How many of us grew up thinking a pot of baked beans with chopped-up hot dogs was a gourmet meal? Or, spent the summer wearing shoes that were half a size too tight because you grew too fast and couldn’t afford new ones.
This is relatable for many people. Money problems can cause us to be creative in how we spend our income.
I grew up in a middle-class family where money was always tight. Still, we got by, and I still love hot dogs and baked beans. If you and your family did any of the following, we are more alike than you thought.
1. Saves Takeout Items
Those of us who scraped by growing up know how valuable leftover ketchup and mustard packets from the drive-through are. I had a drawer dedicated to them.
If you had enough stashed away, you could go a month without buying new bottles. We also used the excess napkins and plastic cutlery for family dinners.
2. Re-using Plastic Bags and Foil
I grew up with the idea that a plastic bag should be used at least four or five times unless you’re putting something with a lot of sauce in it. If it was used for my daily PB&J lunch, I could use it for a week. The same goes for tin foil.
If the foil doesn’t have leftover food residue on it, flatten it out and save it for another occasion. There’s no need to buy a whole new roll.
3. Knowing the Balance in Your Bank Account
When money is tight, we know how much (really how little) we actually have. There have been times when I could literally count down the cents in my head as I spent them.
I knew I had $145.24 in my account, and I got paid in six days, which meant I could spend $24.21 each day before my checking account was drained.
4. Saving Money Instead of Investing
Now that I’m an adult and making a decent living, I have to constantly remind myself to take advantage of investments. When money is scarce, you tend to want to hold on to it, which is what happened to me.
I didn’t want to let it go to an investment because seeing the cash in my bank account made me feel more secure. The risk of losing it in the stock market was far too terrifying for me to make financial moves.
5. Using White Bread for Everything
When I was a kid, getting a hamburger on a hamburger bun was a luxury. The same goes for a hot dog. Instead, we had the Swiss Army knife of bread: the standard sliced white bread.
White bread can be used for everything: sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, toast — you name it. I still get excited when I order a cheeseburger at a restaurant and it comes with a big, fluffy brioche bun.
6. Handy and Resourceful
When money is a limited resource, you have to be creative when things break down. I always noticed that the dads in my neighborhood worked on their cars and would often help the other families with theirs. Taking the vehicle to a mechanic would cost a fortune, so the result was we all learned how to do our own maintenance.
This went beyond cars, too. Most of my pants were re-sewed or hemmed. Toys and bicycles were fixed and handed down, and furniture was often sanded and re-purposed. We rarely threw out things and bought new ones.
7. Don’t Throw Anything Away
Have you ever been walking down the street and happened to see a garage jam-packed with junk? That was my house growing up. We weren’t hoarders; we just never threw anything away because you never knew when that thing might be useful.
We thought a day might come when we needed that one item that had been tucked away for almost a decade.
8. Adding Water to Shampoo Bottles
Here’s an easy way to extend the life of your shampoo: once it’s halfway gone, fill the bottle the rest of the way with water and shake it. Now, you have an entire bottle of shampoo without going to the store.
This worked great for two young boys with short hair, but I doubt it would go over too well with individuals with long hair. Still, it was a tactic we used to save some money.
9. Avoid Using New Items
Even today, when I splurge on a gift for myself, I don’t want to use it for fear I might ruin it. For instance, I finally broke down and bought a nice pair of boots I had my eyes on. I could afford them, but it took months for me to justify spending the money.
When I finally got them, they sat in my closet because I didn’t want them to get dirty. I think I’ve worn them fewer than 10 times over a year.
10. Break Chewing Gum Into Pieces
Were we really this frugal with our chewing gum? Yes, we were. That $1.50 pack had to last, so if we wanted a piece of gum, we needed to break it in half and share the stick.
I remember when a kid would bring in a packet of Big League Chew to share in Little League. I would take the tiniest pinch before I was told to grab more. I always felt so cool with that giant wad of bubble gum shoved in my cheek.
11. A Trash Can With Empty Cans
I joked the other day about helping my dad take the cans to the recycling center, and it went over my friend’s head. They didn’t realize that people other than the homeless recycled their cans for money.
Sure, they recycled, but that meant they put them in a separate bin, and the city handled the rest. They were shocked when I told them my dad would come home with as much as $100 from a month’s worth of empty soda cans.
12. Ordering the Cheapest Item on the Menu
When I was a kid, enjoying a meal at a restaurant was a special occasion. Even though we went to casual places, we knew to order the cheapest item on the menu. It’s a trait I still carry as an adult.
I have a hard time justifying paying more than $30 for a plate of food. I don’t care how delicious it is; $30 can feed me for three days, let alone one meal. Even when I do treat myself, I always feel guilty afterward.
13. Researching Every Purchase
Purchasing new items when struggling with money can be a hassle. It takes budgeting and sacrifice, and you don’t want to waste your money on something cheap or low-quality. Therefore, you spend a lot of time researching customer reviews and comparing prices. This could be for anything from a new car to a toaster oven. You want to get the best bang for your buck.
Honestly, this is a great trait to have. No one wants to waste money on junk.
14. Never Pass up Free Food
Never passing up a free meal is the ultimate sign that a person grew up poor. Luckily, I never felt I had to do this to survive, but if I stay at a hotel with a free breakfast buffet, I’ll definitely pack a purse full of apples or granola bars.
Even if I already ate breakfast, you never know when you or your partner might need a snack on the road.
15. Generous Tipper, Donates to Charity
From my personal experiences, I’ve noticed that those who grew up poor tend to be more generous with their money toward others who need it. Many of these folks know the daily struggle and understand how a nice tip or act of kindness can change a person’s day or even their week.
I’m not saying rich people do not do this. I’m just saying those who persevered through hard times often have a unique perspective on life and money and tend to help others when they can.
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