6 Things Boomers Buy That Gen Z Doesn’t — Are They A Waste of Money?
Written by
Brooke Barley
Edited by
Angela Corry
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There is obviously a difference between what baby boomers and Gen Z are going to spend money on. With boomers being the more senior generation, are the items they’re buying because of years of accrued wisdom, or has Gen Z figured out what items are necessary to thrive in today’s times?
Read on to see what experts had to say on whether boomers or Gen Z are doing it right.
Physical Data Storage
Members of Gen Z are likely not throwing on a DVD or relying on a floppy disk for their files, but that’s not the case for boomers.
“Boomers often buy DVDs, Blu-rays, or even physical hard drives to store media,” Seth Geftic, vice president of product marketing at Huntress Labs, explained. “Gen Z, on the other hand, is fully on board with cloud storage and streaming services, which are more convenient and accessible.”
Geftic added that cloud storage is probably going to replace physical storage altogether.
“With so many different cloud options, such as Google, Apple, AWS and so on, physical storage is becoming a rare choice.”
Business Suits
Work from culture and an overall more casual vibe in the workplace means Gen Z is just not spending money on expensive suits to wear day in and day out. However, some Boomers might be holding on to this symbol of professionalism.
“For boomers, a classic suit is a must-have for professional settings, reflecting traditional work attire,” Geftic explained.
Geftic doesn’t think suits are necessarily a waste of money, but that they might not match today’s work lifestyle.
“Gen Z leans toward casual, even in business, opting for remote-friendly, comfortable wear over high-cost suits. They don’t necessarily miss out on professionalism, but they’re adapting to a new work culture,” she shared.
Cable TV Packages
Streaming has overtaken cable as the way Gen Z watches TV. Andy Bissonette senior director of marketing at Liquid Web, explained that this is probably the smarter method in the long run.
“Boomers tend to stay with a monthly cable subscription of around $50 to $150, while Gen Z is going with much cheaper streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. This translates into unnecessary cable expenses.”
Home Phone Plans
A Gen Z household is not going to have a landline, which is going to save them a lot of money.
“Gen Z doesn’t use landlines, only mobile phones, and considers landlines useless and an added expense,” Bissonette explained. “Boomers may have landlines but plans that run $20 – $50 per month.”
Melanie Musson, a finance expert with InsuranceProviders.com argued that there is only one instance where having a phone line would be beneficial.
“The only time it makes sense to have a home phone line is when you get a bundled package where you pay less for internet and cell phone service when you have a landline,” she said.
Formal Dinnerware
Bissonette remarked that boomers might have spent a lot of money on antique dishes or sophisticated tableware, but that’s just not a priority for Gen Z.
“Boomers will invest in a few sets of specialized tableware for specific events, whereas Gen Z wants easy, more flexible food options. That’s one reason this shift may not be as beneficial: investing in formal dinnerware may not be practical today.”
New Cars
“Boomers buy new cars,” Musson pointed out. “When you buy a new car, you absorb the most significant depreciation. Gen Z tends to look for used cars that have already experienced the majority of their depreciation.”
Musson explained that it’s not necessarily bad to buy a new car, so long as you drive it for a long time.
“It’s not always a waste of money to buy a new car, especially if you take care of it and keep it for 10 years, but if you buy a new car every three to five years, it’s more of a waste.”
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