11 Things Frugal People Judge Instantly When They Visit A Rich Person's Home
Frugal people are intentional about where they spend their money.
Victoria Labadie | Shutterstock Frugality is largely personal — a trait, according to a study from the Journal of Business Venturing, that urges people to intentionally avoid impulsive purchases and instead conserve their resources. It often manifests itself in a number of diverse mindsets, habits, and routines depending on the person, but at the end of the day, healthy frugality is a personal mentality: how do you want to spend your money?
Many of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home actively oppose the mindsets and values they set for themselves in their own lives. Even if they're not saying it out loud, they're thinking about the wastefulness, convenience, and passivity of a rich person's home — three experiences they actively avoid in their own financial and personal lives.
Here are 11 things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home
1. Single-use products
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Single-use products are one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home, because they'd personally never invest in them. According to a Morgan Stanley survey, 77% of American consumers argue convenience largely informs their daily purchases — whether it's speed, comfort, or accessibility.
Even if they seem subtle and innocent, single-use products in people's homes are an example of this. Rather than investing in washable cloths, reusable bags, and even a stainless steel water bottle, people focused on convenience spend more to save time.
Ironically, it's rich people overspending on single-use products that often have the leisure time to spend washing reusable products and intentionally spending more time on activities that save them money. That's part of the reason why the rich tend to be happier, because they have the luxury of spending their free time on active hobbies and activities that bring them joy, rather than passive work or chores.
2. Uncomfortable furniture
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While frugal people may be more intentional about their spending, they're not always sacrificing quality for a better price; in fact, they often prefer to invest in things for their longevity and comfort, rather than wasting money on cheap products. When it comes to furniture, they're not opting for the cheapest low-quality often, they're just smarter about how they find the best option.
Whether that means going to a thrift store, a secondhand shop, or even buying things off Facebook Marketplace, they still value comfort and functionality, but don't mind waiting for a deal or money savings to invest. However, when frugal people visit rich people's home, they may immediately judge an expensive couch that looks poorly made or is incredibly uncomfortable.
They can't wrap their heads around why someone would spend thousands of dollars on something that's entirely decorative and can't actually be used and enjoyed.
3. Name-brand everything
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From food, to cleaning supplies, and even home decor, one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home is that everything is name-brand. Even if there's little to no difference in the quality of the products, rich people — especially those with a tendency to flaunt wealth and invest in status — opt for the name-brand to signal their affluence.
According to a study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, people who flaunt their wealth — even in subtle and seemingly innocent ways — are often perceived as selfish, not just by frugal people but by others in their personal and professional lives.
4. Decorative towels
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While frugal people intentionally keep and reuse towels, even if they're mismatched, rich people invest in decorative ones, focusing more on aesthetics than true quality or longevity. Especially in the face of a resurgence of frugality in our culture, like a Chime study conducted by Talker Research suggests, it's not surprising that spending on decorative non-necessities is considered wasteful.
Of course, everyone has their own financial values and priorities. If someone wants to invest in matching sets of towels or decorate dish towels, they have the freedom to choose that, but for frugal people, saving money is more important than cultivating an aesthetic.
5. No curtains
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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, Americans who earn more than $150,000 annually are twice as likely to not have curtains in their homes, leaving their windows to let in natural light and openness. Of course, for frugal people, who tend to use their curtains in a functional way to cap their energy usage and utility bills, it's one of the first things they judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home.
Frugal people may logistically have the money to spend on utilities for the sake of natural light, but that doesn't mean they're willing to spend it, and they're quick to judge others who irresponsibly avoid things like curtains for convenience, even if it's environmentally and fiscally misguided.
6. Specialty groceries
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While many people, especially younger generations, are spending more on organic groceries to invest in nutrition and general health, it's also a habit for rich people to overspend on groceries simply for the sake of name-brands and status. There are plenty of ways to invest in groceries that are both healthy and don't break the bank with certain frugal habits, but wealthy people are more concerned with convenience to engage with them.
These name-brand groceries and overly expensive organic products are one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home, because they'd never consider overspending simply for a brand's prestige or for the experience of shopping at a luxury grocery store.
7. Endless subscriptions
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Even though they're hardly ever using them all, especially considering they often opt for more active activities in their free time, wealthy people often have endless subscriptions — from TV streaming services, to grocery deliveries, and weekly packages with unnecessary products.
It's one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home, especially considering they're so personally intentional about where they spend their money. They're always budgeting with their monthly purchases in mind — downsizing and evolving when necessary — next to rich people who often don't have any idea how much they're actually spending on these unnecessary services.
8. Smart devices in every corner
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Outside of personally investing in every new technology device as they come out, from iPhones to laptops, rich people also tend to leverage smart technology in their homes. From fridges with screens to intuitive thermostats, they maximize the convenience of their households by using overpriced technology to do things for them.
Of course, if these devices could actively save them money in the long run, frugal people wouldn't mind investing in them, but for the most part, they're simply for gratification and convenience in the present moment.
9. Hired help
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Whether it's fixing a basic repair, doing their lawn care, or cleaning their home, rich people are always outsourcing labor to maximize their own free time. They'd prefer to hire someone to do chores or to complete their daily tasks, so when they're not working they actually have time to invest in hobbies and personal interests.
It's this freedom of choice that often adds value to rich people's lives — it's the autonomy and financial freedom that many people are yearning for. In some ways, frugal people could also be chasing this kind of financial freedom, even though they may never choose to embody it in this way.
10. Huge closets
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The size of closets is one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home. It's not only reflective of poor purchasing habits — buying clothing they don't need for every event and situation — it's also a stark difference in values from the ones frugal people hold. They'd prefer to reuse their clothes, downsize, and save money for more fulfilling purchases, so seeing someone with thousands of outfits feels starkly strange.
According to a survey from Luke Zion Jewelry, many Americans are spending more than $1,000 on clothing annually, despite having hundreds of outfits already in their closets. That's part of the reason why the rise of walk-in closets and transforming bedrooms into overflow clothing storage has become so popular — people are overspending on clothing, whether it's for status, comfort, or coping.
11. Cars they don't drive
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While they may not be buying the sports cars and ultra-luxury vehicles other people believe they are, rich people often still spend on cars they don't actually drive. Especially in big cities, where the convenience of actually driving a car is much lower than opting for ride shares or walking, it's not surprising that unused cars in the garage are one of the things frugal people judge instantly when they visit a rich person's home.
While frugal people opt for public transportation, carpooling, or walking to get where they need to go — usually to save money and opt for more environmentally friendly commutes — rich people overspend on cars that don't actually take them anywhere.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
