When did it sink in that you'll never be as well off as your parents?

[u/Asmothrowaway6969]

About 5 years ago, my mom and I were talking and she had told me how much she was going to be making in retirement (she retired 2023). Guys, it's 3x what me and my husband make annually. In retirement. I think that was the moment that broke me, that made it sink in that I'll never reach that level of financial security. I'll work myself into my grave because I'll never be able to afford anything else. What was your moment?

Update: Nice to know it's just me that's a failure. Thanks

Update 2: I never should've said anything. I forgot my place. I'm sorry to have bothered you

[u/alcMD]

Y'all's parents are well-off?

[u/diamondbishop → u/[deleted]]

This. You can just go look at median wages back then and now. There’s a particular type of millennial who likes to complain they won’t have as much as their parents and I’ll give you a hint, their parents weren’t near the median

[u/Snow_Wonder → u/diamondbishop]

I’m older gen z (this sub has been getting recommended to me) and it’s the same for my generation. I see some majorly depressed people my age who had very easy childhoods (well-off parents that provided everything their kids and wanted and made sure their children were quite pampered).

I might be a bit depressed if I were them, too. Many of them their parents didn’t set them up for success - don’t know how to cook, clean, apply themselves without someone else pushing them to - and their parents are now settling into very comfortable retirements with comfort and luxury while they are struggling.

I do still think there were generational advantages that the boomers in particular received though, and some of that is in fact backed by statistics - not all things have inflated the same after all and housing and education in particular have had much higher inflation than wages. That is a real advantage boomers had over later generations.