All of America is reeling from joblessness, homelessness and depression. It is a sad state of affairs indeed. “Buy more to enable the economy to grow”, that was the motto of the previous, disastrous administration. Alas, it took people a long time to find that buying stuff that we cannot afford only leads the nation into disaster...

Growing up in India, we have always been taught to conserve, reuse and not waste ANYTHING. As children we were also encouraged to save in mini post office savings bank accounts.  We were taught never to spend any money that we did not have; and credit! - What a brilliant idea that was! In these times, how can we teach frugality to the younger generation who grow up clamoring for the next exciting iToy?

I remember a time about 25 years ago when we came to the USA with suitcases full of steel vessels, masalas, pickles as well as beautiful clothes. The place where we stayed in Texas didn’t have an Indian grocery store. We had to drive an hour and a half to Houston to get turmeric powder and chilly powder, our staples! We were so excited when we saw an Indian restaurant called “Bombay palace”! J

We translated all the prices to Indian rupees and were aghast that a simple hair cut cost about 10 times what we paid in India. So we went home, got some sharp scissors and started to cut each other’s hair. Yeah, even the guys got pretty good at it

Slowly we started collecting margarine tubs and ketchup packets as well as (FREE!!! straws, tissues, salt and pepper packets and what not. If anyone wanted a picnic, we were ready! We’d not only use our stash, but we’d manage to add to our collection with every trip! BTW, our picnic consisted of home-made poori masala, curd rice, and chips! If we wanted to splurge, we would buy some soda!

We were called smelly because we didn’t use enough chemicals to camouflage ourselves. Our houses didn’t look like model homes because we refused to buy things just to impress others. Most of us saved up and bought only Hondas and Toyotas and hey, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of us oldies still have them in top working condition after twenty years or more.

We had to “discuss” every future purchase for weeks. “Who wants to pay twenty dollars to dry clean anything? Hey, the saree cost less than that! I will wash it at home!” Use a taxi? Why not ask our friend to pick us up from the airport? It’s only a 3 hour drive! We will help him the next time he goes on a trip. Or maybe we will invite him for a nice dinner?

Now people are passing around numerous emails about “Desi parents? Here are some gems:

You know you are an Indian when....

You never buy garbage bags, but use your saved grocery bags for it.  (Of course, we invented recycling!)

You only make telephone calls after 6:30 PM ( $-) )

You eat onions with everything (Of course! Its healthy and we save money on healthcare!”

You secure your baggage with a rope (we don’t want to lose all those precious gifts to our family!)

While living abroad, your parents always say, "It's cheaper in India" (it used to be true!)

You have a vinyl table cloth on your kitchen table. (You kids were messy!)

Your stove is covered with aluminum foil. (Saves on cleaning - time is money!)

You use the dishwasher as a dish rack.

You save grocery bags, tin foil, and tin containers. (That is now fashionably called Earth friendly living!)

You hate to waste food. (And that’s bad?)

You have Tupperware in your fridge with three bites of rice or one leftover chicken wing. (Ditto)

You don't own any real Tupperware -- only a cupboard full of used, but carefully rinsed, margarine tubs, takeout containers, and jam jars. (Hmmm, learn from us! what can we say?)

You carry a stash of your own food whenever you travel (and travel means any car ride longer than 15 minutes).

You own a rice cooker or a pressure cooker.

You grow your own vegetables.

You cook in bulk.

You head to the clearance rack as soon as you walk into a store.

You ask your dad a simple question and he tells you story of how he had to walk miles just to get to school. (It’s really true!)

You keep most of your money in a savings account. (Yeah, that’s the kicker, isn’t it?)

Yeah! We learned to save in India because of the way we grew up, not with the “I deserve everything, what will my friends think?” attitude, but with a wholehearted belief that we have to conserve our resources and also save as long as we had the health to make money. Our parents didn’t have loopholes that they have in the USA such as declaring bankruptcy, getting on welfare or unemployment or banks that lend money without even checking our income!

I am sure that there are many Indian families who are struggling at this time for no fault of their own, but I am also sure that they are tough and resilient enough to continue with more determination and an ability to be the ants and not the grasshoppers in the world.

I have to admit that sometimes Indians are not very good at charity. Large, lavish weddings, gifts for family members, extravagant vacations etc, may be the norm, but real giving (without expectation of anything in return) is something that people here are known for.

This economic situation has one bright side; it is forcing people to find ways to spend less and save money for the first time in their lives. Living on borrowed money may be coming to an end. And with it will come a generation which can think of saving first before spending and to look at the Indian ways of life as something to pass on to future generations.

With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion.
  - Steven Weinberg