Who here knows what it's like to go without?

[CrimsonTide4]

I definitely know what's it like to go without, moreso as a teen which is when my parents divorced and my mother had difficulty finding work.

Examples of what that was like: we shopped at the Goodwill, we were on free/reduced lunch in school, many times without cable, some utilities got turned off, Fila shoes bought at Marshall's instead of Foot Locker but I told my classmates we got them from out of town, baskets of food from the church for the holiday meals, etc.

[UrbanizdSkillz]

God knows I know what it's like to be without.

I remember coming home from school in the third grade and being evicted from my apartment. Imagine being in third grade and coming home and seeing all your possessions in the street. It was the first of four evictions in my lifetime. I've been in the middle of dead winter with no heat and literally nothing to eat. I've been without electricity or hot water for a week in the middle of fall, eating cold sandwiches and taking cold showers. I can definitely identify with the repeat outfits because I had only a few clothes. Being without a car and catching public transportation, lying about where I lived so I can "school-hop" in another county with a better education system. Living in a hotel room for months at a time. We weren't eligible for government assistance until my mother actually lost her job once for a brief period (a few months). After that, she made too much money on paper to be eligible. You name it, I just may have been through it.

What I'm thankful for is the fact that it all taught me resposibility and to be appreciative for what I do have. When God should see fit to bless me with an abundant income, I won't be one of those people who have no idea what to do with their money. Poverty makes you sad as well as wise.

But it was and always has been my early faith and relationship in Christ that sustained me. Now, I don't struggle like that anymore and I know that it's only by grace. Many people ask my mom why she never had anymore children than just me. She always responded that she couldn't afford more than one. Looking back now, I'm glad she was wise enough to make the decision.

So in short, I definitely know what it's like to go without.

[Little32]

Many of these posts are very similar to my childhood.

My parents tried, together and then individually, but it was a difficult road. I remember one Christmas where we only got fruit and candy bars in our stockings.

I learned many of the same lessons. To be appreciative of what I have, to work hard for what I have, and the differences between needs and wants.

[OneTimeSBX]

i did free/reduced lunch too. only back then, the regular lunch tickets were a different color than the cheaper ones. never did figure out why that was, because everyone knew by the color what type of lunch you got...

when my fiance got laid off last year 2 weeks after i had, that was the first thing i did: find out about reduced lunch for my daughter. it was 40 cents, dropped from $1.75. EVERY BIT COUNTS. we got jobs soon after, but when you end up in a situation like that? you cant panic. you cut coupons (which i hated as a child but ADORE now!), you buy off brand things...i swear we didnt have 2 ply toilet paper for the longest lol! but we survived, and didnt know the difference until we became adults.

[OOhsoflyDELTA#9]

Wow...reading some of these posts brings back some memories...we got evicted and had to move around a couple of times when I was young...I can remember the breakfast at night thing too...my stepdad was a loser so I know he hustled people out of money and never wanted to work a "real" job..I've always been obsessed with clothes and I can remember wanting more then I had...luckily my mom did manage to keep me in private school until 8th grade so I wore uniforms....I lived with my grandma from the time when I was around 11 yrs old and we have had utilities shut off, the rent late as all get out and I've seen the worry on my grandma's face when it was time to pay bills...I can say that thank God we always had food but things were rough and I got my first job at 13 by changing the age on a copy of my birth certificate and I've been working every since...I bought my own clothes from that point forward and helped my grandma out...I will tell anyone that I've been grown since I was 13....I had to do for myself and looking back I don't really have any regrets because my experiences have made me a "go-getter"....I just try to make sure that my daughter never has to worry about "adult" issues...I shield her from those stresses as best I can...