Saw a press release release this morning and almost spit out my coffee:
“2/3 of Millennials Don’t Want to Be Millionaires”
Come on! I call shenanigans… Have you ever met anyone who didn’t want to be a millionaire? Millennial or not? Of course I had to open up the email and investigate further (way to go PR team!).
Here was the actual findings of the survey it was referencing:
Two thirds (67%) said they would rather have a steady job with a modest income than become a millionaire with a chance of going broke within a few years.
Umm… that’s WAY different, haha… but still rather intriguing! This would mean that:
- People prefer steady income vs wealth – which is the whole point of income!!
- That there are such things as solid jobs and income… True to a degree, but very important to remember that anyone can be laid off at any time regardless!
- THAT PEOPLE WOULD BLOW THROUGH A MILLION DOLLARS IN THREE YEARS??!
I’d most certainly fall into the 1/3 that would take my chances at the million :) It’s not like you can’t go out and get a job within those years. Even if it is crappy/shaky/temporary. You have a million dollars in the bank!!! And I’m pretty sure if you found a way to get it you’re smart enough to keep it.
Surveys, hah.
It didn’t stop there though. Check out these other nuggets they dropped! All from a Capital One survey of 1,400 millennials, btw, which is a group I’m pretty sure I’m not a part of (born in 1979?) even though I feel like I am. I mean, look at all the gifs in this post! :)
Anyways, here the other findings along with my opinions that no one asked for…
More than half (58%) of Millennials say they would rather post a photo of their paycheck on Instagram than share their Google search history on Facebook (42%).
More than one in ten (13%) say being irresponsible with money is a deal breaker for them when it comes to romantic relationships, and even more (14%) say being a money moocher is a deal breaker.
Love trumps money for me, but it would still be a pain in the ass to deal with…
More than a quarter (27%) said that establishing a solid nest egg would give them the biggest feeling of accomplishment.
Agreed. Savings does wonders psychologically!!
When asked what they would do with a $100 cash holiday gift, 40% of Millennials said they would use the cash to increase their savings balance.
Nearly half (45%) of Millennials say they would use Facebook to access and manage their money – significantly more than any of the other leading social media platforms (Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat).
NO. WAY. IN. HELL. Not only does Facebook depress me every time I’m there, but integrating all that with finances and your social network?? Who are you, financial bloggers? (oh wait)
When asked what would be the first thing they would do if they found an issue with one of their financial accounts at 2 a.m., 43% said they would want to talk to a human being NOW – a response that was significantly higher than the other options.
Haha… that would be nice :) Though I don’t like the “need this right now” mentality happening to us as the internet explodes… Drones dropping off packages within 30 mins? Gag me.
Nearly a quarter (21%) say they would opt for a retina scan as a password option to access their financial accounts, and almost one in ten (8%) would choose a series of emojis or bitmojis.
Hahahahaha…. No to emojis, but yes to eye scans! That’s gotta be harder to hack, yes? (And no more password remembering!)
When asked to choose their top two financial goals, Millennials made it clear that “Not living paycheck to paycheck” is one of the most important to achieve with 55% choosing that as a top goal. In fact, the top five answer pairings all included “Not living paycheck to paycheck.” The top goal pairing, chosen by 17% of Millennials, included “Not living paycheck to paycheck” and “Managing debt (loans, credit cards, etc.).”
A great phase to get out of, no doubt. And one we all need to accomplish at some stage or another! Heck, I’ve been “paycheck to paycheck” myself a handful of months these last few years during self-employment, if you can believe that. But guess what? Having money stashed away helps keep you going! Remember that question about having a million dollars and less stable income???
Anyways, just a few fun things to think about on this beautiful December morning…
I hope Capital One isn’t mad at me for this. While I’m not their #1 fan, I am a 3rd or 4th one as I do happen to use them for all my business needs actually (checking + savings (for taxes)). And I do owe them one for finally raising my phone depositing limit from $5,000/mo to $100,000 – though I’d be in much higher spirits if I had $100 Gs to deposit! :) Still, I’m waiting for USAA or Simple or any other killer financial institutions out there to hurry up and get into the biz checking game already… Their super fans would kill for that!
Oh well, back to dreaming about my millions again… like the millennial I am not.
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I don’t want/need to be a millionaire. The way that the question was phrased though, I would want the money! I’m trying to get out of the steady paycheck job by saving a ton! :-D
I love how “millennial” is some super young hip group and then you and I are in it too (at least I think you are). We have kids and probably go to bed way earlier than the average millennial.
My friends are trying to make NYE plans and once they said that they can either go to the expensive hotel or casino, or maybe have a nice quiet night OUT AT THE BARS, we politely let them know that they are dumbasses. LOL Seriously though, we’d rather a nice night at home anyways.
It’s nice to know that there are a good amount of people who want flexibility over a huge retirement account.
You make it sound like they’re mutually exclusive. There are many paths to wealth. :)
I am told that now that I rock a beard I qualify as “hipster” which also qualifies for “millennial” so I need to update this post now ;)
It also qualifies you as Duck Dynastic, for whatever that’s worth. :)
Am I still a millenial if I’m giving a dinner party and inviting my darling’s and my parents over and feeling excited that I don’t need to go through the trauma of a night out on NYE till 7am to perhaps score?
Yes, I’m getting old. I scroll ever so much to find my date of birth when filling an online form!
Cheers
MrRicket
Ok, so I have a lot of thoughts about this. I don’t think I quite qualify as a millennial (I can never figure out what the cutoff is), but I think the statement “I don’t want to be a millionaire” could have a couple of types of reasoning behind it. The first is the one that’s in the phrasing of the question, which you pointed out — that if forced to choose between financial security and millions, it may seem logical to choose financial security.
But in addition to that, I think for a lot of people there’s also a more complicated reason. I remember being in college and making a conscious decision NOT to pursue a lucrative career path because at the time I felt (at least subconsciously) that making money and having a meaningful life were somehow mutually exclusive — that having money was by definition a form of selfishness. I remember feeling superior to my classmates who were majoring in corporate finance or software engineering, thinking, ha, these people are just out to make money; I’m better than that. (As though majoring in English would automatically put me in the “good person” camp, haha.) If this question had been posed to me when I was 21 or 24 or even 27, I would have smugly answered that I would never want to be a millionaire.
I don’t feel this way anymore, but I’m just pointing it out because I think it could be a factor for other people too, especially young people (aka millennials).
I did the same! Chose a vague ‘Peace Corps’ path over those soulless Business school drones… Then 10 years of (mostly fulfilling) work experience later realized how much I needed those business lessons, and got an MBA. Take that, smug 19 year old me!
Interesting!! I def. would have chosen being a millionaire but had no idea how to ever save more than $50 so I might as well have kept playing the lottery the whole time…. which I did, but PS: I never hit the jackpot.
I missed the millennial generation by a few years. It’s shocking to see how little the ones associated with Capital One know about the power of $1 MILLION! I nearly fell off my chair (I’m not drinking coffee this morning) when I read that. I wonder if they’d take the $5 over a doubling penny each day for a month, too. Hmmmm. Now that should be the next survey! Thank goodness for financial blogs like this one, making more and more people aware of the power of a buck. Hopefully a few millennials are reading it.
Rock on!
Mrs. Mad Money Monster
I would definitely opt for the million in the bank. But that is coming from someone who has studied about money a lot more than the average millennial. Right now, at 28, I feel pretty confident that I could make a million last me the rest of my life without having to seek additional employment. Just think what you would be able to pursue with 70 years of being unburdened by seeking income.
I can’t even fathom that!! But I’d be willing to put it in practice! :)
A million dollars or a steady job? I’ll take my chances with the million. I think I can manage it okay. I wonder if those surveyed just don’t feel confident in their money skills and opted for the steady income. I agree steady ain’t so steady these days.
Kind of funny this post, i logged onto my online banking about 45 minutes ago and there is a $270 charge that isn’t mine. It was 4:45am at home and the first thing i did was called a person. “For automated banking press 1, to speak to a representative press 0”
00000000000000
Hahahhahaa….
I’ll accept you as a Millennial if you really want in J$, you just have fully commit to the entitlement and obscene trust in technology. Fun fact: gym companies are having to redesign their locker rooms because Millennials pass on gyms without individual showers. We deserve our own.
I have always read that Millennial’s are from 1982 onwards, ie reach adulthood in the new millenium. As such, being born in 1982 I just sneak in. However, being on the cusp on the generation I have avoided the full whack of financial misery that has hit millennials. I also think some people (baby boomers often) can be really rude about Millenials without understanding the situation they are in.
After that mini-moan I would agree that the question is worded badly. Take out the ‘millionaire’ bit and they are asking; ‘would you rather have consistancy and security or take a gamble?’ Given the lack of opportunities for many millennials, a consistant secure job is a much safer bet. If the question didn’t mention the chance of losing the million (is it tied up in some sort of portfolio?) and asked ‘would you prefer a steady job for the rest of your life or a million dollars cash’ I am certain the answer would be very different.
Re open shower stalls, I thought you were crazy and pulling the ‘these whippersnappers are so entitled, in my day… Snow.. Glass barefoot… etc’ card.
I have had gym memberships at 10+ gyms in 20 years, and they always had individual showers – not fancy, but individual. The only time I had to shower prison-style, a bunch of uncomfortably naked strangers in a big room with multiple shower heads, was in college sports locker rooms, and some of us refused to shower at all there.
BUT I mentioned it to my male partner, and he said that my experience is about being a woman – men have communal prison showers all the time. That’s fascinating and weird!
I’m amused by the assumption that if you acquired a million dollars you would lose it in a few years! Who are they surveying, NBA players???? And I’m also born in 1979 and have often wondered if I’m technically a millennial or not, since a lot of sources define it as being born in 1980 or later. Guess the answer is no ;-)
I missed 1980 by 5 days so I’m really borderline!
Hey J, you might consider using a fake birthday in your posts, for identity theft reasons. I have the same fake bday I use for everyone – including Facebook, mobiles phone co – except banks, insurance, and work. Why give data phishers any help stealing your ID?
How do you know I’m not already using one? ;)
I’m a millennial; and have to argue for the steady income offer. It would depend on how high the income is I suppose. Maybe I can get to a million net worth on my own like you J$ if I were making some serious bank…. besides if I could sit around all day with a million dollar savings account I would still want to get out there and work somehow.
I fully believe *anyone* can reach a million dollar net worth if they a) care enough b) put in the time (to let compounding do its magic!) and c) aren’t getting hit by huge health or other problems that railroad you. Just a handful of years ago I was making jack squat and had no idea about my future path or wealth. And then I started paying attention :)
You are such a millennial with all those GIFs. Take my card. As someone who prefers spreadsheets and hand-written lists, I don’t deserve it :)
What is most interesting to me about these surveys is how different my own experiences with other millennials have been. I’d say we look pretty decent here but… Regardless of my experiences, numbers are funny. More than one in ten day sounds pretty good when it comes to finance and relationships. But when I flip it around and see that 87% don’t care about their partners being responsible with their money, I’m a little underwhelmed with the standards of my generation.
Interesting survey, and your commentary on it is hilarious. I bet 2/3 of millenials don’t understand what it takes to get to a million dollars, and that it is actually possible with time and consistency–you don’t have to get rich quick or do something crazy.
Gotta love sensationalist, click-baity headlines…
I will admit, the thought of using Facebook for banking is terrifying..
I feel sad, reading these responses. I had a rough 2 years out of college – the economy was down, and witb my shiny certified super-smart-girl credentials, I still couldn’t get a job. Waiting tables and temping ensued, and I was poor! Then things started happening, and it’s been on a roll since (with ups and downs).
In contrast, the millenials have, many of them, spent years stuck in that waiter-temp spot, screwed by blithe assurances that $100k education debt would pay off and jobs would unroll in front of them. These responses reflect a whole slew of hard won experience and life kicking in teeth. Poor kids.
That said, a lot of them got a ton of great experience and wisdom around money. They kind of sound a bit like mini Depression era grandparents (modulated for lesser severity). Frugal and practical. I admire that!
Totally agree. Many of my sisters peers finished uni, having worked hard for a degree and accrued unexpected debt (in the UK tertiary education was free with government grants/loans for living expenses then suddenly starting coating hufe amouts of money) looked around and saw there were no jobs. Having been told this was a minor economic blip and education was the key many stayed on to do postgraduate degrees… they are now super qualified admin/temp workers. My sister decided not to do a masters and instead got a vocational nursery nurse qualifation and through that got employent. Not her 1st class hons degree!
You’re outside of millennial. It starts at 1982. I’m 1981 and I’ve seen Gen X and Millennial for my year. I don’t really care what I am.
They didn’t ask the right question. What the heck is a million anymore? People win a million on a scratch off. A million is pocket change. The correct question is, “Do you want to be a billionaire?”.
“Nearly half (45%) of Millennials say they would use Facebook …”
The way facebook has a tendency to poke its unwelcomed nose into things, I wouldn’t want it knowing my bank account. God only knows how it would use that info to target you. You see stories now of people breaking into houses due to people’s postings. If your account information gets, you may have more trouble than you bargained for.
As a person that has a history of retinal tears and detachment at an early age (22), I have to wonder how the retinal scan would work. If you have retinal issues, you’re probably going to have laser surgery or some type of other surgery, which will alter your retina. Although, I guess it would be a way to detect problems. If you scan your retina and can’t access whatever, get to the eye doctor pronto.
I’m 1981 too. Does that explain my feeling of always being in-between these generation groups? I for sure don’t feel like a millennial but also no way a gen-x. haha
Check this out: http://time.com/4130679/millennials-mtv-generation/
Apparently after millennials, we now have the founder generation. Marketing is already hot on the trail.
We could dub ourselves ‘tweeners (the inbetweeners) or twix (for betwixt).
I have to argue that a million dollars is still A MILLION DOLLARS.
sure it doesn’t get you *as* much but how long have we all been saving our money for? And do any of us have a million dollars yet? that $hit is hard to come by… and lots of frugal rockstars can retire off that (not myself at the rate my kids eat through my wallet – hah – but one day! :))
I’d want to know the tax rate – 45% off the top for federal/state/city tax for lottery winnings – in which case we’re talking about a $0.5M nest egg very like what you already have, J… Without the steady income to keep building on it. Hmm, makes me more dubious.
If you mean $1M after taxes (which is not generally how people talk about money), then that’s a different proposition.
I would use Facebook for some financial stuff if they figured out a useful value proposition (like a free way to transfer money among friends), but I wouldn’t bank with Facebook unless I could get a steep discount on life insurance for not being an idiot (as incdicated by my facebook feed).
I’m a millennial and I would take the million no freaking question. I have $150K of student debt with my husband (huge back story too large for a comment) and we bring home 72K after taxes. We put almost 20 grand to debt every year and it still feels like it will be forever before we get out from under this stupid load. But now that we know how to live on 50K with two kids (who are soon going to be out of daycare and into school – yay fewer bills!) and two dogs I’d take the million with the chance of losing it – because holy moly we sure can live beneath our means.
Hell yeah!!! You’re doing INCREDIBLE paying off $20 Gs each year – wow! As a fellow parent of two kids I’m constantly trying to get our expenses lower like that. Consider me impressed.
Haha surveys are funny man. They just hit you with these titles to get you to click. Good luck nice Gifs.
Those are really interesting answers. I have to wonder how the questions were phrased in the survey. Did the question specify that you’d blow through the money? Was the question about accessing financials via Facebook only comparing to other social media?
Very interesting, but I wonder how to best measure aspiration vs reality. I highly doubt anyone would tell you they want to live paycheck-to-paycheck but are they actually motivated to take actions to make that happen?
Exactly.
Lots of people talk and dream (and then complain about their situation) when taking a simple step each day could do miracles for them. Not everyone as we all have our problems and some are bigger than others, but most people.
If I were a newly minted broke ass Millennial, I’d take the million with the caveat that I might lose it all. And then do everything I could to NOT lose it all. :)
Steady jobs are overrated when it comes to stability as things change (work environment, you, pay, the economy, better opportunities elsewhere, etc). Better to view a steady job as just another 1099 position and understand that you can leave whenever you want just as easily as your employer can ditch you on a whim. The stereotypes say that Millennials exceed at understanding this, so if that’s true, then they are ahead of their older cohorts.
Love doesn’t trump poor money management for me – not much of a romantic I guess ;)
If your current bf (fiance? can’t remember) told you he was hiding a pile of debt right now would you break up with him? Not the best question to ask I guess cuz of the secrecy part which can def. be a deal breaker, but let’s pretend it isn’t a secret but you’re all of a sudden finding out for some strange reason :) Your love for him wouldn’t keep you two together?
Haha I definitely would not want to post my search history. People would definitely think I’m weird….
Millenials are born in 1980-2000.
I’m a Millenial and I never realized it…
New learnings:P Well I’m on my way to becoming a millionaire!!! If I was offered a million dollars now I would def take it! pay off my house, take a nice vacation and then keep working:P Haha but there would be a lot less pressure!
As a millennial myself, I can speak for everyone when I say millennials are weird. Flat out. We’re just weird.
FINALLY!
I guess I’m a millennial, I thought it would be ppl born after 1990’s. I’d totally take the million dollar if I were offered. I think “instant millionaires” have received bad vibes, especially considering how many lottery winners end up bankrupt or pre-lottery-winning life.
Use Facebook to access and manage their money? WTF are they smoking? Give me some of that lol. Integrating social network with finances is just a bad idea IMO.
Retina scan for password option? Sign me up! This would save a lot of troubles from needing to remember all the different passwords. Best if they can allow couples to use their own retina scans to log in to the shared accounts. I have Nexus card and retina scan is how you can back into Canada. That thing is amazing!
To be completely honest, everytime that I read about millenials in debt it makes me feel a little better about our financial situation. We aren’t the only ones who made money mistakes. Then, I consider how we’re doing something about it and that gives me motivation to work even harder.
PS – New side hustle idea: pool cleaner for Beyonce.
Sign me up :)
As a millennial I can kind of agree with the not wanting to be a millionaire, I live a very very simple life some would call boroing that would only require around 800k getting 4% interest to pay for my lifestyle so yea I need close to a million I might as well get the extra 200k
Born in 1981, I guess I missed that boat.
Thirty four year old me would definitely take the one million dollars since I believe I’m past the point of being overly stupid with it. That said, I know I’d have to learn how to deal with envy from those around me.
I totally would not ever use biometrics (retina scans) as the only method of accessing my financial accounts – biometrics by themselves are horribly insecure and very easy to fake. The technology just isn’t there for using it as a single factor of authentication. Microsoft has a great article on why: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc512578.aspx
I think I am in the 1/3 as well. LOL
Eww, eye recognition for your bank accounts? Can’t people remember all these gross Sci-fi movies where prisoners would just tear the prison guard’s eyes apart to pass the authentication step?
Haha… there is that, yes.
Clearly, 2/3 of Millennials don’t know much about finance. A million dollar beat a steady paycheck any day of the week. Well, I guess it depends on what you mean by “steady.”
You can continue to work when you’re a millionaire like most people do. Put that million to work and you won’t have to work as hard or as long. It’s simple math.
As a millennial, this sounds crazy to me! Who wouldn’t want to be a millionaire. And I’d for sure take the $1,000,000 instead of a steady job. Even those with no financial literacy could research what to do with that money, since they’d have all those free hours from work.
PS I thought of Regis on Who Wants to be a Millionaire when I first starting reading this post.
I wonder what that guy is up to now?
I’ll take the million any day. If you know how to handle money and you have a million bucks there’s no chance of going broke, save freak accidents.
Oh no, I am a millennial and I do want to be a millionaire. That is why I am trying my best to earn money as much as I can, J Money. There are just many ways to be a millionaire. All it takes are dedication and hard work, J Money.
Screw the money! Haha.
I actually believe it, bc they’ve got a lot of money coming their way in the form of inheritance!
You must have great faith in their parents!
I’m a millennial who doesn’t care to be a millionaire. When I first told my dad that extreme wealth was not a high priority he told me that I was crazy. I have a well paying job with a national financing institution and am pretty happy gradually moving up from where I am now, which is inevitable in my line of work.
Sounds like you do a good job of appreciating what you have :) Though I wouldn’t say being a millionaire is “extreme wealth.” Most people will need that to be able to retire semi-comfortably later. It’s one thing to work because you enjoy it, and another because you’re forced to when you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s :(
With the question is posed the way it is, the responses make sense. If you can truly only have ONE of the following – a steady job with modest income OR a risky portfolio of a million bucks that could disappear within three years – risk-averse Millennials more often choose the first option. I can understand why; in once case at least you have an income no matter what!
They are also less likely to invest in stocks or exhibit other risk-averse behaviors due probably to the two major recessions they have witnessed so far in their adult lives (the tech bust and the Great Recession). But if the question was simply: “Would you rather have a job or a million dollars?” the responses may have been different.
I guess… Seems like it would be good to understand that you can have investments that are much safer than others even IN the stock market too. Like with mutual funds/index funds/etc. I think that scares a lot of younger people as they focus on all the bad that can come w/ investing vs all the good long term :(