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Original poster

If you were poor as a kid...(lighthearted)

110 replies

bakedbeansontoastfortea · 05/12/2023 20:02

If you were poor as a kid but are less poor now, is there a small thing you do that maybe (in a weird way) makes you feel better?

For context, I was a missionary kid and had a really lovely (but poor) childhood. My siblings and I were born in the UK but raised overseas and had some genuinely great adventures but money was really tight. Food was plentiful but plain, clothes were hand-me-downs, Christmasses were always a bit scary in the run-up as our parents saved their pennies knowing they'd never be able to keep up with the latest-whatever. And oh, we always had to be careful with toilet roll...that stuff could be expensive.

But today, I have this thing...I have baskets in the loos at home, both with stuffed with extra toilet rolls. It's like me saying to my guests and family, 'there's loads...use freely and as much as you like'. I also can't bring myself to buy clothes from charity shops because as much as I want to support the charity, it reminds me of being that kid who never had new clothes.

I've been on MN for a while (NC) but wondering if there's others like this? If you grew up poor, are there things you do today as a response to this? Loads of loo rolls? New bedding? Something else?

Also, hoping this will be lighthearted. I fully understand there's massive issues around COL and extreme poverty in the UK, also that some people had horrible, horrible childhoods and adulthood is sadly no better. I want to do what I can to make this better.

OP posts:
Cheeseyfoodlover · 05/12/2023 20:24

A day out and bringing a packed lunch. Yes it saves money but as a child even though my mum made amazing lunches I always looked at the families who ate whilst there and thought one day that would be me. I will bring snacks and drinks for the car journey but a day out also means a meal out for me and mine.

DejaVoodoo · 05/12/2023 20:32

Poor but happy childhood here!
However, getting dressed in a bedroom with iced-up windows where you could see your breath was a very unpleasant experience, so I like to keep things comfortably warm now!

I actually think that my poverty stricken childhood instilled some good habits: watching the pennies, cooking from scratch, shopping in charity shops or otherwise buying 2nd hand, repairing rather than chucking, upcycling furniture and clothes, DIY, growing veg...

tootiredtobother · 05/12/2023 20:38

shoes.
back on the farm i had school shoes and a pair of wellies and probably plimsolls now if i can get my trotters in them i buy them.. then wait for an outfit or event to turn up

Isheabastard · 05/12/2023 20:48

I think im similar

The only heating was in the living room so that’s where we dressed in the morning and got into pyjamas at night. The rest of the house would be very cold in winter - cold beds, cold bathrooms, cold loo and cold bedrooms.

So although I still have lots of non wasteful habits, I can’t bear being cold indoors.

Plus, having lots of hungry brothers, if a packet of biscuits or bottle of squash came into the house, it would be gone in no time. So having chocolate or biccies always available in my cupboard is a nice feeling.

Em3978 · 05/12/2023 20:51

I buy food thats in-date
I have the extra coatings on my glasses (which also aren't out of the budget range)
I'm even getting better at buying clothes at full price sometimes!

RadRad · 05/12/2023 21:02

Weirdly, we never seemed to have enough money to buy new socks, I was embarrassed to go to my friends’ houses and take my shoes off as my socks always had holes in them or were stitched. Needless to say, I buy a lot of new socks now, must have over 30 pairs at any given time lol.

PaperSn0wAGhOst · 05/12/2023 21:09

It’s nice to hear that a couple of you (so far) have said ‘poor but happy’ it will be comforting for parents on here who are struggling and feel bad about it.

whenindoubtgotothelibrary · 05/12/2023 21:13

Yes - like pp I've always made sure we have plentiful basics in stock at all times - socks, underwear, loo paper, hot water, soap, bread, milk etc. And my DC always had their own rooms and the correct uniform, shoes and equipment for school. All sadly lacking for me growing up in the 70s!

hidethexylophone · 05/12/2023 21:14

Similar to a PP, mine is being able to buy food from a cafe/venue on a day out rather than always having to take a packed lunch. Also, allowing my children to choose something small from the gift shop on those days out as we were never allowed. My parents were not really poor, but there was never loads of extra cash floating around, so the day out was a treat in itself, they couldn't afford the extras on top.

Mothmansknickers · 05/12/2023 21:18

We had money but my SD is extremely tight. Our house was always cold. Now, I can't bear a cold house.

BlackeyedSusan · 05/12/2023 21:37

I've got stashes of food. I really struggle to throw out out of date food. (Some of the stash has gone out of date as mum died and I haven't really cooked for a year so suddenly stopped using stuff. It was all getting used til then. ) Food was basic 1970s stuff. A d boring. Apart from breakfast, weirdly. I struggle to throw other stuff out too.

mamaduckbone · 05/12/2023 21:43

Buying a tea or coffee and a cake when out rather than taking a flask and a packet of biscuits.

tillytoodles1 · 05/12/2023 21:43

Milk. We had a pint a day, there were seven of us and my dad had about ten cups if tea a day and used most of it himself and we weren't allowed to have any of it.
I live on my own and have cereal every morning and lots of coffee I use at least a pint a day just for me.

froway · 05/12/2023 21:44

Good quality school shoes for the dc.

HeyMicky · 05/12/2023 21:47

Fresh orange juice. We weren't super poor but we had to be careful, and we always had concentrated OJ. To have a whole glass without diluting it feels decadent even though we are very comfortable now

YoongiMarryMe · 05/12/2023 21:47

I buy packets/boxes of tissues. It was loo roll or nothing in my poor but happy childhood!

And blankets. Not a thing when I was young. You had to drag your duvet downstairs if you wanted to watch cartoons in the morning and not freeze. Now I have blankets galore! 😄

CactusPat · 05/12/2023 21:49

Yep, heating on. Warm (good quality) coats and shoes. Loo roll, toothpaste etc in surplus. Stocked store cupboard. Always a little cash to hand in case.
Still feel wildly awkward getting a hair cut at the hairdresser or nails done etc.

Hazey19 · 05/12/2023 21:50

Food here too. Never felt like we had enough. It makes me feel better having food in the cupboards for my kids. And a warm house.

CactusPat · 05/12/2023 21:52

Oh also BATHS. I was always in trouble for wanting a bath!

Iloveburgerswaymorethanishould · 05/12/2023 21:54

When my parents split up my mum was really skint. She used to make me mashed potatoes with a fried egg on to fill me up. Or mash and spaghetti hoops shaped like a volcano with the spaghetti as lava…. I loved it. We got a little council house and she couldn’t afford carpets that fitted right, so we painted the floor around the edges to make it look nice…. She always used to say to me “as long as you have a bag of spuds and some eggs, you’ll never be hungry”. I never ever run out of eggs and potatoes and I’m in an ok place financially. I do however detest mashed potatoes 😂😂😂. Ahhhh happy times, thanks for this post it’s made me smile remembering 💐

LaLaLaLaLolaaa · 05/12/2023 21:55

My bedroom was always damp and cold, my poor Mum didn't have enough money to have our heating on much. I still remember the feeling of getting dressed in a freezing cold bedroom 🥶 Every night at kids' bathtime I whack the heating up and get their pyjamas warm on the radiator. They'll never get dressed in a cold bedroom here.

ilovepixie · 05/12/2023 21:55

Cheeseyfoodlover · 05/12/2023 20:24

A day out and bringing a packed lunch. Yes it saves money but as a child even though my mum made amazing lunches I always looked at the families who ate whilst there and thought one day that would be me. I will bring snacks and drinks for the car journey but a day out also means a meal out for me and mine.

A packed lunch was a picnic and always much better than eating in a cafe as we believed as kids.

Tykwai55 · 05/12/2023 21:58

Showering! We only had a bath, had to share the water too. Freezing cold!

Having a walk-in shower now is a delight.

Raera · 05/12/2023 22:04

Little chocolates on our Christmas tree for grandchildren here. Never could be affordable when I was a child

Jellycatspyjamas · 05/12/2023 22:04

Food for me too, I always have a well stocked fridge and freezer, and get anxious when stocks run low.