#Frugality

A recent Slate advice column has sparked a global debate about where thrift crosses into social missteps, after a reader exposed extreme cost-cutting by their parents—including using a former family friend’s paid streaming account without permission. Published on June 10, 2025, the piece highlights how money-saving measures can strain etiquette, ethics, and family bonds in the digital age.

For Thai readers, the story resonates in a society that prizes respect, family harmony, and communal sharing. Yet rising living costs and rapid digital change push families toward new, sometimes questionable, forms of frugality. The letter describes parents who are exceptionally budget-conscious yet not impoverished. They avoid extra expenses like hotel stays during visits and pet care services. The father’s three-year use of a brother’s ex-girlfriend’s Netflix password becomes a turning point, raising questions about privacy, trust, and whether to inform the ex-girlfriend or preserve family peace.

A recent advice column on Slate has ignited conversation about the complicated line between frugality and disregard for social norms, after a reader exposed their parents’ extreme cost-saving measures — including the covert use of a former family acquaintance’s paid streaming account. The article, published on 10 June 2025, underscores how attempts to save money can test the boundaries of etiquette, ethics, and family relationships in the modern world (Slate).

A recent article published by YourTango on May 23, 2025, has drawn widespread attention for highlighting 11 familiar phrases that resonate deeply with adults who grew up in financially constrained households. Titled “11 Phrases That Only Make Sense If You Were Raised By Broke Parents,” the piece unpacks the memorable quips and instructions many children heard, revealing far more than just humor or nostalgia—they reflect powerful social and psychological lessons about resilience, resourcefulness, and generational change (YourTango).

A recent YourTango feature from May 23, 2025 spotlights 11 familiar phrases that resonate with adults who grew up in financially tight households. Titled 11 Phrases That Only Make Sense If You Were Raised By Broke Parents, the piece dives into the quips many children heard and how they reflect resilience, creativity, and changes across generations. The article mentions the original list as a gateway to understanding how money management and gratitude are learned in childhood.