Millennials aren’t doing what we expected

by: Joe Winn

The average age of a credit union member is 47. So it stands to reason the industry has a love affair with those of a younger demographic. If only they would talk about it!

Truth be told, a day cannot go by without seeing at least one discussion of Millenials and credit unions. Whether it be embracing technological solutions or offering a streamlined approach to lending, everyone has the answer to connecting with this essential generation.

There were challenges, however. Millenials don’t buy homes (mortgages), they don’t use credit cards, avoid owning cars (auto loans), and have no intention of changing. Like the disappearance of Tamagotchi pets, the needs of a generation had changed. Face it, it’s hopeless to even bother being in the banking industry anymore. We’ll be lucky if we can hold some of their meager savings.

Except all of this turned out to be false. When the average Millenial left school, they walked into a global recession, high unemployment, a banking sector in disarray, Wall Street in free-fall, and continuous threats of government shutdowns. Not an encouraging environment to make a stand!

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