Finance expert and YouTuber George Kamel says building wealth is not only about earning more money, but also about keeping the small habits that prevent waste, debt, and lifestyle creep from quietly taking over.
In a recent video, Kamel reacted to money-saving habits shared in the Ramsey Baby Steps Millionaires Facebook group, where people described the frugal routines they would keep even if they became rich.
Kamel’s main point was not that everyone should become an extreme cheapskate. Instead, he argued that many smart frugal habits are really about being intentional with money, avoiding unnecessary payments, and refusing to spend just because a person can.
“There’s a giant spectrum between extreme cheapskates and spending like there’s no tomorrow,” Kamel said.
Smart Savings Still Matter After Wealth
One of the first habits Kamel reacted to came from a person named Ma, who said she buys gift cards when they earn four times fuel points and then uses the points to get discounted gas.
Kamel said that can be a legitimate savings move, especially at grocery chains such as Kroger, where fuel point promotions can add up.
But he added a condition: the gift cards should be for things a person already planned to buy.
If someone buys restaurant gift cards just to earn fuel points and then starts eating out more often, the savings may disappear. But if the cards are for normal spending, Kamel said it is the kind of habit even wealthy people may reasonably keep.
That distinction matters. A discount is only useful if it lowers the cost of something already in the budget. If it creates new spending, it is not really frugal; it is just marketing with a reward attached.
Kamel made a similar point when reacting to Blake, who said he studies store sales cycles and waits for places like Gap to run 50% off before buying clothes for his kids.
Kamel liked the patience and delayed gratification in that strategy, but warned that a sale does not automatically make something a good deal.
“Just because it’s on sale doesn’t mean it’s a good deal,” Kamel said. “And it doesn’t mean you need it.”
Avoiding Payments Is A Millionaire Habit
One of Kamel’s strongest reactions came to Ben, who said he drives his cars until they die.
Kamel called that one of the wisest things a person can do with a depreciating asset. His argument was simple: if a car is going down in value, the owner should get as much use from it as possible, especially if it is already paid for.
He pushed back on the idea that financial experts are telling everyone to drive unsafe “beater” cars. Instead, he said the problem is people buying vehicles they cannot afford, especially when a household income does not support a large car loan.
Kamel said the average new car payment is now $748 a month, while the average used car payment is still $532 a month.
“That is insane,” Kamel said.
His advice was to buy a car in cash, save aggressively, and upgrade over time. He said that is how he handled vehicles, moving into slightly better cars as he could afford them without borrowing.
This may be the most practical millionaire habit in the whole video. A person can save on soap and grocery bags all day, but one huge car payment can wipe out dozens of smaller frugal wins.
Kamel also said millionaires often drive used cars, naming Toyota and Honda as common choices. His larger point was that looking wealthy and becoming wealthy are often very different things.
Food Habits Can Save More Than Money
Kamel praised Bruce, who said he orders tap water when eating out and believes it has saved him tens of thousands of dollars.
Kamel said he follows the same habit most of the time, though he may occasionally order a cocktail at a nice dinner. In general, he said he prefers water at restaurants, partly to save money and partly to avoid liquid calories.
He also reacted positively to Lisa, who said she and her husband reached Baby Step 7 more than 10 years ago, meaning they are debt-free with no mortgage, but she still packs his breakfast, snacks, lunch, and coffee for work.
Kamel liked that habit because it saves money and can also help with health.
That is where frugality becomes more than a math exercise. Packing food can prevent impulse purchases, reduce fast-food stops, and make it easier to control what someone eats during the day.
Kamel also agreed with Jennifer, who avoids buying dessert at restaurants unless it is a birthday. He said restaurant dessert is often unnecessary, especially when people are already full, though he made room for exceptions like a shared dessert on a nice date night.
These habits are not glamorous, but they work because they reduce repeated spending. A drink here, a snack there, a dessert every meal, and lunch out every workday can become hundreds of dollars a month before a family notices.
Some Frugal Habits Cross The Line
Kamel was not willing to endorse every money-saving idea.
Julie said she fuses the small leftover sliver of a bar of soap to the new bar of soap, and Kamel admitted he has done that before. But he joked that the soaps need to match, saying he is not combining different scents that do not belong together.
Tweety said she washes and reuses Ziploc bags, but Kamel rejected that one. He said he is comfortable throwing Ziploc bags away and does not think the cleaning and drying process is worth the effort.
Mindy said she cuts kitchen sponges into smaller pieces, another habit Kamel found too extreme. He joked that sponges are already fairly cheap and suggested sanitizing them in the dishwasher instead.
Maria said she uses plastic grocery bags as garbage bags, but Kamel said actual trash bags are worth buying because they hold more weight and contain odor better.
Those moments were funny, but they also showed the main line Kamel was drawing. Frugality should not make life harder than it needs to be, and it should not create mess, stress, or hygiene concerns just to save pennies.
There is a difference between being wise with money and making every small household item into a moral test.
Cheap Entertainment Still Works
Kamel also liked Isaac’s habit of using an antenna for free local channels instead of paying for cable.
He said small antennas can often be purchased cheaply and may provide access to local channels without a large monthly bill. Kamel noted that cable and streaming costs can add up quickly, especially when households keep both.
His broader point was that entertainment spending is one of those categories where people often overpay without thinking.
A person may sign up for cable, add several streaming platforms, forget what they actually watch, and then wonder why the monthly budget feels tight. An antenna may not replace everything, but it can be a reminder that not every form of entertainment needs a subscription attached to it.
That same idea applies to other habits in the video, such as Ryan keeping a mini fridge or cooler in his vehicle with snacks and drinks to avoid gas station and fast-food stops.
Kamel said he does something similar with a cooler on road trips, because stopping often leads to buying things people do not really need.
Convenience is expensive. The less often people rely on last-minute purchases, the easier it is to keep money under control.
Budgeting Every Dollar Still Wins
Kamel gave one of his strongest approvals to Marty, who said he carries cash in his wallet and budgets every dollar before the month begins.
Kamel called budgeting a dying art and said many people have no cash on them, little cash in the bank, and live on credit cards, payment plans, and buy-now-pay-later services.
By contrast, Marty’s method gives every dollar a job before it arrives.
That is the heart of Kamel’s financial philosophy. Wealth is not only built by finding hacks, clipping savings, or using loyalty points. It is built by deciding ahead of time where money should go and then following that plan.
Kamel said the solution is to budget every dollar before the month begins and stick to debit cards and cash.
This may sound basic, but basic is often what works. The richest habits in the video were not the strangest ones. They were the repeatable ones: avoid debt, plan spending, bring food, wait for sales, skip unnecessary subscriptions, and stop trying to impress people with purchases.
Skills And Simplicity Still Have Value
Kamel also responded to habits involving practical skills, including sewing clothes and cutting hair at home.
Sharon said she sews her own clothes and enjoys the skill-building, which Kamel described as impressive, especially if she is making items from scratch. He said sewing is a dying art and praised people who keep that kind of skill alive.
Jeremy said his wife has cut his hair for more than 25 years, while Eric said he cuts his own hair. Kamel joked that he cares too much about his own hair to fully embrace that habit, but he still recognized the commitment and savings involved.
The deeper lesson is that skills can create options. A person who can sew, cook, repair, budget, or maintain simple things at home has more control over expenses than someone who must pay for every task.
Still, Kamel’s approach was balanced. Some things are worth delegating if they save time, reduce stress, or bring peace.
The Frugal Line Is About Balance
Kamel ended by saying many of the habits he reviewed are useful because they help people avoid waste and stay intentional with their money.
But he also said people should not go overboard.
“Be frugal where it makes sense and splurge on the things that save you time and bring you joy and peace,” Kamel said.
That is the practical message behind the video. Frugal habits are not about being miserable, hoarding soap slivers, or refusing every comfort. They are about keeping lifestyle inflation from swallowing the wealth a person worked hard to build.
Millionaires may still use coupons, drink water at restaurants, drive older cars, pack lunch, and wait for sales because those habits are part of how they became millionaires in the first place.
The best habits are not always the most extreme. They are the ones that can be repeated for years without making life feel small.
Kamel’s advice is ultimately simple: keep the frugal habits that protect your money, drop the ones that steal your time or sanity, and never confuse spending more with living better.
Mark grew up in the heart of Texas, where tornadoes and extreme weather were a part of life. His early experiences sparked a fascination with emergency preparedness and homesteading. A father of three, Mark is dedicated to teaching families how to be self-sufficient, with a focus on food storage, DIY projects, and energy independence. His writing empowers everyday people to take small steps toward greater self-reliance without feeling overwhelmed.
