There are only a few times when I genuinely feel POOR.
One is when I visit my parents and, inevitably, my mom and I will go window-shopping. We don't even go to really fancy shops or anything, but if we stop by someplace like Pier 1 then I see a bunch of stuff I think will look good in our apartment, which reminds me that we still rent instead of own our own place, and even the little things in there cost a lot of money for us right now. My mom, on the other hand, will buy a pillow that costs $60 and not bat an eyelid. I always leave there feeling depressed.
The other time is when we bring up the subject of going to visit Mark's family in England. He's been in the States for three years now and we have yet to go back to see them. Looking at airfare and such is simply depressing. It makes me feel guilty because I feel like I'm keeping his family apart. I know that's a bit blown out of proportion but I really can't help it. Then it also makes me think, "Geez, if we can't even afford to go somewhere where all we'd have to pay for is airfare, then we're never going to be able to travel to all these places I want to go!" Again, just depressing.
~ Jenney
Edited to add... After reading this thread again, plus the new posts, I realized that my comments about why I feel poor are an insult to people who ARE really poor. I am not poor. I have a home, a job, fantastic education, two cars, a great husband, friendly pooch, loving family and friends. I have a computer and internet connection, CDs and DVDs, a nice warm bed to sleep in at night. I have hot water and air conditioning. I am not poor. I'm actually ashamed of myself for saying that lacking those things makes me feel poor. Perhaps "wanting material possessions that I think would make me happier" would be a better description. But I'm not poor. When I lived in Santiago, Chile, I lived across the road from people who literally lived in shacks with no heat, no electricity and no indoor plumbing. THAT'S poor, THAT'S poverty. I'm nowhere near that, thankfully.