{"id":8700,"date":"2023-01-31T03:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/intuitblog.com\/?p=8700"},"modified":"2025-11-24T09:59:11","modified_gmt":"2025-11-24T17:59:11","slug":"gen-z-would-rather-talk-about-anything-but-their-finances","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.intuit.com\/blog\/news-social\/gen-z-would-rather-talk-about-anything-but-their-finances\/","title":{"rendered":"Gen Z would rather talk about anything but their finances"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Understanding Gen Z Money: Trends and Spending Habits <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gen Z would rather talk about absolutely anything but their finances. Members of the generation born between 1997 and 2012 would rather talk about virtually anything else\u2014even sex or politics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A survey from Intuit reveals interesting insights into Gen Z\u2019s money beliefs and habits<\/a>. And our findings extend beyond Gen Zers favoring other similarly taboo conversation topics. We also got a feel for how technology\u2014social media trends, specifically\u2014shapes how they save \u2026 or don\u2019t.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technology doesn\u2019t always equal transparency, especially for Gen Z. When you\u2019ve grown up with the ability to digitally alter your life and appearance with the click of a button, authenticity gets lost in the code. This is particularly true with finances.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Questions like \u201cWhat is your salary?\u201d or \u201cHow much is in your savings?\u201d feel off limits, maybe even rude. But are they? Why does discussing one\u2019s financial state strike fear into the hearts of so many?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Based on our data, it may have something to do with internet culture as a whole. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gen Z would rather talk about anything but their finances. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just as heavily doctored images of beauty on Instagram contribute to insecurities, \u201cfiltered finances\u201d have a massive impact on 18- to 25-year-olds. Increasingly, honest conversations around formerly taboo subjects are the norm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, new data shows that Gen Z and money don\u2019t mix. Adults from this generation would rather talk about politics, parenting struggles, sex, and infertility than debt, their salaries, and bad investments. In fact, despite their modern lives and outlooks, they are part of the 50% of Americans who would rather talk to their children about sex than speak to them about their own finances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Soft saving minimizes stress. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Survey data also identified a new trend around Gen Z and their money, known as \u201csoft saving.\u201d It\u2019s taken over TikTok feeds in recent years.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think of soft saving as a financial spinoff of the boundary-setting \u201csoft life\u201d trend, which emphasizes comfort and minimizing stress. Soft saving is all about the now. It prioritizes spending on expenses that enrich your life in the present (like experiences or self-care) over long-term goals like retirement or home ownership.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A stark departure from the F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement, hustle culture, and the Girlboss ethos dominating the past decade, Gen Z is embracing \u201csoft saving.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly 3 in 4 Gen Zers say they would rather have a better quality of life than extra money in the bank.  <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

True to their embrace of soft saving, nearly 3 in 4 Gen Zers say they would rather have a better quality of life than extra money in the bank.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, experiences matter more than money to Gen Z, as 66% say they are only interested in finances to support their current interests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gen Z is troubled by conflicting advice. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gen Z has more access to financial information than any other generation, but this doesn\u2019t always simplify decision-making. From financial tips on TikTok to Reddit forums on investing, information overload around Gen Z money tips frequently paralyzes these young adults with conflicting advice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our survey data shows:  <\/p>\n\n\n\n