Being poor isn’t easy. Sounds pretty obvious right? Everyone knows that poor people have it harder. But what’s interesting is just how much of a disconnect there often is between wealthier people and their poorer peers. Although Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, and a few other parts of the globe all have relatively high standards of living, there is still poverty. Maybe not in the sub-Saharan Africa sense of the word, but definitely enough poverty that upper and lower classes are farther apart than is sustainable in the long term.
The fact is that we’re all pretty quick to judge one another on how we should be living, what she would be buying, or where we should be shopping, especially when it comes to different economic classes. From each end there is always a passionate argument; for example, on one end, poor people shouldn’t have iPhones because that’s irresponsible, and from the other direction, rich people shouldn’t make such risky investments because that’s irresponsible.
The bottomline is this, rich and poor often don’t come into contact with one another. People who don’t have enough money to even buy a car aren’t often found in the same social circles as those who live in gated neighborhoods. A lot of this could be solved simply by understanding and spending time with people that are different from us. Unfortunately, that probably won’t ever happen. Instead, we offer you this list. These are 25 things poor people do that rich people don’t.
Featured Image: wikipedia
Buy veterinary medications
Image: wikipedia, Source: redditOk, rich people buy these too, but they buy them for their pets. Poor people buy them because meds can be cheaper when you buy them for animals. Or across the border…
Buy things rent-to-own
Source: thoughtcatalogAs you’ll see with a lot of things on this list, when you’re poor, you end up spending more money in the long run.
Hunt for food
Image: wikipedia, Source: redditThe difference between rich people hunting and poor people hunting is that the poor people actually eat the animal to stave off their hunger. And yes, there are poor people who hunt for food in the United States.
Eat SPAM
Image: pixabay, Source: 9gagYou’re a strange rich person if you buy these.
Buy craigslist furniture
Image: pixabay, Source: redditSometimes people just want you to come and pick it up, no cost. You can actually find pretty decent furniture this way.
Eat Ramen Noodles
Image: wikipedia, Source: 9gagEvery college kids knows this one.
Eat stale bread
Image: wikipedia, Source: redditWhen you’re rich, you probably don’t even realize there’s a bakery clearance section at the grocery store. Stale bread is great for bread pudding. And croutons.
Buy reduced items at the grocery store
Image: pixabay, Source: 9gagYou learn the exact times of day when things like meat and vegetables are marked down.
Make hobo tomato soup
Image: wikipedia, Source: redditTechnically, all the ingredients can be found for free at a McDonalds. Just mix salt, pepper, and ketchup into a cup of hot water. This is more popular than you would think among poorer folks.
Look for car parts at a junk yard
Image: wikipedia, Source: thoughtcatalogIt’s already cheap, but sometimes you can get an added discount if you remove the parts from an old car by yourself.
Drink quarter water
Image: youtube, Source: thoughtcatalogIt’s basically water with colored sugar.
Watch Over-The-Air TV's
Image: pixabay, Source: 9gagYes rich people, the antenna TV’s still exist.
Use extended stay housing or motels
Image: pexels, Source: redditMany times families will resort to this if they can’t provide proof of income to rent an apartment.
Buy powdered milk
Image: wikipedia, Source: 9gagAfter the 80’s, rich people stopped buying this stuff. Unless their refrigerator broke.
Buy plasticware
Image: wikipedia, Source: thoughtcatalogAnd then you just wash it. Rich people only buy this for picnics.
Buy items on layaway
Image: Random Retail via Flickr, Source: redditAs usual, there are typically fees involved.
Shop at the Dollar Store
Image: wikipedia, Source: 9gagFrom dollar store steaks to cleaners like Fabuloso, this is a poor person’s paradise.
Order water at fast food restaurants
Image: pixabay, Source: redditIsn’t that free? Yes, it is. But if you’re friends with the staff, and they let you hang around, it’s amazing what you can collect from the trays people leave behind. The water was just to feel like a customer and not loiter.
Use pre-paid credit cards
Image: wikipedia, Source: thoughtcatalogThese can also be used to establish credit if you don’t have any.
Take microloans
Image: youtube, Source: thoughtcatalogThe interest rates on these are usually extremely high. As we’ve seen so far, being poor is not cheap.
Cash checks
Image: Mo Riza via Flickr, Source: redditThis is always more expensive than depositing in a bank account (which poorer people tend not to have).
Eat crackers and ketchup
Image: wikipedia, Source: thoughtcatalogYup, like the water, these are usually free at restaurants. And there’s your dinner.
Watch dollar movies
Image: wikipedia, Source: thoughtcatalogThis one is sort of a legacy because dollar theaters don’t really exist very much anymore.
Pay minimum bank balance fees
Image: wikipedia, Source: 9gagSo you may have been wondering why poor people don’t just open a bank account. Well, besides all the residence and employment questions, many times you have to keep a minimum balance or else pay a fee. Yup, you basically pay for being poor.
Buy individual items rather than bulk
Image: wikipedia, Source: redditIt’s cheaper to buy in bulk, but when you’re poor you can’t afford to, so you end up spending more in the end. Being poor is expensive.
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