Boomers are a whole different breed when it comes to shopping, aren’t they? We’re talking about our parents and grandparents from the Baby Boomer generation here.
These folks love buying stuff that seems totally random and non-essential to us younger folks. Like, why’d you even need that?
But before we clown on them too hard, we gotta think about the wild times they lived through back in the day. Major historical events, crazy new inventions – that kind of mind-blowing stuff shaped how Boomers decide what’s worth spending money on. Their experiences make a lot of their purchases actually make sense, even if they seem wacky to us.
So what are these non-essential items Boomers still scoop up? Some of them might seem sensible to you, while others…well, you’ll just have to keep reading to find out.
Whether you end up laughing, nodding in understanding, or scratching your head again, one thing’s for sure – this list will give you an inside look at why Boomers buy what they buy.
Landline Phones
Even though using cell phones is the totally normal thing nowadays, many Baby Boomers still opt to have a landline telephone set up in their homes. They really like being able to talk on those bigger, more comfortable handset phones instead of holding a tiny cell close to their face.
Landlines also just feel way more secure and reliable to Boomers compared to cells that can drop calls. Plus, a lot of them have had the exact same landline phone number for literal decades and they don’t want the hassle of changing it.
Desktop Computers
While younger generations seem to universally prefer using portable laptop computers, the Boomer crowd still digs having big bulky desktop computer setups. They find the nice big screens and separate full-size keyboards on desktops much easier to use and see compared to cramped laptop screens and keyboards.
Desktop PCs also just seem more sturdy, long-lasting and like they can take a beating in the minds of Baby Boomers. They worry that slim laptop computers will just break into pieces if they accidentally drop them.
Printed Newspapers
You probably just read all your news online or on your phone, but lots of Baby Boomers still prefer to have an actual printed physical newspaper delivered daily. They really like the nostalgic smell of the ink on the newsprint and the simple, minimal layout of newspapers.
Reading the paper is a daily morning ritual that they’ve kept up for decades. Many Boomers also have this feeling that news in printed form is just more authoritative and trustworthy compared to all the stuff they see online.
Road Atlases & Maps
Need directions to get somewhere? Rather than using a GPS app or maps on their smartphone, lots of Baby Boomers would much rather pull out one of those good old road atlases or folding maps from their glove compartment. They’re just so used to tracking routes and figuring out how to get places by looking at good old physical maps.
A lot of Boomers also still don’t fully trust those GPS system directions and would rather do it the old-fashioned way. Road atlases typically give way more details about attractions, landmarks and amenities compared to basic GPS directions too.
Plus, Boomers say there’s just something immensely satisfying about being able to trace their route with their fingertip on a map.
Fax Machines
You haven’t probably even seen or used an ancient fax machine in ages, but believe it or not, tons of businesses and homes run by Baby Boomers still have these decades-old machines set up.
For Boomers, faxing documents is a tried-and-true secure way to be able to quickly and easily receive all kinds of paperwork like contracts or forms.
A lot of the companies, medical offices, government agencies and other places Boomers deal with also unfortunately still rely really heavily on faxing things instead of more modern processes.
Pagers/Beepers
Surprisingly, there are still a bunch of Baby Boomers out there who actually use and pay for pager/beeper services instead of just having a modern cell phone.
For many Boomers who are doctors, nurses, contractors or other workers who need to be on-call, they feel way more reassured having a pager that will definitely send them emergency alerts rather than just relying on a cellphone that could lose signal.
Fanny Packs
Sure, they may look a little silly and outdated to younger folks, but fanny packs are still extremely popular accessories with the Baby Boomer crowd.
They absolutely love the unbeatable convenience of having all their essentials securely strapped around their waist in these little pouches rather than carrying a big bag or purse around. Fanny packs are also just really lightweight and comfortable, especially for Boomers with mobility issues.
Walkie Talkies
You might not have used a walkie talkie solo since you were a kid, but lots of Baby Boomers own these push-to-talk communication devices for real everyday use.
Walkie talkies are perfect for Boomers who spend lots of time working on home renovations, in their garages, gardening or just hanging outside and need a way for spouses or friends to easily call them from wherever.
They find walkie talkies more convenient than yelling or having to keep running inside to check their phones.
Portable Radios/Boomboxes
While music streaming is king now, many Boomers still love their classic portable radios and boomboxes. They love tuning into their favorite AM/FM radio stations just like old times.
Portable radios are great for taking outside and listening to baseball games or music. Boomboxes also provide a nostalgic way to play cassettes or CDs for Boomers. Plus, the big speakers give much better sound than tiny phone speakers.
VCRs & VHS Tapes
Decades after DVDs and streaming made them obsolete, you’ll still find many Boomer homes with an old VCR setup hooked up.
They have tons of classic movies and shows on VHS that they don’t want to get rid of. VCRs also let them replay treasured old home videos again and again. For Boomers, there’s just something charming about the fuzzy vintage quality of VHS tapes.
Floppy Disks
As crazy as it sounds, Boomers sometimes still use those big, square floppy disks for file storage and transfer. They’ve been using floppies to save documents and data since the 80s/90s and see no need to change.
Many older companies and programs also surprisingly still use floppy disks, reinforcing the familiarity for Boomers. They’re also wary of losing crucial files another way.
Camcorders
While most people just use their phone cameras now, many Boomers prefer bulky dedicated camcorders for filming home videos. They like the brand camcorder quality and battery life compared to phone videos.
Camcorders also feel more substantial and purposeful for capturing big events and milestones like a phone doesn’t. The viewfinder and extended zoom lenses are also pluses.
Portable CD Players
Remember those portable CD players you could wear on your belt? Tons of Boomers still jam out to their CD collections using these outdated music playing devices. They love the superior audio quality over streaming from a phone.
Portable CD players are also great for playing whole albums uninterrupted. Many spend time meticulously burning custom playlists onto CDRs too.
Land Lines with Voicemail Boxes
Despite smart phones recording voicemails now, many Boomers still have a separate voicemail box set up through their landline for receiving voice messages. They find the landline voicemail easier to access and manage through the home phone system. Boomers were also used to this method for decades before cell phone
Fax machines, pagers, VCRs – oh my! You just read through 14 non-essential items that Baby Boomers stubbornly keep on buying and using, despite all the newer tech available these days. From outdated music players to bulky old video cameras, a lot of this retro stuff just hits a nostalgic chord for the Boomer crowd.
At the end of the day, there’s something heartwarming about Boomers keeping up their nostalgic purchasing habits from decades ago.
If their gently used fax machine still works like a charm, more power to them! It’s a little window into their life experiences and memories. So next time you spot a Boomer rocking a fanny pack or portable CD player, you’ll know there’s likely a sweet story behind their accessory of choice.
