Citi Survey Finds Young Women of “Me
Generation” Focused on Money Smarts, Not
Materialism
Women more confident about their finances than six months ago, but remain conservative
May 11, 2010 12:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time
NEW YORK--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--A new, nationwide survey released today by Citi, and conducted
by Hart Research Associates, finds the economic downturn has reoriented financial priorities for women, particularly
young women aged 18 to 39. The survey also found that while all women generally judge their financial situation to
be similar now to six months or a year ago, they are cautiously optimistic about the future. Women are saving more,
reducing their level of debt and beginning to feel more comfortable about their financial condition, compared to
September of 2009.
When compared with men, women in the survey are generally more conservative about their future spending.
Women (72%) are more likely than men (65%) to say that if they were to receive extra money, they would either
save it or use it to pay bills.
In a key measure of potential consumer demand, women also continue to be more conservative than men when it
comes to purchasing large items. Just 33 percent of women believe it is a good (27 percent) or excellent (6 percent)
time to make a large purchase, whereas 40 percent of men believe it is a good (29 percent) or excellent (11 percent)
time to do so.
“Me Generation” Focused On Debt and Savings, Not Materialism
According to the survey, young women in particular have focused their priorities on reducing their large levels of debt
and increasing the amount they save and invest. Nearly half of women (48 percent) aged 18 to 39 say they are
saving and investing more today than they were previously. Only 29 percent of women over 40 say they are saving
and investing more.
“For many young women, this is the first economic downturn they have lived through and really experienced the
stress and hardship that economic cycles can cause,” said Lisa Caputo, Ch