Scroll through a few headlines about Gen Z and you’ll see the same storylines on repeat: they’re buried in debt, struggling to save, living paycheck to paycheck, and, by most accounts, worse off than their parents were at the same age. But while we know news publications tend to exaggerate, these narratives have some truth to them. For Gen X and many Baby Boomers, early adulthood came with lower housing costs and a job market that made it easier to build wealth than young adults have today. Thanks to rising student debt, record-high rent, and an unpredictable job market, Gen Z is navigating a very different economic landscape. Even Millennials—who’ve had their own well-documented financial challenges—are now used as a reference point for how much Gen Z is struggling in even greater economic uncertainty. At the same time, social media makes wealth, success, and even financial struggle more public than ever, adding another layer of financial comparison that older gens didn’t experience. But instead of just relying on just...
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