People are sharing 10 things ‘poor people do better than rich people’ — and they are strikingly accurate
Users are pointing out that being broke often builds character, and skills money can’t buy.
In a viral Reddit thread, u/Anton_ms06 posed a thought-provoking question: "What’s something that poor people do better than rich people?" The post, which gained around 7.4k upvotes quickly filled with stories, observations, and confessions from users, many of whom had lived on both sides of the income spectrum. While the comments didn’t paint the wealthy in a bad light, many highlighted how growing up with less builds a kind of resilience, empathy, and creativity that money can't buy. Many also pointed out how poor communities tend to support each other more, improvise when things go wrong, and keep their cool during tough situations. The thread also highlighted something less obvious: how limitations create clarity. Some of the insights might surprise you; others may hit a little too close to home. Here are 10 of the most honest and impactful responses.
1. Waste nothing
"My grandmother grew up on a farm during the great depression and used to say 'use it up, wear it out, just make do, or do without.'" - u/Bender_2024
2. Stretch every dollar with creativity
"Making the most out of very little. Creativity hits different when money’s tight." - u/daisyvalen
3. Survive with nothing
"Survival probably, by which I mean the poor would survive and adapt to an after the end of the world scenario better then a rich person. A poor person is already used to finding ways to cope with nothing. Especially like homeless living on the streets level poor." - u/Midgar918
4. Stay calm when things go wrong
"Handle adversity. I’m a pharmacist and I’ve worked in ultra wealthy communities as well as very poor areas. And without question it’s the poor-income folks that are better able to handle when things go wrong. If a drug isn’t available, or there’s a mixup with their prescription, they are much more understanding and reasonable in their responses. The rich people lose their sh** at even the most minor inconvenience (it’s not quite ready yet, give me 5 more minutes). I’ll take the poor people every day of the week. They are the real ones." - u/tomismybuddy
5. Work as a team
"Work together. Poor people can get amazing things done leaning on their social network. Rich people just hire someone." - u/mslabrat01
6. Show real compassion
"Showing compassion in times of despair because they know what it's like to have no one in your time of need." - u/Significant-Rise-419
7. Give generously, even when you have less
"Generosity. Poor people are more likely to share. It goes against common sense, but it's been proven. Homeless people are known to be especially generous as they understand how it feels to be without." - u/Poofarella
8. Never nickle-and-dime friends
"Hot take: not penny pinching their friends. I swear I've never been sent Venmo requests for small amounts as fast as from some of my 6 figure high earning friends." - u/Sumo-Subjects
9. Turn anything into a meal
"Make a meal out of anything. My wife grew up extremely poor but her mother always managed to put a meal on the table. It’s poor people magic for sure." - u/bigedthebad
10. Think outside the box
"Using ingenuity and resourcefulness to try solving problems, instead of just immediately using money." - u/Snoo8631
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