Research into the financial lives of Generation Z Australians revealed their financial decisions do not happen in isolation. This gives a more nuanced view of how they think about and manage their money.

A report by the Monash Centre for Youth Policy and Education Practice (CYPEP) featured interviews with more than 500 Australians aged 18-24 over two years.

Researchers discovered that for young Australians, saving, experiencing financial difficulties, and going into debt do not happen in isolation but are, in fact, linked to family, work, housing, and well-being.

More specifically, job losses during the pandemic, the rapid rise of platforms such as cryptocurrency and “buy now, pay later” schemes and the lack of affordable housing changed the financial landscape for Gen Z Australians, but not in a good way.

The report revealed that more than 25.5% of those surveyed reported experiencing financial difficulties, while only 18.2% said they had never experienced financial difficulties.

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Gen Z and 'buy now, pay later' schemes

Over half of Gen Z Australians use “buy now, pay later” schemes. Around 50% thought that it hurt their financial behaviour. About 76% of those who experienced financial difficulties were more likely to use “buy now, pay later” schemes.

The study also found that young Australians who lived at home with their families could save money and were protected from experiencing financial difficulties. More than 51.6% of them saved money compared to 39.5% of those who lived in a share-house and 47.4% of those who lived on their own.

Gen Z Australians who lived independently experienced financial difficulties more often than 22.6% of young Australians who lived in their family home.

Being employed helped young Australians save money but did not always protect them from experiencing financial difficulties. This was evident in 18.4 % of participants working for salaries but faced economic challenges more often.

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Financial problems affecting well-being

The report also found that financial difficulties experienced by young Australians were highly linked to their well-being. About 37.9% of respondents who rated their mental health as very poor saved often, compared with 75.1% who rated their mental health as excellent. Only 13.3% of those who went through financial difficulties said they had excellent mental health.

Professor Lucas Welsh, one of the report’s co-authors, said the financial landscape of young Australians’ lives is important because it is deeply linked to other aspects.

“We need to ensure they have access to better understanding and education around finances and financial wellbeing,” Professor Welsh added.