If You Notice These 11 Things In A Wealthy Person's Home, They Actually Grew Up Broke
The lifelong effects of poverty aren't just about money, income, and wealth.
MAYA LAB | Shutterstock Research reminds us time and time again that poverty is often intergenerational for more reasons than we recognize — from financial literacy to financially influenced mental health struggles, children who grew up poor are more likely than anyone to remain poor in adulthood. However, what about the people who make it out of financial hardship — who grow into wealth, have financial freedom, and no longer have to worry about money the way their parents did?
Even if they have the money to pay their bills and never work again, the emotional trauma or poverty often lives on. From emergency stashes of necessities to reused gift wrapping, if you notice these things in a wealthy person's home, they actually grew up broke — and are still living in that survivalist mentality, even if they don't necessarily "need" to.
If you notice these 11 things in a wealthy person's home, they actually grew up broke
1. An emergency drawer with necessities
SeventyFour | Shutterstock
According to a study from Social Indicators Research, growing up in poverty isn't just about material or money hardship — it also tends to spark a "survival mindset" that leaves people living constantly on edge. Even after someone's adopted a wealthy lifestyle as an adult, the fear and anxiety over simply "surviving" likely lives on.
Likely struggling with an underlying belief that everything could be taken from them in a second, if you notice things like an emergency drawer with necessities in a wealthy person's home, chances are they actually grew up in a survivalist mindset.
2. A deep freezer with tons of options
RossHelen | Shutterstock
To cope with food scarcity and to save a little bit of money, people living in poverty often bulk buy things like meat and produce when they're on sale — if they have the money to afford the cost up front. Storing these foods that were originally on sale in their freezer, they're more likely to stretch meals and groceries for a longer period of time.
If you notice these deep freezers and a fridge full of frozen foods in a wealthy person's home, they actually grew up poor. While their colleagues and peers with generational wealth may buy fresh foods and new trending items every single week, they're thinking about how they can save money, even if it's not necessarily a necessity.
3. A cabinet overflowing with reusable grocery bags
Miljan Zivkovic | Shutterstock
Even if they're not actually reusing the bags all the time or needing to save them for projects at home, the frugal mindset that many people who have grown up in poverty bring into adulthood fuels this behavior.
Frugality is inherently associated with sustainability, as they're being intentional about conserving resources. So even after someone's become wealthy, those little habits — like saving plastic grocery bags — stick.
4. A mix of practical and luxury clothing
Stock-Asso | Shutterstock
Even if they're starting to overcome their guilt by buying expensive "non-necessities," a wealthy person who grew up in a poor environment likely still appreciates and prioritizes practicality over luxury. Especially when it comes to their clothing that they use every single day, they're more interested in buying things that actually serve a practical purpose.
From truly warm winter boots to an off-brand winter coat that they know they'll only use for a couple of weeks out of the year, they're careful about not wasting money on things that they don't really need.
5. An expensive security system
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
Even if they're still not comfortable "wasting" money on designer clothing and other luxury goods, one of the most important expenses a wealthy person buys when they've grown up poor is an expensive security system. Even if it's literally only offering an emotional sense of security, feeling safe in their home at night, and being able to rest without anxiously worrying about what's going on around them, is a priceless experience.
Like a study from BJPsych Bulletin explains, mental health struggles like anxiety are often prompted by poverty, which is why it's not surprising that they may continue to linger after someone's achieved financial success.
6. Stashes of snacks in every room
VH-studio | Shutterstock
People who grew up poor know what it's like to go hungry — to go to a friend's house or a family's living space and to constantly be looking for a snack or a meal.
That's why people who grew up poor, but now have the money to spend on random things, make sure to keep their pantries stocked and snacks available for anyone in every single room. Even if nobody is coming over, it feels like a safety mechanism to ensure that their inner child is taken care of and free of worry.
7. Rooms filled with things they don't use
Prostock-studio | Shutterstock
From workout equipment that's collecting dust to clothing they no longer fit into, if you notice these things in a wealthy person's home, they actually grew up poor. So many children who grew up amongst financial scarcity have been ingrained with the fear of wastefulness from a young age, so as adults, they struggle to throw things away or donate — even if they don't use them.
They worry that "one day" they'll need it or that someone in their family will ask them where that one material thing is, when in reality, they have the money now to replace it or buy something new.
8. A comfortable guest room
PeopleImages | Shutterstock
If they have the space for a guest room, a wealthy person who grew up poor will always make sure it's comfortable for anyone to use. They may not stock the guest bathroom with a million products or invest in the fanciest sheets for the bed, but they'll make sure that whoever needs to use it feels safe and comfortable inside of it.
Of course, a ton of research suggests that poor people are more likely to be generous, giving openly to others, even when they don't have a lot to offer. Even after they've grown into financial freedom, many people who grew up poor still have this generosity inside of them. So, it's no wonder they're always offering their guest room to family and friends and giving money to people who need it in public.
9. Clothes with price tags still on them
polkadot_photo | Shutterstock
Even if they know they're going to keep them or fit into them, people who grew up poor may have grown accustomed to keeping the tags on all their new clothes. Maybe they won't wear them and can return them for money. Maybe they'll only wear them once. Maybe they have no intention of ever returning them, but feel pressured to keep the tag on, just out of second nature.
It's this kind of hypervigilance and consistency around money that often follows people into adulthood, even if they have the money to spend.
10. Hardly used heating and cooling
Monkey Business Images | Shutterstock
While it's true that the average person can save quite a bit of money by being vigilant around their thermostat usage at home, for people who have the money to prioritize comfort, they're usually not thinking about it.
However, if you notice that someone's home is always just a little bit too hot or cold, chances are they grew up poor. They're being frugal in random places and trying to save money, even if they're truly set for life already.
11. A hidden stash of cash
Slava Dumchev | Shutterstock
It's not surprising that so many adults who grew up poor have a strong sense of hypervigilance today. Poverty often sparks a great deal of fear and anxiety, even in children who aren't making the decisions or paying the bills.
Whether that hypervigilance manifests itself in an extra-secure security system, a hidden stash of cash at home, or an extreme intention to never waste food, if you notice evidence of these things in a wealthy person's home, chances are they actually grew up broke.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a senior editorial strategist with a bachelor's degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
