Are JWS really cheap or poor? (page 2)

JWdaughter

My mom is cheap, whether or not she is poor. When I graduated HS, I was putting together a list of people to invite and I really didn't have anyone other than the standard aunts and uncles cousins. I added one extra family that was my mom's cousin, Audrey, a very lovely woman who just oozed love. I adored her and always sought her out at family gatherings. My mom accused me of inviting her for an extra gift. No one in my family-JW or otherwise-is particularly generous. But that she ASSUMED that is the only reason I would invite someone says a lot more about my mom and how she views any gift giving occasion. No wonder she is so antisocial if the only reason she thinks they want her there is for a gift! Same thing when I married-she let me know that the gifts would probably not make up for how much we spent(which was a cheapie wedding cause I didn't have much money). I wasn't getting married-or graduating-and having a gathering for the damn gifts. I wanted to share an important day with the people I love the most. Duh. How hard is that?

Don't ever invite anyone thinking that the gift will be generous or cheap. Plan what you can afford and invite the people you care about. Then it is all gravy after that.

heyfea

JWDaugher,

that's a noble sentiment. However, IT IS costumary to give a gift to the bride and groom. I personally would feel ofended IF I KNOW that someone has the means to give me a gift or even money to help me form my own home but instead shows up with a colander at my wedding or shower.

Gregor

Sacolton asks...."Both, but if it comes down to spending $20 on a gift or giving to the "worldwide work" ... guess who gets it?" Hell, that's easy, the liqour store!

DaCheech

At my wedding family gave betweeen $100-150 a head as a gift, worldly friends gave $90-100 as a gift. 85% of the witnesses gave $25 a head.

I did spend almost $90 a head on reception hall.

I did not want lavish gifts, but knowing that going to a restaurant with open bar would cost these guys alot, I would have expected more than $50 a head!

cheapos

Thechickennest

Not Cheap or Poor...JW's are greedy. They are always thinking of ways to work less and earn more at the same time. I knew a sister that stole salt and pepper packets from the cafe where she worked and also at all the places we took breaks at. If that was not enough, one time when she had us over for dinner she got out the loot of packets and ask us to tear them open and put the salt and pepper in her shakers! We did.

FlyingHighNow

They have to save for the summer convention, the circuit assembly and the special assembly day. They also have to buy all those meeting clothes and they spend a lot of money washing their cars. You know: the important things.

wha happened?

They are poor at being cheap

shopaholic

Both. When JW family members got married most JW's gave a $20 bill in a nice card. Non-JW's gave $100, $250 and some $500 each. At bridal and baby showers, I've seen some of the cheapests gifts you could imagine.

I think its because most have never celebrated holidays and don't understand what to consider when giving gifts. Also, its their way of keeping you humble, their thinking is "Who do you think you are to receive $100 as a gift from each person?"

no more kool aid

My JW family are not poor and they are not cheap with "themselves", but they are with others. My poor kids have JW grandparents and have never received a birthday gift, a Christmas gift, an Easter basket etc that is a given. But wouldn't you think they would have surprised them other times of the year? Noooo. I get kind of jealous when I hear my friends at work say Grandma got the kids this or that.

SnakesInTheTower

Its a mindset...... doesnt matter if they had money or not...

I used to give public talks all over the region... I went to one very well off congo...Lexus, BMW, Caddilac....no car over 5 years old.... no car under $30K.... everyone in designer clothes...no poor people there....do ya think I was taken out to lunch? NOPE... lots of people came up and said they enjoyed the talk..but the hospitality ended at the kingdom hall parking lot. ...guess it might have been the 79 Caprice I was driving ..... cant be seen at the fancy restaraunt with them in THAT... ironically, the talk was on "Follow the Course of Hospitality" (and no, I never mentioned taking the speaker out to lunch) ...you see...I WAS POOR..they WERE NOT....

I went to another congo a few weeks later....., dirt poor...ghetto..... after the talk, lots of people came up and said they enjoyed the talk...even young kids...very polite and well behaved.... whole damn book study took me to a home in a BAD part of town..... as soon as the meeting was over, sisters scrambled to get to one of the friends' home to finish cooking...chicken...greens (first time for that for me)....cornbread....apple pie to die for.... ......they had a spread fit for royalty when we arrived....... these were poor...dirt poor.... GHETTO poor folks.... but they treated me very kindly..... nothing fancy...yet I never left hungry..and I always left with more friends than I started with.... for the time I was INSIDE the home, I was with family...and when I left...a brother always followed me out of town to make sure I got safely out of town...white boy and all......

the latter example is one of my regrets leaving the Borg...the first example is why I cant stand most of em....

Snakes ()

Are JWS really cheap or poor?

Share this