Why are Irish people so stingy?

Seamai

If anything I think we can be a bit too generous and foolish at times. I've travelled enough to see what real meanness is. The tightest race I've ever come across are the Dutch.

whisky_galore

Rodney Bathgate wrote: »

We’re too generous for our own good. Borrowing money in the last recession to send to Africa to be spent on weaponry and lavish lifestyles for African dictators.

We're great at spending money we don't have, at national and personal level.

Montage of Feck

We are a bazillion euros in debt! More spendthrift than stingy.

Thelonious Monk

I don't think we are at all. Our Celtic cousins in Scotland are famous for it though. I lived there for a while and definitely noticed it, my Scottish flatmate, who was related to Ian Paisley somehow, would follow up on 2 or 3 pound that I might owe for something with vigilance. Sir Sean Connery was famous for fighting over every last dollar when it came to contracts with movie studios, and I suppose why wouldn't he. I saw an interview where Terry Wogan even brings it up with him. I think it comes hand in hand with dour Presbyterianism.

CageWager

Some people in Ireland are very quick to call you “stingy” if you aren’t up at the bar playing the billy big bollox routine buying rounds of pints on your credit card.

completedit

The whole thing about being stingy always seemed so juvenile to me. People have financial commitments and their own house to look after, if not acting like Billy Bollox at the bar like the above poster said makes someone stingy, then yeah. that makes me stingy. I might do it once every so often, if am in a good place financially and the situation calls for it, but we also live in a culture where 120 euro on a night out is normal.

Strumms

Stingebags.... it’s not just money, it’s lacking in other areas of basic manners, selflessness and exuding selfishness.

I worked with a fella, about 50ish... he had about 3 kids ranging from about 11 to 17.

Hed bemoan and criticize with gusto anyone who wouldn’t or couldn’t be flexible enough to swap or cover a shift with him so he could get the evening off work to go see his daughters ballet, sons musical recital...he was always on for looking for swaps as opposed to using his holiday entitlement. Which was weird. And countless favors every other month, but if you ever needed a dig out or favor...forget it.

ask HIM to be 1% flexible about anything he'd look at you like you had about 27 heads. He asked me when flying back from holiday at about 11.30 pm on a Sunday night if I could or would cover a Monday shift the following day... I’d already booked it off he WhatsApp’d me as I was having pints in the airport, I just blocked him on WhatsApp, fück that shît...over the years he did nada for anybody... he soon fell out of favor with both colleagues and managers, hand always out for a dig out... kids doing A, B and C but making you a tea would be the only exertion he’d make.... “ there you are two sugars isn’t it ?”.. “ as it’s been everyday for the last four years Colm you twat “ but you STILL say it.

topper75

Colm haunts your mind a little, doesn't he?

JimToken

Surreptitious wrote: »

Stinginess is a characteristic of a person therefore generalising a whole country with it is nonsense.

TYFPOTO

topper75

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

... my Scottish flatmate, who was related to Ian Paisley somehow, ...

Sounds like a game of wind up the Irish lad.

Paisley's 'people' left Scotland a few centuries back. I'd probably have as much luck tracing my 'relatives' living today on the Pontic-Caspian steppe.

jmlad2020

440Hertz wrote: »

They're not stingy at all by any survey or analysis. Ireland is extremely price insensitive to the point it's worrying as - culturally we seem to hate to be seen to be mean.

We also donate more money to charity per capita than any other country in Europe, 3rd highest in the world.

Ireland Inc. donate money to charity. Not the people.

Do you Donate to charity?

jojofizzio

The Irish are probably the least stingy people I know(having lived in the US,Australia,NZ and a handful of European countries)

donegal_man

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

...I think it comes hand in hand with dour Presbyterianism.

Every country has it's ahem, thrifty people. We characterise the Scots who in turn characterise the people of Aberdeen.
In relation to the quoted post, my late uncle who was very aware of the value of a farthing always made sure to buy his round in the pub in case anyone would think he was, "A tight Scotch Presbyterian".
Personal experience, South Africans. Shared a house with two back years ago and they used to sit in the dark with the heat off as each room had a separate coin-op meter.

partyguinness

You think the Irish are stingy? You have seen nothing until you have lived among the English.

I had experiences with the Englsh through work when I was in Ireland and saw a few glimpses of how mean they can be but Jesus now I have lived here 10 years mother of God....

Thay would start WWIII over a £5.00 and have 20 minute arguments over pennnies. I will never forget the guy selling a warehouse for £3.5m (no mortgage) and got into an arugment with the buyer over £19.20 at the very end.

Now I can think of plenty of mean Irish people and I am not just saying this but the Irish are the least mean people you will meet.

Jim2007

Montage of Feck wrote: »

We are a bazillion euros in debt! More spendthrift than stingy.

Not true at all. Between 2007 and the beginning of the year Irish National debt fell from 124% to 58%, we’re a net exporter for decades and have a GDP per capita about 40% higher that the UK. While nobody was looking we joined the Germanic nations of Europe in terms of economic profile.

PTH2009

partyguinness wrote: »

You think the Irish are stingy? You have seen nothing until you have lived among the English.

I had experiences with the Englsh through work when I was in Ireland and saw a few glimpses of how mean they can be but Jesus now I have lived here 10 years mother of God....

Thay would start WWIII over a £5.00 and have 20 minute arguments over pennnies. I will never forget the guy selling a warehouse for £3.5m (no mortgage) and got into an arugment with the buyer over £19.20 at the very end.

Now I can think of plenty of mean Irish people and I am not just saying this but the Irish are the least mean people you will meet.

Suppose you get stinge bags in all nationalities

The Indians can be a very stingy lot in regards money

Strumms

With the the English it’s more conservatism than stinginess.

Also the south of England is an expensive place. Seriously so. Cost of living is high yet compared to here, wages are VERY average.

An old work colleague told me he was on xx thousand per year, working just outside London, I was getting about 3400 euros more than he was and had a slightly handier number, neither of us believed it. But it be true.

Markcheese

Jim2007 wrote: »

Not true at all. Between 2007 and the beginning of the year Irish National debt fell from 124% to 58%, we’re a net exporter for decades and have a GDP per capita about 40% higher that the UK. While nobody was looking we joined the Germanic nations of Europe in terms of economic profile.

You do know that GDP is as relavent to the Irish economy as fairy dust !!! So our national debt falling from 124% of gdp to 58% of GDP is pretty meaningless , the debt didn't actually fall ,The GDP rocketed , but while the economy improved , it didn't rocket ..
So when ever you hear any one say Ireland spends the lowest amount in Europe or the world on X as a percentage of GDP , stop listening ...

dd973

Ever met the Dutch OP?

gozunda

dd973 wrote: »

Ever met the Dutch OP?

You know how copper wire was invented?

ILoveYourVibes

I think its because a lot of Irish people don't have a lot of money to be honest.

Or rather they have a low disposable income.

They don't own their house outright or rent ..or you know ...and wages are not so high ...

Other places have a culture of having money ....simply because there are a lot of people living there with more money to cater to

They have money to spend on themselves ..so you can see it....they buy the best clothes the best foods ..and it creates a culture where this is valued.

We don't have that culture ..because we don't have wealth ..or have not had it really historically

ILoveYourVibes

dd973 wrote: »

Ever met the Dutch OP?

I've noticed this.

There was a Dutch guy i went to college with. He was now a LOVELY guy would do anything for anyone. However he used to take free ketchup salt sugar and vinegar packets from the canteen home with him. It was his thing. He would stuff 30 packs in his pockets. Cycled everywhere rather than pay bus fare .or a taxi..even at 2 in the morning.

YFlyer

JimToken wrote: »

Money is nothing in relevance to children and love and beauty

OP what country are you from?

coinop

jojofizzio wrote: »

The Irish are probably the least stingy people I know(having lived in the US,Australia,NZ and a handful of European countries)

A two week holiday does not count as living in a place. How long did you "live" in each location? Years and cities please. Surely you wouldn't lie on the internet to impress strangers.

coinop

donegal_man wrote: »

Personal experience, South Africans. Shared a house with two back years ago and they used to sit in the dark with the heat off as each room had a separate coin-op meter.

This made me laugh out loud. I've never seen such a set-up. Was this in the 1960s or something? Was it common in Dublin bedsits at any point? I'm very curious to see some pics.

Markcheese

Markcheese wrote: »

You do know that GDP is as relavent to the Irish economy as fairy dust !!! So our national debt falling from 124% of gdp to 58% of GDP is pretty meaningless , the debt didn't actually fall ,The GDP rocketed , but while the economy improved , it didn't rocket ..
So when ever you hear any one say Ireland spends the lowest amount in Europe or the world on X as a percentage of GDP , stop listening ...

Agree with you re GDP, and the MNC factor, but having an exaggerated GDP means having a high % of donations per GDP means its underplayed.

partyguinness

PTH2009 wrote: »

Suppose you get stinge bags in all nationalities

The Indians can be a very stingy lot in regards money

Yeah I deal a lot with Asians and they are very hard work when it comes to money. They want a Rolls Royce service but don't really believe in paying for it. I have even had other Asians joke with me about how mean other Indians are. I have had Indians in my office when referring to others go "They are typical Indians."

Compared with Pakistanis and Bengalis the Indians are by far the worst especially the Indian women....mother of God don't get me started.

"Is that your best price..." I hear that every week. I mean, I wouldn't have the neck to come out with the haggling mentality. I am in the professionl services industry and they act like we are market traders flogging fruit and veg.

Most 'white' tradesmen I know will point blank refuse to work for Asians. They know full well that they will not get fully paid. If you agree say £1000 for a tiling job you are only getting £850.00.

I personally know an Indian who took a full force debt collection case for £40.00 all the way to Court to secure his judgment.

amadangomor

PsychoPete wrote: »

Probably because the Brits tried to steal so much from us

What about the huge chunk of the population that are descended from these Brits? Bet if you look you will have one or two stealers in your family tree.

amadangomor

CageWager wrote: »

Some people in Ireland are very quick to call you “stingy” if you aren’t up at the bar playing the billy big bollox routine buying rounds of pints on your credit card.

Round dodger alert lads :pac:

amadangomor

coinop wrote: »

A two week holiday does not count as living in a place. How long did you "live" in each location? Years and cities please. Surely you wouldn't lie on the internet to impress strangers.

WTF!