5 money habits of Russian people that shock Europeans

The inhabitants of each country have their own mentality. The differences between the peoples can be seen in the mindset, world perception, culture, etiquette, traditions and even in the approach to handling money. We want to talk about the latter today.

It turns out that Russian people have many habits related to money, and sometimes they lead Europeans to confusion. Here are the five most basic ones.

Surely, every house has things bought on credit. A TV, a washing machine, a microwave, a smartphone... there will be something. Europeans are very surprised by this fact. They do not understand why to take a thing on credit, if you can wait a little, save up the necessary amount and buy what you need. By the way, Europeans are not chasing brands – they will react calmly to the release of the latest iPhone model. They are sure that you need to buy equipment and electronics only if there is a need for it. And in some ways they are right…

The habit of borrowing money from relatives and friends also causes confusion among Europeans. First, they rarely have to borrow money: treatment is covered by insurance, education is usually free, there is enough salary for housing and food. Secondly, if it turns out that a European urgently needs money, he will rather turn to the bank than to his relatives.

The habit of saving for a "rainy day" was formed by Russian people in connection with numerous financial crises in the country. War, perestroika, privatization, default… People realized that they should not count on the state, that's why they got used to making stashes. Europeans have a more measured and stable life, nothing has happened in recent decades that would make people worry. Therefore, they have no reasons to save money for a "rainy day". Most of the Europeans are sure that such a day will never come.

It is customary for Russians: if a wedding is on a grand scale, if a birthday is so that all friends gather, the New Year is generally the main holiday of the year, "as you meet – you will spend it", etc. And every solemn event costs a pretty penny. Europeans will not understand this. Even their children's holidays are held without too much pathos: three-tiered cakes, animators, photo zones hung with balloons – all this is not familiar to them. On holidays, children play, listen to music, eat delicious food, dance, no more.

As we have already mentioned, Europeans are calm about brands and fashion innovations. And this applies not only to equipment, but also to clothing, as well as accessories. Perhaps it happened this way, because there are brand stores in Europe at every step — you will not surprise anyone with a Dolce & Gabbana handbag. Or maybe because appearance for Europeans is far from the main thing in a person. They can easily go to the store in home clothes, go to a business meeting in sneakers and happily carry a bag bought for a couple of dollars. By the way, very often things are purchased at flea markets, and in this, as Europeans believe, there is nothing shameful.

Well, perhaps we have something to learn from the Europeans. But there is also something to surprise them with. What are the great Russian inventions that turned the world upside down?