Frugality has always been a popular topic, and for a good reason – who doesn’t want to save some money?
However, some frugal habits might seem bizarre or outdated to modern-day consumers. Surprisingly, people still practice these habits, and they could save you a significant amount of money in the long run.
I recently found myself reflecting on some peculiar, inherited habits. Those little things passed down from earlier generations that have somehow stuck. They might seem outdated, maybe even a bit extreme, but they’re also oddly effective.
Here are a few frugal quirks that are still kicking around, and honestly, they deserve a second look.
1. Turning Lights Off
Why would anyone leave a light on in an empty room? It’s a question that still baffles me. For some, switching lights off is second nature, almost a reflex drilled in since childhood.
Sure, with today’s LED bulbs, the energy use is minimal. Leaving one on all day barely nudges the electric bill. But for many, it’s not even about the savings anymore—it’s just a deeply ingrained habit. Waste not, want not, right?
Related: How To Lower Your Electric Bill
2. Grocery Bags
Despite the push for reusable bags, there’s still that one drawer-or maybe an entire cabinet—overflowing with plastic grocery bags. They line bathroom trash bins, serve as makeshift lunch sacks, or become emergency poop bags for the dog.
The truth? There’s no way to ever use them all. Yet somehow, they keep piling up. Recycling them is probably the best route unless you want your home slowly consumed by a sea of polyethylene.
3. Cutting Sponges
Sponges don’t have a long shelf life in the kitchen, especially once they start to smell. But tossing a full-sized sponge that still has a few clean-ups left in it? That feels wasteful.
One simple solution: cut them into smaller pieces. They last longer, reduce waste, and can be used in stages—starting on counters, then moving to the sink, and finally ending their journey in the bathroom before being thrown out. A tiny act of thrift, but one that adds up.
4. Fast Food Napkin Hoarding
There are two types of people: those who toss unused fast-food napkins and those who keep every single one. If you fall into the latter group, chances are your glove compartment is a makeshift napkin dispenser.
Whether it’s for quick cleanups, impromptu tissues, or napkins at dinner when the good ones are in the wash, having a stash can be oddly satisfying. Waste not, right? It’s hard to imagine tossing something still usable.
5. Shopping the Sale Just for the Sale
Sales are tricky. They lure you in with shiny discounts and “buy one, get one” deals that seem too good to pass up. But if you can’t use the second item before it expires, was it really a bargain?
It took me years to figure out that paying less per ounce doesn’t matter if half the product ends up in the trash. Sometimes, the smaller size really is the better deal—if only because it gets used.
6. Finishing Your Plate
“Don’t waste food” is a lesson many of us were taught young, often reinforced with guilt-inducing reminders of starving children somewhere far away.
That well-meaning message turned into a habit, one that sometimes has you finishing a plate even when you’re full. It’s not just about money anymore. Sometimes it becomes a battle with your own instincts, especially when trying to eat mindfully or manage weight.
7. Hoarding Reusable Items
If something might be reusable, there’s a good chance it’ll never see the trash. Bread clips, corks, condiment packets, twist ties, plastic cutlery: these little items end up in drawers and jars all over the house.
Yes, some get used eventually. But more often than not, the collection grows faster than it shrinks. At some point, you realize you have enough soy sauce packets to start a food truck.
Related: 9 Ways to Get Cash for Your Clutter
8. Saving Cereal Boxes for Crafts
The urge to repurpose is strong, especially in the age of DIY blogs and Pinterest boards full of cereal box creations. And while it’s easy to justify saving cardboard for “that future project,” it’s even easier to end up with a pile of boxes and no time for crafts.
Unless you’re regularly turning Cheerios into art, maybe it’s time to break up with your recycling stash.
Related: 78 Free Kid’s Activity Ideas: Affordable, Educational and Fun
9. Saving Leftover Hardware
That odd screw left over from assembling a bookshelf? Better save it—you might need it someday. The same goes for the washers, bolts, and Allen wrenches that seem to multiply with every flat-pack purchase.
Even if you have a well-stocked hardware store nearby (or several boxes of new screws already), there’s still that little voice saying, “Keep it. Just in case.”
10. Reusing Tea Bags
This one might sound extreme, but yes, reusing tea bags is still a thing. A habit born from frugality and maybe even a bit of nostalgia. Tea isn’t expensive, but it feels wasteful to toss a bag after a single steep.
It takes real intention to break that mindset, even when it’s no longer necessary. Some habits, it seems, are brewed in pretty deep.
Related: Frugal Living Tips From the Great Depression To Save You Money Now
These quirky, sometimes archaic habits might raise eyebrows, but there’s often wisdom buried in the weirdness. At the very least, they remind us that frugality isn’t always about big changes—sometimes, it’s the smallest, oddest routines that leave the biggest impression on our wallets.
