How poor were you as a child?

[Lilly]

Originally Posted by emamum23

Ive taught ty about money.. he has a money jar and he knows if he wants a new game he has to save for it........I'm thinking about trying to get him to do some jobs around the house for me aswell to earn somemore money.......

Good for you.

I do this too.

I give my children £1 a week for making their beds every day and dusting / tidying their bedrooms on Saturdays.

[Gayle]

From the outside it probably looked like I had everything - we lived in a big house (although the people next door had a swimming pool which they wouldn't let us swim in), and we got new gadgets - we were one of the first families I knew to get a video recorder (the remote was attached to it by a wire, none of this infra red malarky), and I had some great holidays, plus was often taken to rock concerts by my parents.

But in truth, my friend was far more spoilt than I was - she was given more spending money plus more extras whereas i was given spending money and any treats I wanted I had to buy out of my spending money. I got a clothes allowance which I had to manage myself whereas she got bought whatever she wanted.

Not saying either of us had a bad life because we didn't but just because I looked priviliedged my parents still tried to teach me how to handle money.

[WillowTheWhisp]

Originally Posted by Mancie

I did post this in anything goes.. meant as a joke thread but "anything goes"

You were hoping for a rival to the Monty Python sketch?

[cashman]

never really had a pot to pee in, used to try n stay awake to mug father christmas, but always fell asleep.

[West Ender]

'Ole in t'ground? Luxury! We lived in a paper bag in a septic tank..........

[junetta]

We didn´t have much. I remember looking forward to ´walking day´ at the Church because it meant a new frock. I don´t know how my mum managed it but she always bought us new stuff. I reckon that I only had about three dresses and a couple of cardy´s with darns.

Christmas wasn´t too good. I only dreamed of a bike of my own but never got one. My brother did and I still resent him for it!

[MargaretR]

There was a war on for goodness sake!
if you had money there was nowt to buy

[cashman]

Originally Posted by [email protected]

There was a war on for goodness sake!
if you had money there was nowt to buy

war was over when junetta n i were kids.

[junetta]

A war? Just a little before my time I think.

[MargaretR]

Rationing lasted til '53 on some things

[junetta]

Yes, Margaret, you are right and I still have a ration card signed by my mother. It was around 1960 when I asked for my bike.

Miserable father said that he didn´t want a child of his riding a bike on those busy roads. Until my brother asked for one that is! There was only one car in Holland Street then and that belonged to my Dad and Mr. Alderson down the road had a motorbike and sidecar. Three cars an hour along Blackburn Road.

I suppose it´s relative.

[Margaret Pilkington]

We were very poor.......all our shoes came from jumble sales, clothes too.
We had a gas meter that ate shillings like it was going out of fashion....and many times it ran out and there was nothing to feed it with.
My dad was ill for years after the war...he was blown up after the D-Day landings, and couldn't work........there was no real help. I reckon if it hadn't been for the free school dinners, and lovely Mrs Almond,(she owned a nearby bread shop and gave us the left-overs at the end of the day) we would have starved to death.
My mum had three jobs......she used to go to the market late on a Saturday and scrounge vegetables and fruit for us.
Having said that, there were many other families like us, so it didn't seem anything special. My childhood was what formed my character and determination, so I should be thankful.

[Eric]

Originally Posted by grannyclaret

We diddent have much money, but neither did any of the other kids,,,,we still had a great xmas ,but our stockings were made up of little toys and an orange and apple..you always got the latest annual,,ie beano or dandy,,and some spanish twirly things..and a selection box,,,,WOW we did well when i think about it..

Selection boxes rule ... and as well, I got a new penny and a sugar pig .... times were tough after the war, with all the factories closing down and the rationing ... I remember that on Suday morning, my breakfast consisted of the tops off the eggs my parents had ... and doing spuds in the fire ... but most other people were in the same boat, what seems like poverty now was the norm in those days. After my parents were divorced, I went to live with my grandad and things were better as he owned a couple of shops in Hapton. I remember that my first allowance was a half crown a week, and I had to work like stink around the house to get it: doing the dishes, hauling in the coal, doing the shopping etc.

[Lolly]

I dont think it really matters with me, with his Trust Fund Harry's far richer than me he should be buying me presents!! lol

Seriously though. My Mum & Dad didnt struggle as such and we always had great holidays, days out, and great presents for Xmas & birthdays. But we were never spoilt we didnt get what we wanted when we wanted it at just normal times of the year, it was only on special occasions that we got treats. We were always taught the value of money. Hence now why I'm so good with my money and I will always teach Harry the same when he's old enough, I have to admit though at the moment he is spoilt a lot of the time.

[Mancie]

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

You were hoping for a rival to the Monty Python sketch?

I'm not having that Willow!... we were so poor that I had to walk t'pit in bare feet everyday for work...took me 2hrs to get there..then work an 20hrs shift n walk home..then back again..only food I got was to suck a dried pea!