Frugal People Secretly Judge People With These 11 Wasteful Habits
Frugal people are careful and intentional about conserving their resources, and they tend to judge those who aren't.
9nong / Shutterstock Being frugal is becoming less taboo in modern culture, especially as more people struggle financially. While they may do so in a variety of different ways, frugal people are typically intentional about their spending, even if it means putting in a little bit more effort than they might have to otherwise.
And because they care so much about being responsible, frugal people often secretly judge people with wasteful habits. They are willing to lean into the discomfort of sticking to a budget and making careful choices, and generally look down on people who have a more passive mentality and lifestyle.
Frugal people secretly judge people with these 11 wasteful habits
1. Spending more money for the sake of convenience
Drazen Zigic | Shutterstock.com
Many people are reliant on convenience, wasting time, energy, and money on quick fixes and shortcuts for the sake of instant gratification and comfort. When it comes to the digital convenience of things like online shopping, doomscrolling, and deliveries, many people are coping with emotional turmoil and loneliness. However, others simply have the luxury to put their time ahead of their money, with the financial freedom to buy things like DoorDash, grocery deliveries, Uber, and fast deliveries online.
Frugal people secretly judge those with wasteful habits because they tend to cope with internal discomfort in healthier ways, prioritizing their financial freedom over immediate desires.
2. Buying single-use products
New Africa | Shutterstock.com
Using single-use products like paper towels and plates is one of the things frugal people secretly judge others for being wasteful with. Not only are there reusable alternatives that are more sustainable and eco-friendly, but many of them are also more cost-effective, saving people from overspending and wasting money on the convenience of single-use supplies.
However, as a Morgan Stanley survey suggests, more than 75% of consumers regularly shape their daily expenses and financial habits around convenience, being more interested in saving seconds than money or environmental benefits.
3. Never saving money
Jose Calsina | Shutterstock.com
Many frugal people can make more conscious and intentional decisions because they’re adamant about saving money and having a safety net, the same kind of backup plan that reduces anxiety amid the uncertainty of the modern financial landscape. Frugal people often secretly judge those with wasteful habits, such as overspending on unnecessary items, especially when they lack savings or an emergency fund.
Of course, not everyone has the security and money to add to a savings account while living paycheck-to-paycheck, but for those who do and instead spend that money on convenience, instant gratification, impulsive purchases, and things they don’t need, it’s much easier for a frugal person to judge.
4. Being too frugal
Kudla | Shutterstock.com
Whether it’s driving super far for a deal or paying more for bulk items that you end up not using down the road, being “too frugal” can sometimes be just as wasteful as spending recklessly in the moment. Even if it’s simply wasting time, rather than money, that’s just as much a signal of affluence, and usually not worth wasting in the pursuit of pinching pennies.
Frugal people have their own unique habits and behaviors they’ve stumbled upon. Still, they often judge people for prioritizing the principle of their money-saving endeavors over their practicality.
5. Buying individually packaged foods
PRPicturesProduction | Shutterstock.com
According to a study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, buying individually packaged foods is one of the tendencies that many wealthy people invest in simply for the price tag and the prestige. Rather than bulk buying groceries to save money or investing in more sustainable options, many wealthy people focus on status, even when they’re grocery shopping.
Of course, this is one of the things frugal people secretly judge people for wasting money on, not just because it’s a clearly unsustainable choice, but because it’s a clear difference from the people who are struggling to afford groceries at all.
6. Grocery shopping without a plan
hedgehog94 | Shutterstock.com
Planning is one of the ways people minimize waste in their lives, whether it’s in the grocery store, shopping for seasonal clothing, or planning large expenses like car maintenance. Frugal people use lists in all aspects of their lives, leveraging the benefits of time and task management to save money and conserve their resources.
Frugal people secretly judge those with wasteful habits, such as refusing to plan ahead or use lists, not just because it ensures they only buy things they need, but also because it’s more efficient and productive for saving time.
7. Buying subscriptions they never use
DukiPh | Shutterstock.com
According to a survey on subscriptions, many people spend more than $133 a month than they believe they are, mostly on streaming services and subscription programs that they don’t actually use. Not only is this wasteful, it’s a sign of someone who is passive about their money habits, avoiding following a budget, tracking their spending, or even looking at their bank account.
Frugal people secretly judge those with wasteful habits, as they intentionally track their spending on subscriptions and entertainment.
8. Skipping regular maintenance
DimaBerlin | Shutterstock.com
Whether it’s car maintenance like oil changes, regular household repairs, or even chores that take more time and effort, frugal people secretly judge people who overlook these expenses in favor of convenience or things they don’t need.
Of course, it’s wasteful to continue feeding into impulsive shopping and overspending habits. Skipping regular maintenance also wastes money in the long run, as the maintenance people avoid and neglectful habits they indulge in manifest in issues that are much larger and more expensive.
9. Processed and fast foods
Adriaticfoto | Shutterstock.com
With rising costs of fast and processed foods, it’s not surprising that people are spending more money on going out and eating food outside of their homes. Frugal people secretly judge people who waste money on these endeavors, spending money they don’t have on credit cards and feeding into coping mechanisms around money to deal with social isolation and loneliness.
Of course, spending is an emotional experience for many people and a coping mechanism for others, so it’s not always an intentional decision to overspend. Still, frugal people are rigid about following budgets and only going out or eating out when they have the money. They judge people who waste time and money on these things without boundaries, especially the ones who complain about not having money later on.
10. Buying a new car
Fast-stock | Shutterstock.com
Even though it’s easy to fall into pressure to buy a new car and invest in the most expensive options as status symbols or to seek belonging with others, it’s one of the worst investments people can make, regardless of how much money they have.
According to experts from Progressive, new cars lose over 20% of their initial value in the first year of ownership, much of which happens immediately after a driver takes the car off the lot. It’s also deemed “wasteful” by frugal people when there are other safe and accessible options for transportation, like sharing a car or using public transportation. People are overspending on buying a new car, but also overextending their financial abilities on maintenance and regular costs, when they don’t have the money.
11. Buying into trends
maxbelchenko | Shutterstock.com
Whether it’s online shopping through social media or buying trendy clothing and home decor with money they don’t have, frugal people secretly judge people with these wasteful habits. Of course, there’s an emotional and psychological element to people who regularly buy into trends. They’re not only coping with emotional turmoil, they’re seeking connection, belonging, and community through spending time with other people.
While frugal people can understand that struggle, considering they’ve likely had to unlearn those pressures themselves, they still judge people who are consistently wasteful and ignorant of their spending in uncertain financial situations.
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.
