The saying “times were hard” usually has nothing to do with multiplication, but there are jokes.
 
“I was never privileged at school, I had to use a second-hand calculator which had the multiplication symbol missing.
Times were hard. #1pun” was posted on X/Twitter by Alf on October 1, 2015. “I could only afford a second hand calculator when I was younger and the ‘X’ button was missing…..times were hard!!” was posted on Facebook by James Dawson on March 26, 2018. “Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, I had to use a hand-me-down Calculator with no multiplication symbol on it. Times were hard” was posted on X/Twitter by Alf on May 15, 2019.
 

X/Twitter
Alf
@whoelsebutalf
I was never privileged at school, I had to use a second-hand calculator which had the multiplication symbol missing.
Times were hard. #1pun
7:16 AM · Oct 1, 2015
   
Facebook
James Dawson
March 26, 2018 at 2:09 PM ·
I could only afford a second hand calculator when I was younger and the “X” button was missing…..times were hard!!
 
X/Twitter
Alf
@whoelsebutalf
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, I had to use a hand-me-down Calculator with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard.
#NationalNumeracyDay
10:47 AM · May 15, 2019
       
Facebook
Simon Graves
October 28, 2019 at 6:39 AM ·
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, I had to use a hand-me-down Calculator with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard…
 
Facebook
John S Nagy
March 19, 2020 at 8:57 AM ·
My parents could only afford a second-hand calculator with the “X” button missing.
Times were hard
     
X/Twitter
🤘⸸ 𝕸𝖆𝖙 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝕯𝖆𝖒𝖓𝖊𝖉 ⸸🤘
@MaidenWatford
My parents could only afford a secondhand calculator which was missing the ‘X’ button. Times were hard.
7:53 PM · Mar 19, 2020
 
X/Twitter
Spod1000
@spod1000
When I was young my parents bought me a second hand calculator
The ‘X’ button was broken
Times were hard
1:21 AM · Mar 22, 2020
   
X/Twitter
David Penfold mainly on Mastodon 🌳 🌻 🌳
@PenfoldDavid
At school I could only afford a secondhand calculator with a broken ‘X’ button.
Times were hard.
3:13 PM · Mar 22, 2020
 
Facebook
Ben Montoya
March 22, 2020 at 8:02 PM ·
Growing up we could only afford a second-hand calculator with the “x” button missing. Times were hard.
 
X/Twitter
Richard Schear
@RESPAlberta
Growing up we could only afford a second-hand calculator with the “x” button missing.
Times were hard
8:15 AM · Mar 30, 2020
 
X/Twitter
Life Of Vegas 👑
@LifeOfVegas7
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money, I had to use a hand-me-down calculator in secondary school with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard.
4:20 AM · Apr 15, 2020
         
Facebook
I’ve heard this joke before
June 2, 2020 at 2:16 AM ·
We were so poor that in school I could only afford a second-hand calculator that was missing the ‘x’ button. Times were hard.
 
Reddit—Dadjokes
marcEmarc1966—March 10, 2022
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money. I had to use a hand-me-down Calculator with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard.
 
LaffGaff
Hand-me-down Calculator
March 13, 2022 by LaffGaff
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money.
I had to use a hand-me-down calculator with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard.
   
X/Twitter
John Junyszek
@Unyshek
Growing up I had to use a hand-me-down calculator with no multiplication key on it
Times were hard.
10:10 AM · Jun 27, 2023
 
X/Twitter
Robert Wilkinson
@robertwlk
Growing up we didn’t have a lot of money.
I had to use a hand-me-down calculator with no multiplication symbol on it.
Times were hard.
2:01 AM · Jun 9, 2024