Growing up in a trailer park with parents working minimum wage jobs, this millennial didn't have a college degree, inheritance or a financial safety net. What they did have was a job at 16, the drive to keep moving, and two decades of relentless effort that broke the cycle of poverty in their family.
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Retail, Relocation And Relentless Work
"My parents both worked min wage jobs. We lived paycheck to Tuesday with nothing," they wrote in a Reddit post that quickly gained traction in r/povertyfinance. "Yes, I grew up in a trailer park."
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Starting at 16 in retail, they climbed the ladder through sheer effort—first shift manager, then assistant, and by 25, a store manager “for a smallish-sized clothing company,” earning $45,000 a year in 2010. That job, they said, was the first real win. Then came a pivotal moment: the death of their mother and a chance to move out of state.
"I had nothing tying me down here," they recalled. "I was renting a room in an apartment." That freedom opened the door to a $75,000 retail job in another state in 2019, despite starting at a “sh*t store.”
They worked the numbers, improved the store’s performance, and were soon recruited again, this time into human resources and benefits. They took a pay match in a lower role, gained employer-funded certifications, and now earn $125,000 plus bonuses in a fully remote position.
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“It Wasn't Glorious”
"It wasn't glorious. I worked a ton of nights, weekends and holidays. I missed functions, events, and so forth," they wrote. Now 38, married, and a homeowner with a well-funded 401(k), they say the sacrifice was worth it. "My son will never have to endure my struggles, but he is being taught the value of a dollar."
They added, "So the answer is retail, sacrifice 20 years of your life and move around. Not the best answer but it worked for me. And I only have a high school diploma."
No One Waiting To Catch Them
Many commenters shared similar stories of long hours, relocating for opportunity, and learning to let go of toxic family ties. For the original poster, moving wasn't just about career growth. "I found when I moved, I moved on from my old life. And I never looked back," they said.
Others pointed out how difficult that route has become. “Retail has tanked majorly since 2010,” one person wrote. Others stressed that fast food chains don't always pay enough or offer full hours anymore.
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Still, the OP acknowledged that luck plays a role. "As I have gotten older, these thoughts are what haunt me," they said, referring to the fragility of financial security. But they added they now carry disability and life insurance, and live frugally: "We cut our own grass and do our own oil changes. I still have a poor person buying mentality."
Building Better For The Next Generation
Today, they're focused on setting their son up to avoid the same hardship. "He will be added as an [authorized user] to my credit cards to get him a strong score," they wrote. He gets paid for chores and grades, and may start college classes in high school through dual enrollment.
They added, "I'm gonna show him [our relatives’] mugshots and street views of the sh*t holes they live in."
The overall message is that it’s about grit, not glamor. Long nights, not shortcuts. And above all, moving forward, sometimes literally, is the first step to climbing out.
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