Are Indians in Western countries Thrifty and Smart or just Cheap and Misers?

I think people are confusing thriftiness with being miserly. Excess consumption or thrift is personal preference depending of financial situation. I have no comments on that.

But downright cheap behaviour is totally different issue and one that is frankly amusing. Example: my ex roomate used to tell me of a group that would look around various department in university to get free food. Now this lunch was not meant for general population but for a specific group and paid for by that department. They would just pretend to belong there and walk in to get pizzas. I mean how much can slice or two of pizza cost?

Now my roomate would criticize them but at our apartment, take my food without asking me. She suggested even before she arrived at the country that she wants to do her grocery and cooking seperately and I was very happy with that. Once she got here, we went to grocery store together and she suggested that we share some things like cookies or cake but then she would practically eat the whole thing withour any consideration to me. So I started buying my own stuff thinking she will have decency not to take what is mine. But she continued to take it even after I asked her not to. Now to me that is cheap. You want it, you buy it.

Then there were people who would really camp in others apt for weeks with no consideration to others. Most people are hesitant to say something and they take advantage of that. They openly admit/ gloat what they have no expenses as they crash at their "friends"place.

Its is really cheap when people 6 people start living in one tiny apartment. First they are violating terms of lease and secondly how do thay do that??? Its just plain unhealthy not to mention illegal.

Believe it or not- I once saw a guy borrow a toilet brush from his friend. I was visiting this friend and I got to know of this incident becasue he went to collect his toilet brush back from the other guy's apartment. The one who borrowed, has a really good job, nice car etc. But he does have the means to buy a toilet brush? I am ashamed to know I ever came across such a person. Is there any financial constraint that stops one from buying a toilet brush? I dont know the owner of the brush took it back. I would have donated it to the one in need

The there was this incident where another guy (and good earner) was looking up calling cards (pre skype days). Now a bunch of us were staying at a friends house and I saw him "shopping" for cards when I went to bed and when I got up at 4 or saw, I found him still comparing cards. I mean , come on, how much could one card be differnt from another? And we are talking about a 5 or 10 dollar card here.

There is nothing wrong in clipping coupon or taking advantage of sales or shopping smart. It would be foolish not to- I have no shame in admitting I love a good sale. But thrift and cheapness are two different issues.

 

I agree that Indians over the board about saving money. But decent guy have pointed out the showiness of Indians ( that they buy huge HDTV to showoff). I don't like to live like that of course. But don't want to spend too much either.
Even foreigners/"white people" have started to spend less and save money. I've joined a group of mothers in babycenter US and same people on FB who takes government aids and save a lot of coupons buy foods and baby foods and buy second hand things from ebay, craiglist etc. Those are not Indians as I know them from their genuine FB accounts. Though they go to restaurant once a while and buy toys for babies( of course most of them buy them on sale). They are also becoming careful in spending money.

 

Sweet shreya, I agree with your every word...

Buying HDTV.. I don't understand why we should buy LCD TV now... and when we want to see HD channels, buy one more HDTV... What's wrong in buying one that would suffice both the needs...

 

Thanks.

There is one explanation for LCD/LED TVs. I've seen most people buying those with the thought of "If we have to go back to India, we'll take it there." So its not a waste of money when they are planning to keep it with them for a while. So many of our friends have done it.

I don't understand the concept of cable, hdtv, hd channels much. I'm a dumbo in that. But its true that not many are interested in watching the channels aired here. The house wives at H4 needs Indian channels to entertain themselves. Many people buy dish TV for that. And Internet provides more timepass than anything else.

We have one bachelor friend who stays alone in an apartment. He has got absolutely nothing in his house. If we visit him, he just spreads a sheet, and we sit on that. But, he has a big 40 inch HDTV to which he has attached something called Roku and he watches IPL, cricket matches etc on it. Somehow I respect him too because that is his necessity, not a show-off. Loneliness is a sad thing. If TVs can fill it, let it.

 

Me too... That's why I'm trying to understand... what's wrong in buying HDTVs...
Lets get some gyan from other ILites...

 

Since it is presumed that only Indians are "cheapskates" - whatever that means here are a few things that I recently learned from my American friends, which I have not find highly creative desis doing as well...

1) Stealing toilet paper from school library - recently an American friend told me that all through her undergrad she never purchased toilet paper. She stole them from the library stall. She says 1 toilet paper roll costs a $ and that meant one time meal for her.

2) Applying nail paint, lipstick at Target/ Duane Reade

3) Going to costco just to eat the samples offered (that would be weekend lunch), sometimes open the boxes and get chocolates and then leave the box. Soda cans

4) A friend's mom takes an extra bag whenever they go to chinese buffet and takes bread, shrimp, etc....

 

hhmmm interesting thread i think there is a huge difference of being save with money or cheap, as long as ones own lifestyle is not touching or hurting others, in the mean of using, it doesnt matter as its up to the person totally....

@ sdiva20 i had a similar cutie pie of roommate was living on tins (rajma, channa etc.) and refused to buy fresh vegetables but whenever i did so would jump in to share food... when she bought once pizza coz we where both busy with work it was just one pizza....:shock: such things are not ok.. but best part was seriously this one:

She: coming to my room to see me working on laptop "hey ur hungry?"
ME: yes, sure
She: So what about cooking? Shell we cook something?
Me: ok, one moment, what shell we cook?.. already staying in kitchen...
She: oohh you know better, i will go and take a nap so tell me when dinner is ready
Me: :idontgetit: :bang :notthatway: :crazy

cut ties to her and now living surrounded by good gals :thumbsup

But best story i have ever heard was about two boys sharing one flat, boy 1 didnt pay rent with saying he is short of money, boy 2 took a part time job on weekends and payed the rent... well boy 1 bought after a while a pritty nice laptop.... and went on vacation trip :bonk

Yup i see here such things too like sharing with many ppl one room, saving on food like anything, never going out on weekends, trying to get everything as cheap as possible, trying to get food from other places and camp in others room for food reasons, telling how less money one has to get invited or make other one paying but in fact coming from a wealthier family... but honestly...most of such people are students and we have to show here a certain amount of money on account for visa purpose.. so its in that period totally understandable that some get scared of money issues... again: AS LONG they DONT use others in purpase.

It doesnt bother me whom is having which TV i have one telly here but i use internet mostly to watch movies or series... so no pay TV for me too as i cant find use of it

I was once with a friend in a cafe and we both orderd two drinks... he (was a male friend) ended up in not having enough money with him for two drinks :rantso i payed :bonk

so everyone, you have some cheeeaaap stories too to share? :cheers

 

See, i am an Indian, if i get a deep dish pizza for the same price as thin crust pizza, I would go with deep dish
thrifty? Sure...lol

 

@KilaliAnju: I believe such people are everywhere, especially students. You will find few of them in any college hostels around the world. Here I keep on hearing stories from my DH about some American colleague who would do anything to get a can of beer for free. :bonk

Back at home we know a family who is literally millionaire. But looking at them you would give them alms out of pity. When we used to visit them that aunty would make the powder of those 'limlet' candies (you know that orange 'golis' that was sold for 25 paise outside the school gate) and add it to the glass of water and server it as juice. Those people used to sleep on the jute gunny bags. For their entire life they depended on govt 'handicapped ration' for food. Why? because their son had squinted eyes. :bonk

Who cares if someone is miser or not as long as it does not affect us.

 

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