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35 Habits People Developed Because They Are Poor That Others Might Not Have Thought About
Interview With Author
If you grew up in a low-income household, you probably learned from a very young age how to spot the best deals in the grocery store. You also might be used to eating much less fresh produce towards the end of the month and being extremely kind to your landlord to ensure that they won't evict you if your rent arrives a few days late.
There are plenty of “poor person habits” that are perfectly normal when you’re used to them, but the reality is that wealthy people live in a parallel universe where they never have to worry about these things. Reddit users have recently been discussing some of their own experiences that the rich wouldn’t be able to relate to, so we’ve gathered their thoughts below. Keep reading to also find conversations with the person who started this thread and Johnny "FD" Jen, and be sure to upvote the replies that feel extremely familiar to you!
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#1
Wait. For everything. Wait for the bus to arrive, bc it’s always late. Take longer to travel farther to the cheaper store. Wait at the laundromat for your clothes to finish. Not only that, but the frequency of these waits is also higher, because you don’t have a car or money to be able to buy things in bulk or transport large amounts of clothing. It is time consuming af.
Board Pan, duh. 1 month ago
Or waiting.. to buy an item you need or want. Always prioritizing and going without. Waiting while you save or for the right time. When you are rich...you want something, you can buy it without the wait.
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#1
Putting up with insanely horrible work conditions and harassment, knowing quitting is not an option.
Dr Jimmy 03 1 month ago
Yeah, well-heeled folks have no read on this. Best of hopes for you, hermano/hermana.
To find out how this conversation started in the first place, we reached out to Reddit user Gotwire, who posed the question: "What is something that poor people do that rich people are oblivious to?" They were kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda and explain why this thread began.
"With the disparity between the haves and have nots coming more into public light recently, I thought about how disconnected the rich must be from the rest of us," they shared. "But how exactly? What’s the reality - how little do the rich not understand the plight of the poor? How so?"
#1
Don’t travel. The amount of people who are amazed when I say I haven’t flown on a plane blows my mind. People do not realize how much money/privilege it takes to travel at all, let alone on a yearly basis.
#1
Make or turn down plans based around the cost of restaurants/activities/cover.
Snazzy Smurf 1 month ago
Feigning ill to cover up the fact you can't afford extracurricular events.
#1
Saw a tweet shared that I can't ever forget discussing this very thing. The gist:
People that don't keep fast food napkins in the glove box to use as tissues are in a totally different tax bracket.
We also asked the author about some things they do that rich people don't have to worry about "Thinking about the price before doing/ordering/buying anything," they noted. "Price being a factor in activities, meals, purchases."
But Gotwire says that they wouldn't necessarily live any differently even if they had more money. "Personally, I wouldn’t be able to shake my habits if I were to become rich. And that’s what separates some of the rich out there from others," they shared. "Those who didn’t come from money, I suppose."
#1
Adding potatoes to meals not because it belongs in a recipe, but because it's very filling and can stretch the meal to more portions.
#1
Being aware of the cost of milk, bread & cheese.
#1
Live with f****d up teeth because they have high copays and low annual maximums and can barely afford to even get cavities filled.
Rich people get extremely competitive health, vision, and dental plans, so they don’t have to think twice. They need care? They get it.
I have a rotten tooth that needs to be surgically extracted, need several root canals and crowns, need tons of cavity fillings, and have congenitally missing teeth. I can get the extraction (+bone graft and implant) and handle one cavity before I hit my annual maximum.
I floss and brush twice a day, I just have weak enamel and haven’t been able to afford dental care in a while. And the missing teeth? Sorry. It’s congenital/pre-existing so they don’t have to cover it.
No, Karen, I’m not doing d***s. God, people lose interest in talking to me the instant they notice my teeth (especially hiring managers). I start to smile as the conversation gets good and suddenly the light just leaves their eyes. It’s *humiliating.*.
As far as what the OP thought of the replies to their post, Gotwire said they were overwhelming and eye opening. "I was most surprised to see how many people have trouble meeting regular bills on a monthly basis - shuffling around whatever they could," they told Bored Panda. "But most of all, how many people's eating is impacted by poverty. Grocery shopping. Meals. Basic nutrition."
#1
Rich people seem to confuse not having money to do something with not wanting to waste money on something.
No, it's not that I don't want to order pizza because I'm stingy, I literally don't have the money.
#1
Choosing to put up with pain and not going to the doctor because you can't afford the bill.
Steve Sharpe 1 month ago
God bless murrica I guess... if "freedom" is paying $3,000 for a doctors appointment to save you from paying 0.01¢ towards someone else's, I'm quite happy living in the "oppressive communist hellhole where people have no rights", a.k.a. Europe (or anywhere else in the civilised world for that matter). NOTE: I say this against the country and the system of government, not necessarily all of the people.
#1
Shop at different groceries for different items because they are cheaper at other places.
Lester the Space Duck 1 month ago
My water heater began leaking two weeks before Thanksgiving. I bought the new tank and some fittings from Lowes because shipping was free. Some other fittings from Amazon because they cost less. The drain pan from Home Depot because shipping was free (they were charging $55 to deliver the heater, yet Lowes was charging $15 to deliver the pan).
"I cannot fathom being rich and not wanting to elevate and help those with less," the author continued. "Greed, the need for more and more, is just astounding. How much wealth does one really need at the end of the day?"
Finally, Gotwire added that the definition of poor has changed. "While there are truly poor people, even middle class can feel poor now. Due to the high cost of living, and stagnant wages."
#1
Save grocery store plastic bags to use as a trash can liner.
#1
Leaving the oven door open after using it.
#1
Skipping meals so their children can eat.
Jenna Kay 1 month ago
Cammy seems to believe that no one loses their job after having kids (thank you corporations who offshore entire departments) or that birth control works 100% of the time (cause clearly condoms never break, the pill is perfect, etc.). Cammy, dear, I hope you never fall on hard times or end up with a surprise child - as your world will simply fall apart.
To gain even more insight into this topic, we also got in touch with Johnny "FD" Jen, an entrepreneur and blogger who has experienced life on multiple points across the financial spectrum. First, we wanted to know how his lifestyle was different when he was struggling to make ends meet.
"I started living as a minimalist, keeping my expenses low," he shared with Bored Panda. "I moved into a small 35sqm/375sqm apartment, started to cook at home and ate local food, and started to take public transport, walk, or scooter everywhere instead of owning a car. I still do all of those things today, but now enjoy the luxury of eating at nice restaurants, taking Uber, etc on occasion."
#1
When buying anything or paying a bill I automatically convert to how many hours of work it took to pay for it.
#1
Say you already ate, just to join your friends out, to feel normal for a minute, without making things awkward.
Snazzy Smurf 1 month ago
This happened more than I care to admit as a child. Times were tough.
So would Johnny recommend changing your habits if you find yourself with more money? "It's best to slowly increase your lifestyle budget as you earn more money, it's a reward," he noted.
"However, you should keep the percentage of earned income low. For an example, when I was earning $1,000 a month living in Thailand, I only spent $250 a month on rent," he explained. "When I started an online business that started earning $10,000 a month, I upgraded to a much nicer condo, which increased my rent to $450 a month, but it was still a small percentage of my income."
"Now that I'm financially secure, I should allow myself to spend more and stop being so frugal," Johnny continued. "As after having $1M invested, it can just grow on its own, even if you don't ever penny pinch to add to the pot each month."
#1
Skipping on insulin to ration it. Mental health issues that go unchecked cause therapy is expensive. Turning down the heaters to save on heating costs.
Steve Sharpe 1 month ago
In my country people who need insulin or any other meds for diabetes get it free. Not just those on low incomes or state benefits, but anyone at all. Because people with the disease often have other health issues alongside it, they also get any and all other prescription medication for free too, as well as free dental care, operations and prosthetics, free eyecare including glasses, free podiatry, hosiery and specialised footwear, hearing care, hearing aids or implants... Not a criticism or attack, but I'm amazed that the US hasn't launched either a civil war or a coup d'état against the system of governance in general over this kind of thing
#1
Lay awake at night worrying that things will get worse.
Finally, we asked Johnny if he believes wealthy people can ever truly understand what it's like to be poor. "No, they can't learn something that they've only seen on TV or read about. I think everyone should feel what it's like to live on a strict budget for at least a period in their lives, as it creates an appreciation for money, discipline, and empathy for those without it," he shared.
#1
Having a bad month or pay period and having to sell off home appliances to make rent/mortgage. (happened growing up).
#1
It’s really difficult to get rid of clothes you don’t wear often or other stuff in a store room because if you don’t have much money you may need them in the future.
#1
Adding water to the last bit of dish soap to make it last longer.
This woman I worked with who clearly never struggled was yelling about how gross that was.
But that doesn't mean that people of a lower socioeconomic status have to stay there forever. "The opposite is also true. Poor people can't understand why rich people don't just give away their money either," Johnny added. "We're lucky to live in an age where anyone with access to information, the internet, and technology can create their own paths. Similar to how I have, from going up in a poor immigrant family, to starting an online business while living frugally, to now having over $1 million in retirement savings."
#1
Ignoring random calls from numbers you don't recognize knowing there's a high chance they are debt collectors.
Googling these numbers, confirming them then adding their whole range of numbers to your block list because you don't have any money to offer and aren't in the position to even loose $10pw to pay them.
#1
Drive with an engine light on.
Lester the Space Duck 1 month ago
I'm almost 42, and until four years ago, I never even had a matching set of tires on any vehicle I owned.
#1
- The amount of time you'll take to decide which expensive thing to buy, because you only get one chance at this, and it'll only happen once in your life, most likely.
- The amount of s**t you'll save (boxes, soap, bubblewrap, bags, freebie-whatevers) just because it's easier to save it, than buy it.
- You learn a LOT about how to fix your own s**t, when you can't afford to pay someone to fix it for you.
nottheactualphoto 1 month ago
I got to be a reasonably competent DIY plumber and electrician. Currently repairing the stove.
#1
Getting threats of eviction
Getting lights cut off
Worry about where their child will go to school
Shopping for themselves.
#1
Turn off the lights whenever you leave a room. Turn down the heat in winter, and up the AC in summer ….
#1
Taking less than your prescribed dosage of meds to try to ration them and save money
Once I had no money and I had to go to the urgent care to get some stitches removed, but remembering the $20 copay I opted to just take them out myself.
#1
Go to food banks
Commuting by bus EVERY day.
Shop at thrift stores out of necessity
Don't go to Taylor Swift concerta
Deep cleaning their house by themselves
Own the same car for over 10 years.
#1
Only buying certain grocery items when they’re on sale e.g. chocolate.
#1
My husband was raised in a different “ class” and he is always negotiating bills like home and car insurance. This would never occur to me. I get a bill, I pay it.
Scarlett O'Hara's Ghost 1 month ago
You keep doing that. Because you pay what they ask, they may have some wiggle room for people who need a break
#1
Not being able to sleep because how hungry you are, not having a social life because you never had money, never having been out of the state your from /never traveled, calculating groceries before checkout, being frugal, thrifty and zero waste before it was trendy, I was always mortified as a kid someone I knew from school or the block would see me in the thrift store or flea market buying used clothes.
PeepPeep the duck 1 month ago
I remember that feeling as a kid too - before op shopping was cool. It was a horrid feeling especially when every other kid had everything.
#1
Be in a constant state of panic because tripping on the sidewalk and twisting your ankle could ruin your entire life when your 1/2 a paycheck away from homelessness.
Snazzy Smurf 1 month ago (edited)
That is becoming more and more of an issue and it will get worse for many.
#1
Pull all the money out of your checking and put into your savings so a certain bill don't go through so you can pay other bills.
#1
Portion your food out so that they last all week. You can bet that every potato or carrot is designated for something.
#1
Keep a running tally of everything in the cart then add tax....then get to the self checkout and check thru the most needed items first checking the total to see if the $2 bag of carrots will be too much. Self checkout because it's less embarrassing to put something back. And poor people have to good at math and adding percentages for tax.
Steve Sharpe 1 month ago
At risk of sounding like a broken record... everywhere else in the world, the price on the shelf tells you how much money you need to have in your pocket if you'd like to take the item home with you, rather than the numbers you need to dial in to an equation to see if you can have one or not. This is US specific rather than low income specific.
#1
Have back up plans for back up plans for back up plans.
Not feeling comfortable spending money on yourself OR conversely, spending any little bit of money you get on things for yourself.
#1
Choose between eating or gas to get to work.
Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago (edited)
Only time I've ever been sacked was because I'd moved to a new town and was waiting for my first pay cheque but in the mean time didn't have money for food or toiletries. They thought I was incompetent but I was just too hungry to concentrate. (Spelling edit)
#1
Know what gas costs at several stations on your regular route so you always pay the least.
#1
Buy used tires.
Lester the Space Duck 1 month ago
I would do this, or I'd buy one new tire at a time. When the car got to the point that I could no longer patch or repair it, I'd keep the tires.
#1
Buy our clothes at the charity shops in the wealthy areas as rich people give away designer label clothing that has barely been worn.
#1
Keeping sauces from fast food in a drawer or fridge.
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
My sister used to keep tomato sauce in her wallet, until the three/four packets that were in there exploded at once...
#1
Nap for dinner .
#1
Sell our blood for money.
#1
Living off meatless spaghetti and microwave popcorn.
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
Buying popcorn kernels, rather than the ones in microwavable packets with seasonings because it's much cheaper.
#1
Pay excessive overdraft fees.
Robert Beveridge 1 month ago
What the finance industry wants you to forget: ALL overdraft fees are excessive. They don't have to charge you if they don't want to. Remember the House Bank "scandal"?
#1
Buying something often means sacrificing the opportunity to buy something else you'd like.
#1
Searching for discount codes for websites before checking out. Saved $100 this christmas and it took all of 3 minutes of my time.
#1
Go to Walmart to pay utility bills.
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
I don't get this. Is it because rich people don't go to Walmart or because Walmart lets you pay them for cheaper... Not American obviously. People in Australia can pay bills at the post office but I don't see why rich people would be less likely to. I have never done it because I pay everything online, but my mum still does I think.
#1
How much poor people truly despise rich people, even the ones sucking up to them and playing nice.
Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 month ago
"When the rich rob the poor it’s called business. When the poor fight back it’s called violence." Mark Twain
#1
Keep their living quarters at 55F all winter.
What do you think ?
Dog Mom to Zoe 1 month ago
This was painful to read. No one should ever live like this. We are doomed.
Kitty Fairycat 4 weeks ago
It's a shame and bad irony that you have to pay for premium to continue reading THIS article.
Dog Mom to Zoe 1 month ago
This was painful to read. No one should ever live like this. We are doomed.
Kitty Fairycat 4 weeks ago
It's a shame and bad irony that you have to pay for premium to continue reading THIS article.
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