Home Entertainment & Streaming Bundles
Remember renting movies from Blockbuster? Pfft, Boomers. For Millennials and Gen Z, a night in means juggling multiple streaming subscriptions, switching back and forth between watching options, and having an endless buffet of entertainment at their fingertips.
Frequent Tech Upgrades
Boomers bought a TV or typewriter and kept it for a decade. For today’s younger generations, it’s a whole different experience. New models for TVs, phones, and other tech gadgets are released every couple of years, making it necessary to upgrade.
Home Gadgets
Millennials and Gen Z are all about convenience. While Boomers were satisfied with simple, useful gadgets, the younger generation invests in smart cleaning equipment, security cameras, motion-detecting lights, and sound-activated curtains, among other things.
Hold onto your wallets! The spending surprises are just getting started…
Hold onto your wallets! The spending surprises are just getting started…
Home Décor & Frequent Furniture Upgrades
Boho chic, minimalism, and mid-century modern are the new staples of the young generation. While Boomers often bought furniture for a lifetime, Millennials and Gen Z have seemingly turned their living spaces into a personal canvas.
The spending gets a little tastier from here!
The spending gets a little tastier from here!
Food Delivery Services
Cooking at home? Boring! Boomers mastered it, but younger generations love the convenience of having their favorite meals delivered to their door with the click of a button. And the small fee for that convenience? Absolutely worth it.
Specialty Coffee Drinks
Forget a simple cup of joe. The rise of specialty coffee drinks has turned a daily ritual into a significant expense. The average millennial spends hundreds of dollars a year on lattes, cold brew, and other coffee-shop creations.
Niche Dietary Products
From gluten-free to plant-based, a wide variety of dietary preferences have led to a boom in specialized food products. Millennials and Gen Z are willing to pay more for food that fits their health and ethical needs, while Boomers just ate what was given to them.
The younger generation is big on food…
The younger generation is big on food…
Meal Kit Services
Remember the days of planning meals and making a grocery list from scratch? Only for boomers! Meal kit services take all the guesswork out of cooking and deliver fresh ingredients to your door. Why walk to the store when the store can walk to you?
Dining Out
While Boomers viewed dining out as a special occasion, Millennials and Gen Z see it as a regular part of their social lives. A significant portion of their income is dedicated to brunch, dinner dates, and spontaneous happy hours.
Ready-To-Eat / Prepared Foods
The "I'm too busy to cook" philosophy is real. Younger generations are more likely to grab pre-made meals from the grocery store or have food delivered to them. This saves time and effort, but it is a premium for that oh-so-important convenience.
Boomer wallets might start to sweat a bit here…
Boomer wallets might start to sweat a bit here…
Craft Beer and Artisanal Cocktails
Beer and cocktails have gone from simple to sophisticated. While a simple bottle of beer used to be enough for Boomers, the younger generations are willing to pay more for unique flavors, local brews, and premium spirits.
Trendy Brunch and Avocado Toast
A cultural symbol of a generation's spending habits! While a simple piece of toast, this dish represents a larger trend of young people prioritizing unique dining and turning the entire experience into a social event and photo op.
Organic and Ethically Sourced Groceries
The focus on wellness and sustainability has led younger consumers to spend more on organic produce, pasture-raised eggs, and ethically sourced meat. The quality and conscience of their food play a major role in the decision-making process.
Grocery Delivery Fees
Grocery shopping is a hassle, right? Younger generations think so! That is why they're happy to pay a fee to have a personal shopper hand-select their groceries and bring them right to their doorstep, freeing up valuable time.
This is what’s known as “lifestyle creep” in action!
This is what’s known as “lifestyle creep” in action!
Specialty Home Kitchen Appliances
Remember that old-school toaster? That doesn’t work for the younger generation. Millennials and Gen Z love spending big on gadgets like air fryers and Instant Pots that can do a dozen things at once. A fine investment!
Education and Professional Certificates
Adult learning existed for Boomers as well, but today’s education is far more expensive. And online bootcamps, micro-credentials, and certificate programs have the younger generation paying far more for education than their parents ever did.
Meditation and Mindfulness Apps
The modern world is stressful, but there's always an app for that! Millennials and Gen Z are paying for guided meditations and mindfulness exercises to help manage stress and improve their mental clarity.
Mental Health Therapy and Counseling
Mental health is now a priority, not a taboo. Millennials and Gen Z are more willing to invest in their emotional well-being through therapy and counseling, which can be a significant monthly expense.
Personal care is of the utmost importance…
Personal care is of the utmost importance…
Boutique Fitness Classes
Gone are the days of a basic gym membership. Younger generations are flocking to boutique fitness studios that offer specialized classes like spin, yoga, and HIIT, creating an engaging and community-focused workout experience.
Vitamins and Supplements
The focus on personal wellness extends to what we put in our bodies. Younger generations are spending more on daily vitamins, protein powders, and dietary supplements to boost their energy and health than boomers ever did!
Personal Trainers or Online Fitness Coaching
While Boomers relied on workout manuals, younger people are investing more in personalized guidance. They are very likely to hire personal trainers or subscribe to online coaching to ensure their fitness goals are met.
Skincare and Multi-Step Beauty Routines
A simple bar of soap? Not for Millennials and Gen Z. They've embraced elaborate, multi-step skincare routines that involve serums, toners, and moisturizers. This makes them look good, and the corporations feel even better.
Hair and Nail Salon Services
While at-home beauty was once common, younger generations are now more likely to outsource their grooming needs. Regular trips to the salon for hair coloring, manicures, and pedicures have become a routine part of life.
Massage and Spa Treatments
Self-care is a big deal! Millennials and Gen Z are spending more on relaxation and recovery, splurging on massages, facials, and spa treatments. It’s a moment of Zen that provides a much-needed break from the daily grind, or so they say.
Ready to find out what else the younger generation is spending more on?
Ready to find out what else the younger generation is spending more on?
Weddings, Parties, and Milestone Events
This is a big one! While Boomers also knew how to celebrate, today’s celebrations are on a different level. From destination weddings to gender reveals and lavish bridal showers, the pressure to create "social media-worthy" moments has turned every life milestone into a multi-thousand-dollar event.
Music Festival and Concert Tickets
While Boomers might have seen a favorite band once or twice, Millennials and Gen Z are all about the live experience. They spend a lot of money on concert tickets and music festivals to see their favorite artists live.
Vacation Experiences
While Boomers travelled too, they usually saved for one big trip every few years. Millennials and Gen Z, on the other hand, treat vacations as a lifestyle, booking multiple smaller getaways, international jaunts, or “must-see” destinations annually.
"Workation" Expenses
Work can now be done from anywhere, which is why the younger generation loves to combine travel with their jobs! Millennials are spending more on travel, taking "workations" and digital nomad trips, and living by the philosophy that life is an adventure.
Some experiences are the same, but still different…
Some experiences are the same, but still different…
Premium Cinema or Live-Theatre Experiences
A trip to the movies used to be a simple ticket and popcorn. Now, it's an entire experience. Younger generations are willing to pay for premium recliners, in-seat dining, and immersive screens, along with 3D glasses for a fuller viewing experience.
Outdoor Adventure Gear
Camping existed for Boomers too, but Millennials and Gen Z buy premium backpacks, technical clothing, and gadgets for hiking, climbing, and the “van life.” The same outdoorsy impulse, but at a more expensive gear level.
Ride-Sharing Services
Taxis were once a luxury, but ride-sharing services have made them an everyday convenience. Data suggests that younger generations are less likely to own a car and more likely to use services like Uber and Lyft.
And some things that boomers may not understand…
And some things that boomers may not understand…
Childcare and Early-Education Services
Daycare existed, but today’s options are costlier, branded as “enrichment” and expected year-round. While Boomers had more affordable options or a stay-at-home parent, today's young families face high fees, making this a top-tier financial burden.
High-End Baby Products
Boomers had strollers and car seats. Now, young parents have designer strollers, ergonomic carriers, organic baby food, and high-end, aesthetic, and tech-enabled gear, including smart bassinets that rock a baby to sleep. Nothing but the best for the little ones!
Paying for Music
Music used to be a one-time purchase on a CD or record. Now, as Steve Jobs once said, we have “a thousand songs in our pockets” for a small monthly fee. Access to every song ever recorded? Totally worth the price of admission.
Pet Care
There was a time when pets were considered to be… pets. Now, they’re family. This means spending more on high-end pet food, pet insurance, and even pet daycare or luxury kennels. Those furry little gremlins deserve the best, after all!
