• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
Personal FinanceInflation

​​Gen Z and millennials feel they’ll never be able to afford what they want in life

By
Jane Thier
Jane Thier
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Jane Thier
Jane Thier
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 12, 2022, 10:49 AM ET
Millennial couple looking at bills at home.
Gen Z and millennials feel they’ll never be able to afford what they want in life.Getty Images

For all their differences, back-to-back generations Gen Z and millennials agree on one thing: They believe they’ll never be able to afford most of the things they want most in life.

That grim outlook comes from a recent survey by mobile banking app Dave and Harris Poll, which found that 61% of millennial and Gen Z respondents reported a lack of confidence about affording their dream future. The poll surveyed over 1,000 Americans ages 18 to 41.

The findings echo Morning Consult’s Q1 2022 State of Consumer Banking and Payments report, released in January, which found that nearly half of millennials felt their money situation would keep them from getting what they want in life. Thirty-eight percent of millennials reported frequently feeling behind on their finances—about 13 percentage points higher than the average U.S. adult who feels similarly. 

Gen Z is right behind. Both they and millennials graduated into vastly different yet similarly brutal economic climates for young workers—and both are experiencing inflation for the first time. Three-quarters reported feeling as though they’re just getting by financially. Millennials are more likely to believe the money they currently have or plan to save won’t last (50%) compared to Gen Z (35%).

That adds up; graduating and entering the workforce during a historic recession posed an ongoing roadblock between millennials and their ability to build wealth. Over the past decade and a half, the generation has faced soaring home prices, stagnant wage growth, and crushing student loan debt.

Things aren’t much better for Gen Z, the oldest of whom went into quarantine less than a year after graduating college. While they are roundly winning the job market at present, that relative safety net was a long time coming; at the beginning of the pandemic, job losses hit the youngest workers the hardest.

Inflation is only compounding matters by consistently hurting younger people—those with the least amount of income and savings—the most. In the near term, over half of the Dave and Harris Poll survey respondents (53%) said they’d likely forgo big-ticket plans, like vacationing or attending weddings or family reunions, because of rising inflation. And for those that are still planning to vacation—about six in 10 respondents—42% said they’re only able to do so by stretching their budget or going into debt. 

“Everyone is experiencing rising inflation; everyone has seen what supply-chain constraints are doing; but these generations have been having these concerns over the last few years,” Michele Parmelee, Deloitte’s global deputy CEO and chief people and purpose officer, told Fortune in May, on the heels of a Deloitte report finding that nearly half of Gen Z and millennials live paycheck to paycheck.

To stave off financial disaster, these workers are getting creative and working side jobs. As Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate, told Fortune at the time, “Working extra hours just to make ends meet feels like a negative story about inflation and represents a difficult situation.”

Sign up for the Fortune Features email list so you don’t miss our biggest features, exclusive interviews, and investigations.

About the Author
By Jane Thier
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

A young man looks at his phone, and a flurry of red arrows point downwards.
Cryptosports betting
Prediction markets have made betting easier than ever—and young men are paying the price
By Carlos GarciaApril 10, 2026
1 hour ago
Patrick Ball
SuccessCareers
‘The Pitt’ star thought he’d ‘die’ with $80K in student debt—he was working 3 jobs, ready to ditch acting and move to the Alaskan wilderness
By Preston ForeApril 10, 2026
3 hours ago
The Bread Savings logo on a green layered background.
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Bread Savings CD rates 2026: Standard and IRA CDs with top-tier APYs
By Joseph HostetlerApril 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Top CD rates from major banks April 10, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates from major banks on April 10, 2026: Chase CDs, Bank of America CDs, Citibank CDs, and more
By Joseph HostetlerApril 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Current price of Bitcoin for April 10, 2026
Personal FinanceCryptocurrency
Current price of Bitcoin for April 10, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Current price of Ethereum for April 10, 2026
Personal FinanceEthereum
Current price of Ethereum for April 10, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 10, 2026
5 hours ago

Most Popular

The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
Economy
The U.S. government is spending $88 billion a month in interest on national debt—equal to spending on defense and education combined
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
AI
A Meta employee created a dashboard so coworkers can compete to be the company's No. 1 AI token user—and Zuckerberg doesn't even rank in the top 250
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
Investing
Mark Cuban admits he made a mistake letting go of the Mavericks: 'I don't regret selling. I regret who I sold to'
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
'I hate working 5 days': Zoom CEO says traditional work schedules are becoming obsolete—and predicts a 3-day workweek by 2031
Success
'I hate working 5 days': Zoom CEO says traditional work schedules are becoming obsolete—and predicts a 3-day workweek by 2031
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
Success
Gen Z doesn't want your full-time job. They want several part-time roles, and it's reshaping the entire workforce
By Fortune EditorsApril 9, 2026
1 day ago
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
Innovation
Schools across America are quietly admitting that screens in classrooms made students worse off and are reversing years of tech-first policies
By Fortune EditorsApril 10, 2026
10 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.