11 People Who Went From Poor to Middle Class Revealed What Surprised Them the Most

People who were poor during their childhood or teen years revealed what surprised them the most when they finally didn’t have to count every penny anymore. Some of them realized that good tea is not just a fancy thing, while others understood why good shoes are so expensive. We found all these stories on Reddit. And in the bonus section, you’ll find out how our loved ones show that they care for us with the help of food.

• When my wife and I were in our early twenties, scrounging every penny to barely get by, we had to budget groceries to a T. We lived next to 4 different grocery stores, and we knew how much certain groceries cost at each one, choosing the cheapest one for each food. I remember how we would have arguments because a brand name wasn’t as good, and we couldn’t budget the extra 75 cents for the real thing. Luckily, I can go to any grocery shop now and buy whatever I want. © patpatpat_pat / Reddit
• One thing I wanted so badly growing up was to get braces. Now I’m about half a year away from getting my braces off and having seen my teeth go from where they used to be to where they are now is a huge boost in confidence. Along with braces, I was able to see a dermatologist to get an unsightly mole I had on my face removed that I hated growing up and would get teased for. I’ve always been a pretty good-looking guy, but those 2 things destroyed me as a young man, and being able to swipe my card and change that was life-changing for me. © ihateivann / Reddit

• Buying in bulk saves you money, but the problem is having that “extra” money to buy everything in mass quantities. It’s a vicious cycle. Now I buy everything I can in bulk from feminine products, toilet paper, and certain foods. © SkitzoFlamingo / Reddit
• My dog got hurt last week, rushed her to the emergency vet. She got some stitches, the bill came to $800. As I slipped our debit card, I turned to my husband and said, “Honestly, I can’t believe that’s our bank card, and we’re not scrambling to check if we can split it between our remaining balances.” By the way, the puppy is doing fine now. © lizard_ladder / Reddit

• I love the luxury of not having to eat every last bite because “Food is expensive, you need to eat it all up!” If I’m full, I will stop eating now. © lolarent / Reddit
• I grew up sharing a bed and bedroom with 3 other sisters. Imagine 4 kids shoved into a queen bed. Now I only share my bedroom and bed with my husband because I want to. It’s so freeing. © Dr_Julian_Helisent / Reddit
• I’m not out here buying fillet mignon every day, but it feels nice to “splurge” on pistachios or a fancy tea once in a while. It’s sad what you see as fancy when you are used to being poor. © Unknown author / Reddit

• I remember only having the cash in my hand and being terrified and embarrassed when I would approach the register because no matter how meticulously I would plan, I was occasionally over budget. It is truly humbling to put stuff back like bananas or something. I have even had people behind me offer to pay. I usually would say no, but once I said yes and promised myself I would pay for someone else the next time I had the chance. © samjski / Reddit
• I used to hand-wash everything in the tub on weekends, and it took so much time and was physically strenuous. The bedding was the worst. I went way too long without washing them, probably a month, and had skin issues because of it. Now I have in-unit machines, and I do 1 or 2 loads every week, it’s lovely. One week sheets for me now, can’t go back. © Agonist28 / Reddit

• If I feel sleepy during the day, I can take a quick nap. I was raised my whole life to think it was lazy. © Pleasant_Tiger_1446 / Reddit
• My family always had to buy the cheapest shoes (and laughed about how silly it was to buy expensive ones). I was in my twenties before I realized that running didn’t hurt everyone, and I just had perpetual shin splits that disappeared when I wore properly fitted shoes. No wonder I hated physical education so much. © Direct_Pen_1234 / Reddit

Bonus: how people show that they care for us with food

• It happened when my girlfriend and I just started living together. We made a pie, and it got burnt a little on one side. I took a burnt piece so that she could eat more tasty slices. So I’m eating, and she says, “Oh, my granny also likes to eat burnt food. She says it’s tastier this way!” And then she looks at me aghast and says, “Wait...I just got it.” © Michelle Lezhachebrukhaya

Have you ever gone through a similar experience?