11 Constant Gen X Worries That Gen Z Can't Afford To Care About
It's hard to know which is better or worse.
KrakenImages / Shutterstock From making their mortgage payments to maintaining their cars and paying for their kids' college educations, Gen X is highly focused on ensuring that their life remains as stable as possible. This is why they're known to be so hard working, and also why they're constantly stressed out. After all, with Gen X hoping to retire somewhat soon, this generation can't afford to not be on top of things.
On the flip side, many of Gen X's constant worried are things Gen Z can't even afford to care about. At least, not yet. While Gen X is on top of their game, Gen Z is struggling to find the light. With costs only expecting to increase, finding good jobs becoming harder, and student loan debt accumulating, many people in Gen Z have given up hope that they'll ever feel stable.
These are 11 constant Gen X worries that Gen Z can't afford to care about
1. Saving for retirement
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The first constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is retirement. If people were to survey Gen Z and ask them how much they have saved for retirement, most of them would respond by saying zero. It’s unfortunate, but many Gen Zers simply don’t have enough money or resources to put funds away for retirement. With the cost of groceries, rent, student loans, and pricey insurance, the last thing on Gen Z’s mind is retiring in a cushy home.
According to the TIAA Institute study, only 20% of Gen Z are saving for retirement. However, if that statistic isn’t concerning enough, then perhaps finding out that 29% of Gen Z is living paycheck to paycheck should raise a couple of alarms. As it stands, Gen Zers are in a worse financial position than previous generations, causing them to accept the fact that they’ll never retire.
In comparison, Gen Xers are scrambling to realize their retirement goals as they get older. Unfortunately, they’re barely obtaining these goals, as Allianz Life Insurance's 2024 annual retirement study found that the median 401k balance for Gen Xers is only $54,500.
2. Owning a home
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From retiring to vacationing abroad, there are plenty of dreams that Gen Zers have given up on. However, a constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is owning a home. For many Gen Xers, owning a home is another step in securing their retirement.
Not wanting to retire in an apartment or rented home, most Gen Xers are scrambling to get their finances in order. That said, Gen Zers aren’t all that concerned with owning a home as they likely already gave up on the fact that they’ll ever be able to afford it.
Now, they’re taking life stride by stride and living life in the moment. Though this isn’t the most secure plan out there, most of Gen Z doesn’t have a choice but to take it day by day. As it stands, according to a survey conducted by IPX 1031, 63% of Americans can’t afford to buy a home in 2024, with 87% of Gen Zers being unable to.
So, even if it’s crazy or irrational to not invest in retirement or in buying a home, people should remember that Gen Zers don’t stand a chance in buying a home in the first place, making it a worry for Gen Xers more than Gen Zers.
3. Advancing technology
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To be fair, the advancement of AI is fairly concerning. With talks of AI eventually replacing jobs, it’s only logical that Gen X would be mildly concerned about the fear of technology.
That being said, Gen Z is a bit more grounded in their way of thinking when it comes to technology. Being brought up in the digital age has given Gen Z an appreciation for technology and the good it can do.
Now, is there a chance AI could go too far and do more harm than good? Yes. However, AI has also already helped advance research and can be a great assistant and resource tool. Not only that, but according to a study in 2023, AI has also been shown to improve highly skilled workers' performance by 40% compared to those who don't use it.
Washington State University noted, “AI can adapt to individual learning approaches, pace, and progress, providing customized feedback, recommendations, and resources.”
If there are clear boundaries with AI, Gen Z will continue to be unbothered by the advancement of technology as long as it doesn’t threaten their job prospects.
4. Keeping up appearances
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Another constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is keeping up with appearances. If anyone’s ever been on a college campus, then they probably know the go-to fit is a baggy sweatshirt with a comfortable pair of sweatpants. Even in the corporate world, Gen Z manages to stand out with brightly colored hair, nails, and alternative outfits.
In Gen Z’s eyes, they don’t get paid enough to dress the ‘correct way,’ so why bother? However, for most of Gen X, the thought of wearing what they please might seem like a strange concept. After all, they were raised to care about people’s opinions and to dress appropriately. So, the thought of wearing brightly colored outfits to work just doesn’t sit well with this generation.
Their concerns aren’t necessarily invalid. According to a study in Nature Human Behaviour, people judged a person's competency based partially on their clothing. So, even if Gen Z isn’t concerned, it might be wise for them to be semi-aware of how their appearance looks to others. Otherwise, they might unintentionally give their boss or coworkers the wrong impression, stunting their opportunities in the process.
5. Staying in one place
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The greatest thing about Gen X is their dedication to their friends and family. Wanting to stick by their side and be there, most of Gen X will remain in the same town or continue the same job if it means being with their loved ones. On the flip side, a constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about anymore is staying in one place.
As much as Gen Z might want to be near their parents, they understand that to keep their paycheck high, job-hopping is a necessity. As a result, Gen Z is increasingly more likely to move compared to the national average. According to one study in 2023, Gen Z is the most mobile generation, with 17% of them actively choosing to move away compared to the national average of 8%. And while Gen Z might have the best intentions with moving, the truth of the matter is that moving far away from home is a double-edged sword.
On one hand, it allows Gen Z to explore their freedom. On the other hand, Gen Z loses their support system, which, according to research conducted in 2024, leads to higher stress and loneliness. So, while Gen Z might not be concerned with the impact of moving, as it stands, Gen X might have the proper idea that sticking close to home is beneficial.
6. Loss of privacy
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The next constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is fearing the loss of privacy. While Gen X was growing up, they were introduced to, and helped create, the age of technology. From social media apps like MySpace to advancing technology, Gen X had a heavy hand in the tech world and, most importantly, the dangers that lurked beneath the surface.
On the other hand, though Gen Z was fully brought up in the age of technology, they weren’t part of the creation process and, as a result, aren’t all that concerned with their data being stolen. Yet, if that seems impossible to believe, then look no further than RedNote.
When TikTok was expected to be closed down, many Gen Zers flocked to RedNote to show just how little they cared about China stealing their data. According to Similarweb, RedNote gained almost 3 million U.S. users in a single day, skyrocketing from 700,000 daily active users to 3.4 million.
Though the notion of giving China their data might be bizarre and concerning for Gen X, Gen Z couldn't care less about their loss of privacy. As long as their shopping is made less expensive by using apps like RedNote or TikTok shop, who cares if they lose a bit of their data security, right?
7. Job loyalty in the corporate world
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Both boomers and Gen X were promised that if they committed themselves to a single company, then they’d slowly be rewarded. However, as the years passed, the younger generations, especially Gen Z, picked up on the fact that job loyalty rarely gets anyone anywhere.
As a result, a constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is worrying about job loyalty in the corporate world. The lie of corporations caring about their employees has long since been exposed. Before CEO’s were targeted or massive protests were happening, Gen Z picked up on the fact that through job hopping, they were increasingly more likely to boost their paycheck.
According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of employees who switched jobs saw a boost in their paycheck compared to 47% who stayed in their company. Now, for Gen Xers who prefer stability and familiarity, this might sound worrisome, as quitting their job will leave them with a ton of uncertainty.
However, for the spontaneous Gen Zers, they simply don’t get paid enough to have loyalty towards a job. Combined with the fact that corporations wouldn’t hesitate to drop their employees at a snap of their fingers, why should Gen Z care in the first place?
8. The fear of missing out
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Most of Gen Z had the misfortune of hearing their parents or aunts rave about how they should start putting themselves out there or they’d miss out. However, that is another constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about.
From traveling to clubbing, most of Gen Z can't afford to spend their money recklessly. With student debt and grocery prices on the rise, a lot of Gen Zers are pooling their money together and ‘missing out’ on life to have better stability at home.
In the eyes of Gen X, this might sound worrisome, as this generation is known to be adventurous and outgoing. That being said, Gen Z can't afford adventurous trips with ticket prices costing more than two months of rent, which can explain why Gen Z is content with staying at home.
9. Being seen as 'lazy'
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Most of Gen Z has been unfairly labeled as the ‘lazy generation.’ Known to want to have life made for them, people in older generations scoff at the notion that Gen Z is hardworking. However, if Gen X and other generations look at the common experiences of Gen Z, then they might slowly begin to realize that they aren’t as lazy as others assume.
Many Gen Zers went college full time, worked, volunteered, and in some cases, took care of their siblings. Unfortunately, once they got out of college, that’s when their notorious reputation began to spread. Wanting better work-life balance than what they’ve experienced before, Gen Z firmly put their foot down and set the boundaries for what is and isn’t okay.
As a result, a constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is the fear of being seen as lazy, With Gen Z being deemed lazy, most of Gen X wants to stay far away from allegations. Because of this, this generation continues to work hard, which arguably burns them out in the process.
Yet, if Gen X would follow Gen Z’s lead, they might find work to be more enjoyable as they only do what they get paid to do and leave work when their schedule says so. And if it means being deemed lazy in the process? Well, at least their family life will flourish because of it.
10. Owning a car
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If there’s one thing Gen Xers can’t stand, it's Gen Z's inability to get their driver's license. Picking apart their insecurities with driving, most Gen Xers scoff at the idea of road anxiety and tell Gen Z to get over it. But as it stands, Gen Z is continuing to ditch their driver's license, whether Gen X approves or not. According to the U.S Department of Transportation, between 1983 and 2022, the number of 16-year-olds with a license declined from half to a quarter.
Knowing this, a constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is owning a car. If a Gen Xer lives in a city filled with Uber drivers or transportation systems, then the need for cars becomes less and less desirable. After all, why spend $20,000 on a car, hundreds of dollars on gas, and hundreds of dollars on unnecessary repairs they were pressured to get if they can simply buy a train ticket?
That being said, Gen X isn’t necessarily crazy for being worried about not owning a car. From going to needing to go to the emergency room, there are plenty of reasons why having a car is a need, not a want. But regardless of how much Gen X screams into the abyss, Gen Zers will continue to be careless.
11. Disappointing their family
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Finally, the last constant Gen X worry that Gen Z can’t afford to care about is the fear of disappointing their family. Gen Xers grew up with the mentality that family came first. Regardless of what happened or who said what, there’s this constant theme that forgiveness should be prioritized because they’re blood-related.
However, that theme is far gone as Gen Z can’t afford to care about their family’s approval. Needing to provide for themselves means needing to take different revenues to get there.
Whether that’s DoorDash-ing to make ends meet or refusing to have kids, Gen Z is focused more on what their needs are and less focused on what their parents or grandparents expect from them, often resulting in them having tense family relationships.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.