Mad Money

No I am not talking about Jim Cramer's program on CNBC. You will see what I'm talking about after a few paras. In this day and age where one has to have the latest car, TV in their house, all paid with over stretched credit cards, it is a delight to meet people who manage to live within their means. While extravagant spenders fill up one extreme end of the spectrum the penny pinchers of sorts fill up the other extreme. These are the people who drive 10 miles to save 2c on a gallon of gas. But I never really had any idea about how extreme this extreme end of the spectrum is until I met him.

He will put any of those penny pinching, coupon clipping, their own hair-cutting stingers to shame. He fits the definition of pushing things to the extreme. He defines the human nature. This fellow recently joined the place where I work as a contractor. I met him during lunch and he happened to be a perfect desi. A desi conversation usually has the following questions
1. How long have u been in states ?
2. Do you have a green card or where in the process are u in ?
3. How many cities in US have u visited ?
4. How one hates any city other than Bay area etc etc....

A desi
will be nosey
else he is a
pardesi....

Anyway so the talk turned towards marriage and I'm narrating the conversation.
Me: So are u married.
He: No I got engaged in January.
Me: So u must be preparing to go to India for ur marriage now.
He: Oh no the marriage is only in December.
Me: Man that's quite a break between engagement and marriage. Is she still studying or what ?
He: No man. The girl's parents were ready to conduct the marriage in June - July. But I asked them to conduct it in December.
Me: (with puzzled look) why man ??
He: Arey yaar. If I get married in December and bring her here, I am not spending anything on her but can take advantage of her by filing taxes as married filing jointly. Otherwise one has to spend on food, cosmetics blah blah....
Me: (totally shocked) !!!!

Welcome to Gen-Z....