What makes you feel poor

LJD1_2

I find that when i'm happy I don't feel poor. I think it's because I'm more likely to count my blessing then. So I just try to stay happy.

Before I started on this site money saving things made me feel poor.... now they just make me feel very clever!

pounds_and_pensive

I don't get envious of wealthier people's material possessions, but I do envy the spare time a lot of them seem to have. I'm not even after a few weeks on some yacht in the Carribean - just the odd night off from writing endless eBay listings, stuffing bits into jiffy bags and poring over spreadsheets in the hope of squeezing yet another pair of school shoes out of the budget would suit me nicely

Still, now I've discovered MSE, by the time someone invents a sixty hour day I'm confident that I'll be able to afford to buy one

tesuhoha

Its not battling to become debt free that makes me feel poor. In all my life the thing that made me feel the poorest was the day all my cards were refused in Tesco (because they were all up to the limit) and I had to leave my shopping behind.

isgman

I don't have any money.. that makes me feel poor... mind you I try and stay Happy...:-)

rkh001

Calleyw - I too listened to the programme. There was another guy on who has borrowed money in different names to buy properties to let. He said he is never going to pay back the debt as he never registers on the electrol register under his own name. He believes that the banks should do more thorough checks. How could he sleep?

Anyway, I don't feel poor. I feel stupid for having got myself into debt. Have always had what I need but went for what I wanted - serves me right. But poor? No! Paying my debts back makes me feel proud and foces me to be richer in other things that are not material.

LittleL_4

At this moment and time I have to admit I do feel poor in monetary terms but not poor in my general standard of living.

I live in a nice area, o/h and I share a nice car, we enjoy good food and wine and to look at us you'd think we were well off, but we aint!

So I think I feel guilty more than poor. Although I've felt poor, my gawd, extremely poor in the past.

I remember my niece asking for a packet of opal fruits and I could'nt buy them for her coz I had no money. I also remember checking all my jacket pockets for loose change (and down the back of the sofa).

But I think it makes you stronger and more determined to never go back there again. And logging on here everyday is a reminder of why we WON'T!!!! :T :T :T :T :T :T

Little L
xx

lisa_75

I feel poor in comparison to my most of friends and relatives. I do have a couple of friends on income support and in comparison to them I am well off, but in general I think we are poorer than most people. This is because we can’t afford to buy a house, I can’t afford to learn to drive, never mind run a second car. No holiday this year, I don’t own a single item of expensive jewellery, the most expensive item of clothing I own cost £35.

When I go out shopping with my friends they often spend upwards of £200. Even before my lightbulb moment I could never afford to spend more than £40 or so. My husband says it must all be debt as our household income is higher than most people we know. However, I feel it must be me not managing my money correctly as we only have £10,000 of debt and already are feeling the pinch so how can my friends, who are on less money than us, owe more?

JAMIEDODGER

i dont feel poor at all....in many ways i feel rich. i have my beautiful kids and a very few close friends, an optimistic attitude and my life stretching out before me...

K9cuddles

I have to agree.. I don't feel poor.. just skint and sometimes very jealous!!!!

Luke

moriarty888 wrote:

It's comparing ourselves to others that makes us feel badly off. Status anxiety.

I too used to look at people with fancy clothes, hair dos and shoes etc, and think "Hey, why can't I have/afford that?"

Very true. But in most cases these people are up to there eye balls in debt, and are like that because they are not happy within themselves.

Anyway whats wrong with feeling poor I knew this bloke who came to the UK from Poland and was used to living on very little money. He got a job paying about net £1400 and at the end of the month he would have £1100 left over. Because he felt poor he was naturally carful, maybe if a few of us didn't think we were so rich we wouldn't spend what we don't have.