There's a new flex in town and it smells faintly of vinegar and regret.
It's called being a "frugal fanny," and before you ask, no, it's not a medical condition—though WebMD probably has a page for it anyway.
It's the lifestyle of people who refuse to spend money on anything that isn't strictly necessary, and they're documenting every penny-pinching move on TikTok for clout.
The term "frugal fanny" started as a mild insult for folks who'd rather re-use a Ziploc bag until it disintegrates than buy new ones.
But somewhere between inflation hitting 9% and avocado toast costing $14, it became a badge of honor.
Now people are proudly announcing they haven't bought paper towels since 2019 and they're not sorry.
There's the woman who turned her old t-shirts into "family cloth"—which is exactly what it sounds like and absolutely not something I needed to know about.
There's the guy who drives 45 minutes to save 30 cents on gas, burning $8 in fuel to do it.
Math is not their strong suit, but vibes are.
What's wild is that this isn't just broke people anymore.
Six-figure earners are bragging about cutting their own hair with kitchen shears and calling it "intentional living." Your coworker who makes $180K just told you she hasn't turned on her heat since October and she's "just wearing more layers." Cool.
Meanwhile her pipes are frozen and her landlord is thrilled.
The psychology here is fascinating if you're into that sort of thing.
Frugal fannies aren't just saving money—they're performing virtue in a economy that's actively gaslighting them.
When you can't afford a house, you might as well feel superior about your homemade laundry detergent.
It's the participation trophy of late-stage capitalism.
Retailers are trying to cash in, obviously.
There's a whole genre of "budget-friendly" products that cost more than the regular version but come in beige packaging.
Target is selling $40 "reusable" paper towel alternatives.
The irony is so thick you could spread it on your homemade bread.
Some frugal fannies have crossed the line from "thrifty" to "needs an intervention." We're talking people who wash and reuse aluminum foil, who time their showers with a stopwatch, who give homemade coupons as birthday gifts.
If you've ever calculated the per-square cost of toilet paper while sitting on the toilet, you might be too far gone.
In a world where a single ER visit can bankrupt you and eggs cost more than a streaming subscription, being a frugal fanny is just being realistic.
The rest of us are out here buying $7 lattes and pretending we're not one layoff away from eating rice and beans for a month.
Make your own cleaning spray with vinegar and essential oils that cost more than the store brand.
We're all just trying to survive, and if your survival strategy involves washing out sandwich bags, who am I to judge? **The Takeaway:** Being cheap used to be embarrassing.
Now it's the only rational response to an economy that wants to charge you a subscription fee for breathing.
Final Thoughts
The frugal fannies aren't crazy—they're just early adopters of the new American Dream, which is apparently owning nothing and being smug about it.