My parents were quite wealthy when I was young. However, they never seemed to spend or do some of the things other parents did, like travel extensively. Our house was in a nice area, but nothing unusual. Then the business my dad was in went overseas and things were never the same. However, I didn't suffer, my grandparents helped and I got loans for college.
I always lived paycheck to paycheck before I got married. I bought lots of clothes, pretty much... paid all my bills on time, but saving was never a thought in my head. I guess my parents never saved, either, as they never were able to regain the same standard of living, except for a few years in the eighties.
DH and I made some choices that were purposeful, and had us in debt for quite a few years, but we were committed to raising our kids with certain things, in the way we were both raised. Our incomes were going up, and eventually it was fine, as our kids got into their teen years. By the time the oldest left for college, we were debt free and because he chose to transfer to a state school after his first year, we had no debt from that, either. The only debt we have is our house.