Originally Posted by
GallopingGhostler
Difference was we grew up with parents who had been through WW2. They knew what rationing was, many came from a farm background and knew what hard work was. They made ends meet by budgeting, saving money, making wise purchases and refrained from purchasing unnecessities. There was no such thing as credit card loan mechanisms, etc. It was not unusual to have only one outlet per room in a house. There was a radio and may be a TV in the house, a phonograph for recorded music, not like today where every room has one. Most cars in the 1960's were without air conditioning. I didn't own an air conditioned car until I was working after graduating from college in 1982.
Drinking Coke was a luxury. We didn't have Coke every day, may be once a week if we were lucky. When we had it, it was a treat, not a daily drinking item. We played as kids. We didn't have parental supervision, but then I never heard of drugs until I entered high school. It wasn't unusual to hear a mom calling aloud for your friend's or your name to come to supper. Although we had a TV, we spent more time outside playing than watching. Usually Saturday morning was spent watching Superman, Zorro, Sky King, Captain Kangaroo, etc. Late afternoons and evenings had Leave It to Beaver, Father Knows Best, Combat, Roy Rogers Show, 12 O'Clock High, the Ricky Nelson Show, Andy Griffith Show, Ed Sullivan, etc.
There wasn't the open violence, vulgarity, coarse talk and sexually explicit material programming on TV like today.
My Dad was born in 1912 and his father lost his shirt in the Depression (he had begun building homes from what had been the family farm in a subdivision; the street still bears our name). Went from not too bad off to nothing. Dad was what his friends called "Tight".
I don't recall EVER having carbonated soft drinks at home. First color TV was about in 1972. I had an older brother and two older cousins and I didn't own any clothing that hadn't been worn by at least one of them except shoes. Sneakers had to be the least expendive available ("EJ Rejects"). I had to pay my own tuition and books for college - but was fortunate enough to have been awarded a 50% scholarship.
My wife lost her father when she was 12 and he was not employes at the time. She knew some very hard times. She has no taste for jewelry, dressy clothes, wears few but sensible shoes. We met in college and were married in 1980. I think we spent $1,000 for the wedding including her dress, flowers, musician and church reception hall meal because we didn't want to be beholding to our parents. And her hobbies are raising the sheep and spinning the wool and then knitting it.
But, in spite of how much I hated it as a kid, a lot of it stuck. I've worked for three firms that went under and been "rightsized" once (after nine years and 10 months so I wasn't vested - ba$+tards).. Each time we go into "essentials" mode and have done well. We're completely debt free now and have a nice home on 20 acres, sheep, chicken, turkeys and a large garden. I take my lunch to work. And I also now make a pretty good living showing young engineers and professionals whose work is hemmoraging cash what "essential" really means. Turns out I have a knack for budgeting and holding to that budget.