I'm from the south and have no idea what Bostonians are like. But there are spenders and savers everywhere.

I saved when I was young so I could buy a home. My now husband did the same thing. I totally would have pocketed some of that per diem instead of eating out twice per day, although a large part of that would have been because I've always had a very healthy diet. I wouldn't do a potluck wedding though. Some people on this site rent expensive place then turn around when they're in their 40's with kids, complaining that they'll never be able to afford a home. They've been spenders for decades. OP has a spender mentality, and unfortunately looks down on people with a saver mentality.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just got back from a 2 month assignment in Boston. I know not everyone is like the Kennedy’s but my word are some people CHEAP. I’m not just talking frugal. Like cheap.

Kennedys. Why do people do this.

Lace curtain Catholics. My family are NON lace curtain Bostonian Catholics. They might seem cheap because they don’t have a lot of money. They aren’t the secretly rich millionaire acting poor. My grandparents bought that million dollar house for $19k back in the 50s and the family held on to it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They think JCrew and Gap are designer clothing.

Plus what is the deal with the sloppiness-in how they dress, how they keep their houses and yards?

Where were you in Boston? I was in Back Bay visiting my children and everybody was young and dressed beautifully. Newberry street was hoping, we could hardly get a reservation to a good restaurant on Friday evening. There is a lot more money there than in DC. Compared with their Zoo light, the National Zoo is a joke.

Op was definitely not in Boston proper

Anonymous wrote:Grew up outside of Boston/south shore and having cash bars at wedding was the norm. I had no idea that was weird until I moved out of state.

Not sure if that was a cheap this or more because of the blue collar roots.

Grew up in Newton, now live in Boston and I've never seen a cash bar at a wedding

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s called yankee frugality and is a well documented phenomenon.

It's WASP culture. Keep the money in the family

Oh give me a break! Give it up with WASP obsession. Many New Englanders are scrappy and blue collar.

Plus the Irish came in and took control of the state’s political system. Now it’s a variety of representation in Boston that matches the city. People are living in the past.

+1000

Anonymous wrote:Grew up outside of Boston/south shore and having cash bars at wedding was the norm. I had no idea that was weird until I moved out of state.

Not sure if that was a cheap this or more because of the blue collar roots.

I’ve never been to a cash bar wedding and grew up on the north shore. (Live on the south shore now - basically culture shock!)

Anonymous wrote:As an actual native New Englander, this thread feels extremely weird to me.

It’s like people in the DMV having a wet dream over New England. And those rarified wealthy towns and villages are rare. Most people in New England are not like this at all!!!

Anonymous wrote:Fairfield County is like NYC light. I miss Boston myself, after years living in NYC I am over the social climbing new money people always having to show off their Prada and Tiffany.

Oh, give me a break. At least we don't have all these super expensive private clubs here.

https://avenuemagazine.com/why-boston-is-a-hot-spot-for-chic-private-clubs/

Anonymous wrote:They think JCrew and Gap are designer clothing.

Plus what is the deal with the sloppiness-in how they dress, how they keep their houses and yards?

Where were you in Boston? I was in Back Bay visiting my children and everybody was young and dressed beautifully. Newberry street was hoping, we could hardly get a reservation to a good restaurant on Friday evening. There is a lot more money there than in DC. Compared with their Zoo light, the National Zoo is a joke.

I grew up like this. Partially a NE mindset but also because my parents are hippies who love the earth. I miss that attitude SO MUCH! The whole I need 20 different designer handbags is the real problem.

I love the economic perspective of New Englanders. They don’t expect handouts like so many others.

Anonymous wrote:I went home for Thanksgiving and it appears to get worse with age.

My 70s parents (retired MD; plenty of $$) like tea. My mother makes tea with a new tea bag everyday. My father reuses teabags for days at a time. Hes tries but is failing to keep up with reusing my mother's teabags. He saves them in a cereal bowl on the kitchen counter but the teabags are piling up. LOL

My mom’s family is from NE but I never lived there except college. I definitely reuse my teabags. So wasteful not to! I’ve got plenty of money. But frugality is good for the environment.

I wonder if OP is from the South. The South seems to have a lot more class markers that are associated with consumption.

I went home for Thanksgiving and it appears to get worse with age.

My 70s parents (retired MD; plenty of $$) like tea. My mother makes tea with a new tea bag everyday. My father reuses teabags for days at a time. Hes tries but is failing to keep up with reusing my mother's teabags. He saves them in a cereal bowl on the kitchen counter but the teabags are piling up. LOL

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in/near Boston ages 15-22. Hated it. People’s personalities were as bad as their driving skills.

Pretty sure they don't miss you.

Thank you for proving my point. Undeserved confidence is one of Bostonians’ most annoying flaws.

Not nearly as much as DMV people.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lived in/near Boston ages 15-22. Hated it. People’s personalities were as bad as their driving skills.

Pretty sure they don't miss you.

Thank you for proving my point. Undeserved confidence is one of Bostonians’ most annoying flaws.