Millennials And Gen Zers Dumping Rich Friends
Have you ever been invited to lunch and then question whether you want to go or not? Not because you don’t want to hang out with that person. It’s because that person invited you to have a meal at a restaurant that is way out of your budget. If you do think this way, you’re not alone.
Who’s Affected And Why?
According to a poll done by Intuit Credit Karma, 36% of Gen Z and millennials have a friend they hang out with on the regular that causes them to overspend. They polled over 1,000 people. Many polled said they racked up debt and dropped their wealthier friends while doing so.
They also said the problem is even worse for millennials. Why? They’re ending up spending more than the Gen Zers do because they’ve worked in their career longer, therefore having more spending money. They basically had a head start before Gen Zers. Credit Karma found that 80% of the millennials versus 80% of Gen Zers that have that one friend that spends a bunch, they’ve caused them to spend money they didn’t actually have and has put them in debt. 15% of millennials said their debt is a minimum $500. For Gen Zers, only 2% of them said their debt is at least $500.
How Social Media Affects Spending
Now social media is starting to play a roll in this unwanted spending. Friends seeing their wealthier friends on social media. Posts of them buying expensive clothing, eating at high priced food places, and more. Also companies constantly adding their new products are causing millennials and Gen Zers to spend money they don’t have.
This is why they’re cutting off their wealthier friends. This shows the power of money. The 2018 working paper that the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia put out even shows that neighbors and friends of those who won the lottery, they were more likely to go bankrupt because they see them buying new things and spending more.
Do You Really Need To Dump That Friend?
In the end, it really is up to the person whether you spend more than your means. But removing that friend or ghosting them because they can afford the lavish lifestyle may be a smart move, if it’s causing you to go into debt, just to be social with them.
We talk more about this in today’s edition of a Few Things You Should Know!