America is one of the wealthiest nations in the world, and indeed, one of the richest countries in history.
And for a lot of people who’ve lived comfortable lives here, it’s easy to overlook the fact that that wealth is far from even. So many people grow up in a kind of poverty you might not even think feasible in a place like this. But it’s an ultra-common experience.
That’s a conversation that got kicked off by a thread started by actor Trevor Donovan who said:
Tell me you grew up poor, without telling me you grew up poor. I'll go first. We used plain bread as hot dog buns and for dessert… margarine & cinnamon on bread. 😋
— Trevor Donovan (@TrevDon) May 17, 2021
So, how did the (mostly American) Twitter audience respond? Let’s look at some examples.
10. Kleenex as a luxury
Oh man, especially if you’re actually getting the name brand stuff.
Got a cold? Grab a roll of toilet paper. I still feel like kleenex is a luxury item for the Queen of Sheba but my partner has chipped away at that, apparently it’s not actually that expensive.
— Brianna Bertoglio (@piranhabrianna) May 17, 2021
9. The letter present
I mean, that’s going to mean far more to you as you grow older than some quickly forgotten toy would.
One Christmas, all three of us kids each got only a letter from my mom. Beautifully handwritten with her ink pen. I still treasure it to this day, 45 years later. I can only imagine how painful that was for her, working so hard but still always broke.
— MaryH (@14_Trixie) May 17, 2021
8. Out of the tube
For real though, get you one of those little plastic rollers. Does wonders.
We cut open the toothpaste to get every last drop out of the tube.
— Deanna King (@CynicalMother) May 18, 2021
7. Fee knowledge
Nobody’s more cost-aware than those who have nothing.
I knew that you had to pay an extra fee on top of your bill if your electricity got turned off for non payment.
— Factually Biased (@jtk27) May 17, 2021
6. Old style food stamps
Wait, whose pictures are on those?
I remember when food stamps were different colors …. Based on denomination pic.twitter.com/kj3oYhVOSK
— Endora (@Nurse_Leonora) May 17, 2021
5. When summer came
That’s pretty ingenious, actually.
When summer came, my mom cut the legs off our pants to make them shorts and stuffed the cut off parts to make pillows.
— Dr. Catherine Lane (@MathEdProfLane) May 18, 2021
4. On the cheap
I kinda do too.
I feel guilty for buying anything more than the cheapest version of whatever thing it is I need to buy.
— The Shameless Fujoshi, Queen of Yaoi (@GyakutennoMeg) May 18, 2021
3. No such thing as Christmas
Santa has very mixed feelings about this.
My parents didn’t even tell us there was such a thing as Christmas until I was, at least, five. I couldn’t understand why kids were talking about all the toys they got, suddenly. Some said I didn’t get any because I was bad. ???
— Hummingbird (@MsHummingWay) May 17, 2021
2. Bigger than a bread bag
The poor man’s water lining.
Putting your feet in bread bags before putting your winter boots on
— What fresh hell is this ? (@Nanknows1) May 17, 2021
1. The bunks
They look like some sweet, happy kids.
Powdered milk and (I’m on top and, yes, I have fallen out of the top bunk while sleeping): pic.twitter.com/zFwbiQJJZN
— David R. Wood (@KantThink) May 17, 2021
We may be rich as a whole, but never forget your neighbors in need.
What’s your ultimate poor experience?
Tell us in the comments.
