As a kid, what did you think were indicators of wealth?

ernest_t_bass 12th Son of the Lama
26,698 posts 204 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:17 PM

For me... 

Satellite TV

Inground pool

ATV

Name-brand clothing

Kids who had multiple sports team's jerseys

Non-shitty cars
- This is one that blows my mind today.  It seems like 85% of people have pretty nice vehicles, and that includes kids.  People who I know are teh poors, but driving around really nice cars.  You didn't see that shit growing up.  


Fab4Runner Tits McGee
6,997 posts 64 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:20 PM

Going on vacations that weren't camping or Cedar Point.

New SUVs, even if it was just a Ford Explorer. 

Verbal Kint Senior Member
1,062 posts 16 reps Joined Jul 2017
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:20 PM

Pretty much the same, also add Jordans, RL polo shirts, Benetton, multiple swatch guards...

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:26 PM
posted by ernest_t_bassmultiple sports team's jerseys

Non-shitty cars

- This is one that blows my mind today.  It seems like 85% of people have pretty nice vehicles, and that includes kids.  People who I know are teh poors, but driving around really nice cars.  You didn't see that shit growing up.  

Doesn't end there.  Credit and cheap interest rates and most people buy stuff they can't afford, and/or much sooner than they should.

I didn't think much about it, honestly.  But two things that stick out are Polo clothing, and Corvettes.  Both of which I kind of now view as something hilljacks buy when they get a little money in their pocket.

Big houses was the other thing.  Big screen tv's, like over 32" back in the day when 27" was the norm.

Jet ski's.  And people who owned their own snow ski's.



gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:30 PM

Also, NO ONE I knew growing up had a maid.  Or a nanny.   Even people that had two incomes and could afford it.

My parents' generation was definitely much more frugal.

Automatik Senior Member
15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:40 PM

2 door domestic v8s 😆

sportchampps Senior Member
7,527 posts 36 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 10:43 PM

I think when I was younger I judged wealth by people’s homes. Which actually probably didnt make sense since I lived in an average home but grew up in a wealthier family then most. 



kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 11:50 PM

Well I was middle class and went to private schools so nice cars, expensive clothes, overseas vacations, car phones (before cell phones) and nice homes in nice neighborhoods. 

33,369 posts 132 reps Joined Nov 2009
Wed, Jul 1, 2020 11:56 PM

Two big ones that I recall...

  1. The newest gaming system
  2. Sunday Ticket (Lol)

gut Senior Member
18,369 posts 114 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 12:11 AM
posted by kizer permanente

Well I was middle class and went to private schools so nice cars, expensive clothes, overseas vacations, car phones (before cell phones) and nice homes in nice neighborhoods. 

It's pretty funny how this would change pretty dramatically even over 10 years for most posters here in their 30's, 40's and 50's.

Growing up in the 80's, I don't think I ever saw a car phone except in movies.  Family vacations overseas were unheard of.  Middle class is pretty broad - I think I was fairly well off.  We vacationed all over the US, but I only flew once before college.

Even in more frugal times there were definitely people whom I thought had more money than us but actually just spent everything they had.  And "Rich Dad Poor Dad" wasn't written until 1997! (although I'm sure it's all lessons from the 70's and 80's).


justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 246 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 9:26 AM

Cool idea for a thread. 

I grew up relatively poor. I lived in a single wide on my grandparents property until I was 4ish. My parents then bought the house I spent the rest of my childhood in (mom still owns it) for $10k. It needed a ton of work, it belonged to an old spinster hoarder. My father bounced shortly after that and didn't really provide much in the way of child support. 

All that said, I never went without the necessities. But a lot of my experience with "luxuries" came when visiting friends and family. 

I did have some relatively well off cousins and I would get their first dibs on their hand-me-downs. Lots of Hilfiger and Polo and Ocean Pacific (baller) stuff. I always loved going to their house, they had an NES and it seemed like every game made for it at the time.

My first car was originally my great-grandmother's Plymouth Reliant that my grandfather gave me. I remember being jealous when a kid in my class pulled into the parking lot with a brand new Camaro on year.

I'm glad I had the upbringing I did, though. It could've been easier or more fun with more money, but I'm very grateful for the lessons my mother taught me. She's 58 and could retire tomorrow if she wanted to. My wife and I are (knock on wood) on track to, at the very least, be able to reduce our income needs to maintain our lifestyle in the next 5-10 years.

Spock Senior Member
5,271 posts 9 reps Joined Jul 2013
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 10:31 AM

i grew up poor, moved 5 times in 6 years.  My thought of being rich was whatever anyone had cause I didnt have anything.


Every kid should have to walk to the store with food stamps growing up.  Builds character.

queencitybuckeye Senior Member
8,068 posts 120 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 11:56 AM
posted by Spock

i grew up poor, moved 5 times in 6 years.  My thought of being rich was whatever anyone had cause I didnt have anything.


Every kid should have to walk to the store with food stamps growing up.  Builds character.

How odd that you seem lacking. Must be like a vaccine, limited shelf life.

QuakerOats Senior Member
11,701 posts 66 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 12:02 PM

Large home

Lincoln Continental in the driveway

Club membership

Dining out at the club or expensive restaurants

Al Bundy Senior Member
4,526 posts 40 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 1:44 PM

Grey Poupon

justincredible Honorable Admin
37,969 posts 246 reps Joined Nov 2009
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 1:54 PM
posted by Al Bundy

Grey Poupon


kizer permanente Senior Member
1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017
Thu, Jul 2, 2020 2:13 PM
posted by gut

It's pretty funny how this would change pretty dramatically even over 10 years for most posters here in their 30's, 40's and 50's.

Growing up in the 80's, I don't think I ever saw a car phone except in movies.  Family vacations overseas were unheard of.  Middle class is pretty broad - I think I was fairly well off.  We vacationed all over the US, but I only flew once before college.

Even in more frugal times there were definitely people whom I thought had more money than us but actually just spent everything they had.  And "Rich Dad Poor Dad" wasn't written until 1997! (although I'm sure it's all lessons from the 70's and 80's).


I only knew 1 person. It was my best friends dad. He owned a dozen or so nursing homes. He had a suburban that had a car phone and it told you the temperature outside lol. I thought it was the coolest car on the planet. Now ever car tells you the temp outside lol 
Trimmer36 Junior Member
25 posts 5 reps Joined Nov 2010
Fri, Jul 3, 2020 7:47 AM

As a kid, families of wealth to me had a "color TV" and their kids had braces on their teeth.

queencitybuckeye Senior Member
8,068 posts 120 reps Joined Nov 2009
Fri, Jul 3, 2020 10:53 AM

There were a couple of neighborhoods in our town for the "rich people". Only a guess, but that was probably more true back then vs. today where a decent percentage of the residents aren't wealthy, but extremely house-poor.

BRF Senior Member
11,621 posts 107 reps Joined Nov 2009
Fri, Jul 3, 2020 12:16 PM
posted by Trimmer36

As a kid, families of wealth to me had a "color TV" and their kids had braces on their teeth.

These are good ones imo.


Zunardo Senior Member
815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010
Sat, Jul 4, 2020 7:13 PM

When I was growing up, it was

  • swimming pool
  • indoor fireplace
  • pool table

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