Growing up.....poor to retire in an RV

[TR25]

As I like to think...and think about why/how people think, this subject has always been interesting to me.
I'm a boomer. My parents were of the greatest gen, thus both went through the great depression. Obviously, my grandparents and other relatives did too....as did millions of people in the usa.

One of my beliefs is that if something detrimental happens to a person, if it's bad enough, they never forget it. Sounds trite, but goes deeper than just remembering. If it's bad enough, people choose not to think about it or in some cases, literally blank it out.

People raised in the GD, their ways of doing things, living, usually reflected that. Growing up, we rarely got new clothing. The girls made a lot of their own, but everyone below the first of each gender got handme downs. If there were holes in them, they got patched. If they were too short for the next in line, the hem got extended and for a while, I think it was in style to have that extra strip at the bottom of your pants. Related families passed their kids clothing around too. Light bulbs were used to darn socks. Everyone had quilts and they were all home made...and although heavy, comfy.

Food--none of ot was wasted. Everything was big batches and there's even something called "depression era food", like boiled dinner, potatoes and eggs, spaghetti, chili, ghoulash, etc. Ate your ration and if you were still hungry, you ate bread. Pop was a rarity. Even into adulthood they continued to eat like that.

Living? Live in a small house, and bunk beds for the kids as bedrooms where shared. Then live in that house until you get old, then retire in it as it's paid off, your car is paid off. That was the goal, the dream.

Weird how things from the formative past can impact us. I bought my first RV in my early 30s as security, so I'd always have a place to live. Now I have 2.5 (I was home-challenged as a kid). I have 2 freezers and 2 fridges with a utility room in the basement, full of food (At times I had to steal food to eat as a kid). I have 4 nice vehicles now (struggled to have one with matching tires until late 20s).

So did any of you grow up in any way to impact your choices now? Were you one of those who worked their whole life, then when retired, sold the house, got an RV then took off to see the usa? Or just hit the road? I have relatives who lead that normal life, worked, now retired, are doing the RV thing and one about to.

Can be interesting to know more about how a peson wound up where they are. Guess that's why I've been interested in the whole vanlife thing as there's usually a story behind most of that.

 

[newmarokie]

I am always fascinated to hear the stories of people that have had success and the road they traveled to get to where they are today. If the campfire burns long enough you can learn some of the details of early struggles and chances taken that lead to success.

 

[Boat Bum]

Yankee frugality was ingrained in us from the day we were born; I was youngest of four.

 

[John&Andrea]

Yep boomer, great parents, I was raised right, good values, how to work and take care of my self and others. Never had to worry about where. A meal was coming from.
Grew up in a family business so working was a given. I did not mind working.
We did not take nice vacations, a few tent camping trips in the 60s.
I never made a lot of money but I did learn to save.
I RV today to see things I did not see when I was younger. Life is good.

 

[TR25]

I am always fascinated to hear the stories of people that have had success and the road they traveled to get to where they are today. If the campfire burns long enough you can learn some of the details of early struggles and chances taken that lead to success.

Yup. One of the things I learned later in life than I should have is, if you just shut up, you can learn something from others. That, combined with everyone's favorite subject is themselves (carnegie sales course). So just respectfully going up to people and starting a conversation, one can learn a whole not they'd not have otherwise.

I learned from a nebraska rancher/farmer that short horns are just as good and better for the buck than black angus. I was at some ag gathering, saw an old guy in a cowboy hat, looking at the livestock, so i went up and started talking to him, about the weather of course.

A lot of knowledge and stories are disappearing w/o being shared. Tech has a lot to do with that too.

 

[TR25]

Yankee frugality was ingrained in us from the day we were born; I was youngest of four.

Yup. A new pair of boots/shoes you bought big so you'd still have them instead of outgrowing them.

An interesting note: There's no such thing as [black] soul food. Why? Southern whites at the same food.

 

[TR25]

Grew up in a family business so working was a given. I did not mind working.
We did not take nice vacations, a few tent camping trips in the 60s.
I never made a lot of money but I did learn to save.
I RV today to see things I did not see when I was younger. Life is good.

You and yours earned it.
Back then, did you do the canvas 'army tents' too? Looking at older pix, it was amazing how a couple with so many kids all slept in a canvas tent like that.

One thing I learned from a wealthy gent is you make your money, not when you sell something, rather, when you buy something. If ya think about it, that's pretty wise, altho reverse thinking to most.

My RV/Camping life began when I got out of the mil. Had nowhere to go, was a bit lost, so packed my alice pack, stuck a 1911 in my jacket pocket, went to the highway, stuck my thumb out and off I went to see the usa.

Learned a lot about backpacking, places and people then. It was an adventure and recommended other young guys do it. Well mebbe sans the gun. Saw a lot of small, off the road places that way as locals gave me the rides and they knew all the best spots. Discovered very cool hot springs in northern NM for example. Put a hammock on the side of a mountain and watched them until the next day, monday. No one was there on monday, so I had it all to myself. Wonderful experiences generally.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

"One thing I learned from a wealthy gent is you make your money, not when you sell something, rather, when you buy something. If ya think about it, that's pretty wise, altho reverse thinking to most."

Well yah! Retail is a ceiling. The only way to make a living selling anything is to buy below market with allowance for selling costs.

Consumers spend!

 

[RobertE]

What you described is just about exactly how I grew up. 6 kids, my father worked and was the provider of our well being (and tanning our backsides when we needed it). My mother kept house and raised us. I got a new pair of dungarees for school and before I even put them on my mother put patches on the inside of the knees.

Kid's are coddled too much. Participation trophies, parents and teachers lying, telling them they did good when they did not. Our T ball uniform was our gym shorts and a T shirt. I remember taking them to our coach's house where he used a stencil to spray paint "Jets" on them with a number on the back. Now it's $200 for uniforms and $100 to the athletic association to play T ball.



I'm 70 with two boys ages 33 and 30. They are both men of good character and that I am most proud of. I would like to thing the things my father taught me came to them through me. I remember him saying "when you shake hands, don't give somebody a wet fish". He taught us our word was our bond, if we said we were going to be somewhere or do something we had to do it come hell or high water.

We were taught to respect women. Yes ma'am, no ma'am. Hold the door open for them, offer help when needed. I don't open the car door for my wife, but I do open doors for her.

I could go on and on but sometimes I think the current generation of males - I will not say men - have no concept of what it means to be a protector and provider, which is the instinctual and natural role for men.