For me...
Satellite TV
Inground pool
ATV
Name-brand clothing
Kids who had multiple sports team's jerseys
Non-shitty cars
- This is one that blows my mind today. It seems like 85% of people have pretty nice vehicles, and that includes kids. People who I know are teh poors, but driving around really nice cars. You didn't see that shit growing up.
Going on vacations that weren't camping or Cedar Point.
New SUVs, even if it was just a Ford Explorer.
Pretty much the same, also add Jordans, RL polo shirts, Benetton, multiple swatch guards...
posted by ernest_t_bassmultiple sports team's jerseysNon-shitty cars
- This is one that blows my mind today. It seems like 85% of people have pretty nice vehicles, and that includes kids. People who I know are teh poors, but driving around really nice cars. You didn't see that shit growing up.
Doesn't end there. Credit and cheap interest rates and most people buy stuff they can't afford, and/or much sooner than they should.
I didn't think much about it, honestly. But two things that stick out are Polo clothing, and Corvettes. Both of which I kind of now view as something hilljacks buy when they get a little money in their pocket.
Big houses was the other thing. Big screen tv's, like over 32" back in the day when 27" was the norm.
Jet ski's. And people who owned their own snow ski's.
Also, NO ONE I knew growing up had a maid. Or a nanny. Even people that had two incomes and could afford it.
My parents' generation was definitely much more frugal.
2 door domestic v8s 😆
I think when I was younger I judged wealth by people’s homes. Which actually probably didnt make sense since I lived in an average home but grew up in a wealthier family then most.
Well I was middle class and went to private schools so nice cars, expensive clothes, overseas vacations, car phones (before cell phones) and nice homes in nice neighborhoods.
Two big ones that I recall...
posted by kizer permanenteWell I was middle class and went to private schools so nice cars, expensive clothes, overseas vacations, car phones (before cell phones) and nice homes in nice neighborhoods.
It's pretty funny how this would change pretty dramatically even over 10 years for most posters here in their 30's, 40's and 50's.
Growing up in the 80's, I don't think I ever saw a car phone except in movies. Family vacations overseas were unheard of. Middle class is pretty broad - I think I was fairly well off. We vacationed all over the US, but I only flew once before college.
Even in more frugal times there were definitely people whom I thought had more money than us but actually just spent everything they had. And "Rich Dad Poor Dad" wasn't written until 1997! (although I'm sure it's all lessons from the 70's and 80's).
Cool idea for a thread.
I grew up relatively poor. I lived in a single wide on my grandparents property until I was 4ish. My parents then bought the house I spent the rest of my childhood in (mom still owns it) for $10k. It needed a ton of work, it belonged to an old spinster hoarder. My father bounced shortly after that and didn't really provide much in the way of child support.
All that said, I never went without the necessities. But a lot of my experience with "luxuries" came when visiting friends and family.
I did have some relatively well off cousins and I would get their first dibs on their hand-me-downs. Lots of Hilfiger and Polo and Ocean Pacific (baller) stuff. I always loved going to their house, they had an NES and it seemed like every game made for it at the time.
My first car was originally my great-grandmother's Plymouth Reliant that my grandfather gave me. I remember being jealous when a kid in my class pulled into the parking lot with a brand new Camaro on year.
I'm glad I had the upbringing I did, though. It could've been easier or more fun with more money, but I'm very grateful for the lessons my mother taught me. She's 58 and could retire tomorrow if she wanted to. My wife and I are (knock on wood) on track to, at the very least, be able to reduce our income needs to maintain our lifestyle in the next 5-10 years.
i grew up poor, moved 5 times in 6 years. My thought of being rich was whatever anyone had cause I didnt have anything.
Every kid should have to walk to the store with food stamps growing up. Builds character.
posted by Spocki grew up poor, moved 5 times in 6 years. My thought of being rich was whatever anyone had cause I didnt have anything.
Every kid should have to walk to the store with food stamps growing up. Builds character.
How odd that you seem lacking. Must be like a vaccine, limited shelf life.
Large home
Lincoln Continental in the driveway
Club membership
Dining out at the club or expensive restaurants
Grey Poupon
posted by Al BundyGrey Poupon
posted by gutI only knew 1 person. It was my best friends dad. He owned a dozen or so nursing homes. He had a suburban that had a car phone and it told you the temperature outside lol. I thought it was the coolest car on the planet. Now ever car tells you the temp outside lolIt's pretty funny how this would change pretty dramatically even over 10 years for most posters here in their 30's, 40's and 50's.
Growing up in the 80's, I don't think I ever saw a car phone except in movies. Family vacations overseas were unheard of. Middle class is pretty broad - I think I was fairly well off. We vacationed all over the US, but I only flew once before college.
Even in more frugal times there were definitely people whom I thought had more money than us but actually just spent everything they had. And "Rich Dad Poor Dad" wasn't written until 1997! (although I'm sure it's all lessons from the 70's and 80's).
As a kid, families of wealth to me had a "color TV" and their kids had braces on their teeth.
There were a couple of neighborhoods in our town for the "rich people". Only a guess, but that was probably more true back then vs. today where a decent percentage of the residents aren't wealthy, but extremely house-poor.
posted by Trimmer36As a kid, families of wealth to me had a "color TV" and their kids had braces on their teeth.
These are good ones imo.
When I was growing up, it was
Inground pool
Owned a Cadillac or Lincoln
Kids had a moped lol
Always took a cart when golfing
People with finished basements...pool table/tv