Is anyone here s**t poor?

[FStyles]

Not that anyone will read this with any interest now on the 3rd/4th page, but my folks and I came here from China with not a penny over $200 and a dream. Neither were educated or spoke a lick of Engrish, I was 4, and we knew no one. (when i say $200, I mean it. No bank account, just had 10 $20's)

I won't ramble on with any sob stories, but we were pretty piss poor. No one to turn to back home and definately no one to help here. We were on legit visas but we never once took a penny from the gov't other than the free education and free meals provided to me.

They both worked their asses off and put themselves through college in their 40's. With lots of hard work and a substantial dose of good luck they eventually landed careers which turned into better opptys and so forth.

Fast forward 23 years and my folks are very well off now.... Actually very very well off now but they still "think" poor which drives me up a wall, especially when they come to our place and snoop around in my closet area. The conversations that get started about a particular piece of clothing is NOT fun.

anyway, American dream in its finest form (IMO) and accordingly, we love this country like only immigrants can.

 

[Hombre Secreto]

What did your parents study?

 

[AR_Six]

No, but I did ski bum / live out of my car for a winter. That was pretty much the dirt poor experience.

 

[Thomas]

No, but I spent a year living with a friend and his family: they weren't **** poor but nothing ever got fixed or worked right around there - always scrounging for whatever around that house. I didn't mind it, but I suspect that was because My time with them had a definite end date. Said friend, BTW, has done okay for himself as far as earnings go but is utterly and completely foolish with his money.

Now - our foster son - he has been **** poor.

 

[FStyles]

Originally Posted by Hombre Secreto

What did your parents study?

that's another story in itself. Ironically, my mom did graphic design ie "starving student for life" but see the part about dose of good luck

about 12 years ago, she started a small GD firm in SF which turned out to be pretty successful.

My dad grad. in hotel mgmt and eventually got into the restaurant biz.

 

[crazyquik]

Originally Posted by RyJ Maduro

I'm **** poor.

I've been drinking Tanqueray in lieu of Hendrick's.

Me too. I've moved to the cheap end of the top shelf

Times are tight.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by FStyles

Not that anyone will read this with any interest now on the 3rd/4th page, but my folks and I came here from China with not a penny over $200 and a dream. Neither were educated or spoke a lick of Engrish, I was 4, and we knew no one. (when i say $200, I mean it. No bank account, just had 10 $20's) I won't ramble on with any sob stories, but we were pretty piss poor. No one to turn to back home and definately no one to help here. We were on legit visas but we never once took a penny from the gov't other than the free education and free meals provided to me. They both worked their asses off and put themselves through college in their 40's. With lots of hard work and a substantial dose of good luck they eventually landed careers which turned into better opptys and so forth. Fast forward 23 years and my folks are very well off now.... Actually very very well off now but they still "think" poor which drives me up a wall, especially when they come to our place and snoop around in my closet area. The conversations that get started about a particular piece of clothing is NOT fun. anyway, American dream in its finest form (IMO) and accordingly, we love this country like only immigrants can.
Inspirational story.

 

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Slim, your drive is really impressive. Good luck.
+100. All the best Slim.

 

[rjmaiorano]

Originally Posted by FStyles

Not that anyone will read this with any interest now on the 3rd/4th page, but my folks and I came here from China with not a penny over $200 and a dream. Neither were educated or spoke a lick of Engrish, I was 4, and we knew no one. (when i say $200, I mean it. No bank account, just had 10 $20's)

I won't ramble on with any sob stories, but we were pretty piss poor. No one to turn to back home and definately no one to help here. We were on legit visas but we never once took a penny from the gov't other than the free education and free meals provided to me.

They both worked their asses off and put themselves through college in their 40's. With lots of hard work and a substantial dose of good luck they eventually landed careers which turned into better opptys and so forth.

Fast forward 23 years and my folks are very well off now.... Actually very very well off now but they still "think" poor which drives me up a wall, especially when they come to our place and snoop around in my closet area. The conversations that get started about a particular piece of clothing is NOT fun.

anyway, American dream in its finest form (IMO) and accordingly, we love this country like only immigrants can.

Thats awesome. I agree that there is a unique perspective to this country that only immigrants have.

And I think telling them is good. While they may seem like sob stories, I bet your parents don't look at it like that. It is a success story. We should be reminded more often of values like this.

Your story is similar to my pops story. When he first came here with his mother they lived in the back of a weinershnitzl until another immigrating relative got a job and a place to stay. It took his father 7 years to get a visa because the gov thought he was communist. Never had a home of their own. My pops washed dishes from the age of 12 to help pay bills and took a year off between HS and college to work full time. When he did go to college he declined better scholarships to stay close to home and continue to work and pay bills. The school he did accept a scholarship to was coincidentally the place his father worked as a janitor.

Needless to say, my pops sees no value in the clothes I buy.

 

[TheFusilliJerry]

I'm 17 and I'm about to go away to college. Reading this thread has really scared me. I'm gonna bust ****** in college(and after).

Originally Posted by Piobaire

put plastic over your windows in the winter
I am a child of a middle class family living in the suburbs and we still do this.

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by TheFusilliJerry

I'm 17 and I'm about to go away to college. Reading this thread has really scared me. I'm gonna bust ****** in college(and after).




I am a child of a middle class family earning 150k+ a year and we still do this.

I hear there is stimulus money for new windows. Have your parents look into it.

 

[Hombre Secreto]

Originally Posted by TheFusilliJerry

I'm 17 and I'm about to go away to college. Reading this thread has really scared me. I'm gonna bust ****** in college(and after).

You better... or you might end up having to survive on Ramen soups from the 99 cents store like me.

 

[breitlingman]

Excuse my ignorance.. but what is the purpose of putting plastic over your windows?

 

[Piobaire]

Originally Posted by breitlingman

Excuse my ignorance.. but what is the purpose of putting plastic over your windows?

Stops cold drafts and lowers heating bills.

 

[thenanyu]

Originally Posted by breitlingman

Excuse my ignorance.. but what is the purpose of putting plastic over your windows?

Vampires.