It’s a decent salary for the area they live. We make less than that and live in an area that housing is probably about double. Smaller family, though.

I would still shop at Walmart if we had one nearby. Sometimes I drive out to our closest one (45 min away).

I was bubble gum and I wore all pink!

We’re still eating off dishes that my mom got through Lucky’s stamps (grocery store) for free. I’m pretty sure our cutlery came from Target 20 years ago.

The most recent season of Project Runway (guilty pleasure) featured a designer that the judges just constantly fawned over and all of his designs were like that. Just layers of weirdly cut, ugly, boxy, unflattering clothes. They used the word “silhouette†every time they complemented him. Fashun.

I’m so glad you wrote this. I’d hate to heap condemnation on anyone currently in this position. I had a very happy childhood and have a great relationship with my mom (and a ok/good one with my dad).

Ooh, just thought of a big one for me. Reliable cars. We had a van growing up that would break down so often, we had a system for dealing with it. The thing's transmission was always on the fritz and it would overheat if you ever had to sit idle (in LA- land of the idling car). It was a totally normal thing to have to pull over to add transmission fluid, coolant, pump up a flattening tire for the 3rd time on a long drive...

Yep. Actually, your door hanger post is how I feel every time our home phone rings. My cell phone, no biggie. The home phone, I pretty much never answer it.

Preach.

My grandfather would always cut the paper towel rolls in half. When select-a-size came out I was like, "Pepere, you could have been rich! You invented that!" It's funny how some of us will continue to not buy certain things (like paper towels/kleenex), and others of us will swing the other way and always have it (like this post). I see that in myself. Some things are a must and others I continue to be overly cheap about. For me, clothing is a spot that I still cheap out on. I actually have dh take the kids shopping for shoes, because he will get them what they need while I'll have an ongoing internal (sometimes external) battle over how to find the cheapest shoes that will get us by. This is a bigger ticket item, but dental/orthodontic care is the place that I totally relish in being able to provide.

We still never buy kleenex. Well, DH buys it, but I don't. It actually makes me think of my grandmother because she always had it at her house.

Gently, I know you mean no harm. I truly think you’re just trying to engage on the topic of frugality, spending choices, and all that. However, the topic is about the scars of growing up low-income and I’m having a very, very hard time with your responses here. Of course, people with means can be incredibly frugal by choice. I think it’s awesome that your family is so wise with their spending choices. But that’s really not what this topic is about. This is a DEEP well of pain, fear, and shame for some of us. It helps to have this moment of “You do that? Me, too!†with those who have shared this experience. It is not helpful to read about your $6 vs $4 loaf of bread. Not in this particular thread. I hope you can understand.

I teared up just reading this. Yes. Yes, a thousand times.

Yeah, same. Dh did not grow up low income, so there's been this constant thing in our marriage where he doesn't think twice about buying something needed (or not), and I am constantly just telling myself that I don't actually need it.

I had this experience recently with a pair of Vera Wang jeans from Kohl’s. It took 5 or 6 washes before they stopped smelling like moth balls.

Just the first lost.

The main question was yes or no, the rest was me trying to be cheeky. So you would be a yes.

Yes, dd loves Grey’s. But let me tell you, ER is a much higher quality show. Grey’s is a repetitive soap opera.

I’ll allow.

It does not qualify as a junk drawer

I’ll need to save that for the summer. *Fifteen seasons in 30 days challenge*

Definition of junk drawer: a drawer in your house, often the kitchen, which holds a wide array of unrelated items. This drawer is not organized. If there are dividers, they are definitely not used (except that one week a year when you organize the junk drawer). When looking for a miscellaneous item, mom can often be heard asking, "Did you look in the junk drawer?" Does not have to be called the "junk drawer" but should have some name that indicates it's the designated place for stuff that has no home. DD recently went to a friend's house and was amazed to discover that they don't have a junk drawer. They have an organized drawer, with many of the things we put in our junk drawer, but it was decidedly NOT a junk drawer.

Finally! but it's the one service we don't have :crying: It's my all time favorite show.

Oh, no! I’m talking about the one with Amy Adams.

Leap Year has been an intro rom-com for both of my girls.