There’s a generational money gap that has nothing to do with inflation or rising rent. Millennials often scratch their heads at the outdated or unnecessary things boomers are still shelling out for without blinking. Here are some cringeworthy money habits that leave younger folks wondering if they missed a memo.
Fine China Sets
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Millennials aren’t spending hundreds on porcelain that just sits in a cabinet. Boomers love fine china—often collecting full sets they’ll use twice a year, max. Meanwhile, millennials are eyeing dishwasher-safe plates that can survive a fall. Function wins over form every time, and nobody wants to hand-wash dinnerware.
Extended Cable TV Packages
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Paying $200 a month for 600 channels and only watching three of them? Boomers still do it. Millennials cut the cord years ago and stream what they want, when they want, for way less. Along the way, they ditched commercials, bulky remotes, and contracts.
Landlines
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Why keep a phone attached to a wall? Some baby boomers still pay monthly for landlines even when they have smartphones. Millennials can’t see the point unless it’s for grandma. The extra bill feels unnecessary when mobile plans, Wi-Fi calling, and messaging apps handle it all more efficiently.
Department Store Credit Cards
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Getting 15% off that one sweater is not worth the high interest rate. Boomers often sign up for every store card they’re offered. Having wised up, millennials will take cashback or travel points over department store plastic that encourages overspending and tanks credit scores.
Collector Plates and Figurines
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Remember the Franklin Mint? Boomers do, and they bought tons of collector plates, Hummel figurines, and even decorative dolls. Millennials, living in smaller spaces with fewer shelves, aren’t about to drop cash on dust collectors that don’t spark joy. Even eBay can’t save these “investments.”
Magazine Subscriptions
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Stacks of glossy magazines still arrive at Boomer homes, even though most of that content is free online. Millennials opt for ad-free digital reading or newsletters in their inbox. Magazines may be cool, but they’re just not worth drowning in unread issues of Reader’s Digest.
Timeshares
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Most millennials are baffled by the idea of paying annual fees for the privilege of vacationing in the same place. Boomers were sold on timeshares decades ago and still spend thousands on maintenance costs. Millennials prefer flexibility and Airbnb places, not being tied down to a resort contract.
New Cars Every Few Years
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Boomers often trade in perfectly good cars for new ones way before it’s necessary. Millennials, crushed under student loans, drive their cars into the ground. The aim is to stretch value and avoid car payments, not keep up appearances at the country club.
Fancy Lawn Care Services
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Hiring a team to fertilize, weed, trim, and edge the yard isn’t cheap. Boomers often treat lawns like status symbols. Millennials, especially those living in urban areas or apartments, see grass as a chore or go full xeriscape. That perfect lawn doesn’t come cheap — or water-efficient.
Greeting Cards for Every Occasion
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$6 for a folded piece of paper? Baby boomers still buy cards for birthdays, holidays, even Tuesdays. Their younger counterparts tend to skip the card aisle entirely. They’ll send a thoughtful text, meme, or voice note instead. Sentiment matters, sure, but the markup on paper feels ridiculous.
Fancy Drapes and Custom Curtains
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Millennials are shopping on Amazon or IKEA for blackout panels they can hang themselves. The idea of paying for someone to install a valance feels like something out of a bygone era. And yet, boomers are out there spending hundreds or even thousands on window treatments.
Fine Jewelry That’s Hardly Worn
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Baby boomers were big on gold chains and diamond rings, which are investment pieces stored in safes, among others. Meanwhile, millennials are more likely to buy simple, versatile jewelry or skip it altogether. They don’t want to worry about insurance or cleaning things they’ll only wear once a year.
Hardcopy Encyclopedias
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Still sitting on that full Britannica set? Boomers do. They shelled out thousands for books that are now obsolete. Millennials grew up Googling everything in seconds. Even academic types prefer digital resources. Those heavy volumes are mostly used to support wobbly furniture now.
China Cabinet Furniture
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Oversized display cabinets full of glassware and tchotchkes–Boomers think it’s tradition; millennials think it’s clutter. These cabinets take up too much space, are a nightmare to move, and serve no real purpose if you don’t collect breakable heirlooms.
Country Club Memberships
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Paying monthly fees just to access a pool and an overpriced lunch menu is a status thing for boomers, while it’s a money pit for millennials. With public parks, group fitness apps, and co-working spots, younger generations don’t feel the need to pay thousands for exclusivity.
