We’ve all heard the advice of the Baby Boomers and how things were way back when. But millennials seem to be doing things differently, through choice or not – ignoring these tips from the older generation.
1. “Buy a House as Soon as You Can”
“Buy a House as Soon as You Can”: Boomers often tout home ownership as a cornerstone of financial success. However, millennials struggling with unprecedented student debt and inflated real estate markets find this advice out of touch.
The dream of owning a home feels like a relic from a bygone era, leading many millennials to delay or even reject the idea of buying property.
2. “Just Walk Into the Office and Ask for a Job”
“Just Walk Into the Office and Ask for a Job”: This boomer advice stems from a time when job markets were less saturated and personal networking often led to employment. Millennials, living in the digital age, find this approach unrealistic.
With online applications and automated HR systems, the idea of landing a job through sheer gumption seems quaint, if not entirely impractical.
3. “Why Rent When You Could Own?”
“Why Rent When You Could Own?”: The boomer generation often views renting as financially imprudent. However, millennials face a different economic reality, where the flexibility of renting is often more viable than the hefty commitment of a mortgage, especially in urban areas with high living costs.
4. “Stick With One Company and Climb the Ladder”
“Stick With One Company and Climb the Ladder”: Boomers often advocate for long-term commitment to a single employer as a path to career advancement. Millennials, however, face a rapidly evolving job market where such loyalty often doesn’t pay off. They tend to prefer job-hopping as a strategy for salary increase and career growth.
5. “Save Every Penny, and You’ll Retire Comfortably”
“Save Every Penny, and You’ll Retire Comfortably”: Traditional boomer advice promotes rigorous saving for a comfortable retirement. Yet, for many millennials, low wages and high living costs make this advice seem overly optimistic, if not entirely unfeasible.
6. “Avoid Credit Cards at All Costs”
“Avoid Credit Cards at All Costs”: Boomers often warn against the dangers of credit card debt. While sound in principle, this advice overlooks the importance of building a credit history, which millennials recognize as crucial for their financial futures.
7. ”Education Is the Path to Success”
”Education Is the Path to Success”: Boomers encouraged pursuing higher education as a guaranteed route to a prosperous career. Millennials, however, often find that degrees don’t guarantee jobs, and the burden of student loans can outweigh the benefits.
8. “Invest in the Stock Market – It Always Goes Up”
“Invest in the Stock Market – It Always Goes Up”: Boomer confidence in the stock market doesn’t always resonate with millennials, who have witnessed significant economic downturns and are more cautious about investing in volatile markets.
9. “Don’t Discuss Your Salary With Coworkers”
“Don’t Discuss Your Salary With Coworkers”: Boomers often viewed salary discussions as taboo. Millennials, advocating for transparency and equality, are more open to sharing this information to ensure fair pay across the board.
10. “Buy That New Car – It’s a Status Symbol”
“Buy That New Car – It’s a Status Symbol”: Older generations saw car ownership as a status symbol. Millennials, more environmentally and financially conscious, often prefer public transport, shared mobility, or used cars.
11. “Get a Job, Any Job”
“Get a Job, Any Job”: The boomer ethos of taking any available job contrasts with the millennial desire for meaningful work that aligns with their values and life goals.
12. “Pay Your Dues and Wait Your Turn”
“Pay Your Dues and Wait Your Turn”: Patience and paying one’s dues was a boomer mantra. Millennials, in contrast, live in a fast-paced, instant-gratification world where waiting for opportunities doesn’t align with their career expectations.
13. “Hard Work Alone Leads to Success”
“Hard Work Alone Leads to Success”: While boomers emphasize hard work as the sole path to success, millennials recognize the importance of networking, personal branding, and work-life balance.
14. “You Need a Big House to Be Happy”
“You Need a Big House to Be Happy”: The boomer dream of a large suburban home doesn’t appeal to many millennials who value experiences over material possessions and prefer the convenience of urban living.
15. “Stay Loyal to Your Bank”
“Stay Loyal to Your Bank”: Boomers often stayed with one bank throughout their lives. Millennials, however, are more likely to shop around for banking services that offer better rates and digital convenience.
While boomer advice comes from a place of experience, millennials face a world transformed by technology, economic shifts, and different societal values, leading to a different financial playing field.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / fizkes.
For transparency, this content was partly developed with AI assistance and carefully curated by an experienced editor to be informative and ensure accuracy.