Growing Up With Frugal Parents: Stories From Children Who Saw Saving Go Too Far

As a child, I honestly thought paper towels were unbelievably expensive. The way he guarded them made me picture price tags in the hundreds. But as I got older, I realized it wasn’t about the cost; it was about the idea of spending money at all.

Ironically, his strict savings often led to spending more. He always purchased the lowest-priced items, even if they broke quickly or worked poorly. Replacing things again and again cost far more than buying something reliable the first time, but that never changed his approach.

One afternoon, my girlfriend and I visited his house. While helping clean up, I accidentally spilled a full gallon of milk across the kitchen floor. Without hesitation, she grabbed a roll of paper towels and used the entire thing to soak up the mess.

I felt guilty, knowing how my father would react. And when he noticed the empty roll, his face said everything. He didn’t raise his voice or say anything sharp. He simply went quiet, and an emotion somewhere between disappointment and heartbreak settled in. Losing a full roll in one moment felt, to him, like losing something important.

Story 3: A Life Built Around Saving

My father’s relationship with electricity bordered on disbelief. He refused to use the dryer, no matter the season. Winter temperatures didn’t deter him; he would hang his clothes outside on the line even when ice formed on the sleeves.Continue reading…