One distinctive product of these harsh conditions was an entire blogosphere that emerged to give readers chatty, relatable advice on saving money. But their movement feels newly relevant today, as Americans struggle to afford necessities and face mounting anxiety over their economic future. But overall, the cultural and economic winds have blown against frugality, frugalsphere writers and observers told me. Upheavals like the Covid pandemic gave some Americans “a grim outlook on money,” Stevens said. At its best, frugality advice was always about adapting to your situation, whatever that might be.