Why are people always sending money to the FSU?

[Steveboy]

I think in about 15 years off visiting Eastern Europe , here and there seeing a few women, being with my wife for 7 years, married for 4 or 5 years .. I have never had the need to wire anyone any money, never had the need to put money on someones card or send Western Union..

When I first met my wife she was working for me, so yes every month I sent her salary over, but that is a different case , I can see many reasons or why SO many people need to send money to people ... It's like They would starve to death without you doing this? And in any case if the person is not actually YOUR wife sending money is a no no what ever the circumstances..

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

[msmoby]

And in any case if the person is not actually YOUR wife sending money is a no no what ever the circumstances..

  Given that I've lived with the woman for five years -  I think that's a bit strange

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ?

Paying bills / buying flights from there that one cannot pay for with a UK card ?

[Steveboy]

And surely if you have desperate relatives to feed and for example you live in the Uk you would just go to Lloyds Bank open a account with two cards and send one to who ever needs regular money.. costs nearly zero.. and they just go take cash from Bankomat

Or maybe Im just stupid and people here are talking about transferring millions..

[Manny]

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

Some women chipped in to the family finances when they lived in Russia, Ukraine or wherever. Some continue to do so when abroad. That's not unusual. As parents age and become pensioners, the societal expectation is that the offspring will help them out as and when required.

If the woman is a housewife in the west or has a low paid job, the husband might cough up a modest stipend to the folks as needed on their behalf.

But really there are many reasons folks may want to send money there and not all of it will be hapless blokes in basements sending a fictional Sexy Olga a few grand to arrive to him.

[yankee]

the main reason I sent money to Russia was to pay for our wedding.  Though not as expensive as the US weddings are still expensive if done right.

[Steveboy]

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

Some women chipped in to the family finances when they lived in Russia, Ukraine or wherever. Some continue to do so when abroad. That's not unusual. As parents age and become pensioners, the societal expectation is that the offspring will help them out as and when required.

If the woman is a housewife in the west or has a low paid job, the husband might cough up a modest stipend to the folks as needed on their behalf.

But really there are many reasons folks may want to send money there and not all of it will be hapless blokes in basements sending a fictional Sexy Olga a few grand to arrive to him.

If I was a Russian and my daughter married a foreigner .. I couldn't see myself accepting money from her husband or she may try to convince me its from both of them, I wouldn't take it..

I would never want to be the sort of person who needs charity.. even if I was dying.. but that is just me, everyone is different..

But I have different views on life to most any way.. for me it does not matter where you live, how poor you are there is always a way

As Putin said last night "Russia never had any little helpers"  And I wouldn't need any either..

[yankee]

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

Some women chipped in to the family finances when they lived in Russia, Ukraine or wherever. Some continue to do so when abroad. That's not unusual. As parents age and become pensioners, the societal expectation is that the offspring will help them out as and when required.

If the woman is a housewife in the west or has a low paid job, the husband might cough up a modest stipend to the folks as needed on their behalf.

But really there are many reasons folks may want to send money there and not all of it will be hapless blokes in basements sending a fictional Sexy Olga a few grand to arrive to him.

If I was a Russian and my daughter married a foreigner .. I couldn't see myself accepting money from her husband or she may try to convince me its from both of them, I wouldn't take it..

I would never want to be the sort of person who needs charity.. even if I was dying.. but that is just me, everyone is different..

But I have different views on life to most any way.. for me it does not matter where you live, how poor you are there is always a way

As Putin said last night "Russia never had any little helpers"  And I wouldn't need any either..

Some people feel that there is an obligation to take care of family and some don't.  Sounds like you don't.

[SL0413]

After my father passed away I sent money to my mom every month, though she never asked.  She saved it all and passed it on back to me when she passed away a few years later.

[yankee]

After my father passed away I sent money to my mom every month, though she never asked.  She saved it all and passed it on back to me when she passed away a few years later.

When my mother was 50 she developed terminal breast cancer.  Both my brother and I supported her for the next 4 years.  She did not ask.  She should not have needed to ask.

[Dogsoldier]

After my father passed away I sent money to my mom every month, though she never asked.  She saved it all and passed it on back to me when she passed away a few years later.

When my mother was 50 she developed terminal breast cancer.  Both my brother and I supported her for the next 4 years.  She did not ask.  She should not have needed to ask.

Goes without saying, really.
Saying that, there are many people who resent having to take care of their folks in old age and are only to eager to farm their care out to cheap immigrant labour care workers.

[Manny]

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

Some women chipped in to the family finances when they lived in Russia, Ukraine or wherever. Some continue to do so when abroad. That's not unusual. As parents age and become pensioners, the societal expectation is that the offspring will help them out as and when required.

If the woman is a housewife in the west or has a low paid job, the husband might cough up a modest stipend to the folks as needed on their behalf.

But really there are many reasons folks may want to send money there and not all of it will be hapless blokes in basements sending a fictional Sexy Olga a few grand to arrive to him.

If I was a Russian and my daughter married a foreigner .. I couldn't see myself accepting money from her husband or she may try to convince me its from both of them, I wouldn't take it..

I would never want to be the sort of person who needs charity.. even if I was dying.. but that is just me, everyone is different..

But I have different views on life to most any way.. for me it does not matter where you live, how poor you are there is always a way

As Putin said last night "Russia never had any little helpers"  And I wouldn't need any either..

You misunderstand the FSU family unit. The old wipe your arse when you are young, you wipe theirs when they are old. It can be metaphorical or not. Much of China and Asia works the same.

What do a couple of pensioners need in the FSU to make life happier, a hundred quid a month? Two hundred quid a month? £1-2k a year would make all the difference. Dilute by the number of siblings [if any] and it gets cheaper.

If you are so greedy, they likely have a dacha or a flat or three that will one day be yours or your wife's so your money will come back one way or another.

You plucked the bint out of her family unit, her responsibilities become yours when you marry her. We call this radical way of thinking 'being a man'.

Certainly, if you're seen as a responsible bloke, you'll by now be considered the head of your family (including the folks). This means financial decisions of any note will run through you for opinion for business/property stuff in Russia and other family matters. Ask your wife if I'm right. You're welcome. 

[Guile]

in Chinese culture it is expected that the grandparents live with or near the family and be supported. filial duty.  my grandma lived with one of my aunts until she died and we would visit her every weekend in my youth. many of my friends the same. a seniors home is more a western concept.

[BillyB]

Although FSU people are living their lives without us, they have more struggles. My wife is living good but she cares about family back home and she wants to make their lives a little bit better.

Before I met my wife, she and her mom were living in Libya. Her mom was a doctor working there making decent money. A few weeks before she was to fly to Ukraine to prepare for the K-1 journey, Tripoli was overrun by rebels and she and her mom escaped in a military plane Ukraine provided. She never asked for money but I know they had none and the tens of thousands mom had in a Libyan bank was probably gone so I sent them something every month. Mom's pension was small so I had no issues with sending money to mom while my wife came over to live with me. What kind of person is someone if they are eating and living good while their parents are struggling?

My wife wouldn't give free financial help past her immediate family but she had a cousin with an opportunity to get an education from Germany but my wife's aunt and uncle couldn't afford it but looking to borrow $5000. I was fine loaning it to them and they are making monthly payments of $100 to pay it back.

Everybody needs a little help at some point in their lives. Those growing up in families that don't help each other are most likely to stay in the hole they fell in. Families that support each other in times of need tend to be successful.

[Steveboy]

You need to send money to relatives in Russia or Ukraine ? Why? Could they not manage until you married the daughter! Before that they were starving to  death just living on a bowl of soup and herring..

Some women chipped in to the family finances when they lived in Russia, Ukraine or wherever. Some continue to do so when abroad. That's not unusual. As parents age and become pensioners, the societal expectation is that the offspring will help them out as and when required.

If the woman is a housewife in the west or has a low paid job, the husband might cough up a modest stipend to the folks as needed on their behalf.

But really there are many reasons folks may want to send money there and not all of it will be hapless blokes in basements sending a fictional Sexy Olga a few grand to arrive to him.

If I was a Russian and my daughter married a foreigner .. I couldn't see myself accepting money from her husband or she may try to convince me its from both of them, I wouldn't take it..

I would never want to be the sort of person who needs charity.. even if I was dying.. but that is just me, everyone is different..

But I have different views on life to most any way.. for me it does not matter where you live, how poor you are there is always a way

As Putin said last night "Russia never had any little helpers"  And I wouldn't need any either..

You misunderstand the FSU family unit. The old wipe your arse when you are young, you wipe theirs when they are old. It can be metaphorical or not. Much of China and Asia works the same.

What do a couple of pensioners need in the FSU to make life happier, a hundred quid a month? Two hundred quid a month? £1-2k a year would make all the difference. Dilute by the number of siblings [if any] and it gets cheaper.

If you are so greedy, they likely have a dacha or a flat or three that will one day be yours or your wife's so your money will come back one way or another.

You plucked the bint out of her family unit, her responsibilities become yours when you marry her. We call this radical way of thinking 'being a man'.

Certainly, if you're seen as a responsible bloke, you'll by now be considered the head of your family (including the folks). This means financial decisions of any note will run through you for opinion for business/property stuff in Russia and other family matters. Ask your wife if I'm right. You're welcome. 

Yes.. BUT If I was a Russian guy ( I will be soon in any case) I would never accept any money from ANY one.. I wouldn't care about traditions or anything else..but that is me..