Our spending age quiz compares your spending to averages among different generations.
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Editor's note: The following methodology text was generated using the AI tool from Vercel that powers this quiz, then reviewed and lightly edited by our team.The "What's Your Spending Age?" quiz compares a user's monthly household spending habits against generational averages from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Consumer Expenditure Survey. The quiz determines which generation's spending patterns most closely match the user's own, regardless of their actual birth year.Data SourceAll benchmark spending data comes from the 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, which tracks annual household spending across various categories by age group/generation.The BLS data has been mapped to five generational cohorts based on birth year ranges.Generation DefinitionsGenerationBirth YearsGen Z1997 and laterMillennials1981 - 1996Gen X1965 - 1980Boomers1946 - 1964Silent Gen1945 and earlierSpending CategoriesUsers enter their monthly spending across 8 categories. These map to BLS Consumer Expenditure categories as follows:Quiz CategoryBLS CategoryIncludesGroceriesFood at homeAll food purchased for home consumptionDining OutFood away from homeRestaurants, takeout, deliveryHousingShelterRent or mortgage, property taxes, home insurance, maintenanceUtilitiesUtilities, fuels, and public servicesElectric, gas, water, phone, etc.ApparelApparel and servicesClothing, shoes, accessoriesTransportationTransportation (including gasoline)Car payment, transit, rideshare, gasoline, insurance, maintenanceEntertainmentEntertainment (excluding pets)Streaming, events, hobbies, fees and admissionsPetsPetsFood, vet, suppliesBLS Annual Spending Benchmarks (2024)The following annual spending amounts (in USD) are used as benchmarks for each generation:CategoryGen ZMillennialsGen XBoomersSilentGroceries$4,454$6,759$7,331$5,696$4,196Dining Out$3,162$4,586$4,793$3,251$2,116Housing$13,844$18,467$19,048$13,585$12,625Utilities$2,697$4,679$5,641$4,714$4,040Apparel$1,660$2,491$2,535$1,461$767Transportation$10,083$14,856$16,366$12,093$5,336Entertainment$1,854$2,933$3,376$2,449$1,749Pets$353$909$1,127$827$671Total$38,107$55,680$60,217$44,076$31,500Calculation MethodologyStep 1: Convert Monthly to AnnualUser-entered monthly spending values are multiplied by 12 to get annual figures for comparison against BLS annual data.
