The Economic Life of Identity
“You boys know if I could afford it I wouldn’t hesitate to get it. I don’t like saying no and making you sad”. This was something we always heard from our mom if we couldn’t afford any luxuries then the week we would be facing was going to be a tight one.
“We know mom”, I knew majority of our money had went to bills and food. We did need the essentials after all. While sometimes we do live paycheck to paycheck, we aren’t poor it’s just our bills that decide to try to pull us under for a few moments. But somehow we make it through. We budget and save, budget and save to make sure we have enough money to do things we want. But it's not just me who goes through life like this. There's articles that talk about classes in america, particularly the article “The Secret Shame of Middle Class Americans”. A quote that showed how this issue of funds beintg drained is something that many middle class families is supported with this statement “I know what it is like to have to juggle creditors to make it through a week. I know what it is like to have to swallow my pride and constantly dun people to pay me so that I can pay others.”. When families like mine go through this, it creates an extra drive in children and teens, like me, to make sure they don’t go through what their parents go through, and be able to afford what they want. So they can be more successful and have a better life for themselves and their future families.
When children that are economically disadvantaged, sometimes they face extra walls and hoops they must climb. In a quote also in the article “The Shame of Middle-Class Americans”, it says “I know what it is like to be down to my last $5—literally—while I wait for a paycheck to arrive, and I know what it is like to subsist for days on a diet of eggs.”. While not everyone has to survive off of eggs, and there are different alternatives still not being able to have a fridge with varieties of food affect the way of life for children. While all is bad in the current time however, families and specifically children that go through this gain more resilience towards issues they may experience later in life and know how to solve things (like this) better. And because they’ve already experienced this stuff they will know and be able to handle situations along the lines better. Which influences how they handle money to be able to continue to eat and affects their money situations, and ability to stay afloat.
“Saamir I hope you know you’re gonna have to work to help pay for college right?”
“I know mom, I’ll do what I have to”
“I’m just letting you know because money will be tight.”
“And college is expensive, I know. But I want a better life, we both want me to have a better one so it will just have to happen.”
Commonly I have these discussions with my mom about paying and affording college when I’m with her. We have established that we aren’t able to go over $30,000 but even something close to that is somewhat pushing it. When I talk to my dad however, he doesn’t have much interest in budgeting for college and max tuitions. In his eyes he only cares about it being cheap and would rather have me go to CCP. But will support whichever choice I make for my future. Both of my parents, obviously, are different people and have different ways with parenting. They’re separated so they have different financial capabilities, and responsibilities. In some ways this is good because if one parent can’t afford something I can ask the other, there’s more Christmas presents. While I have these different aspects of living different financial living environments, I reflect on what life is like in both environments what it is like to live in different neighborhoods and realize I want better for myself. Both of my parents are right below middle-middle class if not bordering that but, after living this way for 16 years I know life would be better by working harder to achieve my goals in life, and be above what my parents economic status is. I know the struggles of sometimes living paycheck to paycheck to being spoiled is sometimes. A life of financial unpredictability is a life I want to strive not to have. Although we all have many aspects that influence our identities the undermining one of economic status shapes our drive, sometimes what opportunities we have, and experiences we can have. Though economic status is a touchy subject it influences our lives in many ways that we can and can't explain.
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