What, if any, have been the positive effects of difficult financial times/poverty in your life?

When I went through hard financial times it made me aware that happiness is not equal to financial success, and it made me less attached to things.

I learned that happiness does not depend on stuff. I realized that I can be very content with very little, so it gave me the freedom to take risks that led to financial success beyond what I had imagined.
Things are a bit tighter now, but no where near the bottom. I am blessed. (Regardless of how much money I have. )

It gave me a new understanding of what is important. At one point we were looking at walking away from a house full of antiques and taking only what we could fit into the car with my husband, myself, and 5 children.

Thank God for my father, who bailed us out. We repaid him by taking care of him for the next 15 years until his death. I used to say “We live with him, or he lives with us, depending on who’s talking.” But in truth, I think in many ways those were precious years for him because he spent so much time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Not speaking about the philosophical things I learned, but the physical hands-on things. I learned to stretch a dollar with a food budget and cook variations of a couple of cheap products. I learned how to make a fun day out of rummage sales and yard sales and to have fun at the public library. I learned how to live without a televison for seven years. I already knew how to sew, but I learned how to patch and alter hand-me-downs and second hand items. I learned how to barter. I learned that when you are honest with strangers and you don’t have the full payment for something like medical care, house repairs or car repairs, they are nearly 100 percent of the time, compassionate and will work with you. I learned how the state run health departments works on a sliding scale of payments for gynecological exams and birth control and for children’s health. I learned how to use these facilities so my other non-gynecological health issues were dealt with in these settings when possible for antibiotics and such. I learned how to play a harmonica when it became obvious I couldn’t learn cords on a guitar for entertainment. I learned how reading and studying is a wonderful form of entertainment.

This is not what you are looking for, but being poor (homeless, sleeping on couches, begging for money poor) made me realize just how important money really is and how much life really does require one have a certain amount of money. I had a lot of disdain for money before the hard times, now I realize how important it really is.

Having grown up in a working class family, I learned through the example of my parents how to be thrifty and how to have a higher degree of self-sufficiency. When I got into survivalism, I didn’t have the reaction some people do to the idea of having a supply of months worth of food. The idea was just so obvious to me, since my parents had, through economic necessity, bought lots of food when it was cheap, and then cycled the stores in the basement. This is an old-time habit that the “just-in-time” delivery system in supermarkets has largely killed. It makes even more sense as I move to growing, gathering, and killing more of my own food; I need ways to preserve the bountiful harvest to last during times of less bounty, like the winter.

I learned how to live with much less, and that it makes me a much happier person to not constantly be craving something that I don’t have. It is actually really liberating.

I’ve only had a few years of financial ease (that are over now) so I’ve always known how to deal. Financial ease is much nicer. I can enjoy friends and family at dinner out just as much as in. Holidays when you can afford them are fully as fun as on a shoestring. A car on warranty is more enjoyable than trying to change the oil myself. This doesn’t answer your question really. Sewing for fun is much nicer than trying to turn remnants into wearable things.

One positive thing that came out of going through a particularly tough financial period some years was learning not to borrow from relatives!

I’m a lot smarter with money now when I do have it. I also have realized that money isn’t everything nor is it all that important. Only if you let it be ;)....Also, I don’t have kids obviously so it’s just me supporting myself, my boyfriend supporting himself and some shared stuff like food and living expenses obviously. But that’s all we need, ya know? It’s really not so bad.

Like @psychocandy, I used to scorn money and think everyone around me was materialistic until I left home to be on my own and very little of anything, including money. Now I have respect for people who plan and sacrifice in order to have some securities like health insurance, regular meals, paid utilities, working cars if they need them to go to work.

I’ve learned to make my money stretch when really tight of funds and feel less hung up on having a few nice things if I’ve got all my other bases covered. The social guilt of “having” left me in my early 30’s.

I learned I can get along with zero money, through bartering, and very little money through selling scavenged items.

I also know that I enjoy having things when I have them, but I can get along just fine without them.

First of all, I love your positive attitude despite your struggle. I truly believe that it is during times that we struggle that shape and mold our character. Not saying that it isn’t hard….but you do learn valuable lessons. Like you mention spending more time with your children etc. I know that in times where I have been really low on money I realized what an amazing support system I had in my family. It also made me value things that money can’t buy. However, it definetley is hard and I will keep your family in my prayers.

@notabridesmaid Thank you.