Living well without spending a lot of money will be a very useful life skill, regardless of what generation one is in.
When H turned 50, I made a flat bedsheet into lovely 100% cotton cloth napkins — cutting it into squares and sewing edges. We still have the napkins 25 years later but mostly use paper napkins from the extras we get from dining out. For our support group, I use whichever I have—napkins or paper towels. No one has complained.
One thing being killed that I miss: proper use of an apostrophe. 
@doschicos 100% with you, but I notice it as a bigger problem with generations above me.
I collect coins.
@a20171 post is a perfect example of how a lot of these things are class things. We couldn’t afford multiple diamonds even if my mom and I wanted them (we don’t).
Dining chains - We go rarely, son (21 so maybe barely a millennial? he considers himself one) same
Starter Homes - He is convinced he’ll never be able to buy a house, I’m working on convincing him not to give up hope
Paper napkins (in favor of paper towels) - Our family has always used paper towels, not napkins (except for special occasions), I don’t know what DS uses but I’m sure it’s not napkins
Cereal - DH and I don’t eat it, DS does.
Golf - none of us golf, though it seems to me it might be fun; DS, nope.
Motorcycles - I think they are fun (but don’t have one), don’t know what DS thinks.
Light yogurt - I LOVE it and eat it all the time. Dannon “Light-n-Fit Greek”. DS, nope.
Bars of soap - I love them, DS nope - body wash for him.
Diamonds - I love the inherited ones I have. DS, I don’t think cares about them one way or another.
Fabric Softener - No one in my family ever used the liquid; my mom used the sheets; we don’t, nor does DS.
Banks - I love my local branch! Go weekly, know all the tellers. DS never visits a bank.
Department Stores - We only have one on our island, I love them in general; DS likes thrift stores and Target.
Designer Handbags - Nope.
Big Box Gyms - Don’t have any here. DS uses college facilities.
Big Box Home Improvement Stores - Love them. DS can take or leave, he’s a renter.
Seems from all the comments that some of these things are more ‘family-by-family’ than generational. Others, there may be a shift happening (fabric softener, bar soap).
goodness! I have never thought of using a paper towel instead of a paper (cheap ones for eery day and nicer for company) napkin.
I have about 60 cloth napkins. Various colors. I love setting a nice pleasant table.
I hate ironing. I iron twice a year while watching tv. I iron tablecloths and napkins only then.
Even the 30 year olds love to have dinner here–some niceties but super informal also. So different and
made special.
The millenials I know have little interest in:
“collecting” items, knicknack type things.
photo albums
magazines (at least paper copies)
Ok…I’ll play…
We don’t have it…kids don’t have it.
We watch sports. Seasonally.
I use the little sheets, and so does DD. Doubt DS does.
Both DD and I have these but not really high end…things like Kate Spade.
We use both cloth and paper napkins. It would have cross my mind to use paper towels…unless I didn’t have any paper napkins. I mean…250 cost all of $2.
DH used to golf. Neither kid does and neither do I.
DH had one in HS. No one else in the family is interested.
We all use lite yogurt…low fat.
DD and I both have diamonds. She wears hers…I don’t.
I go once a month…
We all go to local gyms, not big box.
I use…no one else does.
We all eat it. DH has cereal and no fruit every morning for breakfast. The rest of us eat it as a snack.
yep…we go there. Going tomorrow to buy mulch. Both kids go there too.
Yep…heading to the mall on Tuesday. DS and DD tend to resale or consignment stores.
One thing my family could add to this list is milk. It is no longer a staple in our fridge. Mostly this is because we don’t eat cereal anymore, and we never really drank it as a beverage on its on. I think this is part of the “too much work” feeling about cereal for young people - to eat a bowl of cereal with milk, you actually have to have (fresh) milk in the fridge!
I too buy the Costco Vanity Fair napkins, and we use them every meal. I do not like cloth napkins for home use!
Just curious…for those of you who use paper towels instread of napkins …do you rip them off and place them by each seat…or do you put the whole roll out someplace?
We have a nice paper napkins basket…perfect size for those BJs or IKEA nice thick napkins.
What are millennials eating for breakfast?
^^^ Avocado toast
Add me to the Costco Vanity Fair napkins purchase. I think we are finally on our last pack. Hope they are on sale again soon. I stopped getting the cheap napkins. These are so much nicer. I have the luncheon and dinner size.
“What are millennials eating for breakfast?”
My kids, one of which falls outside the millennial range, do eat avocado toast, lots of eggs, bagels, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, and definitely coffee.
Which leads me to another thing they don’t usually consume which is juice.
My millenial sons, who live at home, eat eggs with bacon and/or corned beef hash courtesy of DH, pancakes or French toast, ditto, farina, granola with yogurt or bagels with cream cheese or butter for breakfast. The two oldest have finally developed a liking for lox, which we buy at Costco. None of them drinks coffee, they all drink tea with milk. I drink coffee with half and half or tea with lemon (NEVER milk!). They couldn’t have avocado toast because I despise avocado and don’t buy it when I shop. I usually have a one egg omelet with a tomato/onion “mush” that H makes for me from grape tomatoes and yellow onions on the stove.
They all drink juice, with apple, grape, cran-grape and mango nectar being the current favorites. They all also have reusable water bottles (as do D and s17). I have not been able to embrace the carry water around with you trend. None of them drinks soda very often and I actually gave it up myself three months ago, and have had more stomach troubles than I ever did when I drank Diet Coke regularly.
As for the paper towels, they stand in the middle of the dinner table and are passed around as needed.
Certainly habits are changing as they did with our parents and us. I think some of the things on the list may apply to many or most millennials ( not using a land line phone or cable tv or visit a bank) But most of the others are just personal choices.
I know plenty of millennials who watch sports, eat cereal and use bar soap! Haha
I really don’t see my kids live any differently than I do.
D1 has cable because they like to watch sports, and I don’t.
We get most of our stuff delivered.
I don’t have juice or soft drinks in the house because I don’t drink it, but D2 would if I had it.
We eat cereals
We use paper and cloth napkins. D1 does the at her own apartmnet.
We all like designer clothes/bags.
Both of my kids and D1’s fiance all like to wear a watch, which was a surprise to me.
We all eat a lot of organic food.
I think kids live the way they were brought up.
Re: the napkins/paper towels. If I’m eating myself I grab paper towels while getting my plate. If it’s a meal at the table with others, I give them a Vanity Fair napkin - and I grab paper towels (1 or 2) for myself! I sort of prefer not having to have an extra thing out - meaning the napkins.
2 of 3 of my kids still eat cereal often - like during the work week. S loves cereal and he can have a whole conversation on the virtues of each brand. I never eat cereal - except homemade granola on my yogurt/cottage cheese or if I’m recovering from being sick - for some reason cereal tastes good then.
I put a napkin by each place setting before serving any meal. And there is a napkin holder in the middle for folks who might need another one. My house is not a palace, and our meals are not formal affairs, but gotta have that Vanity Fair napkin folded diagonally on every placemat.
Placemats are something I stopped using when my youngest son went to first grade. My D uses them at her apartment.