I hate my middle class brain sometimes
Today is Saturday. I am sitting on my couch. I make a very good salary at my tech job. More money than my parents ever saw. Yet I just wasted forty minutes of my weekend. Why? Because I wanted to order a burger. The delivery fee was sixty rupees. My brain literally short circuited. Sixty rupees just for delivery? I closed the app. Opened another app. Compared prices. Searched for promo codes on Google. Added items to cart. Removed them. I earn enough to buy the whole meal ten times over without blinking. But my childhood conditioning refuses to let me pay a delivery fee. Growing up we only ate out once a month. My dad would check the bill three times. Now I do the exact same thing. I still use my old t-shirts as mop cloths. I squeeze the toothpaste tube until my thumbs hurt. I will walk two kilometers in the heat just to avoid surge pricing on a cab. It is so exhausting. I want to just tap order like a normal wealthy person. But the guilt eats me alive. Poverty mindset is a permanent tattoo. I finally just made Maggi instead.
I am the same way but i don't feel guilty about it.
Overconsumption is a bad thing. It does not lead to happiness. Even if im a billionaire I'll make sure I'm getting a good deal. I'll use all the toothpaste. In fact i go one step further and cut the tube open with a knife. I make over 40lpa, the cost of one toothpaste tube is insignificant.
But it's the principal behind it. I enjoy being a frugal person. I'm not cheap - i will spend money if it brings genuine value to my life. But you don't need to spend money just because you have it. Remember your roots. The habits we learnt from our parents are good
I come from a family, which 3 generations ago worked as railway track construction labourers. There are levels to the game.
Back in 2020 I still had ₹3 apsara eraser from 2010, unused lying in my desk drawer, was so poverty coded. Then perspective flipped. Now a days I can zomato 500₹ dessert that's "unhealthy" just for feels without guilt. I'm still thoughtful about expenses but just attempt to prioritise comfort.
If not you, your children will shed away the scarcity mindset. Just keep doing what feels natural to you without overthinking.
Exactly the opposite. Want to be Lavish but my salary doesnt allow me to be😛
At least 2-3 times bro said that he earns well. Okay bro, we got it ! 🫣
you are just frugal... let's not demean it by calling it middle class mindset. Next time just be mindful of not spending more than 10 minutes deal hunting for meal.
frugal habits will come in handy when times get tough.
This mindset helps us avoid wastage of resources. I think we are the most optimised class in the society.
There's no writing or a rule saying that because you earn well, you are required to change your mindset drastically and spend lavishly.
Your mindset is not wrong. That's what you grew up with. You'll have to condition it now. Unlearn. Let go. Take the leap of faith. Show your inner consciousness that it's alright. Grow that confidence.
It will become better.
Be happy with what you have. At least you are making some money. Start spending money and soon you will realise the middle class mindset was good to save some Money.
Dekh Bhai sabka apna apna aur sapna sapna hota hai
Hard relate.
I work in Non-Tech, remotely. My home is in a T3 town. .Recently my salary bumped up by 100% hike and earning more than my father's last retiring salary.
I don't even feel anything to buy, don't go on trips, no eating out or orders, no purchases. Most of my salary goes towards for just savings, EFs and investments. Same mindset that my family has conditioned me into.
