09/03/2026
“Do better” “try and work harder” “you have college schooling and a veteran, you must just be lazy?” “Oh you over drafted your account and payday is tomorrow? Well here’s your $50 fee for having a rough time, hope that helps” we’ve heard and seen them all… nothing like working 3 jobs in a household just to have -$11 in your account at the end of the month. Y’all keep grindin’! PS: don’t listen to anyone in your family about money, they’re wrong.
The hardest part about this conversation is that a lot of young adults didn’t do the “wrong” thing.
They went to school. They worked. They tried to build a life. They followed the path that was sold to them as safe and responsible. And now many of them are looking at rent, home prices, student loans, groceries, insurance, child care, and wages that have not kept up with real life.
So when people say, “Why are so many adults still living with their parents?” I think the better question is: what changed around them?
Because this is not just about laziness. Sure, some people make bad choices. Every generation has that. But when the numbers move this much, it’s usually bigger than individual decision-making.
Housing got more expensive. College got more expensive. Cars got more expensive. Basic stability got more expensive. And for a lot of families, moving back home is not failure anymore. It’s a financial strategy. Sometimes it’s the only strategy that makes sense.
The part we probably need to wrestle with is this:
If young adults can do what they were told to do and still feel stuck, then maybe the advice needs updating.
What do you think is the biggest reason young adults are staying home longer now?
