4 frugal habits of older generations that younger people find weird or obsolete

We may try to fight it, but it’s a natural part of the human life cycle to think everything our parents do is weird. (Apologies, Dad, but I’m still trying not to laugh every time you start off your voicemails with, "Ryan, this is your dad calling.") There’s also a good chance your parents, regardless of generation, have different approaches to saving money—and there might be 100 reasons for that, from their technology preferences to their level of handiness around the house.

It’s an interesting exercise to think about these differences. What are some frugal practices of our parents'—or even grandparents'—generation that seem totally old-fashioned or bizarre to you? Can we learn something from lifestyle choices that feel outdated? Maybe we need some perspective—or, in some cases, just a good laugh.

One Redditor recently explored this topic, asking in a viral thread, "What common frugal habit practiced by your parents’ or grandparents’ generation do you think is completely obsolete or inefficient in the modern economy (due to cost, time, or hygiene)?" People were apparently eager to vent, as hundreds of responses poured in, covering everything from dishwashing to grocery shopping.

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1. Washing dishes

For decades, people have been debating the pros and cons of hand-washing dirty dishes versus throwing them in the dishwasher. In this case, many Redditors voted for the latter. "I’m a firm believer in dishwashers," one person wrote, earning the thread’s top comment. From there, the conversation evolved into a point-counterpoint involving statistics, dishwasher settings, and the volume of water used when washing by hand. There are numerous factors to consider here (like, for example, the specific hand-washing technique), and it doesn't appear the argument will stop anytime soon. However, in February 2025, testing by UK consumer organization Which? found that "even the least water-efficient dishwasher still only uses half the amount of water compared to washing by hand."

2. Saving containers

Lots of Redditors mentioned their parents or grandparents saving plastic containers—one user wrote that their grandmother "had stacks of" them in her kitchen cabinets. "I save a few of these," someone else countered. "They’re good for sending leftovers home with people because I don't need it back; they can just throw it out. I get these big ones with sliced turkey from Costco, and they are the best because they are rectangular, stackable, clear, and hold a lot. But I only keep about 5 or 6 at a time. (Just make sure you don't reheat the food in the container)."

My wife and I tend to keep several of these around as well—in fact, I sometimes find myself struggling to throw out what feels like a "perfectly good" Thai-food container even though it would certainly languish in the bowels of our kitchen.

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3. Clipping coupons

As a bona fide coupon junkie, I take even the most minuscule savings as a source of pride—and I’m happy to flip through the stacks that show up in my mailbox every other day. But some Redditors find physical coupon clipping outdated. "It seems most grocery stores just run sales rather than running coupons in their papers," one user wrote. "Most discounts now are instant rebates or rely on point accumulation in a rewards system. (At least where I live.)"

Maybe we have indeed shifted to a society of digital savings, but that fact doesn’t erase the past: "I remember coupon clipping being such a big deal that you had to go through the newspaper carefully," someone noted, "and there were wallet-sized filing folders with tabs for organizing coupons." Side note: If recent data is to be believed, there are still plenty of coupon lovers out there. A 2025 Talker Research survey of 2,000 Americans found that 56% of people approved of using coupons on a first date. Additionally, 28% considered the practice "sexy."

4. Hunting for gasoline

Growing up, I can vividly remember my dad driving to specific gas stations to find the cheapest prices. Was it worth it? By whose definition? Regardless, it probably left him with a feeling of satisfaction, knowing he worked hard to make those dollars stretch. But many Redditors, naturally, feel there’s a line to deal hunting. "My grandpa in the 1980s and early '90s would waste gas driving 5 to 25 miles to find the cheapest gas," one person wrote. Another added, "My 77-year-old mother who drives barely a few miles per week still obsesses over 5¢ differences in gas prices between stations," and someone else called this practice "leftover trauma from the gas prices in the late '70s." Those seeking the cheapest gas prices might want to read some articles on the topic, like one from Consumer Reports, which offers tips such as using gas-station apps, checking your tire pressure, and reducing the number of car trips.

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