I Grew Up With Frugal Parents: 9 Things They Told Me To Never Waste Money On
Written by
Laura Beck
Edited by
Elizabeth Constantineau
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With many people looking to cut back due to the consistently rising cost of living, it helps to get advice from people who have been there and done that. Enter Sam Canning, who knows all about pinching pennies. With financially prudent parents — to put it kindly, she actually described them as “cheapskates!” — she learned from an early age how to keep extra money in her pocket.
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GOBankingRates asked Canning, now in her 30s, to share the best advice her mom and dad imparted about saving rather than overspending over the years.
Don’t Splurge on Name Brands
Sam said her mom taught her to ignore flashy labels to avoid overpaying for the same or even less quality than you could have gotten for way cheaper.
“I remember asking for Air Jordans when the cool kids had them,” she shared. “My mom pointed out the no-name sneakers from DSW worked fine while allowing me to save up for more important goals later on.”
Skip Extended Warranties
Sam’s dad preached skipping flashy add-ons like extended warranties on big purchases.
As she told it: “He said paying 100 bucks upfront in case something breaks later made little financial sense. We took our chances without the warranties, and wouldn’t you know it, nothing broke down ahead of schedule anyway.”
Use a Library Instead of Bookstores
Reading was important in Sam’s family, but dropping tons of cash on books wasn’t.
“Mom sent me to our local library, since paying full price made little sense with free books available,” Sam shared. “Now I only splurge on special books I’m fully obsessed with.”
Pack Your Lunch
Bagging lunch reflected a non-negotiable frugal habit back home.
Sam explained, “My dad refused to waste five bucks a day on school cafeteria food. Even when I craved the tasty food my friends bought — shout out, Uncrustables! — I survived just fine on my dad’s PB&J’s.”
Use Public Transit
Owning nice cars held little importance in Sam’s family growing up.
“My mom happily rode the bus everywhere to save money,” she said. “And my dad drove old clunkers he fixed up until they wouldn’t run.”
Make Coffee at Home
Sam didn’t develop a Starbucks habit under her parent’s roof.
“Big pots of basic homemade coffee kickstarted our days,” she shared. “Sure, it was watered-down Folgers. But it kept us caffeinated, and what else really matters?”
Shop Secondhand First
Sam recalled how her family prioritized shopping at secondhand stores before considering anything new at retail prices.
“My parents taught me to check Goodwill, Out of the Closet and consignment shops to save literal loads of cash on cool clothes and home goods,” she said. “Many items still have plenty of life left, if you’re willing to hunt for gems among hand-me-downs.”
Learn Do-It-Yourself Fixes
“Dad showed me how to do routine home repairs myself, so we didn’t need to hire out costly handyman help,” shared Sam. “Over time, I became pretty handy at patching drywall, replacing sink valves and maintaining appliances properly. It’s a powerful skill!”
Grow Your Produce
Sam has fond memories of helping tend the family’s backyard vegetable patch and fruit trees.
“We had a giant backyard, and my parents put us to work in it,” said Sam. “I can’t say I loved it when I was a kid, but now I grow tomatoes, kale, melons and more in my own garden every year.”
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