General Discussion

trof

(54,274 posts)

14. Our cable spool dining table...

Fri Dec 28, 2012, 09:54 AM

Dec 2012

Ours wasn't this nice, but you get the idea.

Bought our first house in 1970, 2 br, 1 1/2 bth. about 1200 sq.ft.
$35,000

I got the cable spool for free from the phone company.
Shellacked the top. This was our dining table for 4 or 5 years.

Shelves were 12" pine shelving on white painted (very tasteful ) concrete blocks.
We were in the house for a year before we could afford to buy a couch and a couple of armchairs.
Our daughter's crib was a hand-me-down from a neighbor.
I did spring for a brand new mattress.

We kind of 'made do' back then.

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What did "middle class" mean to you when you were 20-30 something? [View all] SoCalDem Dec 2012 OP

A Whole Different World... KharmaTrain Dec 2012 #1

Middle Class means you are comfortable financially and socially. liberal N proud Dec 2012 #2

+1000 orpupilofnature57 Dec 2012 #10

I watch these young couples buying their first property on HGTV CrispyQ Dec 2012 #3

Not only updated, top of the line appliances, etc. we can do it Dec 2012 #27

No granite countertops???? SoCalDem Dec 2012 #33

Now...GET OFF MY LAWN! tjwash Dec 2012 #4

Your parents sound like my parents :) kentauros Dec 2012 #5

Primarily, I think owning a home IDoMath Dec 2012 #6

More and more Americans today are in the lower straits of society financially, but many think RKP5637 Dec 2012 #7

In my family, we consider middle class rich... nt Comrade_McKenzie Dec 2012 #8

Bought my first house in 1977 Sherman A1 Dec 2012 #9

We bought our first one then too..and we lost sleep worrying SoCalDem Dec 2012 #11

Same here Sherman A1 Dec 2012 #12

Growing up we were the middle class wanabee's. appleannie1 Dec 2012 #13

Our cable spool dining table... trof Dec 2012 #14

Oh my.. you were fancy!! SoCalDem Dec 2012 #18

Cable spool tables are awesome! Odin2005 Dec 2012 #20

I still have one slackmaster Dec 2012 #21

We thought of ourselves as middle class growing up Proud Public Servant Dec 2012 #15

How funny you should bring this topic up. I was thinking this morning and telling my southernyankeebelle Dec 2012 #16

My next door neighbor was a blue-collar worker... KansDem Dec 2012 #17

I'm that age right now and to me "middle class" means... Odin2005 Dec 2012 #19

I always thought "A Raisin in the Sun" was a good example of moving the middle Heather MC Dec 2012 #22

my family was sorta upper middle class hfojvt Dec 2012 #23

I'm 51. When I was 15 dotymed Dec 2012 #24

What Makes You Middle Class Is Your Net Asset Value (NAV) Yavin4 Dec 2012 #25

People who were secure LWolf Dec 2012 #26

My parents grew up in a time when one could abelenkpe Dec 2012 #28

This message was self-deleted by its author ann--- Dec 2012 #29

To me being Middle Class meant you worked hard, and were compensated. DaveJ Dec 2012 #30

I thought we were after we bought our first home tularetom Dec 2012 #31

Things are like they are now b/c the rich and corporations bought their politicians. Dustlawyer Dec 2012 #32

Middle class? Left Turn Only Dec 2012 #34

Married in 78 mgardener Dec 2012 #35

I'm struck by an amazing thought reading this thread dickthegrouch Dec 2012 #36

My father's family was dual income in order to live more middle class Nikia Dec 2012 #37

right now I'd consider being middle class being able to pay my insurance premiums and copays liberal_at_heart Dec 2012 #38

I would add something to that Skittles Dec 2012 #40

My story is hoo-hum, but my grandparents did not believe in mortgages LeftInTX Dec 2012 #39

A new modest car every three years. closeupready Dec 2012 #41

I was brought up by a depression era survivor and a WWII survivor Skittles Dec 2012 #42