11 Things That Instantly Annoy People Who Were Raised By Frugal Parents
Those raised by parents with strict money-saving habits have taken those rules into adulthood.
Andrii Iemelianenko | Shutterstock As an adult, having grown up in a house with parents who were quite strict and particular about their money-saving tips and tricks means a lot of those lessons have followed you into the life you live now. The lights are automatically switched off in an empty room, you never throw away leftovers, and are an avid coupon clipper. Everything you do is to save money, which is why there are certain things that instantly annoy people who were raised by frugal parents.
Not only are you someone that swears by the rules your parents first set out, but you're also aware of the wasteful habits other people have who maybe didn't grow up with frugal parents in the way you did. You try not to cringe or pass judgment, but you can't help but get a bit irritated when others don't seem to be too concerned with where their money goes. Other people might overlook these financial habits, but you're someone who is used to being resourceful.
Here are 11 things that instantly annoy people who were raised by frugal parents
1. Buying bottled water constantly
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Buying bottled water is just one of those things that seems a bit unnecessary when there are other, cheaper ways of having water in your home. In fact, the vast majority of Americans (88%) say they consume bottled water, and almost 9 out of 10 (87%) of Americans say they have a positive opinion of bottled water as a beverage choice.
Growing up, people with frugal parents constantly heard that water bottles are just a waste and that it's better to just invest in a water filter or buy reusable water bottles that can be filled up again.
As an adult, you aren't particularly interested in your grocery trips including you buying a whole pack of water bottles just for the convenience that it might offer others who can just take a bottle out of the fridge and be on their way.
2. Always choosing overnight shipping
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Those raised by frugal parents learned the importance of patience. They most likely heard growing up that being patient means you're able to save money, so they now have no problem waiting the standard one to two weeks for a package if it means they get to save a few dollars. However, watching someone bite the bullet and just pay extra for speed and convenience is a little hard for them to wrap their heads around.
They don't understand why people can't just wait and pay for standard shipping, especially when expedited shipping usually ups the overall cost of your order considerably. What's even more frustrating for them is the casual manner in which people act like it's not that big of a deal.
These individuals may understand if the item needs to get to them immediately because they're on a deadline, but if there's no reason for something to come to them faster, then why pay extra for it?
3. Tossing out perfectly good leftovers
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Throwing out leftovers is one of the things that instantly annoy people who were raised by frugal parents, as they would rather keep that food until the very last bite, not toss it. Growing up for them meant that food was just never wasted, especially when it was still good to eat the very next day.
Every bite mattered and letting a good meal go into the trash was pretty much the same as throwing your money in the trash as well. Leftovers saved frugal households because it meant not having to cook and getting good use out of the meal that was either made the night previously or ordered. It was about being resourceful and not letting anything go to waste.
Most Americans make sure they are saving their leftovers. An estimated 41% of people make sure to save their leftovers so they're not just wasting food. Those raised by frugal parents, in particular, find it odd when people scrape their uneaten food straight into the garbage, even though there's definitely enough of it to have again.
4. Buying overpriced coffee every morning
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For those constantly on the go, it doesn't really strike them as odd to go to the coffee shop every morning and pay $9 for an iced latte. However, it's one of the things that instantly annoy people who were raised by frugal parents. They know that those coffees add up and it's really better to make them at home.
Even if that cup of coffee doesn't taste anywhere near the masterpiece that the local barista can make, it's about saving money where you can, and those raised by frugal parents know that's the most important thing they can do for their finances.
Maybe once in a while, as a treat, they'll go out and actually buy a coffee instead of brewing it at home, but it definitely isn't an everyday thing. Just the thought of paying so much for something they can make at home sends a chill down their spine.
5. Grocery shopping without checking the price
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It seems ridiculous to children of frugal parents, but there are people out there who grocery shop and never even take a glance at the price of the items they're planning to buy.
Those who grew up with parents that had no shame in taking longer in the aisle because they were calculating the price of the things in their cart tend to do the exact same thing. Being able to compare the prices to other things wasn't ever an option to them because it meant possibly getting more food for less money if you were actively looking at the price tag.
Being able to see what's on sale and what's not means not being careless. Now more than ever people should definitely be factoring that into their grocery trips, especially when the price of food has gone up exponentially.
An estimated 70% of consumers still struggle with grocery affordability. So, when those with frugal parents see people toss items into their cart without a second thought, it just feels like throwing money down the drain, especially in this economy.
6. Leaving lights on in empty rooms
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For those raised by frugal parents, one lesson that was drilled into their heads from a young age was the fact it was extremely wasteful to leave the lights on in unoccupied rooms. They were taught to switch off the lights immediately after leaving a room to not only conserve electricity but also to respect the value of money that would be coming out of their parents' paychecks when it was time to pay the bill.
Now, as adults, these individuals are extremely conscious about making sure they don't leave a single light on in their house that really doesn't even need to be on. They might even turn their noses up at people that have no problem doing the complete opposite and will gladly leave their lights on even when they aren't actually at home.
But maybe more people should follow this rule considering that there are actually physical benefits to turning lights off when you don't need them, especially at bedtime. Research has shown that turning off your lights before going to bed can help reduce things like obesity and even high blood pressure.
7. Ordering takeout multiple times a day
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If you were raised by frugal parents, it means you find ordering takeout multiple times a day for various meals to be a bit extreme. Growing up meant that your parents were cooking meals at home, sometimes from scratch even. So that means as an adult, watching people spend upwards of $50 a day on food that they could have just made at home makes you instantly cringe.
We live in a time where it's extremely easy to order fast and inexpensive meals that can be made at home, which is why it feels a bit lazy when you see someone turn to apps like UberEats or DoorDash to have dinner when they have groceries in the fridge.
According to a survey from YouGov, more than one-quarter of Americans (28.2%) use these services at least once a week. For those that come from frugal parents, eating out was seen as a luxury. It was something done maybe once a month, where they'd either go out to restaurants or stay in and order something. It just wasn't something that was done multiple times a day over the period of several days in a row.
8. Using paper towels for everything
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There's nothing more wasteful than taking off sheet after sheet of paper towels to do something basic. Wasting paper towels is another of the things that instantly annoy people who were raised by frugal parents, because growing up, it meant there were old rags and dishcloths that were used to clean up messes, dry dishes, and wipe down counters.
Paper towels might have been in their kitchen, but they were used sparingly. If they were using primarily paper towels, they would try and save them for future use, especially if they weren't that dirty in the first place.
It was mostly because paper towels were not cheap and, if you weren't careful, you'd have to buy a whole new pack week after week because of how many rolls you'd be going through. Being raised to conserve paper towels means that they tend to find it strange when others have no problem going through roll after roll. It just seems like such an avoidable inconvenience to have to spend money on them when there are other alternatives that work better.
9. Running water while brushing your teeth
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It might seem minor to some people, but for those raised by frugal parents, conserving water meant switching off the faucet while you were brushing your teeth. There's just no reason to have water running when it's not being used because that will only risk the chance of your water bill being excruciatingly high that month.
It seems to be an extremely common practice, though. According to a survey from YouGov, slightly more than one-third of the country (35%) say they keep the water running while cleaning their teeth.
Frugal households were taught that as soon as you put the toothpaste on your brush, the water must be turned off until you're completely done. So for them, watching someone just waste the water while brushing seems like an unnecessary indulgence.
Once you've been raised to conserve at every turn, it really sticks with you, even if it's for something as minuscule as brushing your teeth with the water off.
10. Leaving the fridge door wide open
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Leaving the fridge door wide open when you're not actively taking something out of it or putting something in is really seen as the biggest sin that could be committed in a frugal household. You're not only wasting electricity, but you're letting the cold air out and possibly letting all of the food in the fridge go bad faster the longer the door stays open.
Those raised by frugal parents grew up hearing that if they weren't trying to get something out of the fridge, there's no reason why their head needs to be in the fridge for so long with the door open. For someone raised with this mindset, it means they're extremely particular about how long the fridge door is open.
It's about conserving energy and just being responsible. It's why they make such a big deal when they see someone leaving their fridge door open for longer than they need to. It just feels like a personal slight against the lessons that were drilled into their heads from childhood.
11. Buying new furniture instead of thrifting
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Those raised by frugal parents know that things can get quite expensive, and sometimes the thrift store or a secondhand purchase can really save your wallet. Being raised with that kind of lesson means that once they were adults and living on their own, they weren't trying to buy furniture brand new.
Instead, they turn to thrift stores and places like Facebook Marketplace to help furnish their space. They're able to find affordable and stylish items without actually breaking their bank. They shop smart so that they aren't abusing or mishandling their finances.
While it does take extra time to sift through all of the options and actually find something that matches the aesthetic of their homes, they're usually quite proud of the fact that they were able to get some pieces gently used and not having to spend hundreds of dollars or more.
Nia Tipton is a staff writer with a bachelor's degree in creative writing and journalism who covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on psychology, relationships, and the human experience.
