From Ownership to Access: A Cultural Shift?
1.What Success Meant to Previous Generations
If you ask most parents what success looks like, chances are they’ll talk about owning a house, having a car in the driveway, or owning gold as a safety net. These things symbolized stability, status, and security. But for Gen Z — those born roughly between the mid-1990s and early 2010s — the idea of success is being redefined. It’s no longer about owning as much as it is about accessing.
Everyday Access Over Ownership
Think about your daily life or that of any young adult today. When it comes to music, streaming services like Spotify or Apple Music have replaced buying CDs or even downloading MP3s. Movies and TV shows aren’t purchased or rented from a store anymore — they’re subscribed to, watched, and often binge-watched on platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Disney+. Even fashion has changed drastically; instead of buying every outfit, many prefer renting clothes for special occasions or rotating wardrobes through subscription services. Furniture? Companies like Furlenco offer monthly rentals, so you don’t have to commit to big purchases. And when it comes to gadgets like smartphones, it’s common to upgrade every year through easy EMI plans instead of buying outright.
Why Access Is More Than Convenience
On the surface, this might seem like a trend driven by convenience or tech-savviness, but there’s a deeper reason. The reality is that for many young people today, owning things outright is becoming a luxury rather than a given. Wages have barely kept up with inflation in many parts of the world, while costs for essentials like rent, healthcare, education, and even groceries keep climbing. In such a scenario, owning property or big-ticket items often feels out of reach — if not impossible.
The Changing Dream: From Owning to Renting
But what’s even more striking is the mindset shift accompanying this reality. Where previous generations dreamed of buying their own homes, settling down, and building equity, many in Gen Z aren’t sure if that’s even an option anymore. The dream isn’t about owning a house; it’s about simply being able to afford rent without constant stress or worry. Financial anxiety has become a defining feature of their lives.
What This Means for Culture and Economy
This shift has huge implications—not just economically but culturally. Access over ownership changes how people relate to material things, their sense of security, and their long-term goals. It also affects the markets, urban planning, and even social structures.
2. Cost of Living vs. Income: The Numbers Don’t Lie
Crunching the Reality of Monthly Expenses
Let’s get real and look at the numbers that define many young adults’ financial reality today. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in major metro cities in 2025 ranges between ₹25,000 and ₹40,000 per month. Sounds familiar? Now, compare that to the starting salary of fresh graduates in non-tech sectors, which typically falls between ₹18,000 and ₹28,000 per month.
Right off the bat, rent alone can easily swallow most, if not all, of a young person’s paycheck.
Everyday Expenses Add Up Faster Than You Think
But wait, that’s just rent. Add monthly EMIs for gadgets like a mid-range iPhone, which can easily be around ₹4,000 to ₹6,000. And if you’re a coffee lover, that daily ₹200 cup adds up to roughly ₹6,000 every month.
Throw in expenses like credit card bills, food delivery through Swiggy or Zomato, internet subscriptions, Netflix and other streaming services, weekend hangouts, skincare products, and the occasional getaway, and suddenly the budget looks even tighter.
Where’s the Room to Save—or Invest?
With all these expenses piling up, the question becomes: where’s the room to save? And forget investing for the future—that often feels like a luxury that’s out of reach. For many young people, the math is brutally clear: income barely covers essential and lifestyle expenses, leaving little to nothing left for building assets or financial security.
The Consequences: Debt and Anxiety
The result? A generation grappling with debt, living paycheck to paycheck, and carrying a heavy load of financial anxiety. Without the ability to save or invest, owning assets like a home or even a car remains a distant dream. Instead, the focus shifts to managing monthly bills, hoping for financial breathing space, and trying to avoid further debt.
3. The Pressure to Perform Wealth — Thanks to Social Media
Social Media: The New Showcase of Success
In today’s world, social media has become the ultimate showroom for success. It’s where people showcase their lives, and for Gen Z, they are both the audience and the performers. Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube feeds overflow with images and videos of seemingly perfect lives — making it hard to ignore the pressure to keep up.
A Constant Stream of “Perfect” Lives
Scrolling through social media, you’ll see friends jetting off to Bali or Dubai, influencers sharing their latest ₹20,000 skincare hauls, peers posing with shiny new cars they didn’t necessarily buy outright, and colleagues flaunting the newest gadgets before anyone else.
This isn’t just about showing off — it sets a standard, a baseline for what success looks like. For many young people, these images create a sense of urgency and expectation that’s hard to shake.
The Desire to Belong Over Ego
What’s important to understand is that this pressure isn’t always driven by ego or vanity. More often, it’s about the deep, human need to belong — to feel accepted and valued among peers. The fear of missing out (FOMO) has evolved from being just an emotional feeling to a financial one. The worry that you’re “falling behind” can lead to real economic stress.
When Keeping Up Means Going Broke
So what do many do in response? They fake it. They finance it. They spend beyond their means to maintain a lifestyle that matches what they see online. Credit cards, loans, EMIs — anything to keep up appearances. The result is a cycle of debt, stress, and financial instability, all to look rich in a world where image sometimes feels more important than reality.
4. Financial Literacy? What’s That?
Highly Educated, But Financially Clueless
Here’s the irony: Gen Z is arguably the most educated generation in history. They have access to more information and knowledge than ever before. But when it comes to financial literacy — the basics of managing money — many are surprisingly underprepared.
Most schools and colleges still don’t cover essential money skills like:
- How credit cards actually work
- The power (and danger) of compound interest
- What a CIBIL score is and why it matters
- How to budget, save, or invest wisely
- Why EMIs (Equated Monthly Installments) can quietly sabotage your financial future
Learning the Hard Way
Because formal education misses these lessons, many young people learn about money the hard way — through trial, error, and sometimes costly mistakes. YouTube tutorials, Instagram reels, and TikTok videos become their crash course, but often only after they’ve already fallen into financial traps.
The EMI Trap: Paying More Than You Bargained For
Take the EMI trap, for example. It’s tempting to buy that ₹10,000 gadget or those trendy sneakers on a 6-month installment plan. It feels affordable — just a few payments a month. But what many don’t realize is that these little monthly sums add up, eating into their future savings and peace of mind. What seems like a small, manageable cost can quietly turn into long-term financial stress.
5. The Great Indian Homeownership Crisis
Homeownership: A Dream Slipping Away
Let’s be blunt: buying a home in urban India today feels almost impossible for most Gen Z workers. Cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru have become some of the most expensive places to live, making homeownership a distant dream rather than a realistic goal.
The High Cost of Urban Living
Consider this:
- A decent 2BHK flat in these metros costs ₹1 crore or more.
- The down payment alone? At least ₹20–25 lakh.
- And the loan EMIs? ₹50,000 to ₹70,000 per month, stretched over 20 years.
Now, compare this with the average salary of a young professional making ₹40,000 a month. Even if they have a co-applicant or hustle on the side, these numbers rarely add up to a manageable plan for owning a home.
Renting: The Only (Expensive) Option
With buying off the table, many young people have no choice but to rent — often indefinitely. But renting isn’t cheap either. In fact, rent can gobble up half of their monthly salary, leaving little room for savings or investments.
The Sting of Generational Inequality
Meanwhile, their parents often bought homes in their 30s with the help of a stable government job or a single steady income. The gap between generations is stark — and it’s more than just numbers. It’s a real source of frustration, stress, and a constant reminder of the growing inequal
6. Hustle Culture, Burnout & “Fake It Till You Break”
The Side Hustle Generation
Gen Z has earned the title of the “side hustle generation” — juggling a 9-to-5 job alongside weekend freelance gigs, content creation on YouTube or Instagram, and sometimes even multiple part-time roles. On paper, this should add up to extra income and financial freedom. But the reality? Many are running on empty.
The Expectation vs. Reality
The narrative they’re sold is simple: work hard enough, and the money will follow. But for a generation already struggling with stagnant wages and high living costs, working harder often means working longer — and burning out faster.
Stress Over Wealth
Instead of building assets or savings, what many accumulate is stress, exhaustion, and constant pressure to perform — both offline and online. The hustle never really stops, and with social media amplifying the need to “look successful,” many feel trapped in a cycle of doing more but getting less.
No Assets, No Savings — Just Anxiety and Reels
While they grind through endless to-dos, the financial payoff remains elusive. No savings cushions, no investments, just mounting anxiety and the pressure to keep up appearances on social media. It’s the perfect storm of burnout and financial insecurity.
7. But There’s Hope: The Awakening Has Begun
Recognizing the Problem
Here’s the twist in the story: Gen Z isn’t blindly accepting the status quo. They know something’s broken in the way money works—or doesn’t work—for them, and they’re starting to push back. This awakening might be quiet, but it’s real and growing.
The Rise of Financial Influencers
Financial influencers like @CAwithCoffee and @finfluencer_diaries have exploded in popularity, making money talk accessible, relatable, and even fun. Through Instagram reels, YouTube videos, and tweets, these creators are breaking down complex topics like budgeting, investing, and credit scores in ways that resonate.
Tools Making Saving & Investing Easier
Apps like INDmoney, Zerodha, Jar, and CRED are simplifying the path to financial health. They help young people take small, manageable steps into saving and investing—demystifying the process and making it feel doable.
The Trend of “De-influencing”
Interestingly, a new movement called “de-influencing” is gaining traction, where creators actively urge their followers to resist viral spending trends and avoid wasting money on fleeting fads. This pushback against consumerism signals a shift in mindset.
Minimalism and Sustainable Choices on the Rise
Alongside this, minimalism, thrift fashion, and buying second-hand are becoming more popular. These choices not only save money but also align with values around sustainability and mindful living.
Seeds of Financial Wisdom Are Growing
It’s early days, but the seeds of financial wisdom are being planted among Gen Z. While the journey toward financial security won’t be easy or fast, this growing awareness and shift in habits offer real hope for a more stable future.
Final Thoughts: A Generation Redefining Wealth
Ownership — A New Definition
Gen Z might not own things in the traditional sense. But perhaps that’s not a failure — it could be a redefinition of what ownership really means. Instead of chasing property or material goods, this generation is beginning to value owning their time, their mental peace, and their freedom.
From Flex Culture to Freedom Culture
The flashy displays of wealth—the “flex culture”—are giving way to something deeper: a desire for genuine freedom. Freedom from debt, from burnout, and from the constant pressure to perform. This shift signals a cultural evolution in what it means to be successful.
Broke But Aware
Yes, many in Gen Z are financially stretched thin. They’re broke. But they’re also more aware than ever before. They’re adaptable, curious, and starting to ask the right questions about money, values, and what really matters.
The First Step Toward New Wealth
And maybe, just maybe, that’s the most important step. Redefining wealth not as just what you own, but as the quality of your life and the peace in your mind could shape a new financial future — one that’s less about possessions and more about purpose.
