VietNamNet Bridge – The lunar New Year is coming, but due to economic crisis this year, many people have to practice thrift.




Mrs. My, living in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, has the option of having an economic Tet holiday this year. The expenses for internal and external relations are also carefully considered by My and her husband. Instead of buying individual gifts for her parents and her parents-in-law and siblings as usual, this year My bought Tet gifts for her parent and her husband's family…

She also changes in decorating her home. Previously, she used to buy a big apricot tree but this year she and her daughter bought an artificial apricot tree, which is priced several hundreds thousand dong. She said she saved over VND1 million from this.

"Annually I paid million dong just to buy trees for a few days of Tet, and then throwing them away. This year the situation is difficult so I have to save money from this," My said.

However, not anyone can practice thrift like My. Mr. Pham Van Son, 28, a native of Thai Binh province has been married for nearly one year. His wife is also a Thai Binh native. They do not have a baby yet and live in a hired room in District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.

As Tet is coming, Son’s young wife said she wanted to visit home this Tet. To please his wife, Son borrowed VND50 million ($2,500) at an interest rate of 2% / month.

"I have to buy Tet gifts for my family and my wife’s family, the air tickets and even the gifts for my parents’ neighbors,” Son said.

To make their parents to be proud of their children, the couple had to buy some new clothes. Son’s wife also went to a beauty salon to retouch her beauty.

"My salary is only VND4.5 million per month, my wife is paid only VND2 million a month because she is a new staff. The total income of us is about VND7 million a month. After this Tet, I will have to pay VND50 million in debt," Son added.

Economic recession is a common situation, which affect many well-off families.

In previous years, the overseas tours at Tet was sold out but this year only a small number of visitors have booked for tours to Southeast Asian countries, with the affordable price from VND8 to VND12 million per person for 3 days and 4 nights. Domestic tours have become the popular choice. The most favourite destinations are Nha Trang, Da Lat, Vung Tau…

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, living in District 7, HCM City, said her family used to go to Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, or Cambodia for the Tet holiday. However, this year her family will stay at home.

A group of three young employees of a state firm in District 3 said that they would not return home in northern provinces this Tet holiday to save money.

Mai, a young person in the group said: "If we go home, each person must spend at least VND10 - VND15 million. Staying in Saigon, we can save half of that amount."

It can be said that, the economic downturn has made impacts on the lives of every family, every man at different levels. More or less, the general trend of this year is still having a saving Tet.

Thanh Huyen