What is poor?

[i-need-a-martini]

There was a really interesting article in todays SMH about how many of us think we are poor which is far from the reality.

I grew up in a migrant household where my dad worked 6 days a week and sometimes 2 jobs to keep us fed and housed. More often than not our food was basic and heating in winter was a luxury. But it never occurred to me that we were poor. I thought we were middle class.

So what is poor? ?:|

The last line of the article sums it up for me: 

Which brings us to the other side effect of our collective crying poor: it makes it easier to look past the struggles of those who are genuinely struggling. When you're declaring social bankruptcy over drinking cleanskin wine instead of $17 cocktails, catching the night bus home instead of a taxi, or having to skip out on your friend's destination wedding – indeed, when this becomes your vision of what “poverty” looks like – there is a little less room in your heart for those for whom poverty means having no choice at all.

http://www.dailylife.com.au/news-and-views/dl-opinion/is-there-such-a-thing-as-the-privileged-poor-2...

(And please don't make this a political thread cause it has nothing to do with the freaking carbon tax)

[polksaladallie]

Well, I could say that at one time I worked at 5 jobs at a time, (one in the morning, one in the afternoon, one on Sat, one on Sun, and 3-4 evenings babysitting, I had 2 children to educate), but I have said something like this before and had more than one very nasty remark to follow. 

[i-need-a-martini]

But do you think you were poor?

Or were you working all those jobs to get your kids through a private school? Or to make sure they had a bedroom each? Or to give them 'extras' like movies every now and then or a meal out or a holiday?

Know what I mean?

If you were only working one of those jobs what would have been different in your life?

[i-need-a-martini]

I/m not criticising by the way. I am just curious.

As I said my dad had to do 2 jobs to keep us fed but we never thought of ourselves as poor. But it meant the difference between getting gifts at Christmas or not. Or extending the house to add another bedroom.

If he didn't have that extra job and we didn't get Christmas presents then perhaps I would have thought we WERE poor.

Mind you, Christmas presents in those days was a single doll. Or a set of pyjamas.

[polksaladallie]

But do you think you were poor?

Or were you working all those jobs to get your kids through a private school? Or to make sure they had a bedroom each? Or to give them 'extras' like movies every now and then or a meal out or a holiday?

Know what I mean?

If you were only working one of those jobs what would have been different in your life?

I do know what you mean.  It is all relative.  I have seen well off people on TV whingeing.

Private schools?  Not a chance.  One job would have meant they would have had to work at a supermarket etc, and the cycle would have continued,and I would never have had a chance to buy a unit.  We had 3 holidays in 20 years.

[i-need-a-martini]

That sounds like how I grew up.

But do you think you were poor? Or do you think your kids thought you were?

I say no. You managed to earn enough to buy a home and it sounds like your kids didn't have too much of a struggle.

[vampire-teddy]

we live on very limited means, I am currently on a disability pension but trying to improve my health and prospects, and my partner is currently a student.  we still live a decent life.  we don't smoke, drink or gamble, and rarely go out. we eat well but economically, and occasionally enjoy a takeaway.  our bills are up to date and have pet insurance for our pets so they are covered for an emergency.  it would be much more difficult if we had children but then my partner will be re qualified soon in a much higher paying field.  

we didn't buy christmas presents last year and neither did any of the rest of our family, but we enjoyed a lovely christmas day together.  many of my clothes are hand downs from my sister but they are lovely and in good condition.  i have never been materialistic and don't equate happiness with material goods or income.  

i worked for many years before going on the pension so i have paid plenty of tax and i hope to one day join the workforce again.

[polksaladallie]

The truth is, Martini, except for a minority group of people in Australia who we have shamefully neglected, and compared to a lot of poor b-ggers in other countries, we are ALL very rich.

I saw a documentary recently about some women in India of the lowest caste,  who collect human waste (if you know what I mean) from homes for $2 a month per house.  That is poor.  But there are others worse off.

[catsnknots]

my mum was very poor... 

her family had to get day old bread from the bakery and they used lard on it as a treat.... 

The kids shared beds and they all only had one pair of shoes... she had an old coat she used for many winters and I remember her telling me that all she ever wanted was a nice new warm coat to get her through the harsh Danish winter... 

I think we are pretty darn lucky here... we don't have poverty like they did in the good old days. 

There are people that struggle... I struggled for many years... I am a bit better off now and will probably never own my own home.. my income is close to  the poverty line, some weeks are better than others depending on my shifts... but I manage 

A good read.. 

http://www.acoss.org.au/uploads/ACOSS%20Poverty%20Report%202012_Final.pdf

[*mrgrizz*]

my mum was very poor... 

her family had to get day old bread from the bakery and they used lard on it as a treat.... 

The kids shared beds and they all only had one pair of shoes... she had an old coat she used for many winters and I remember her telling me that all she ever wanted was a nice new warm coat to get her through the harsh Danish winter... 

I think we are pretty darn lucky here... we don't have poverty like they did in the good old days. 

There are people that struggle... I struggled for many years... I am a bit better off now and will probably never own my own home.. my income is close to  the poverty line, some weeks are better than others depending on my shifts... but I manage 

A good read.. 

http://www.acoss.org.au/uploads/ACOSS%20Poverty%20Report%202012_Final.pdf

your mother is danish?

where were you born?

my dad is also danish, migrated here before i was born.

he too recons he was very poor. was born the year after the war.