Have you ever watched your grandma clean out a perfectly good butter tub just to use it as Tupperware? Or hear your grandpa leave a voicemail like he’s narrating a war documentary? If you’ve spent time with folks over 60, you’ve probably witnessed behaviors that make zero sense to younger generations. But to them, it’s just life as usual.
These habits come from growing up in different times, shaped by economic struggle, limited tech, and very different ideas about privacy, communication, and responsibility. What’s normal for them can feel downright bizarre to people raised with smartphones and Google Maps. Let’s walk through 15 everyday habits that leave Gen Z and Millennials scratching their heads.
Leaving Voicemails for Everything
Older adults treat voicemail like a sacred ritual. Long pauses. Full recaps. Possibly a weather update. Younger people? They won’t even check them. They ignore voicemail completely, preferring texts or voice notes instead.
Using Cash for Most Purchases
You’re at the register, and someone ahead pulls out a checkbook or exact change. It’s like a scene from a history textbook. Pew Research reports that 71% of adults over 50 keep cash on hand. Compare that to only 45% of those under 50. Digital wallets haven’t convinced everyone just yet.
Reusing Everything
Butter containers, bread bags, coffee cans. To someone raised in the Depression or post-war years, throwing things out felt wrong. Younger generations, who live with more convenience and less space, often find this confusing, or borderline hoarding. But older folks see it as practical, not cheap.
Sitting Down for Family Dinner Every Night
To older generations, dinner is sacred. No phones. Everyone sits. Conversations happen. According to the USDA, people over 65 spend almost twice as much time per day eating and drinking compared to adults aged 18–24. It’s less about food and more about presence.
Watching the 6 P.M. News Religiously
For Boomers, network news anchors are trusted voices. It’s appointment viewing. Meanwhile, less than 15% of Millennials watch live TV, based on a Pew Research study. The rest catch up via TikTok, YouTube, or Reddit if they care at all.
Writing Checks for Bills
Why go online when you can write a check, address an envelope, and mail it? It takes longer, but it feels secure to many older adults. It’s such a dying habit that some banks no longer automatically issue checkbooks unless requested. Younger users prefer setting up auto-pay in 30 seconds.
Ironing Clothes Daily
Ironed jeans. Pressed T-shirts. Neatly creased khakis. For many Boomers, wrinkles equal laziness. Younger people tend to skip ironing altogether. They opt for wrinkle-free materials or just throw stuff in the dryer with a damp towel. Time is money.
Answering Calls from Unknown Numbers
Older adults are far more likely to pick up unknown calls. They assume it’s important or polite. Gen Z? Straight to voicemail. They ignore calls from unfamiliar numbers. Scams have trained them well.
Carrying Printed Maps or Written Directions
Even now, some older adults keep road atlases in the glove compartment or write down directions on paper. It confuses younger drivers used to live GPS and rerouting. But those paper backups saved people when cell signals didn’t exist.
Keeping a Landline Phone
The idea of paying for a landline in 2025 seems absurd to most younger Americans. Yet, a report says that U.S. adults over 65 are the largest group of people who still use landlines exclusively or primarily. That dial tone feels like home.
Reading the Newspaper Cover to Cover
Getting up early, pouring coffee, and reading a physical newspaper is still a daily ritual for many seniors. Younger generations prefer personalized news feeds. The paper might be used for crafts, not current events.
Sending Holiday Cards or Letters
Boomers often send out dozens of handwritten cards every year. Updates, family photos, and little summaries of their year. To digital natives, this feels like an ancient form of social media. But to older adults, it’s a thoughtful tradition, not spam.
Setting Appointments by Calling In
Do you need a haircut or a dentist appointment? Many older adults will call and speak with a human. Younger generations prefer online booking systems and avoid phone calls whenever possible. Yelp reviews often replace actual conversations.
Wearing Watches to Tell Time
Watches used to be essential. Now, many people under 40 only wear them for style or fitness tracking. Older folks, about 39%, do not even own a smartphone, so the watch remains their go-to. It’s not fashion. It’s function.
Staying Loyal to Brands for Decades
Once older consumers trust a product, they’ll buy it forever. Same toothpaste. Same laundry detergent. Same cereal. Younger shoppers are more likely to try new things. Millennials change brands due to values or purpose. Loyalty is flexible.
Disclaimer – This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information. It is not intended to be professional advice.
How Total Beginners Are Building Wealth Fast in 2025—No Experience Needed
How Total Beginners Are Building Wealth Fast in 2025
I used to think investing was something you did after you were already rich. Like, you needed $10,000 in a suit pocket and a guy named Chad at some fancy firm who knew how to “diversify your portfolio.” Meanwhile, I was just trying to figure out how to stretch $43 to payday.
But a lot has changed. And fast. In 2025, building wealth doesn’t require a finance degree—or even a lot of money. The tools are simpler. The entry points are lower. And believe it or not, total beginners are stacking wins just by starting small and staying consistent.
Click here and let’s break down how.
5 Easy Steps to Change Any Habit
5 Easy Steps to Change Any Habit
We all click on them with the hope that just THIS time the secret to changing a bad habit or adopting a healthy one will be revealed and we’ll finally be able to stick to that diet, stop that one or ten things that might in the moment make us feel temporarily good but really just make us fat, unhealthy, sad, mad or just frustrated with ourselves.
