Justin Bieber and his mother were once so poor that they could only afford to eat out if they shared a dish.

Pattie Mallette admits she struggled as a single mother to the 18-year-old popstar while he was growing up, and often worked three jobs just so they could survive.

She said: ''We'd go out for dinner but we could only do it if we split something to eat and ordered water.''

However, after Justin became a multi-milionaire thanks to his successful recording career, things quickly changed and Pattie says now he takes care of the bill.

She explained to InTouch Weekly magazine: ''Now, when we go out to dinner Justin says, 'Don't worry Mom, I've got the cheque.

''Watching him every day, I'm so inspired, I'm in awe.''

Pattie - who was just 18 when she fell pregnant with the 'Never Say Never' hitmaker and brought him up with the help of her parents after splitting from Justin's father Jeremy Bieber - recently revealed she made a vow aged 21 that she wouldn't have sex until she got married, and she promised Justin that she wouldn't get a boyfriend until he was 18.

She explained: ''I take that vow really seriously. I remember when I made it, I wrote it down on a piece of paper, I had someone witness it and it means a lot. I made it this far, I'm not stopping now.

''When I moved to Atlanta with Justin, because of the all the chaos and how crazy it was, I told him I would focus on him and wait until he's 18 before I started dating. Now he's just turned 18.''

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