Positive Comments: Rational Consumption Concept – A Win-Win for Personal Financial Health and Economic Structure Optimization
In recent years, the shift in the consumption concept of young people from being “moonlight clan” (those who spend all their monthly income) to “money savers” is by no means simply about being “stingy” or “conservative.” It is a rational awakening jointly driven by the economic environment, social mentality, and technological tools. This transformation not only lays a solid foundation for the financial health of young individuals but also has a profound positive impact on the optimization of the overall economic structure.
On an individual level, the closed – loop of “saving – financial management – cost – effective consumption” among young people is essentially an active attempt to take control of their financial autonomy. In the news, Zhao Xingye managed to save 100,000 yuan in a year through dual – account management and keeping accounts. Lancy, a novice in financial management, made a basic shift from Yu’E Bao to low – risk bond funds. Zhang Meng applied mathematical calculations to deal with promotions, which all reflect the new definition of “financial freedom” among this generation of young people – not “unrestricted consumption” but “clear control over every penny.” The formation of this rational consumption concept is first reflected in the improvement of risk – resistance ability. Data shows that in 2023, the unemployment rate of young people aged 16 – 24 once exceeded 20%, and there were frequent lay – offs in industries such as the Internet and education and training. By saving money, young people build a “safety cushion,” which is not only a defense against personal career risks but also an early preparation for long – term responsibilities such as buying a house, raising children, and covering their parents’ medical expenses in the future. Secondly, the popularization of financial management awareness has enabled young people to break out of the single cycle of “salary – consumption” and start to accumulate assets using the wealth effect of “time + compound interest.” According to data from Ant Fortune, 84% of bond fund holders have positive returns. This “win – win” financial management mentality, although seemingly conservative, avoids the loss of wealth caused by blind investment and better meets the practical need of “seeking progress while maintaining stability” in the current economic environment.
On the macro – economic level, the change in young people’s consumption concept is forcing the market to transform towards “high – quality supply.” In the past, it was a common belief in the capital circle that “it is easy to make money from young people,” and they relied on models such as “high – priced fast – moving consumer goods” and “internet celebrity marketing” to harvest traffic. However, nowadays, young people’s extreme pursuit of “cost – effectiveness” (for example, users aged 16 – 35 account for 83% of Pinduoduo’s user base) and their sharp recognition of “insincere price tags” are eliminating those enterprises that survive on information asymmetry and marketing routines. Instead, this promotes the market to return to the essential competition of “product value”: enterprises must improve technological R & D, optimize supply chain efficiency, and reduce redundant costs to meet young people’s demand for “calculating cost – effectiveness with mathematics.” For example, the rise of domestic beauty and household appliance brands in recent years is because they have found a balance between quality and price, which fits the consumption logic of young people who want “both refinement and affordability.” In addition, young people’s emphasis on savings and financial management also injects more stable long – term funds into the capital market. The popularization of products such as low – risk bond funds and change management not only disperses individual investment risks but also provides more sustainable capital support for the real economy, avoiding the impact of short – term speculative behavior on the market.
Negative Comments: Hidden Worries of Excessive Saving – Potential Challenges to the Vitality of the Consumption Market and Long – term Economic Resilience
Although the change in young people’s rational consumption concept has positive significance, the tendency of “excessive saving” and the trend of “consumption downgrade” behind it may also have a negative impact on the vitality of the consumption market and the long – term resilience of the economy. The potential risks need to be vigilant.
First of all, individual excessive saving may suppress the short – term vitality of the consumption market. Consumption, as one of the “three carriages” driving economic growth, is crucial for boosting domestic demand. Young people used to be the core driving force of “new consumption,” from milk tea and trendy toys to domestic fashion clothing. Their consumption willingness directly affects the survival and innovation of small and medium – sized enterprises. However, nowadays, young people’s consumption habit of “saving whenever possible” may lead to a shrinking demand in some industries that rely on young customers (such as offline catering and luxury retail). For example, the founder of a new tea – drinking brand once publicly stated that the average customer price in the first half of 2025 decreased by 15% year – on – year, mainly because young people prefer to choose basic products priced below 10 yuan rather than “internet celebrity new products” priced above 20 yuan. Although this “consumption downgrade” conforms to individual rationality, it may compress the profit margins of small and medium – sized enterprises, thereby affecting their R & D investment and innovation motivation.
Secondly, the “polarization” of young people’s financial management ability may lead to new risks. As mentioned in the news, young people aim for “small profits” in financial management and prefer low – risk bond funds. However, there are still a large number of “newbies” with insufficient financial management experience in this group. For example, as a novice in financial management, Lancy has only completed the initial shift from Yu’E Bao to bond funds and still has limited understanding of the underlying assets of funds and the logic of market fluctuations. Among the 130,000 notes on Xiaohongshu “showing financial management results,” some content has a “survivor bias” – only showing profitable cases and ignoring the risk of losses. If young people blindly follow the trend of investment or ignore the scientific nature of asset allocation due to the “digital obsession” (such as only keeping the integer balance), they may suffer losses when the market fluctuates. In addition, in a low – interest – rate environment, simply relying on savings and low – risk financial management may not be able to outpace inflation in the long run, resulting in a decrease in real purchasing power. For example, if the annual inflation rate is 3%, the real value of a 100,000 – yuan deposit will shrink to about 86,000 yuan after 5 years, which poses higher requirements for young people’s long – term wealth accumulation.
Finally, the social mentality of “delayed gratification” may weaken the long – term innovation vitality of the economy. Consumption is not only the end – point of the demand side but also the starting point of innovation on the supply side. Young people’s restraint on “instant gratification” can accumulate short – term savings, but it may also reduce their willingness to try “non – essential but innovative” products. For example, early new product categories such as smart watches and air fryers initially opened the market relying on young people’s enthusiasm for “trying new things.” If young people avoid such products excessively due to “cost – effectiveness” considerations, enterprises may lack the motivation for innovation and fall into a vicious cycle of “low – price involution.” In addition, under the “4 – 2 – 1” family structure, young people’s saving pressure (such as reserving funds for their parents’ medical care and children’s education) may further squeeze their expenditure on self – investment (such as vocational training and skill learning). In the long run, this may affect the accumulation of individual human capital and thus restrict the overall economic innovation ability.
Suggestions for Entrepreneurs: Grasp the Trend of Rational Consumption and Find a Balance between “Value” and “Innovation”
Facing the profound change in young people’s consumption concept, entrepreneurs need to break out of the mindset of “making quick money” and redefine the core value of products and services from the essence of demand. Here are some specific suggestions:
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Deeply cultivate “cost – effectiveness,” but not just focus on low prices: The “cost – effectiveness” pursued by young people is the comprehensive ratio of “quality × function ÷ price,” rather than simply low prices. Entrepreneurs need to reduce costs through technological innovation (such as optimizing the supply chain and using new materials) and highlight “essential functions” (such as durability and practicality) in product design, avoiding adding redundant costs for “pseudo – needs.” For example, domestic household appliance brands allow consumers to purchase functional components according to their needs through modular design, which not only reduces the total price but also meets personalized needs. This kind of model is worth learning from.
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Provide “light – weight” financial management tools and educational services: Young people’s demand for financial management has shifted from “high returns” to “stable small profits,” but they generally lack systematic knowledge. Entrepreneurs can develop “low – threshold, low – risk” financial management auxiliary tools (such as intelligent asset allocation calculators and risk assessment mini – programs) or jointly launch “financial management courses for beginners” with financial institutions (combined with case analysis and simulated operations) to help young people improve their financial management ability. For example, the “bond fund fixed – investment assistant” launched by an internet platform reduces the operation threshold for beginners through automatic diversified investment and regular profit – taking reminders, and the user retention rate has increased by 30% compared with traditional financial management tools.
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Explore the emotional value in “rational consumption”: Although young people are rational, they do not completely reject “emotional consumption.” Entrepreneurs can combine “emotional value” with “practical value.” For example, they can launch a “saving reward mechanism” – when users complete a saving goal, they can exchange for brand – customized “little joys” products (such as limited – edition notebooks and experience vouchers), which not only meets the saving demand but also provides emotional incentives. A coffee brand once launched a “100 – day saving punch – in to get free coffee” activity, and the repurchase rate of participating users increased by 45%, which is a successful case.
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Pay attention to the long – term needs behind “delayed gratification”: Young people’s saving behavior is essentially an investment in the future. Entrepreneurs can design products around “long – term value.” For example, in response to the “4 – 2 – 1” family structure, they can develop a “family – shared saving plan” (including children’s education, parents’ medical care, and personal pension), enhancing user stickiness through account linkage and shared returns; or launch “skill – investment – type” products (such as paid courses + saving cash – back), binding short – term consumption with long – term ability improvement to meet young people’s need for “self – investment.”
In summary, the change in young people’s consumption concept is both a challenge and an opportunity. Entrepreneurs need to take “value creation” as the core, meet rational needs, and provide emotional resonance and long – term growth support for young people to stand firm in the wave of “rational consumption.”
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