- Research shows that 70 percent of Gen Z men want to earn more as a partner
- But older men are less likely to hold this view, and most of those over 65 disagree.
According to new figures, seven in 10 Gen Z men think they should be the main financial provider in a relationship.
But only one in five women think men should play the role of providers.
Proving that age does not necessarily equate to conservatism, only 14 percent of men over 65 think they should be the breadwinners in a couple.
Despite being the youngest working generation, up to 58 percent of men aged 18 to 24 even said a man might feel emasculated if his partner earned more than them, and only 16 percent of women said the same, according to an investigation by Starling Bank Entertainment.
70 percent of men between 18 and 24 years old think that they should be the main breadwinner for their family.
Starling Bank family finance expert Rachel Kerrone said: “Our latest research reveals that Gen Z men feel under significant pressure to provide financially within their relationships, much more so than any other generation before them.”
‘However, young Gen Z women as a whole do not share these financial expectations from their male partners, which is reassuring.
“There’s a disconnect between the pressures men feel to provide and the reality of being able to do so at an age when they’re making their way and figuring things out in adulthood.”
In practice, since most Gen Z men do not earn a sufficient amount to support themselves and their partner, the opposite appears to be true: Gen Z couples are reportedly the group most likely to to divide the expenses of your relationship equally.
The majority (73 percent) of Gen Zers said they split their spending in half, while only half, or 53 percent, of all adults said the same.
However, according to research, it seems that Generation Z still needs to grow up believing that “couples that pay together, stay together,” and only 22 percent of 18- to 24-year-olds agree with this feeling.
On the other hand, 54 percent of those over 65 subscribe to this belief.
Overall, 92 percent of couples of all ages who share monetary burdens equally believe their relationship finances are fair, while only 80 percent of those who split costs based on income they feel the same.
While many Gen Z men feel pressured to be the primary provider, Starling Bank research indicates that for many expenses, women appear to be the primary payers within a relationship.
For Gen Z couples, women were found to spend the most on a weekly grocery and gas purchase, with 35 percent and 34 percent of women paying the majority of the cost, respectively, compared to only 26 percent of men.
About 37 percent of couples split their weekly shopping equally, while 30 percent split their gasoline.
Women were also shown to spend the most on birthday and Christmas gifts for friends and family, pet care, vacations, and daycare or school expenses.
Notably, 32 percent of women absorbed most of the cost of gifts and 31 percent paid for pet care, compared to 22 percent and 20 percent of men.
Young women are also seven times more likely to foot the bill when it comes to eating out with their partner, while only three percent of those aged 55 to 64 and four percent of those over 65 years they said the same thing.
According to the bank, the gap between Gen Z’s views on gender roles and money, as well as the reality of who pays, could actually be jeopardizing their relationships.
Half of 18- to 24-year-olds said they separated from their partner because they were unable to resolve unfair financial arrangements, compared to just 16 percent of all adults. Worryingly, almost seven in 10 young men avoid having financial conversations with their partners.
“Being more open and having transparent conversations about money can help create greater financial stability in a relationship,” Kerrone said.
‘Regular, honest and detailed discussions about spending and saving habits are important for overall financial well-being. They can help couples ensure their financial goals, concerns and priorities are aligned, while building mutual trust to manage finances sensibly.’