We were pretty poor when I was a kid, military pay was abysmal and every move meant lost pay records and a couple of months with no paycheck for my dad. Famous family story about moving across country (pre interstate), once the packed food ran out we would stop to eat and my folks would order two hot dogs, my brother and I ate the dogs and my mom and dad ate the buns.

I learned that to not pay your bills meant you were trash, no matter what - if you incurred a debt you paid it back as promised. When I lived in Chicago as a 20 year old I was so poor I'd have something like 1.83 to last a week after I paid my rent and utilities; my choices were to buy peanut butter OR buy a paper to look for a better job. I ate a LOT of plain bread in those days.

The other thing I learned from my folks was to pay cash for everything I possibly could. So except for a mortgage and an occasional (used) car payment, I don't have any debt these days.