Why is it that majority of desis are so cheap? I find it so mind boggling. No matter what you do, majority of desis and their spending habits just will never change.
After working at a desi retail store for over three years, I can easily and quite accurately predict the spending habits of desis.
Most of the customers that I have had are real misers. They do not like to spend a single penny and they love to complain regardless if it’s something worth complaining or not.
Not to forget many have horrible manners. Many a times, they would munch on the desserts they purchase and leave the mess behind. Heck… I once overheard a customer complaining to another customer about how they think I’m whitewashed as I requested them to dispose off their garbage. Many are found scratching themselves in public, which I find utterly disgusting and diplorable.
Fortunately, I have come across only a handful of decent desis who are not misers and like to spend. Some are often very sweet and realize the hardwork that goes into preparing desserts and the amount of time that is dedicated to customer service.
It is common for many desis to assume that Chinese are the cheapest. However, I can assure you that when it comes to money and bargaining, desis are miles ahead of Chinese and the like. I have dealt with customers from numerous ethnic backgrounds and it is only after much experience and interaction I have learned that Pakistanis are more miserly as compared to Indians and Chinese.
I’m sorry I just felt like venting.
Has anyone else experienced the same or something radically different about desis and their spending behaviour? Also, would you consider yourself a miser?
There is some truth in what you say Sadiyah bajee (although not exclusively a desi problem, we notice it more for obvious reasons).
Ive often been suprised at some low acts committed by our people when it comes to saving money like trying to pull a fast one so they can benefit from some elses loss, taking things which dont belong to them cos they think the owner hasnt noticed etc. But the one that gets me the most is those who appear to be incredibly poor and are always complaining about how things are so expensive and how they cant manage. You start to feel for these people until they do something like buy a huge house or a brand new car or take regular trips to Pak and then you suddenly realise that they are just tight misers who just complain all the time, deny their children basic items and just want to save money for the sake of it!
Back in the days when the oldies first came over, they had be fruggal with money and it was completely justified cos they had to establish themselves and not only were they badly paid but they suffered a lot of abuse etc from the non-welcoming hosts.
I know of 2nd and 3rd generation desis who have never eaten out, bought a nice car, been on holiday or taken their kids/wives out properly cos it invloves spending money even though they have well paid jobs, properties and low expenses. They live like they are on the poverty line even though they really are not.
Of course not all us are like this but the ones who act this way get noticed.
Since you worked in a desi retail outlet, so obviously you had more interaction with desis, and consequently can pick up more of their worse traits. You can also notice some of their good ones too, depending if you had good experiences or you want to notice those.
Miserliness is not a trait limited to a single ethnicity. And to be fair, it has nothing to do with mannerism (including cleanliness). A person who is not willing to spend a lot of money doesn't have to be bad mannered, while you may have a rude and obnoxious person who buys most of your stuff. So these are both mutually exclusive traits. Lets not mix apples with oranges here. Although if the aim is to bad-mouth desis, I am sure you can throw in some other too, including BO and bad fashion sense.
I dont think thats true. A lotta desis I know spend like nuts. Only people who are fresh are cheaper and thats mostly cause they are'nt very established and have to save some money.
Most people probably spend more money than they should.
Faisal, even outside work, I've noticed that desis often tend to display their miserliness in public than others. Unfortunately, the majority that I have met (desis) are quite cheap. Only a small amount of desis that I have come across are generous and well-mannered.
Elahi: Believe me, the not-so-freshies could also be very stingy.
heart beat: LOL! Are you for real? I didn't think the French would be cheap. Germans.. I dunno :p
I sure hope I meet more people like you to have my perceptions change soon.
Overall, my experience with the employer and fellow employees has been great, alhamdulillah. However, it's hasn't been all that impressive with the customers. Also, many are so disrespectful. At times they don't even realize they're talking to a female who could probably be their daughter/sister's age. All they care about is getting a discount.
Comeon dude since when did achaar gosht, qorma and onions become BO? :p
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Assalam Aleekum
tauba. I hate piyaaz kee bo. During my 4 yr stay in Umreeka.
I have cooked desi food only 4 times.
small appts and piyaaz kee boo. not a good idea.
take care
haha…gettin a discount yea…as one of my friends said, she gets to hear this sorta thing all the time:
“i am YOUR KIND so you HAVE to give me a discount”
i feel for u sadiyah…and i know what u r talkin bout…
forget desi retail, i used to work @ futureshop for a lil bit, and pretty much every desi i came across alwayz asked for a discount…and they’d insist that i could do more, when i’d give them the bottomline…then they’d send their long lost paternal cousin thrice removed to see if he could get more of a discount from me…heh…and i’d deal with 'em/tell 'em whatever i had told the other person…
and sometimes they’d walk away from the sale, only to come back 2/3 days later (if not a few hrs later) and buy the stuff then (full price most of the time), no questions asked from a “gora”
so yea, its not only that they are misers, they tend to go the extra mile being a miser etc if its a desi at the end end that they are dealing with…
LOL @
“i am YOUR KIND so you HAVE to give me a discount”
That’s a good one!
DM, imagine how much trouble you had to go through at Futureshop. Now imagine a desi larki working at a desi store dealing with desis.
It’s all good though. I’m used to it all. I know the policies and no matter what they do, they won’t be getting a discount unless they meet the requirements.
Irem, you’re one of the few sakhi ones. I’ve read your stories of SAKHIness on Bazaar forum. You just kept getting ripped off real bad. However, you’ve improved, masha’Allah.
ummmmmmm just wondering wat kinda poop hole yal r livin in???
gul i m livin down here in Houston in sugerland . n i guess most comonly known areaa in houston . n majority livin down here is Desi . moslty pakiz n i never seen sucha misery ( the way u talkin abt it ).
and bargainin thats SUNNET too . i mean gime a break how can u talk abt desiz leaving HISPANIZ N KALLOZ aside man thats just rediculus .
n to be very honest with u ill rather fo to Fiesta then any desi store i mean just look at desi stores never have anythin organized ( even the real money makin onez ) . always play on customerz . n attitude ... omg lets not even talk abt that .
n iching makes u feel grozz . sry then u aint mature yet kidooo . GROW up !!! hate ppl talkin such crap like they never been through it all thier life .
It is understandable, most of them are poor, hardworking people.
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I disagree - most used to be poor but yes, most are hard working people and dont have the same concerns of their fore-fathers (like trying to get a house instead of 10 of them sharing a couple of rooms or sending money back home to the family and so on)
Yeah these are the final words , well said … You gotta know different people . I have to work along with the truckers and my job is to mantain discipline among them and to do different stuff regarding the security … and I always felt they are all Mother brothers , And I only saw desi drivers to be gentlemen . But one thing to be sure I have learnt a lot from these junk heads .. On one day a trucker may give you a real real hard time and on an other he can bring you imported American brand Smokes for free …
This asian actor is on £100k (nearly 4 times the national ave wage) + and is quite famous in the uk
Althought this article doesnt mention it, he got arrested for switching the price tag on some clothing from £65 to £30 (he can earn that money in a few seconds)
A Coronation Street star was arrested after shop staff suspected him of stealing.
Jimmi Harkishin, who plays shopkeeper Dev in the soap, was held by staff in a clothing store in Brent Cross Shopping Centre, north-west London, yesterday afternoon.
The Daily Mirror reported that staff called police, who arrested and questioned him.
A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Police were alerted mid-afternoon to a store at Brent Cross where a man was being held by security staff.
“Police attended and arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of theft by deception. He was later cautioned and released.”
Dev Nicked For Price Tag Deception
Shoppers at a north London store watched amazed as Coronation Street star Jimmi Harkishin was nicked. He was arrested after a store guard allegedly saw the actor, who plays smooth shopkeeper Dev Alahan, stick a cheap price tag on an expensive sweater.The 45-year-old was held on suspicion of deception at Fenwick's, in Brent Cross on Sunday until cops arrived, reports The Sun.
He was taken to nearby Colindale police station and given an official caution - which a person can only receive if he admits to an offence.
A police spokesman said: "A 45-year-old man was held by security staff.
"He has accepted the matter and was cautioned, which means it will not go any further."
