All our childhoods were different. Some people grew up in homes with nice things all the time. Others grew up in ones where the “nice” version of something was just whatever the cheapest one was, no complaints allowed. We spoke to some people who grew up in cash-strapped houses, and here are ten objects they claim show this. What else would you include?
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Pay-as-you-go minute cards
You didn’t get a phone bill. Instead, your parents bought a tiny card from the checkout lane & scratched off the back. You’d then punch in numbers on your phone until the screen finally said you had minutes again. Sometimes, people kept two cards in their wallets, just in case their balance hit zero in the middle of something important.
Reloadable prepaid debit card with fees
Prepaid debit cards always came in plastic hang packs, next to the phone chargers. People would take them to the counter & load them with cash. Then, they got to pay a fee just for the privilege. And another one to use an ATM. How nice. But it didn’t matter if they didn’t touch the cards for a while, as there was still a “maintenance” charge to pay.
Plastic window insulation shrink kit
Cold air coming through the window was a problem for poorer people. However, they couldn’t necessarily buy new windows. They just got out the clear film & double-sided tape. They’d press them into place and run a hair dryer over them until they tightened like a drum. Sure, it wasn’t fancy. Yet it kept the wind from coming through at night.
Pawn shop portable ceramic space heater
That wasn’t all for the cold. Whenever it got too bad, cash-strapped people refused to turn on the heating because it was too expensive. A heater from the pawn shop did the job instead. It had just enough power to keep their feet warm if they were close & the cord always had some tape on it. The thermostat knob often stayed set exactly where someone had penciled in a tiny line.
Indoor retractable clothesline over the tub
Laundry day sometimes involved turning the bathroom into a drying station. These people put a little plastic box on the wall, which hid a cord that they’d pull across. They’d hook this to the other side. Afterwards, they’d hang their clothes over the tub so the dripping water didn’t ruin the floor. It was a lot cheaper than running a dryer. Way cheaper.
Thrift-store mismatched cookware
Buying a set of pots & pans didn’t mean the pieces actually matched. Instead, people would get whatever mix the thrift shop had. This could be a skillet with a wobbly handle & a pot missing its lid. Maybe a spatula with a little burn mark. But it still worked fine, and you just learned quickly which ones worked well. You avoided the ones that scorched everything.
Secondhand mattress with vinyl encasement
For these people, a used mattress didn’t come in a box. It was tied to the car roof with whatever rope was handy. Once home, they’d put it straight into a squeaky vinyl zip cover that trapped heat in summer & made crinkly noises every time they moved. It definitely was cozy. But at least it kept things contained…mostly.
Single-burner electric hot plate
No stove? No problem. Cash-strapped people used an electric hot plate that plugged right into the wall to boil water & cook. One pot at a time. It was a lot cheaper than running a whole stove. Having more than one dish going meant that they had to cook them in shifts. And the whole thing usually smelled like burnt toast.
Money orders for rent payments
You couldn’t get rent from a checkbook. The money came from a walk to the store counter, which involved handing over cash & paying a small extra fee. You’d receive a slip with a carbon copy to keep for records. After this came the trip to the post office to send it off. You had to hope it reached the landlord before the first of the month. If not? It was better not to think about that.
Hand-me-down TV with missing remote
There was no TV in a box. Yours appeared after someone in the family “upgraded” & needed it gone. But, of course, it came with no remote. Changing the channel involved leaning over to press those tiny side buttons, as a new remote was too expensive. At least it played the shows you cared about.
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