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

There is nothing wrong with not being wasteful!!

 

Even Foreigners are also doing the same in India.

 

I've been called a "hinjew" before by some non-Indians, but these same people are struggling and are in debt. There's nothing wrong with spending money on fun stuff, as long as you can manage it and it's not hurting you. When I gave into my friends' pressure of wasting money on dining out, drinking, buying fancy clothes and what not-I ended up with no money in my account! What's the point of that?

I think it's best to spend money wisely when you get a ROI. If I'm cheap for caring about my future, my emergency savings fund, and deciding what's important, than so be it.

 

few more instances of "cheap" behaviour:

-Loading it up their tiffin box with the food given in company cafetaria to take home
-being addicted to deals2buy website for discounts on clearance items
-one guy i know survived without a car in USA by pestering his colleagues for picking up/drop off for 8 months ! and mind you this guy was in US for 10+years and had R2I and returned back to US..
-buying stuff from walmart , using it and then returning it
-making custom toys(out of cardboard etc) for kids, not out of creativity , but dont want to spend
-the cheapest thing of all, saving all this money and sending expensive gifts to their family back home while living in 1 BHK without mattresses! Not that their family is in need or something..

This thread is so much fun!!!