I Grew Up Poor
My parents divorced and my dad got custody of me, but still had to pay my mom child support (!). So for about 10 years we were pretty poor. Now we weren't as poor as most others' stories here, but poor nonetheless.
I always had enough food to eat, although my dad sometimes went without. No relatives to speak of, so no hand me downs. But most of my clothes came from thrift stores and/or were bought big enough to last for a couple years. Pants and shirts were always patched and so were winter boots.
There wasn't lots of money for heat in Upper Midwest winters. I wore long underwear from October to April most years. I always had a snowsuit or insulated coveralls for winter. My dad thought if it was cold enough for a coat, you needed a snowsuit. It was kind of embarrassing wearing that to school all winter, every winter, but I got used to it and I was thankful for the warmth. When the wind blew--which was often--I'd stay in the snowsuit inside too. In good years, I might get a coat too, so I would wear that too during cold snaps.
I always had enough food to eat, although my dad sometimes went without. No relatives to speak of, so no hand me downs. But most of my clothes came from thrift stores and/or were bought big enough to last for a couple years. Pants and shirts were always patched and so were winter boots.
There wasn't lots of money for heat in Upper Midwest winters. I wore long underwear from October to April most years. I always had a snowsuit or insulated coveralls for winter. My dad thought if it was cold enough for a coat, you needed a snowsuit. It was kind of embarrassing wearing that to school all winter, every winter, but I got used to it and I was thankful for the warmth. When the wind blew--which was often--I'd stay in the snowsuit inside too. In good years, I might get a coat too, so I would wear that too during cold snaps.
51-55, M