Get Off My Lawn: Boomers Share Their Top 20 Pet Peeves That Drive Them Up The Wall

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN AFFILIATE LINKS. PLEASE SEE MY DISCLOSURES. FOR MORE INFORMATION.

Growing older can be a wonderful experience filled with newfound wisdom, independence, and knowledge.

But along with all the good that comes with aging, there are some things we tend to dislike even more as time passes.

Chances are, you’ve noticed yourself becoming less tolerant of certain activities or unpleasantries than you used to be in your younger days.

Here are 20 examples of things people shared they dislike more as they age.

#1. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Not getting a lot of sleep when you are young isn’t a big deal, as your body can handle it.

But as you get older, it’s a different story.

Getting enough sleep is critical to functioning for the next day.

Add in the fact that you have many more things to do, and sleep becomes even more precious.

One person said, “Functioning on low sleep. I feel like in the last few years my bodies ability to do so has decreased drastically. It used to be that I could get like 5-6h a night during the week and recharge with a couple of 8-10s on the weekend and be largely fine. Now by the 2nd or 3rd day I’m really feeling it and have to pencil in a few hours to recharge.”

#2. Being Available 24/7

Cell phones have many benefits, but they also have some downsides.

The biggest is that many people expect you to be available all day, every day.

If they call you at 3 pm on Wednesday, you better answer.

If they text you at 8 pm on Sunday, you better text back right away.

More and more people are getting tired of this expectation.

Not everyone carries their cell phone with them at all times, so being available no matter what isn’t an option.

As one person said, “One of my ‘friends’ called me 16 times the other day. 16 times. I had already told him I was busy and doing work modules on my phone and dealing with my father’s Alzheimer’s, yet he still called me 16 times.”

#3. Misleading Pricing

While the bait-and-switch strategy of listing a low price and in fine print clarifying saying this isn’t the actual price most people will pay isn’t new, it’s popping up more and more.

Notice how cash station signs now flash multiple prices, one for cash and one for credit?

Many people just want the price they will pay and nothing else.

#4. Traffic

This is a pet peeve of mine and many others.

It’s not that I don’t enjoy driving because I do.

I dislike driving in traffic as I get older, mostly because other drivers are dangerous.

They switch lanes without signaling and drive at break-neck speeds, weaving in and out of traffic, often coming out of nowhere.

They ride your bumper, or some drive slower than molasses.

And worst of all, they are texting.

When I drive on a two-lane road, many people I pass have their heads down, looking at their phones.

It’s scary when you realize that life could change for everyone nearby in a split second.

And people wonder why their insurance rates keep going up.

#5. Personal Memories

One person commented how they dislike memories as they age.

On the one hand, they think about when they were younger and get sad at the fun things they did and no longer do

Other times, they think about the mistakes they made, and how they regret those times in life.

#6. Alcohol

Enjoying a drink after a hard day’s work or celebrating an event is a part of our culture.

But most people begin to realize the impact of even one can of beer or one glass of wine on their bodies as they age.

You don’t get as good of sleep, usually for a few days, which means you’re dragging through life without as much energy.

You might even have a headache the day after, making getting through that day more difficult.

It has gotten to the point where many older people pause when offered a drink and consider whether having one is worth it based on their upcoming plans.

#7. Driving At Night

Driving at night is not enjoyable for most people due to the new LED and high-intensity headlights on cars.

They make it hard to see the road when driving at night or even dusk.

The situation is even worse in the rain. Now you have the bright headlights combined with the reflections of the wet road.

Coming up to an unfamiliar intersection with turning lanes at night when the road is wet is like driving blind for many people.

#8. Social Obligations

This might be a part of getting older, but many people say they enjoy social functions less and less as they age.

Most mention the small talk part, where they are uninterested in having meaningless conversations with people just to be polite.

Others said they would rather do other things than be at a function for hours.

#9. TV And Movies

A few people mentioned how TV shows and movies have gone downhill as they aged.

It seems like every TV show is now a remake of a series from the 70s or 80s. In some cases, even the 90s.

Worse is the bandwagon effect, where one type of show is a hit, so all new shows follow the same format.

Movies aren’t any better.

The majority are remakes of the classics, and if an original idea is a hit, the studio cranks out 25 sequels to keep the money train rolling.

Even more unfortunate for movie buffs is that the only genre that appears to make movie studios money is superhero movies, so that is the majority of new films.

#10. Social Media

When social media started, it was a fun way to keep in touch with friends and family who live in other parts of the world.

It was a great way to reconnect with long-lost friends from your childhood.

But now, social media companies must keep their shareholders happy, meaning they need to make money.

So instead of seeing posts from your friends, you see never-ending ads about products you’ve searched for or suggested posts and videos to keep you on the site for as long as possible.

Because of this, many older people are turning away from social media.

#11. Loud Bars And Restaurants

It’s not a surprise that as we get older, our hearing gets worse.

Many people suffer from auditory processing disorder, which is a fancy way of saying it is hard to hear people talking to you in a loud environment.

For many, this comes in the form of bars and restaurants.

They either have loud music playing or many people, making it difficult to hear the person sitting across from you.

Most people say they avoid these places because it is not enjoyable, and they don’t like screaming so their friends can hear them.

#12. People

Some people commented that they dislike others less and less because they lack basic courtesy.

As one person said, “Basic discourtesy. Don’t know why but it grinds my gears when people can’t say please and thank you, or excuse me, or hold a door for the 0.2 seconds it would take to not slam in someone’s face, or apologize when they step on someone’s foot or bump into them. Being mean to retail and service workers. People who run red lights. Basically I just want people to be nice. My preschool, Mr. Rogers, and Sesame Street did not spend 6 years teaching us to be polite in public for us to act like this.”

#13. Intentional Helplessness

Another issue that annoys many people is how others seem completely helpless even when the solution to the issues are not difficult.

You can solve many things by watching a quick YouTube video. This is especially true with any house repairs or if something is broken.

One person said, “I’ve met too many grown adults who want to give up and pay 10x as much to solve a problem, instead of googling a solution and solving it by themselves in 5 minutes.”

#14. Video Games

Video games were a lot of fun growing up. You could pick virtually any title and spend a few hours playing.

But today’s games are different.

Many adventure games don’t have a set story arc, so you can do whatever you like instead of following along and progressing.

This means you could play the game for hours without progressing.

Others point out that to enjoy many games you need to play with others, which end up being strangers online, to get the most out of the game.

Because of this, most older people seek out the consoles from their youth to play rather than today’s games.

#15. Grocery Shopping

Grocery shopping is a part of life.

But it feels like the supermarket has changed.

The aisles are narrower. They only have two cashiers, with the rest being self-checkout lanes.

And don’t get me started on the people.

Most workers have no clue where an item is. You are better off not asking and going on the scavenger hunt alone.

Then there are other shoppers. They leave their cart in the middle of the aisle. They fly around corners without worry. They cut in front of you without saying excuse me.

Then there is the impatience at the checkout line.

Many people are saying no thanks and getting groceries delivered instead.

#16. Tipping

Many people agree tipping has gotten out of control.

Tipping your server, the bartender or the food delivery person was one thing.

But now, no matter where you go, the reader will inevitably ask for a tip after you swipe your credit card.

Is this a way for the store to get around paying a competitive wage?

More and more people complain about everyone asking for a tip, and something needs to change.

#17. Rearranged Grocery Stores

While many people dislike grocery shopping, it is worse for many others when the store changes its layout.

Everything is in a different place, and that quick five-minute trip to pick up some bread is now a 20-minute adventure.

And sometimes, the placement of items now doesn’t even make sense.

As one person said, “The grocery store near me recently rearranged and suddenly the peanut butter was in the aisle with the ketchup instead of over by the jams and jellies.”

#18. Fees

It feels like everywhere you go, there are additional fees on everything.

Eat at a restaurant and ask for some extra pickles, it’s $1.50.

Get food delivered, and I’m not talking about Door Dash, but having the pizza shop deliver the pizza, there is an extra fee on top of the pizza and the actual delivery fee.

If you fly, airlines charge extra for checked bags.

The next thing you know, you will have to pay a fee if you want to red light to turn green!

#19. Different Store Layouts

This is another annoyance of mine.

It would be nice if all stores had the same layout so you could easily find what you are looking for.

Take, for example, Lowes.

The one by me, I know to go straight to the back when I need a filter for my HVAC unit, or all the way to the right if I need lumber.

But when I stop in at the one by my parent’s house, the lumber is back and to the left.

The filters, well, I still can’t find them.

#20. Celebrities And Influencers

When you are young, you look up to people, aspiring to become like they are one day.

But as you age, you realize you never want to live a fake life as they do.

It’s even worse with influencers.

Everything is about being seen and making money. They are completely fake, and sadly, many people think their life is amazing, and they, too, want to be just like them.

More From Money Smart Guides

With inflation rising, your monthly bills are likely getting out of control.

Luckily, there are some simple steps you can take. Use this guide to help you save up to $7,000 a year on your monthly bills.

SLASH YOUR MONTHLY BILLS AND SAVE

How Much Money Do You Need For Retirement

Do you know the right amount of money you need to enjoy retirement?

Headlines tell you that you need $1 million dollars or more. But this might not be the case. Find out exactly how much money you need.

HOW MUCH MONEY YOU NEED FOR RETIREMENT

Best Places To Buy Stamps

If you still mail letters and bills, you need postage stamps.

While the post office is a no-brainer when it comes to where to buy stamps, there are many other places that now sell them.

And in some cases, you might be able to save money in the process.

BEST PLACES  TO BUY STAMPS

Time vs. Money

We all exchange time for money, but few of us stop to think about if our time is better spent doing the things we love instead of taking care of chores.

If you learn to stop thinking of things costing money and think instead of what you get in terms of time for paying for things, you could be much happier.

TIME VS. MONEY

How To Say No To Family Asking For Money

We’ve all experienced a family member asking us for money. While we might want to help, we also know that lending money to loved ones could cause issues.

If you want to say no, but aren’t sure how, here is what you need to do.

HOW TO SAY NO TO FAMILY ASKING FOR MONEY

This thread inspired this article.