First Person: 5 Things We Can All Learn from the Less Fortunate

What does it mean to be grouped in with poor people? According to one official definition, the poor a total household income below the federal poverty line. Between the black and white of those words is a living, laughing, loving portion of the population that grasps life by the horns and takes the hits of poverty standing up with a smile. Poor people may have the secret to living life with less and saving more.

If you don't have it, don't spend it.

The poor live with the money they have in their pockets and nothing more. There is no bank account to turn to or debit card to slide. Many families live from paycheck to paycheck and still pay bills with money orders and cash.

You need food...you want caviar.

That $5 sub deal at the local sub shop is not going to save you money. One pound of rice, one can of beans and two cans of peas can serve a family of four to six and cost less than $5 for the entire meal. So, for the cost of one "cheap" sub meal, poor people will stock the kitchen to feed the entire family for a week.

Walk, because that's what legs are for.

If your car was taken away today and no one was there to give you a ride, how long would it take you to decide to walk to work? Get out there and trek a mile or two to work, the store or a friend's house instead of hopping in the car. Walking will save you money on gas and car maintenance costs and may help you live a healthier life. Poor people live without cars and choose public transportation not because they are poor, but because it is the smart financial choice.

School is a free, public education - keep it that way.

Every other day, schools send home a book order form, picture order form or request for money for trips, t-shirts or fund raisers. School is supposed to offer a free, public education and that is exactly what poor people provide for their children. That school trip that costs $50 is not a necessity. That school sport that requires your child to buy a $100 pair of shoes is not a necessity.

Free time is a luxury; work is a necessity.

If you do not have the money to pay for everyday household bills you need to earn more money. If that means taking a second job or sending a stay at home parent back to work on an opposite shift, that is the solution - plain and simple. Forty hour work weeks are an invention of people who make more than they need and spend more than they have - not poor people.

More From This Contributor:
The Effect of Transient Residential Populations on Business
Top Five Gifts to Give When You're Broke
Saying Goodbye to a $100,000 a Year Job