What does 'Minnesota Nice' mean? (Minneapolis, St. Paul: appointed, fit in, transplants)

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

Very humid in summer. Minnesotans as a whole are NOT materialistic. In fact, quite frugal.

One of my daughters went to a private college in Minnesota. So maybe the students were part of a select group that could afford things, but frugal is not the impression I ever got. It seems like "everybody" has a "lake house" that is more like a mansion. Kids driving fancy cars, going on trips to Europe, Australia, etc. About 50% of the students were from Minnesota, and most of those were from Minneapolis.

As for Minnesota Nice, I think it greases the wheels a little to have people acting politely. The passive-agressive part is another thing.

[JameeLynn25]

How does anyone expect Minnesotans to be nice when its -30 below???

[Lillietta]

One of my daughters went to a private college in Minnesota. So maybe the students were part of a select group that could afford things, but frugal is not the impression I ever got. It seems like "everybody" has a "lake house" that is more like a mansion. Kids driving fancy cars, going on trips to Europe, Australia, etc. About 50% of the students were from Minnesota, and most of those were from Minneapolis.

Exactly -- from Mpls. I was talking about Minnesotas as a whole - even though we got OT - the topic is Minnesota. Yes, there are expensive colleges in the Twin Cities.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

One of my daughters went to a private college in Minnesota. So maybe the students were part of a select group that could afford things, but frugal is not the impression I ever got. It seems like "everybody" has a "lake house" that is more like a mansion. Kids driving fancy cars, going on trips to Europe, Australia, etc. About 50% of the students were from Minnesota, and most of those were from Minneapolis.

As for Minnesota Nice, I think it greases the wheels a little to have people acting politely. The passive-agressive part is another thing.

Well, I went to a private college in MN as did DH and this is not our experience at all. Yes, there were some kids there that certainly came from the upper reaches of the economic brackets but at our schools almost 90% of the students got some sort of financial aid. Yes, a lot of people have lake homes but a lot of people bought those lake homes for under $50,000 to see them grow in value over the years to the million dollar range.

[roneb]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Well, I went to a private college in MN as did DH and this is not our experience at all. Yes, there were some kids there that certainly came from the upper reaches of the economic brackets but at our schools almost 90% of the students got some sort of financial aid. Yes, a lot of people have lake homes but a lot of people bought those lake homes for under $50,000 to see them grow in value over the years to the million dollar range.

Very good points. I would still say Minnnesotans tend toward the frugal end of things. It would be interesting to see if there was info or a study of how the people of MN spend their disposable income vs other states. My guess would be more investment (including in vacation homes when they were cheap)and less entertainment (expensive dinners/nights out).

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by Lillietta

Very humid in summer. Minnesotans as a whole are NOT materialistic. In fact, quite frugal.

It's all relative. MN has many summer days with low humidity. Not as many as the SW, for example, but certainly more than other midwestern areas such as IA, MO, downstate IL, OH, etc.

[Ben Around]

Originally Posted by pittnurse70

One of my daughters went to a private college in Minnesota. So maybe the students were part of a select group that could afford things, but frugal is not the impression I ever got. It seems like "everybody" has a "lake house" that is more like a mansion. Kids driving fancy cars, going on trips to Europe, Australia, etc. About 50% of the students were from Minnesota, and most of those were from Minneapolis.

As for Minnesota Nice, I think it greases the wheels a little to have people acting politely. The passive-agressive part is another thing.

The number of MN'ns at private colleges is miniscule, and the circumstances among them varies by college. No way can you generalize to MNn's or even Minneapolitans.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by golfgal

Well, I went to a private college in MN as did DH and this is not our experience at all. Yes, there were some kids there that certainly came from the upper reaches of the economic brackets but at our schools almost 90% of the students got some sort of financial aid. Yes, a lot of people have lake homes but a lot of people bought those lake homes for under $50,000 to see them grow in value over the years to the million dollar range.

We had a cabin across from the beach on the main point at Breezy Point (it sat between Beach Road and Shoreview) for several years while I was growing up. Sounds kinda ritzy, right?

What folks don't realize is that my grandfather purchased those lots in the 40's or 50's, long before that area became very popular, and my dad and his siblings financed the cabin together, buying a small house from one of those we-build-the-skeleton-and-you-do-the-rest outfits. It took a lot of work to get that building livable, but we did it.

We don't own it now. Condo-dwellers ruined the place by driving on the beach across from our yard, etc. Plus property taxes eventually made it too expensive for the amount of time we spent there.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Minnesota frugalness is weird. We will generally spend money on luxuries; a nice house, a vacation, et cetera. But we spend frugally within those areas. I'm not making sense, so let me give an example. Minneapolis spends the most money per capita on eating out, but you seldom see an entree for more than $20. No matter how much we spend in total, few people here would pay $100 for a celebrity chef's meal. I suppose it is the same way with trips. Minnesotans will go, but won't stay at the Waldorf. I don't think I would want to live in an area where people are tight-fisted; be we are about saving when we do spend.

[Minnehahapolitan]

Oh, another thing. Minnesotans, at least in comparison to alot of wealthy places, really don't go for the fancy cars. There are bona fide mansions with Hondas and Subarus in the garage.