[savvy06]

Most generations live together in the same home where help can be immediately available.

Yes, people are more laid back and don't worry much about savings but that's because they don't have mortgages on their homes like Americans do. Homes are passed on from generation to generation and property locations don't change like they do here in America, and the crime is almost non existant. When daughters get married they move into their in-laws' homes. If there's more than one son in the family, normally the youngest or the last that gets married brings his bride to live with him and his parents, perhaps even grandparents and the home goes to him. The other sons are most of the time taken care off by the parents by helping financially with a purchase of another home, or building an addition to the existing home. Most of the sons or daughters get married young, early twenties, even younger, and have kids right away, if they don't the gossip begins.

People over there don't have car payments. The cars are bought in cash, therefore not many people have them. All of the households that have cars have only one, and that one lasts 15 to 20 yrs. Most corporations provide their employees with free company transport, so there's no need to use their own car. Plus most cities are fairly small, less than 100,000 in population therefore their cars are not used as much. The last few years lots of private cabs have appeared, but their fees are so low, its laughable. They charge the same fee no matter where you went in town, and it's the price of a hershey's choc. bar. Yes, the gas is more expensive than here, but is not used as much.

Everyone has medical and dental insurance coverage, they don't have to face co-payments or other medical bills. My cousin's baby had complications at birth, had to be rushed to the supposedly best hospital in the country's capital, and was in there for over 6 months. They paid nothing. My cousin was also 9 months on maturnity leave, all paid. She complained, it used to be a year. But that's beginning to also change. Lots of doctors are opening their own private practices, and the citizens are not too happy about that.

Everyone gets government retirement pension. And if you don't have enough years you can pay off the rest in order to retire early, and depending on what job you had and who you know, you can get your son or daughter to take your spot if you retired early. That would enable you to stay home and watch your son's or daughter's kids. So no daycare costs.

There's no sales tax on any purchases, nor is social security, fica, state tax deducted from your monthly salary.

The reason the country has a " wild jungle " free market system right now, is because everything is becoming private; businesses, banks, stores, schools, etc. are bought off the government and run by private owners. Everything used to be government controlled. People were not used to work for more than 6 to 8 hrs a day, and they did not try to be productive, because nobady cared. They'd get paid either way. Plus, costumer service was non-existant, and still isn't in most places. Being forced to work longer hours for same pay is mostly exaggerated. People are for the first time really forced to think and be productive. Those who don't follow the new private company rules are mostly complainers. Complain they love to do, especially to a relative living in America. Dollars can go pretty far over there.

Yes, I am blessed to live here, but if I don't help myself, no one will help me. I learned that at very young age, and I've worked very, very hard to be where I am right now. I also never had the family support as most of my relatives in that country have or as some of my European friends that live here have. My friends here are hard working, good parents, but they also sometimes have a relative from the old country come here and help. Some of my friends who can't get that kind of help ( visa refusals ) most of the time don't see their spouces, or children because one works the morning shift and the other the midnight. They also have side jobs like cleaning homes, house painting, etc. They have goals, work hard, live frugally and they manage to accumulate enough down payment for some kind of property within few years of living in this country.

That said, frugality or living like there's no tomorrow can be an issue in any country in the world. It all depends on the person itself, especially in this country, the wiser you are the luckier you get.