I grew up in a bankrupt single parent home with 4 kids, one of which had a congenital heart disorder. Life was not exactly easy, though I still had a great childhood. I married into a family that's the epitome of upper middle class. Beautiful home, several vehicles, two kids, tons of vacations, etc. We now live in an area literally called Karington Estates, where the sidewalks are cobblestones and the street lamps are made to look antique. There's a play ground and a tennis court and a bunch of beautiful well maintained trails in the area... and I still catch myself going WTF is this? I'm used to struggling for everything and now while I do have concerns, I don't feel like I'm fighting for existence... I will say one big difference is that I have a much better understanding of money than my husband. Not that he is unwise with his money, but he's never been in the position where you have to count every penny, and so I would say overall I have a healthier attitude towards it... A lot of people who grew up like me might have wound up being Penny Pinchers, but I fortunately have a pretty moderate outlook on money