Cowboy Caleb the liberal arts, grown-up stuff & random mischief

The Secret Origins of El Cheapo

I got a few messages on MSN asking me if my being El Cheapo was genetic or because I don’t earn enough. People have started to notice a pattern in my behavior that just reeks of El Cheapo.

Click on more for the shocking truth reason.

I grew up poor.

Not poverty-line poor, but general lower-income lower-class poor. We had enough to eat and get by on, but not enough for simple luxuries. I remember only buying clothes once a year, mom working 3 jobs a day, dad doing 18 hour days. This continued untl I turned 17 and started contributing to the family through part-time jobs.

I used to have a real fear of being poor again,not that we were destitute. But for some reason, I took it really personally. And I had a lot of anxiety about just not being able to make a living.

- Jodie Foster

People who grow up like this tend to have an aversion to spending money on themselves. It’s a documented fact. The reason is because they have a fear of becoming poor again, no matter how irrational it is.

So that’s why, ok?

Hey, pamper yourself once in awhile. It’ll do you good.

I don’t know how much you give for the household allowance. I gave a 4 digits allowance for the past 3 years… which I am cutting down now. I am stretching myself too thin here. With the flat and wedding coming up, I find myself not making ends meet.

So what I am saying is, it’s a good thing that you are doing now, but think for yourself too, like saving for yourself and not eating bread for meals before pay-day.

I am confused now. Do the people around you think that you are a cheapo if you buy a sale clothes, etc? :/ maybe have to telll you this; people in my country usually wait and wait if they want to buy a uhmmm…for the example: a Davidoff Parfume, or just another expensive stuff till there’s a sale. But not only that, if its 50% sale, they will wait again till its 75% sale and then they buy it. People here don’t think you’re a cheapo if u buy something that’s on sale!! People here think that buying something expensive is a disadvantage if they know there’s a cheaper price of it. So now, I wonder why people around u, on the net i meant, asked about it.

—-
Anyway, which browser do u usually use if u blog, change the layout or just to view it? if it is Firefox, then i’d say that your layout looks good in firefox, but now I use IE, I don’t see your image header on top. but if i use firefox, the column to write a comment is too long that your layout becomes too wide every time i click on comment link :D

moxie > I’m the eldest son. Duty beckons.

echa > people here are mad about shopping and brand-conscious. I use firefox at home and IE in the office. It’s fine on both. Maybe your version of IE is outdated? I’m using javascript to randomize the header images, so maybe your IE isnt running my script properly.

Being thrifty is a virtue.

And being ‘eldest son’ does carry with it responsibilites…

So i can infer you’re virtuous and responsible.

virtuous? hee hee..

i totally understand u. i came from a not so poor family n married to my husband who came from a very poor family. we go for value not brands with our money.

I grew up from the exact background as caleb.
Only difference now, im still poorer than him

actually i don’t think you are a cheapo leh. & I am afraid of becoming poor again too. I don’t want to be old and poor. :(
Yeah being thrifty is good but sometimes it is good to pamper yourself once in a while.

I was dirt poor. My dad was a hardcore gambler whom I’ve not seen since eons ago. My mum worked as a seamstress to bring up my sister and I. I wish I’m joking but I’m not.

ah i remembered the times when i was still in indonesia after u wrote that. It’s true….i am still mad about good stuff, brand stuff till now but now i dont mind if i buy something thats on sale :) aha! yeah my IE sucks hmmm…I forgot that; i also can’t chat on YM coz i dont see any msg if someone writes something, its blank and so does my IE, doesnt load java script thingy :( ufff….

As Jack Welch says…”My early years
were spent with my nose pressed up against the glass”. Few would understand how that felt. Apologies for digging this up.