Being poor

[NH Yankee]

It has been good reading the above.  I was born into a hill dairy farm in VT, running water came from a well 60' higher than the house, 3 holer next to the wood shed (cold in the winter), 2 teams of horses and a yoke of oxen (have pictures of my grandfather with a 2 wheel ox cart with me in the cart), grew most of our food and what we did not grow the A&P truck stopped by every week.  Twice a day mail delivery, my father could buy dynamite at the feed store to blow rock, maple surgaring every spring.  I remember those days with fondness.  One set of grandparents lived with us and saw the other set every Sunday.  Personally I have been monetarily destitute and have been flush.  I was talking with a friend about the days of little money and we both said that they were the good days, for we would camp out every weekend and just have fun.  Now, I get to camp out 1 week a year, am selling my scuba gear, some rifles and a bunch of stuff that I do not use now but thought that I needed at that time.  I miss those days but would I really want to go back to them, I think NOT.  I have become to used to having the niceties of our modern life; however I will survive when the hard times come.

NH Yankee

[jjas]

When I was growing up in the 60's/70's most of the people I knew lived in a three bedroom, one bath house and mom stayed home.  The majority of us had one car and one tv set.  I was 13 when my parents bought a window a/c and I thought we were "wealthy".  We ate out @ McDonalds or A&W once in a great while and only received presents on our birthdays and Christmas.  We wore hand me downs and played with the neighborhood kids, cut grass and did chores and minded our manners (because if you didn't the other parents would call yours).

Today, it's all about huge homes and three cars and vacations all the time yet no one seems to spend anytime with their kids.  My wife and I went through the "me" stage but decided when we had kids that one of us would stay home and raise them.  I've never regretted our decision and haven't missed chasing our tails trying to keep up w/the Jones'.

As for my kids....The play in the neighborhood, mind their manners, work hard in school, cut grass, do chores and eat out @ McDonalds a couple times a month.  We occasionally go out to a "nice" restaurant (like Applebees or O'Charleys) once in a blue moon for a special occasion, but otherwise, we eat @ home together. We try to scrounge up a vacation to somewhere every year or two but sometimes life gets in the way of that.
Our house isn't large, we have two cars but one is over 10 years old and the other one is two.  Like Heather, we manage to see all their games and school functions and spend as much time as we can together.

We aren't wealthy, but I sure feel like we are.

Jim

[Heavy C]

Growing up in far west Texas we didn't have much, but we didn't lack anything either.  As a young man I went back and forth between being jealous of others for what they had, but didn't have far to look to realized how good we had it.

When I was 19 my Dad passed away unexpectedly.  At his funeral I discovered how rich my Dad was.  The funeral procession that day was so long the graveside service was practically over and people were still driving into the cemetery.  It was then that I came to understand it is not money and worldly posessions that make one rich; it is family and friends.

[buffermop]

From my observations when my son worked in a video game store, You see grown ups come in with their kids to buy several games and or equipment. Honestly, the kids looked dressed like rag-a-muffins and the money they were spending had to be the rent or grocery money.Such a sad state this generation is in.