Has the term “frugal” lost all meaning? The younger generations claim to be about savvy spending, but boomers are choking back laughs watching these money moves.
The Rise of the Frugal Influencer
Young people are constantly turning to influencers for information and guidance. These self-proclaimed experts have “hacks” and solutions that are often overly complicated, don’t work all that well, or both. Boomers chuckle when they see this because they see this “influencing” for what it is: not true frugality, but lifestyle choices. Sure, you could combine many of these tips and see some results. But boomers know that these hacks being marketed as the answer to your financial prayers is dodgy at best.
Shopping at Thrift Stores
Vintage resale shops and thrift stores are slowly turning into designer ateliers. What ever happened to the days where you could buy a leather jacket for a few bucks? They see the younger generations spend upwards of $50 on a sweater with a cat on it. Adorable, of course, but worth it? Not so much. Gen Z might rummage through these stores as a fun weekend activity.
Yet boomers remember a time when this was done out of necessity, not as a point of pride. Thrifting is phenomenal for the environment and your bank account, but it’s important to recognize that its roots don’t stem from the glamorous lifestyle that vintage clothing now signifies.
Frugality as a Social Media Challenge
Many frugal concepts were borne from needs, not wants. Yet internet influencers will truly do anything for clout — including embracing a frugal lifestyle. Swiping for a bit in this corner of the internet will net you thousands upon thousands of videos of people doing a no-spend challenge, chatting with their viewers about how difficult it was to go without their Chipotle for a weekend. No one’s saying it’s easy not to spend money; it requires discipline and forward thinking.
The big difference is that boomers developed these qualities by virtue of their way of life. Consumerism was nowhere near as bad as it is now, and while it’s great that the younger crowd is finding ways to save, boomers hold back a laugh when they see others moan and groan about having to sidestep an outing in Ibiza just so they can keep up with their online peers.
Money-Saving “Gadgets”
Imagine if there was this new-fangled contraption that could revolutionize the way you cook your food at home. Sounds great, right? Well, we hate to break it to you, but something like this is being marketed toward the younger generation every single day — and they’re buying it.
People are selling solutions to problems that don’t actually exist. Why would you need a unitasker like an avocado slicer when you already have a knife? It’s baffling to boomers, and they can’t help themselves when they see things like this. Innovation is important, necessary even. But when companies are selling nonsense just to rake in the dough and capitalize on the ignorance of youth, older generations sit on the sidelines shaking their heads in disbelief.
