Kids Raised By Parents Who Don't Know How To Manage Money Often Have 8 Frugal Habits As Adults
Zwiebackesser / Shutterstock Many people probably assume that kids don’t know very much about their family’s finances. The truth is that they start forming their own money habits at a young age. They often pay close attention to what their parents do with money and learn from it. If their childhood felt unstable because of money problems and their parents' financial disorganization, they're likely to develop some lifelong habits they think will protect them from going through that again in their own households.
People who were raised by parents who were bad at managing their money tend to have these frugal habits once they grow up
1. They order the cheapest thing on the menu at restaurants
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If someone had parents who didn’t know how to handle money, they probably didn’t get to eat out very often as a child. And the few times they did, they were instructed to keep their order inexpensive beforehand.
When kids grow up in this kind of environment, they can feel the stress just as much as their parents do. Instead of seeing becoming an adult as an opportunity for freedom from their old struggles, they’ll keep scanning the prices on menus before looking at what the actual dish is. It’s a cycle they can’t escape.
2. They try to buy as much as they can secondhand
Although it’s nice to buy new things, there are a lot of used items for sale that are significantly cheaper but not extremely different. That’s what people whose parents struggled with money will gravitate towards.
It seems like a good way for them to save a little money without compromising on quality in a big way. That is true in certain situations, but there are some things that are too risky to buy secondhand. It’s sad to see someone think they don’t have another option when they do.
3. They save every freebie they come across
Things like pens with logos on them and travel-size toiletries from hotels seem particularly fascinating to kids, so it’s not surprising that they would keep grabbing those things as they grow up, especially if they think it could save them money.
Everyone loves freebies, but they often aren’t worth the hoops you have to jump through to get them, or they’re just supposed to lure you into buying something else. And, honestly, no one needs 500 pens from different businesses. That’s the kind of thing that quickly turns into junk. Some freebies are great, but others are just a waste. People who depended on them as a kid will have a hard time telling the difference.
4. They keep track of every dollar they make and spend
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Parents who can’t manage money well probably didn’t keep any kind of budget at all, and now their kids feel like they need to make up for it. But going to the opposite extreme can be just as unhealthy.
Financial journalist Peter Rothbart experienced this himself. He said, “Being hyper-aware of my spending gave me needless guilt over purchases that weren’t strictly essential, even if I had budgeted for them properly.”
Keeping a general budget is a good idea, but becoming obsessive about it is nothing more than a trap.
5. They stock up on things they don’t need when there’s a sale
Everyone loves a good sale, especially when they have trauma about spending money from their childhood. In that case, their parents probably relied on sales and told them how great they were all the time.
Sales are often nothing more than a mind game. They convince people to buy things they don’t need and probably wouldn’t even think about if there wasn’t a discount. That means they’re actually wasting money instead of saving it. It’s just a marketing trick that hurts consumers.
6. They ration products to make them last longer
If you splurged on an expensive skincare product that you probably wouldn’t be able to repurchase anytime soon, it would make sense to make it last as long as possible. But the same logic doesn’t really apply to a basic tube of toothpaste.
Since people who grew up in families with money problems always had to worry about having enough, it will be hard for them to let go of that mindset no matter how old they are. It’s similar to saving something for a special occasion and then never using it at all. People wait for something that isn’t coming and miss out in the present.
7. They bring their own food from home
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Cooking at home really is a good way to save money when it’s done strategically. But it’s another thing that could easily become a source of anxiety.
If someone who’s stressed about money because of their childhood is hanging out with friends and the group decides to grab something to eat, they don’t need to sit out if it’s not necessary. They deserve to treat themselves within reason, just like everyone else.
8. They never buy something without comparing prices first
Comparing prices is a smart thing to do before making big purchases, but a difference of just a few dollars on something inexpensive isn’t really worth the time and gas money it takes to get from one store to another.
People who have been short on money in the past may have a hard time accepting that it’s not always necessary to compare prices. It feels like a much safer option to them because they know what it’s like to go without.
Mary-Faith Martinez is a writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and Journalism who covers news, psychology, lifestyle, and human interest topics.
