Frugality in the age of consumerism

I believed for decades that frugality and consumerism could not exist together in harmony — until my youngest daughter made me see things in a new light.

One of the values that I imbibed from my father is frugal living. It has proved to be very useful for me all along. His way of living can be summed up in one line — don’t send a telegram if you can convey your message by mailing a postcard. He believed that frugality was the mother of all virtues. I grew up practising this virtue without having second thoughts about it.

I have never kept more than three pairs of trousers. When it comes to woollens, until a couple of years ago, I was wearing the coat (and tie) which had been gifted to me at the time of my marriage. The only other suit I got stitched was when one of my daughters got married about 15 years back. With severe winter hardly lasting two months, I have never felt the need for another coat. In the case of summer wear, I would make a purchase once in two years.

But, after the marriage of my daughters, this time-tested practice started coming under strain, thanks to their gift culture. They started gifting me shirts and jackets. When I objected, their reply would be, “If you can’t accept, then stop giving to us too.” My wife’s argument that I should respect their feelings would resolve the standoff in their favour.

This time, when my daughter got me a jacket from the US, I said, “Enough is enough. Don’t you know how old I am? Now I don’t need so many clothes. You may feel hurt, but there is a lot of sense in what I am saying.”

Seeing me angry for a change, she preferred not to argue. Hardly a week had passed when I was astonished to find my cupboard almost empty. I confronted my wife for an explanation. Before she could say anything, both daughters said with a mischievous smile on their faces, “Papa, your old clothes have reached the right place. The orphanage team was collecting woollens, so we put your garments in a box and gave them away. But don’t worry; we have bought a new readymade suit for you.” Still in a state of shock, I looked at them helplessly.

Now, it was the turn of the younger one: “Papa, don’t think too much. If everyone starts living like you, how will our economy grow? This is the age of ‘use and discard’. Can’t you see that even the government is urging people to shift to new models of cars and household appliances? Please start making an adjustment. You can continue to be frugal with limited possessions — preferably the latest ones!”