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Here’s how Gen Z is changing the finance game
Generation Zers – those born between 1995 and 2012 – are leading the way when it comes to money responsibility and a more flexible view of finance, according to new research.
Here’s how Gen Z is changing the finance game
Generation Zers – those born between 1995 and 2012 – are leading the way when it comes to money responsibility and a more flexible view of finance, according to new research.
Afterpay has released the Global Gen Z Report: Financial Feels, which has revealed a generation that’s both cautious about their spending habits and reluctant to commit when it comes to credit.
The findings highlighted a generation that rejects overt displays of wealth or wealth hoarding.
“Instead, they are focused on being financially in control,” it reported.
One of the key takeaways from the report: “For Gen Z, finance is no longer regarded as a constraint that needs to be overcome, but as a lifestyle enabler that needs to be attended to in a proactive manner.”
These characteristics are due, in part, to the generation being raised in the aftermath of the 2008 global financial crisis.
It’s a stance that has now been firmly cemented in this generation due to the impacts of COVID-19.
Afterpay co-founder Nick Molnar said Generation Zers are “a generation who has a firm grasp of the role finance plays in their lives”.
“Gen Z Aussies are emerging as a self-motivated generation that pay, play and save differently from the Millennials that came before them,” he continued.
According to AfterPay’s report, 94 per cent of its Gen Z customers use their own money when making purchases using the payment method.
They are far less likely to have credit cards or long-term credit options, preferring to monitor their money in real time.
It also revealed an emphasis on “financial wellness” in the age group, having embraced apps and services that lead them to feel confident and calm in their spending choices.
This attitude has filtered through to their use of stop-anytime subscriptions.
The report found that Gen Z individuals “like to maximise flexibility within their lifestyles”.
“The ability to turn on and off commitments in their life is paramount and leads to a generation who prefer to lease, rent and share so they have the financial freedom to spend their money on what’s most important to them without being tied down,” it stated.
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