Born 73.
We had no phone, tv, car or washing machine.
Those were luxuries when we got them.

seagreengirl · 30/10/2017 17:21

Ahh so many memories on this thread, things my parents considered only for very special occasions

  • wine...one bottle between all of us and made to last a couple of meals
  • chicken...only for Bank holidays or birthdays
  • phone calls only allowed after six oclock or on weekends

We never had takeaways, ate out or went on foreign holidays, they weren't even considered although we weren't poor, Dad had a good job. Thinking back on I feel so extravagant now.

Tiredofbeingsotired · 30/10/2017 17:21

Shower gel - soap only, and next to no hot water. I longed for a proper shower, but we only had those rubber things that attached to the taps. We shared bath water and mum put Dettol in it.

Food wise - butter, fruit that wasn't apples, meat that wasn't processed. Takeaways and fizzy drinks didn't feature. Ice cream hierarchy here too - mini milks only

Central heating was rarely on, and all clothes were hand-me downs from my cousin. We had school shoes, and plimsolls

Eating out just didn't happen - I still think a cup of tea when out is a huge treat 😳 No phone calls till after 6.

Overall a sense that adults came first and we came second. I think I flip that quite deliberately

x2boys · 30/10/2017 17:20

And we were never allowed to stop off a motorway service stations other then a quick wee on long car journeys i always wanted to go to the little chefSad

DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:20

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DixieNormas · 30/10/2017 17:19

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WhataHexIgotinto · 30/10/2017 17:19

Going out for a meal. Now we go out a couple of times a month but back then it was strictly for birthdays (4 times a year for each one of us). We went to the local Chinese restaurant and thought we were really fancy schmancy. We'd all get really dressed up, Dad would have a suit on and Mum would have a chicken maryland because she 'really didn't get on with fancy foreign food'. It was a special occasion.

Draylon · 30/10/2017 17:15

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Draylon · 30/10/2017 17:14

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OlennasWimple · 30/10/2017 17:12

Gosh, yes, slices of MArs Bar from the fridge. TBF they were bigger back then Wink

GooseberryJam · 30/10/2017 17:11

My parents still have the microwave they bought in 1985. Still works too Smile

MrsJayy · 30/10/2017 17:09

We had a video but were renting was FAR to expensiveat first so we got grainy pirate copies of ET Grin

MadisonAvenue · 30/10/2017 17:05

We got a phone around 77/78. My Nan died at Christmas 1976 and I remember that my Grandad had to send a neighbour to our door, we lived about a mile away, to tell my parents that she'd been taken ill and they needed to be there.

My Grandad used to spoil us. I remember getting home from school one day and there was a knock on the door. When I answered it, there was a delivery man from the local electrical shop and he had a video recorder for us. That was 1983 and it was a huge surprise. He did the same with a microwave, I remember my Mom's friend coming and sitting on a chair in front of it while my Mom cooked a sponge pudding as a demo. That would've been around the same time as the video recorder appeared. He used to turn up with three pairs of shoes too, let me pick my favourite pair and then return the others.