FabSwingers.com forum: Growing up poor

By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?

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By *ranny-CrumpetWoman
over a year ago

The Town by The Cross

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?"

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor.

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By *ranny-CrumpetWoman
over a year ago

The Town by The Cross

I know it was perception but that perception meant we didn't carry chips on our shoulders.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I know it was perception but that perception meant we didn't carry chips on our shoulders."

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By *ScotsmanMan
over a year ago

ayrshire

"I know it was perception but that perception meant we didn't carry chips on our shoulders."
definitely cant carry chips around here I've been mugged twice and they got away with a pickled beetroot too...

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We weren't the poorest of families but we struggled sometimes. A lady round the corner made our summer dresses. We had one pair of summer shoes and one winter pair. I had a friend who was much better off than us and we are still friends

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor."

What I have I have worked for, own my own home and have learned to live on £8K PA even with eating disorders. Pay rise soon when I retire.

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By *izzy RascallMan
over a year ago

Cardiff

I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

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By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

I was lucky enough to grow up with parents with money...at school we were known as the rich kids as we lived in a big house...However my parents taught us the value of money and we have to work hard to get it. My parents are not show offs so nothing was ever lavish...

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"I know it was perception but that perception meant we didn't carry chips on our shoulders."

I know what you mean. I do remember thinking one girl at primary school was a different level of poor though. As an adult I can see she was neglected - always dirty clothes on an unwashed body with unbrushed hair.

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By *nnyMan
over a year ago

Glasgow

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent"

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We grew up poor too but rich in so many other ways ... everyone in the village pulled together, we made our own fun, and looking back I think my childhood was far happier than some of the kids today

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By *ranny-CrumpetWoman
over a year ago

The Town by The Cross

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?"

Shit logoless T shirts.

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By *ScotsmanMan
over a year ago

ayrshire

i wasn't in the poorest family either i got sugar on my sugar sandwich,.,

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I know it was perception but that perception meant we didn't carry chips on our shoulders.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

At the time i did not realise we where struggling, but one memory sticks in my head.

have the hand me downs from my next door neighbour...a girl. now this was at the time when ladies jeans etc buttoned the opposite to mens. So when other kids started to notice i of course got the usual cruel kids comments.

still better in many ways than todays kids, at least i had freedom to do loads out doors.

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By *imply_SensualMan
over a year ago

Widnes

I wouldn't class my upbringing as poor, because my parents owned their own home, but they struggled to provide that, hence we went without - I also remember we were one of the last families in the street to have a car and phone - regular day things now.

My parents brought us up to achieve more than them, they had achieved more than their parents, and I want my kids to achieve more than me - but in doing so, we all had the value of things instilled is us, not just material things, everything.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My mum and dad worked hard but there wasn't any spare money. There was four children. I shared a double bed with my two brothers untill I was about twelve. My sister was in the same room but in her own bed. Holidays were a trip to canning town on the 58 bus to stay with my grandparents.

Happy times though.

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By *nnyMan
over a year ago

Glasgow

When I was wee, passing clothes, prams, toys etc around wasn't about being poor - it was just common sense.

Me and most of my pals/ cousins etc had parents who'd lived through the war and making the most of what you had was second nature.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"My mum and dad worked hard but there wasn't any spare money. There was four children. I shared a double bed with my two brothers untill I was about twelve. My sister was in the same room but in her own bed. Holidays were a trip to canning town on the 58 bus to stay with my grandparents.

Happy times though. "

Mr. P.

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor."

this..

despite that we've all raised families with no drama's and would say were all now 'comfortable' in comparison to others less well off..

a strong Mother, good values and the ability to laugh at what gets thrown at you and crack on helped..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My mum struggled to support 4 children as a single parent. I say single but she was married to my father. He wasn't around as I grow up as he sent a lot of time in prison. Although we didn't have new clothes or flash toys. We weren't poor when it come to love from my mum.

She went without

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By *inaTitzTV/TS
over a year ago

Titz Towers, North Notts

I was lucky when I grew up in that both my parents were consistently in employment and whilst we never had a new car or a foreign holiday we never felt that we went without.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?"
i remember the kids at school taking the piss because we had nothing we had second had stuff nothing new. It surprising how thing Chang seen some of them at a school reunion most of them on dole and not a pot to piss in. Had great pleasure saying i earn on avridge £65k a year. The look on thair face made up for the shit thay give me at school.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I was bough up by my Gran as me and my siblings were taken into care as young kids due to the fact my dad was a violent alcoholic, Gran came and rescued us

we never had everything we wanted but we had everything we needed and there was always love in my Grans house, there's more important things than money, so long as you had love, food and a bed be grateful

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

not that poor, but i used to wear old fashioned clothes till i was 10, then my brothers left school and got jobs and i remember my mum taking me out and buying me new clothes.

we didnt have a washing machine when i was little, never had fitted carpets or central heating. i never had a room of my own only when my sister left home, then she came home again.

my mum bought me a second hand bike once for just £12, it was a realy old fashioned one you never see any like it now.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Im from a working class background but never thought my family was poor. Because my parents made the most of what they had to provide me and my siblings with everything we needed.

We got any expensive luxury items for christmas / birthday presents not just as and when we wanted them and only went to places in the uk for summer holidays. But looking back although money was obviously tight I still dont think my family was poor because we were always kept safe / warm / bathed / fed and always knew we were loved. Which is more than can be said for a lot of people these days

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

central heating, lol.

my younger mates (most in their 20's) will not believe me when i tell them about my bedside drink freezing over during the night.

Also did not have an inside toilet until i was 5 years old. not a shed at the bottom of the garden but only accessed from an outside door. Freezing in the winter.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Times were different, times were tough.

If I hadnt of had balls id have had nothing to play with.

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

waiting for someone to say 'our dad used to cut us in half wi a rusty bread knife'..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We were piss poor when I was young both my parents disabled so didn't really have any income to support the 7 of us, but it has spurred me on to work hard so we have stuff for our kids, and really push our kids to do well at school and have a better standard of life than us,

Mrs liddy grew up in a very middle class family 2 foreign holidays a year nice house, she is shocked at some of the things me and my family talk about, like sugar sandwiches for dinner because there's fuck all else to eat, she can't believe people lived like that lol

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

One xmas my dad went out into the garden and fire a gun in the air...then tried to convince us that santa claus had commited suicide, lol

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Or her favourite story of my youth, is me and my sister having a pet chicken and getting home from school one day and my dad had killed it and we had it for tea, that shocked her lol

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"We weren't the poorest of families but we struggled sometimes. A lady round the corner made our summer dresses. We had one pair of summer shoes and one winter pair. I had a friend who was much better off than us and we are still friends "

I had the same ugly shoes for four years until I started my Saturday job and had my own money.

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By *ctaviusStuntMan
over a year ago

plymouth

i guess the poor thing is about finances, of course there are other ways to be poor.

I worked pretty much full time from the age of 11-12 paid house keeping etc bought my own clothes. Kicked out at 15 and on the streets. People didnt beg in those days so eat from bins, kfc etc and shop lifted. Some on here would want me hanged for that i spose.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"We were piss poor when I was young both my parents disabled so didn't really have any income to support the 7 of us, but it has spurred me on to work hard so we have stuff for our kids, and really push our kids to do well at school and have a better standard of life than us,

we didn't even have a bed when I lived with my parents, my dad was an alcoholic and sold everything, he even used to sell our xmas presents other people bought us, some weeks the only meal we had was our free school one and some weekends we went without till we was back at school Monday, people find that really heard to believe and think i'm lying but i'm really not, the sad thing was if my dad didn't drink we wouldn't have been poor he just got to the point that every penny he got went on booze

I think its made me a better parent to be honest, I have always worked and provided for my kids and my kids have never gone without

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I grew up in a very poor family, yet I always thought we were middle class until I was about 15. My folks saved all their money, they didn't spend on fancy meals or booze and we never had a car, lived in a council house. And although all our clothes were from charity shops we were always fashionable, always managed to 'appear' to have the same quality stuff as everyone else. Technology e.g tvs and dvd players were 2nd hand or knock off display devices, we never went on holiday or had a lot of presents but although my parents were on 1/4 of the wage of my peers parents, I honestly can't say I noticed until I found out where we got things from or the price of our posessions compared to others.

To this day I am an avid bargain hunter, I have no debts and manage (just about) to have nice things and live off min wage. Technically, I'm still classed as poor, earning under £7,000 a year, but I maintain a nice flat, buy all my groceries (from cheapy aldi) and my clothes and whatnot come from local charity shops! Even got a designer prom dress with label still on for under a tenner! Nobody knows the difference!

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By *ouple in LancashireCouple
over a year ago

in Lancashire

"i guess the poor thing is about finances, of course there are other ways to be poor.

some may, other may emphasise with you..

survival is our strongest instinct and until one has 'been there' who knows what you might do..

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?"

Shocking, must have left severe mental scars. Having to wear Hi Tech is a fucking disgrace, it's making me weep

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?

Shocking, must have left severe mental scars. Having to wear Hi Tech is a fucking disgrace, it's making me weep

hang on I have a tissue somewhere

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?

Shocking, must have left severe mental scars. Having to wear Hi Tech is a fucking disgrace, it's making me weep

hang on I have a tissue somewhere "
Hi Tech? Mine were from woolworths lol

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By *B9 QueenWoman
over a year ago

Over the rainbow, under the bridge

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor."

Me too. I think it's harder now as the more well off could be living next to someone in poverty.

"If I hadn't seen such riches, I could live with being poor. "

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By *izzy RascallMan
over a year ago

Cardiff

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?

Shocking, must have left severe mental scars. Having to wear Hi Tech is a fucking disgrace, it's making me weep

Whats worse is growing out of Hi-Tech and having them replaced with Gola. Don't bother, I'll go bare footed

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By *izzy RascallMan
over a year ago

Cardiff

"I used to have to wear shit trainers, go sport, hi-tech etc. I make sure my Daughter dosent

I hope you reported your parents to social services. Shit trainers? Whatever next?

Shocking, must have left severe mental scars. Having to wear Hi Tech is a fucking disgrace, it's making me weep

hang on I have a tissue somewhere Hi Tech? Mine were from woolworths lol"

The ironic thing is my Dad only wears Hi-Tech trainers, silver ones with a bit of 3m reflective on, they cost at least £25. Its almost gone full circle

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

People find it hard to believe we lived in a bedsit, a curtain separating the beds from the chair, rented television and the dining table.

Being homeless and living in a B&B hostel for 6 months before being allocated a council flat is a really strong memory. We had fun because my mother's uncle let us go over for meals in the evening. Their kids had everything, including Choppers and disco lights.

The day we moved into the council flat was amazing as my sister and I had a room separate from our parents and there were doors between all of the rooms. Santa still only gave us cut out paper dolls for Christmas but it was a real turning point.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"People find it hard to believe we lived in a bedsit, a curtain separating the beds from the chair, rented television and the dining table.

"
I loved cut out paper dolls

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Oh my god rented telly's, I remember them putting 50p in the slot at the back, and then my mom and Dad breaking in to it when we were really skint

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"Oh my god rented telly's, I remember them putting 50p in the slot at the back, and then my mom and Dad breaking in to it when we were really skint"

Everything was on a slot for us until we moved into the council flat. Apart from the paraffin heater which was the Esso Blue man once a week on a cart.

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By *isscheekychopsWoman
over a year ago

The land of grey peas and bacon

We had a rented tv from radio rentals lol

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Every Christmas my two brothers and myself always got the same present , a football between us. We would then spend most of Christmas Day over the park. My poor sister would get new school shoes.

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By *imply_SensualMan
over a year ago

Widnes

"We had a rented tv from radio rentals lol "

I read somewhere recently that in real terms, e.g. the cost of a TV compared to salaries back in the day when everyone rented them, it would be the equivalent of us paying between £10-15k to buy one today.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

I remember I was about 15 and my mom and Dad decided we couldn't afford a telly anymore, and we lived without a telly until I bought one when I was about 18 after everyone pointing out it was weird to not have a telly lol, and my mom and Dad took it off me and put it in the front room lol, so I had to buy another for my bedroom

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?"

All I can remember about my childhood was being happy , playing outside loads, making dens, etc etc.

It only went tits up when my parents divorced, very messy with a mother who loved parental alienation

Didn't care about anything else, and even now I measure the success of my life in how happy I am. Your life is what you make it

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

best xmas present ever was when my brother and myself where brought a ZX81...a real home computer....lol

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?

All I can remember about my childhood was being happy , playing outside loads, making dens, etc etc.

It only went tits up when my parents divorced, very messy with a mother who loved parental alienation

Didn't care about anything else, and even now I measure the success of my life in how happy I am. Your life is what you make it "

It is a good way to measure success. I was just trundling down nostalgia lane and remembering what it was like back then.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?

All I can remember about my childhood was being happy , playing outside loads, making dens, etc etc.

It only went tits up when my parents divorced, very messy with a mother who loved parental alienation

Didn't care about anything else, and even now I measure the success of my life in how happy I am. Your life is what you make it

It is a good way to measure success. I was just trundling down nostalgia lane and remembering what it was like back then.

There is a Nostalgia lane in Indianapolis. I remember visiting there with great affection.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Remember having very little when we were growing up as kids.

Where we lived most people where in the same boat and so I think our generation views poverty, slightly different from the current generation.

On a rainy day in summer, my kids would moan that they had nothing to do. That is apart from play on their Xbox, watch a DVD, browse the internet, tweet, poke or whatever else they do on social media. They would complain that 'Johnny' (can't remember kids name) down the road's parents gave him money on these type of days and that it's not fair and why are we so poor. To which I would tell them to do me a favour and go live at 'Johnny's'

They didn't believe me that when I was kid, on rainy days, we had to entertain ourselves.

No computers, certainly no internet, no daytime TV and when it was on only 3 channels, not like their virgin boxes and hundreds of channels. No DVD's and if I wanted to 'chat' to my friends (and when I say friends, they were actually my mates, kids I actually hung round with) I would have to go and physically meet up with them.

At times they make us feel like we are abusing them by not funding their days out to cinemas, ten pin bowling, quasar and obviously the compulsory visit to McDonalds.

I had a brilliant childhood, days out with just a bottle of water and if lucky a few jam butties. Spent hours and hours outside having a ball with 'real' friends, without ever wanting to poke them.

So why did we seem so happy with nothing yet kids today are so unhappy with what we would have considered everything?

By the way, talking about shit trainers, when I was a kid there were only two types of trainers.... boys or girls.

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"Remember having very little when we were growing up as kids.

Where we lived most people where in the same boat and so I think our generation views poverty, slightly different from the current generation.

They didn't believe me that when I was kid, on rainy days, we had to entertain ourselves.

At times they make us feel like we are abusing them by not funding their days out to cinemas, ten pin bowling, quasar and obviously the compulsory visit to McDonalds.

I had a brilliant childhood, days out with just a bottle of water and if lucky a few jam butties. Spent hours and hours outside having a ball with 'real' friends, without ever wanting to poke them.

So why did we seem so happy with nothing yet kids today are so unhappy with what we would have considered everything?

By the way, talking about shit trainers, when I was a kid there were only two types of trainers.... boys or girls."

I didn't know what trainers were when I was a kid. We had plimsolls and high tops. When I say we, I mean I had plimsolls. I could but dream of having high tops.

I think children should be faced with boredom on a regular basis. They will soon find things to do.

We were hampered by not being allowed out (locked in the flat on our own during the holidays) so our adventures were all in our minds. We weren't allowed to make much noise either.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"I didn't know what trainers were when I was a kid. We had plimsolls and high tops. When I say we, I mean I had plimsolls. I could but dream of having high tops.

I think children should be faced with boredom on a regular basis. They will soon find things to do.

We were hampered by not being allowed out (locked in the flat on our own during the holidays) so our adventures were all in our minds. We weren't allowed to make much noise either.

We weren't allowed to make much noise either.

Remember vividly, wet Saturdays in our house when I was a kid.

Dad dozing on the couch, snooker on one of the only three channels available to everyone. Made worse by the fact that we only had a black and white TV at the time. We obviously had to be quiet too and when we tried to turn the TV over, to watch whatever crappy western was on BBC 2, our Dad would miraculously wake up, tell us to switch back as he was only 'resting his eyes' and was listening to that. Who just listens to snooker, what was there to listen too?

He could be cruel at times our Dad.

Another trick he had, which got us time and time again, was to promise us Pop when we got home, to encourage us to walk quicker (poor-no car). When we got in he handed us a mug of water and said 'There you go, Corporation Pop'. Told you he was cruel...

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"I didn't know what trainers were when I was a kid. We had plimsolls and high tops. When I say we, I mean I had plimsolls. I could but dream of having high tops.

I think children should be faced with boredom on a regular basis. They will soon find things to do.

We were hampered by not being allowed out (locked in the flat on our own during the holidays) so our adventures were all in our minds. We weren't allowed to make much noise either.

We weren't allowed to make much noise either.

Remember vividly, wet Saturdays in our house when I was a kid.

He could be cruel at times our Dad.

My Dad can beat your dad for cruelty...

He would give us sixpence each for pocket money on an ad hoc basis. We weren't allowed to spend it. When we had a nice collection he would make is disappear and turn it into drinks and/or a card game with his friends. So, ner ner ner beat that.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"My Dad can beat your dad for cruelty...

Although this is not a competition....

On my birthday, I received a pound note in a card from relatives. This was a huge amount of money to me at the time being a small kid.

My Dad took it from me and asked me if I could name three songs which could be seen on the pound note.

I remember looking but couldn't work any songs out, I was only about 4 or 5.

So my Dad helped me out, first he said look at the Queen on the front and started singing 'God Save the Queen'.

He then turned it over, pointed at another female figure and began a rousing 'Rule Britannia'.

He then asked me if I could see the third, I tried hard but couldn't. He then torn the pound note in half and began to sing the verse from Roy Orbison's 'Crying'... I certainly was, I was crushed.

So he did have his cruel moments.

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By *imiUKMan
over a year ago

Hereford

"What happened to the rabbits?"

"Shut up and eat your pie".....

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By *iss_tressWoman
over a year ago

London

"The food threads have reminded me of growing up poor.

What are your stories, if you have any, and how did poverty/comfortable/well off (delete as applicable) shape you?

What did you think of poor people when you were growing up?

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor."

Likewise.

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"My Dad can beat your dad for cruelty...

Although this is not a competition....

On my birthday, I received a pound note in a card from relatives. This was a huge amount of money to me at the time being a small kid.

My Dad took it from me and asked me if I could name three songs which could be seen on the pound note.

I remember looking but couldn't work any songs out, I was only about 4 or 5.

So my Dad helped me out, first he said look at the Queen on the front and started singing 'God Save the Queen'.

He then turned it over, pointed at another female figure and began a rousing 'Rule Britannia'.

He then asked me if I could see the third, I tried hard but couldn't. He then torn the pound note in half and began to sing the verse from Roy Orbison's 'Crying'... I certainly was, I was crushed.

So he did have his cruel moments."

That is cruel. My father didn't and wouldn't do anything so directly cruel. Even my mother wouldn't do that although she might have taken it and bought food.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"My Dad can beat your dad for cruelty...

Although this is not a competition....

On my birthday, I received a pound note in a card from relatives. This was a huge amount of money to me at the time being a small kid.

My Dad took it from me and asked me if I could name three songs which could be seen on the pound note.

I remember looking but couldn't work any songs out, I was only about 4 or 5.

So my Dad helped me out, first he said look at the Queen on the front and started singing 'God Save the Queen'.

He then turned it over, pointed at another female figure and began a rousing 'Rule Britannia'.

He then asked me if I could see the third, I tried hard but couldn't. He then torn the pound note in half and began to sing the verse from Roy Orbison's 'Crying'... I certainly was, I was crushed.

So he did have his cruel moments.

That is cruel. My father didn't and wouldn't do anything so directly cruel. Even my mother wouldn't do that although she might have taken it and bought food.

To be fair,, I have made it sound crueller than it actually was.

After stopping crying I had the pound note sellotaped together and it was perfectly alright to spend.

But for those couple of moments I was totally devastated

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By *ugby 123Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

O o O oo

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor."

This ^^^

I was from a large family so money was tight. No holidays , bedrooms were just for sleeping in and some blankets had sleeves in them. Hand me downs where the norm, treats like a bag of penny mix were a treat to be savoured. The only heating was a coal fire and a geeser for your hot water and most of the time my parents went without to feed us all......but we were loved and had a great childhood so it didn't feel like we were missing out.

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

There weren't any other type of people when I was growing up.

We were all poor.

This ^^^

Growing up protected and loved changes how you view everything, I think.

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By *uby0000Woman
over a year ago

hertfordshire

we lived in the basement of an old house .tv leg was falling down the hole in the floor

we had an outside lav my mum asked for a light in it so my dad drilled a hole In the wall and stuck a light bulb through

shared a single bed with my sister clothes were hand made by my mum

my parents struggled financially but I wouldn't have changed it for anything in the world

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

We were so poor 8 of us used to share one candle to keep warm ! and if it got really cold we used to light it !!!

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"We were so poor 8 of us used to share one candle to keep warm ! and if it got really cold we used to light it !!! "

It did take all day before we got one of these. Thanks for the smile.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Wood chip wallpaper and artex ceilings. We were not allowed to get our own food because it was all worked out in advance for meals etc - usually stews - and I can't bear pearl barley to this very day.

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By *icketysplits OP Woman
over a year ago

Way over Yonder, that's where I'm bound

"Wood chip wallpaper and artex ceilings. We were not allowed to get our own food because it was all worked out in advance for meals etc - usually stews - and I can't bear pearl barley to this very day."

Barley soup. I'd forgotten about that. Now I might have to make some.

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Everyone in school couldnt believe my dad a farmer drove a clapped out Hillman Hunter with tyres so bald the wire banding was coming through. Truth was he was skint and we lost the farm.

How my parents fed five I will never know. Washing up liquid for.shampoo, hot water for a weekly bath bucketed in from the dairy as the house boiler was shite. Hand me down clothes, hee haw at Christmas compared to my mates.

I had a great childhood though if I look through my rose tinted Oakleys......

Nah, i'm rich in spirit tho'

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