In today’s world, where therapy can cost more than a car payment, financial anxiety is becoming the lens through which an entire generation views their future.

​​Alinea surveyed nearly 2,000 Gen Z and Millennial respondents to understand how money shapes their daily decisions. From avoiding romantic relationships to compromising mental health for financial stability, the results are clear: financial stress has become the reality of modern adulthood.

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• 83% of young adults feel financially unprepared for major life milestones.
• Nearly half skip dates to save money.
• Three out of four have sacrificed mental health for financial stability.
• Half turn to social media for financial advice.

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Love Costs Extra Now

Dating in the Age of Financial Anxiety

For today’s young adults, their wallets have begun to determine their love lives.

Over half of young adults experience anxiety about dating costs.

And even worse: almost half have actually avoided dates because of financial concerns.

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That's about half of young adults letting their bank balances dictate their romantic life. In an era where dinner for two can cost the same as a week of groceries, the economics of dating have become impossible to ignore. Financial compatibility has evolved to include more than just long-term goals…now, it even matters whether you can afford the first date.

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This aligns with broader trends: The Motley Fool's 2024 Financial Stress Survey found that 62% of Gen Z report feeling stressed about money more than three days a week. When daily financial anxiety meets the already nerve-wracking world of dating, it becomes far easier to avoid romance entirely.

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Major Life Milestones Feel Out of Reach
Young Adults Face an Uncertain Future

The traditional markers of adulthood - buying a home, getting married, starting a family - used to feel like inevitable steps. Now they feel like rare achievements.

When we asked about readiness for these significant life events, the responses were sobering:

• 57% feel "Not at all prepared" for major milestones
• 26% feel "Not really prepared"
• Only 17% feel somewhat prepared

Combined: 83% of Gen Zs and millennials feel financially unprepared for the life they were told to expect.

Young adults are grieving the timelines they once expected to follow, and figuring out how to create new ones that may be difficult to accept. In the short-term, that might mean living with roommates longer than planned. In the long-term it could mean delaying milestones like parenthood or retirement.

Recent findings from Intuit echo this sentiment, showing roughly three-quarters of Gen Z Americans say today's economy makes them hesitant to set up long-term financial goals. Two-thirds believe they might never have enough money to retire. They fear being priced out of the American Dream.

Social Media is the New Financial Advisor
When Money Advice Meets the Algorithm

Half of young adults now turn to social media as their primary source of financial advice.

The same algorithm that knows your coffee order is shaping your investment strategy. Traditional finance is less than inclusive: it speaks a language most young adults don't understand, demands minimums they can't meet, and operates on assumptions about stability that no longer exist.

The American Psychological Association reports that over 80% of 18 to 34-year-olds cite money as a significant stressor. When money stress creeps in at 2 AM, they don't call a financial advisor. They open TikTok.

While social media democratizes financial information, it also creates a wild west of unregulated, unverified information. The barrier to entry for financial advice has never been lower, but the risk has never been higher. Alinea offers a solution by providing an AI-powered platform designed specifically for first-time investors who want to learn in a quick, straightforward way.

Mental Health: The Ultimate Trade-Off
The Real Price of Financial Stress

About 75% of young adults have compromised their mental health for financial gain.

“Hustle culture” is driving a mental health crisis. Three-quarters of young adults are sacrificing their well-being in order to meet financial pressures and fund their lifestyles.

Research from Bread Financial found that 42% of respondents reported experiencing financially-related panic or anxiety attacks, with Millennials (49%) and Gen Z (48%) particularly affected. Meanwhile, Deloitte's 2024 survey found that only about half of young adults rate their mental health as good or extremely good.

Working through illness is a necessity for many, as is sacrificing sleep, and across industries, people accept burnout as the cost of basic stability. Hard work is admirable, but there are ways to work smarter while working harder. Alinea is the first AI wealth manager designed for people who might think a “portfolio” is intimidating, who want to invest but don’t know where to start, and believe financial freedom should be accessible to anyone.

The Big Picture
A Generation Under Unprecedented Pressure

These findings are part of a larger story about what happens when economic reality collides with human needs:

• More than half of Gen Z/millennials live paycheck to paycheck (Deloitte)
• 47% of Gen Z report ongoing, difficult-to-control anxiety (EY)
• 53% of Gen Z have a side hustle just to cover basic expenses (Bankrate)

Despite entering what economists call one of the strongest job markets in history, young adults have less stability and lower purchasing power. Information is more accessible than ever, but this population has never had less clarity about the future.

Taking Control
Your Path to Financial Empowerment with Alinea

The data paints a challenging picture, but young adults are resilient and ready for change. Financial anxiety doesn’t have to be the new normal. Alinea offers a clear path forward, empowering you to rewrite your financial narrative and take back control of your life.

• It's Not as Hard as You Think: Forget intimidating jargon and high minimums. Alinea is designed for first-time investors, with an intuitive, AI-powered platform that makes learning and investing accessible.
• Start Where You Are: You don't need a trust fund or thousands of dollars to begin. Alinea helps you start building financial literacy and security today, no matter your current situation.
• A Movement, Not Just an App: Join over a million users who are proving that investing isn't just for the privileged few. Alinea is building a community where financial freedom is within reach for everyone.

It's time to move from anxiety to action. Discover how Alinea can help you take control of your life and create your next financial chapter, one investment at a time.

About This Report

Alinea surveyed 1,987 Gen Z and Millennial respondents to better understand how young adults think and feel about money today from financial anxiety to investing habits. With over 1.5 million downloads, Alinea is helping a new generation navigate money with confidence by meeting them where they are in their investing journey.

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