Money is really stressing out New York’s millennials
I’ll lose my job. I won’t be able to pay my bills, and I’ll lose my apartment in the city.
Those are some of the fears that haunt many young New Yorkers.
Finances have become a stressful concern for many millennials, but those here are more spooked about money than their counterparts in other big American cities, according to a recent report.
“They’re concerned about the cost of living and worried that their income isn’t rising quickly enough,” said Bank of America’s Jeff Barker. The bank’s fall 2015 Bank of America/USA Today Money Habits Millennial Report found that issues “such as student debt and high rental costs are affecting their ability to save,” said Barker, BofA’s New York state president, “and many are concerned they won’t be able to save enough to start a family or buy a house.”
“More than half (51 percent) of New York millennials feel chronically stressed about money, versus 41 percent nationally,” the recently survey found.
About a third of young New Yorkers worry about having enough money to last the week. That is about 10 percent more than in other big American cities, according to the study.
Seventy-eight percent of New York respondents said the cost of living here is their prime concern. That’s 17 percent higher than the national rate.
And what other costs of being in the city are making these young people prematurely gray?
A total of 75 percent of New York millennials are worried about keeping a roof over their heads, compared with 61 percent of millennials nationwide.
Other prominent concerns of New York millennials, the survey found, are high taxes, managing debt and finding ways to save for the future.
Charles Hughes, a Long Island adviser, said millennials should draw up a plan and analyze cash flow to determine monthly debt vs. monthly income. He said many young people suddenly realize they’re headed for a lot of red ink.
“In some cases, it makes sense to use a credit counseling agency, but be sure it is a nonprofit group unaffiliated with the credit card companies,” he said.
Sometimes, it makes sense to transfer all consumer debt to a zero percent card, then pay it off, Hughes added.
Taking these steps — along with starting to make contributions to a matching retirement plan at work — can give “young people a sense of control over their financial lives,” Hughes said.
Millennials should concentrate on things they can control, such as educating themselves about money, Barker said.