Gen Z is a generation that grew up seeing huge student loan numbers on social media and constant rent increases. It’s changed the way that they view money. Whenever they see someone showing off a certain kind of spending, it feels quite different for them. Here are 12 money flexes that this generation sees as out of touch. Which ones annoy you?
Luxury SUV lineups
Lots of Gen Zers dislike the image of four oversized SUVs lined up in one driveway. They’re used to their friends getting by with one shared car or relying on rideshare apps. For them, flexing a whole fleet is less of a brag and more of a leftover from the early 2000s car culture. They hate it.
Constant first-class flights
You’ll only get a negative reaction from young people when you post champagne pics from first-class seats every couple of weeks. Their travel patterns are more on the budgeted side, whether that’s with airlines or weekend trips. They may even simply choose to stay home. Gen Z believes that snapshots from the premium cabin are rather disconnected from how most people actually travel.
Endless ultra-luxury resort stays
That’s not all for vacations. Gen Z often believes it’s over the top to hop between five-star resorts every long weekend. Younger travelers would prefer sharing Airbnbs and road trips, as well as buying budget rooms to stretch their money further. They dislike seeing someone bounce between private villas and personal butlers. It doesn’t match how most of them plan vacations.
McMansion in the far suburbs
Younger people aren’t impressed by people showing off enormous houses way outside the city. They don’t care that these homes come with spare rooms nobody uses, as Gen Z prefers walkable areas and smaller spaces. Posting a picture of a mansion that’s an hour from anything? It’s simply impractical in a young person’s eyes.
Mentioning multiple vacation homes
There are quite a few people who love slipping in that they have a few extra places scattered around the country. They’ll mention having a lake spot they barely use or a condo they check on twice a year. Gen Z hates how casually people talk about it. As soon as they hear that, this generation gets annoyed by how much older people are bragging.
Talking about legacy country club memberships
You might hear someone brag about being part of a club their family’s been tied to for decades. They’ll talk about the dues and the restaurants. For them, it’s a symbol of belonging. But younger people honestly don’t care much about those traditions. The whole idea of always being members at a country club feels stuck in another era to them.
Showing stacks of branded luggage
Some people love lining up their matching luggage sets and posting a whole spread of them when they travel. The labels? They’re the focus, more than anything else, even though they might include a caption about “travel style” or something similar. However, Gen Z just needs something that rolls well. As long as it doesn’t break on the way to the gate, they’re happy.
Talking about expensive cleaning services as a lifestyle badge
Lots of rich people mention their cleaning team the same way other people mention coffee orders. They’ll talk through the schedule and the fee. They’ll brag about how they don’t lift a finger at home, as though it’s part of their personality. Yet younger renters and roommates can’t relate. They’re stuck doing chores themselves and trying to stretch money, so such bragging feels weird to them.
Flexing credit scores as personality content
Chances are, you’ve probably seen people flex their credit scores online. They’ll share their scores and turn it into a whole moment, zooming in on the number and hyping it as an accomplishment for everyone to admire. Gen Z rarely does that. Yes, they love having good credit, of course, but they think bragging about the score is excessive.
Showing off massive watch stacks on both wrists
Loading up your arms with expensive watches and posting about it is a common flex. Clearly, the goal is for someone to show how many pricey pieces they’ve collected. Gen Z usually scrolls past such posts as quickly as possible. The idea of wearing multiple luxury watches at once isn’t something they see as stylish. It’s simply loud.
Bragging about having a personal driver for short daily errands
A few people have a habit of dropping into conversation that they don’t drive anymore. It doesn’t matter that they’re going somewhere just down the road because they’ll brag about how good it feels to be chauffeured around for everyday stuff. It’s not practical. Gen Z simply can’t understand why anyone would want to flex about something like that.
Showing “proof” of bottle service receipts at clubs
A few people will share on social media the bill from their night out. The prices will be the total front and center, like they’re the highlight of the night, because the goal is to show off how much money they have. But younger people barely react to it. High club prices don’t impress them, and to them, it’s merely someone bragging about overspending in an overpriced place.
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