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7 Signs Your Parents Aren’t Rich
Sorry, no corvette for your 16th birthday
Growing up, my siblings and I had everything we needed. But if there was something we wanted, most likely we’d have to save our own money to get it.
We weren’t exactly poor, but we were thoroughly middle class. My dad was a college professor at a small liberal arts college, which meant he got plenty of academic freedom and a rather meager salary to go with it.
I had a largely happy childhood. There were no fancy vacations and your chances of getting an Xbox for Christmas were next to none, but in its place was active encouragement to read books, play music, and embrace our creative spirit.
Because I had a pretty artistic temperament from a young age, this parenting strategy worked quite well for me; I was mostly oblivious to the fact that we didn’t have a lot of money.
But in retrospect, signs of my parents’ lack of wealth were scattered throughout my life like breadcrumbs. Here are seven clear indicators:
No New Cars
My parents always had a reserve of cash to buy a car — as long as it was used. When they bought a vehicle, they held onto it for literally as long as it would run. Also, the cars were never “nice.” The fanciest one we ever got was a 2002 Honda…
