Here in the economically practical Midwest, we live without government assistance beyond tax benefits, have very little debt, and own two (ancient) vehicles outright. Replacing the fridge was a headache, not a crisis. I think we are considered "lower middle class" for those reasons, but our housing is only secure…

It was a bit overwhelming for me. I consider my family to be very loving, but we are reserved, liberal, Midwestern WASPs. My fiance's family is huge, Southern, loud and open. It can be wonderful, but it was also a moment of culture shock when I met them and I can only take small doses before needing to seek out some…

I was raised middle class, and my fiance was not. The biggest hurdle overcoming the class difference is his food preferences. My mother (had the luxury of time from only working one job and) cooked every night, and I love cooking and am used to fresh vegetables and fruits, which I always had from the farmer's market…

Not to mention if you cut coupons (not even the extreme way) and shop sales, name brands are often cheaper than generics.

I'm a smoker working on changing that, and a huge reason why I kept at it so long was working minimum wage jobs where smokers were the only ones allowed to "take 5" and step outside. I also drank a lot more than I do now, because when you have $3 to your name you can't pay your electric bill but you can buy a 40oz to…

Good regular customers make everything else worth it. I've worked in lots of food service positions and the horrible customers are hard to remember, but the great ones stand out years later.

My fiance is the night attendant at a gas station in a rough area, so he is locked in the store and has to run around fetching beer and snacks to pass through the window. People tip him all the time.

Subaru produces that color for STis called "Cherry Blossom Red" but it's really hot pink. Amazing the lengths people will go to not call something what it is.

I used to chew up pretzel rods, then spit the macerated pretzel onto a whole pretzel, then eat it all. I am not a picky eater but I've always had strange rituals and routinely "dissect" my food. Kit Kats I eat all the chocolate off the outside, then eat the layers one by one. Payday: pick off the peanuts one by one,…

Me too! I only remember one Urgent Care trip, but I pretty much live on Benadryl in bad mosquito years. I'm also allergic to bee stings but at least I have no food allergies, so I'll take the insect issues without complaint.

She's a BAMF.