People Are Sharing Telltale Signs That Someone Grew Up Poor, And They're Spot On

Experiencing poverty can have long-lasting effects, ranging from financial trauma to small, everyday habits that are hard to let go of. Recently, u/tiredofw8ing asked Reddit to share the dead giveaway signs that somebody grew up poor, and the replies were spot on. Here are some of the top comments:

1. “I didn’t realize I made ‘poor people sandwiches’ until I met my wife. The amount of meat she piles onto the bread — it’s just nuts to me. I was doing two slices folded in half and she’s using a 1/4 pound of turkey.”

—u/zilorzilhaust

2. “You’re always afraid to use your nice things because you might ruin them, and then you never get to really enjoy what you do have.”

—u/velociravenous

3. “Disproportionately wasting a ton of time to save up a few dollars. It’s going to cost $2 less if I go to this grocery store, even though it will take 30 minutes longer to walk there? Sign me up.”

—u/sariahannibal

4. “Never showing teeth when smiling. I grew up dirt poor and never received dental care until I was well into my twenties. I’m now forty, only recently (after many dental procedures) have I begun to feel comfortable showing my teeth.”

—u/king_of_lunch223

5. “Only using part of a stick of chewing gum at one time. Mom would make us share. We each got 1/4 stick.”

—u/fungrandma9

6. “You look for off-brand everything.”

—u/real_railz

7. “Saving the extra things from eating out. Condiment packets, napkins, and unused plastic silverware all go into the drawer.”

—u/technical_contact836

8. “Having no control over my spending habits because now that I have money I want to buy everything I couldn’t as a kid. Also, apparently, hot dogs in mac and cheese being one of my staple meals.”

—u/carlwheezerspants

9. “Food hoarding. All the people I