Cheap is Cool

... call em whatever ... in recession time ... india has emerged as runnerup in terms of economic growth, first being china, which will continue strongly in the next year as well.

good on you indians !!!

"when someone calls us asians cheap, we don't mind it..."

A line from russel peter's "red white & brown",

"hey you are cheap !!!

... thank you !!! thank you for noticing !!!

but dude ... he just called you cheap !!!

"yes he called me cheap but what he actually meant was ...smart !! very smart"

Tightwads of all backgrounds (Asians, Jews, others) usually end up accumulating much more wealth than those who spend recklessly.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

I agree with you a 100%. It's as if frugality is in our genes. We go to any lengths to keep as much money in our purses as possible.
I was in Dubai, at the British Airways office, booking a ticket, and I saw a South Asian couple (I couldn't really tell whether they were Pakistani or Indian) try to get away with not paying tax on their ticket. When they found out that the ticket seller was from Nigeria, the South Asian guy said, "I went to Nigeria on vacation a few years ago. I loved your country. Just for that reason, I shouldn't have to pay the sales tax.

wow, I wonder even as a south Asian, why I haven't done anything you say in the article as yet.

but jokes apart, this is quite true, but a honorable explanation behind the scrunching is probably the currency conversion- every time you see $3 think Rs.150?

but then I have seen wealthiest doctors squeeze into the hospital gym illegally using other peoples' cards. membership would have taken them $150 a year. unfortunately those are mostly south Asians.

love the article and appreciate your sense of humour that has spooned out the 'cool cheapness'. But i must add we Asians are brilliant enough to champion this cool attitude__it is an art that is hard to master by any other xyz!

I have taken this article seriously. Having workd for Travel and Hospitality industries, I know how cheap we, especially Indians are. When an Indian guest checks-out of the room, its in utter mess- gravy lying on carpet in one corner, naan on the other. some guests come back to pick up 'free' hotel toiletries even after checking out. Hotel staff is considered as personal servant.

while making an airline and hotel reservations over the phone, people go on length to haggle for 10% discounts.