I can remember when I was "poor." That is, I was just out of the military and working as a rental agent. I could only get 30 hours a week, I didn't qualify for any aid because I had no children, and it was difficult to get another job because I had no car and few skills. So I just worked and went without car, without phone, without insurance, without ever, ever dining out, without anything other than basic cable (I had to be able to watch the news.) Lived on ramen, and rice and beans, and a few veggies and tuna and peanut butter.
But even then, I knew I was lucky. I was living in a nice little one bedroom apartment in a safe part of town. There were a few thrift stores on the bus line. I was comfortable enough. And I knew that by American standards, I was poor. But by India standards... I was doing pretty good! LOL!
LOL, part of being young is to want to get ahead, and not have the means or experience to do so.
I have never, ever, wanted for the basics.
Ever. (Unless you count being in the military and spending all your money stupidly at the beginning of the month, then having to eat but Wonder bread and tub margarine with powdered ice tea to drink for the rest of the month. But that is more stupidity than “want”.)
But, even though I have never experienced real hunger or physical privation due to poverty, I have striven my entire life never to take that for granted.
But part of being young in an affluent society was, for me, the desire to work hard, learn when I could, and move ahead.