7 things Boomers consider essential that Millennials and Gen Z refuse to spend money on

I had a funny moment the other day in my neighborhood.

I was chatting with a young couple a few houses down, and somehow the conversation drifted to money.

They mentioned they’d cut back on a few things to save for a trip.

I nodded, trying to be supportive, and then I asked a question that made them laugh.

“So, do you still have cable?”

They looked at me like I’d asked if they still churn their own butter.

And there it was: One of those little generational moments that reminds me how differently we define “needs.”

If you’re a Millennial or Gen Z reader, you might be thinking, “We’re not refusing to spend money. We’re just not spending it on that.”

And I get it, truly, you’re navigating higher housing costs, student loans, and a job market that seems to change its mind every five minutes.

Still, it’s interesting to look at the things many Boomers grew up treating as basic and necessary, and the things younger adults now shrug off without a second thought.

Let’s talk about seven of them:

1) Cable TV and channel packages

When I was younger, having a television was one thing.

Having channels felt like a whole different level of luxury.

Later on, cable became so normal that people acted as if it came with the house.

And if you wanted to be “in the loop,” you needed it.

News, sports, weather, sitcoms, movies.

Cable was how you stayed connected to the world.

Now? I watch my sons and my younger neighbors hop between streaming apps like it’s nothing.

They’ll pay for one service for a month, cancel it, then switch to something else and they’ll still watch half their entertainment on YouTube for free.

Part of me admires it.

It’s practical; why pay for 200 channels when you watch three?

But another part of me, the part that remembers everyone gathering around the TV at the same time each week, feels a little nostalgic.

Cable was expensive, yes, but it also gave people shared cultural moments.

These days, you’ll say, “Have you seen that show?” and someone will reply, “Which platform is it on?” and the conversation dies right there.

2) Brand new cars as a status marker

This one has changed a lot since I was growing up.

There was a time when buying a new car felt like a milestone.

A sign you’d made it.

People talked about new cars the way people now talk about buying property.

I’ve noticed many Boomers still carry that belief.

A reliable car is not enough; it should be new, shiny, and ideally the kind that makes a neighbor peek over the hedge.

Younger adults don’t seem to care nearly as much.

They’ll drive an older car as long as it runs.

Some don’t even want a car at all, especially in cities, where rideshares and public transit make ownership feel like a burden instead of freedom.

Frankly, I can’t blame them.

Between insurance, fuel, maintenance, and the price tags these days, a car can feel like a second rent payment.

I once read a line in an old personal finance book that stuck with me: if it depreciates the moment you buy it, think twice before calling it an “investment.”

That idea has really caught on with younger generations, and it’s probably a healthy shift.

3) Fine china, fancy dish sets, and “good silver”

Let’s be honest: A lot of us grew up with a cabinet full of dishes nobody was allowed to touch.

The “good plates” were for holidays, the pretty glasses were for company, and the silverware, the heavy, polished set, came out when you wanted to feel like a proper adult.

Now, I see younger people using the same plates every day, and those plates might not even match.

They’ll buy one bowl from a thrift store, one from a big box store, and one from a friend moving apartments.

And it works.

I used to think this meant people were lowering their standards but the older I get, the more I wonder if it’s the rest of us who were overcomplicating things.

What’s the point of owning beautiful items if you never use them?

There’s something quietly wise about choosing practicality over presentation.

It’s not that younger adults don’t enjoy aesthetics.

Have you seen how they decorate their spaces? They just don’t want their money trapped in a cabinet!

4) Big jewelry purchases “for the future”

I’ve noticed Boomers often treat jewelry as both an accessory and a form of security.

Gold bracelets, diamond earrings, watches that cost as much as a used car.

There’s a belief that these things hold value, that they’re worth having, that they can be passed down.

Yes, sometimes they can, but Millennials and Gen Z tend to see jewelry differently.

They’ll buy something small, meaningful, maybe handmade.

Or they’ll skip it entirely, especially if they don’t feel safe wearing expensive items out and about.

When I was teaching, I remember girls saving up for a “real” piece of jewelry like it was a rite of passage.

These days, the rite of passage seems to be paying off debt, building an emergency fund, or affording therapy.

I’m just saying priorities shift when the world shifts.

For younger adults, investing in a life they can actually live often feels more important than investing in objects that might sit in a drawer.

5) Dry cleaning, pressed clothes, and rigid dress codes

This is one I’ve personally felt in my bones, because I spent decades working in environments where looking “professional” mattered.

Pressed slacks, blouses that didn’t wrinkle, shoes that made your feet ache but looked respectable; dry cleaning was just part of adult life, like paying taxes.

Then the world loosened up as offices went casual and work-from-home became normal.

Even when people do go in, many workplaces have stopped caring if you’re wearing sneakers.

Younger adults have embraced it with both arms.

They’d rather buy fewer pieces, more comfortable pieces, and skip the constant upkeep.

I once told a former student, years later, that I still iron my pillowcases sometimes out of habit.

He laughed and said, “Una, that’s the most Boomer thing I’ve ever heard.”

And he wasn’t wrong!

6) Big houses filled with furniture

Boomers often equate success with space.

A bigger home, a dining room you rarely use, a guest room for visitors, a garage full of things you might need someday.

It made sense, in a way.

Many of us came from families where you grew up and then tried to build something “more” for your own children.

More room, more comfort, and more stability, but younger generations are questioning the entire idea.

A lot of them can’t afford large homes, for one thing.

Even when they can, though, they often choose smaller spaces intentionally.

They prefer minimal furniture, multi-use rooms, flexible living, and some of them move frequently for work, relationships, or opportunity.

When you live that way, owning a sectional sofa the size of a small boat starts to feel ridiculous.

I’ve also noticed a philosophical shift: Younger people seem to value experiences over possessions.

They’re building lives that feel lighter, less tied down.

It reminds me of something I learned from reading Thoreau years ago because there’s a freedom in needing less.

7) Print newspapers, magazines, and paid subscriptions for information

There was a time when paying for news was normal.

You subscribed to a newspaper, got magazines delivered, clipped recipes and coupons, and trusted certain publications because they were established and familiar.

Boomers often still see those subscriptions as essential for routine.

There’s something grounding about holding the paper, flipping pages, sipping coffee, starting the day slowly.

Younger adults don’t have that same relationship with print.

Most get news through apps, social media, podcasts, newsletters, or free websites.

Some pay for a subscription, yes, but many don’t because they’ve grown up in a world where information is everywhere all the time.

The downside, of course, is that it can feel chaotic.

It’s harder to know what to trust, and it’s easier to get overwhelmed.

Still, I understand why someone in their twenties might think, “Why would I pay for something I can access for free?”

Closing thoughts

That question pops up again and again with this whole topic, doesn’t it?

At the heart of it, younger generations are refusing to spend money in ways that don’t feel aligned with the life they’re trying to build.

A Boomer might look at certain choices and think, “That’s irresponsible.”

Meanwhile, a Millennial might look right back and think, “No, that’s intentional.”

Maybe both are partly right.

I’ll leave you with a question to chew on: If you stripped your life down to what truly supports your well-being, what would stay and what would go?

It’s a helpful little exercise at any age.

If retirement has taught me anything, it’s that you can always change your mind about what you thought was essential!