During my childhood I experienced being poor enough to be renting and relying on food banks in order to eat, but also being in the upper middle class with the in ground pool and no money concerns. It was due to some major financial blunders my parents made that wiped out all their savings.

As an adult I live pretty simple. I made the crack a while ago about how you know you're doing well if you've got purple lettuce for salads and two types of cheese.

I would view new clothes, cable, a personal vehicle, going to a hair stylist, and "treat" foods to be a luxury. Basically anything that I don't really need to get by.