Wallets are the New Werther’s Originals. Carrying One Makes You Look Old
Wallets make you look old, according to GenZers. They say wallets are like Werther’s Originals – crusty
“Carrying cash, identification and debit cards in a billfold has become akin to carrying around old butterscotch candies at the bottom of your purse,” the New York Post reported. “Teens and early 20-somethings have officially declared wallets atrociously antiquated — or, more modishly put, “cheugy”
They cited a TikTok user.
“Millennials, apparently there’s a new way that we can age ourselves and it’s by having a wallet,” said Liz June, on TikTok. “Gen Z uses their phone as their wallet so they have all their [money and] their IDs in their [digital] wallets.”
Here’s the video:
@liz.june I’ll be keeping my side part, emojis, and wallet - for now at least. #millennials #millennialmom #millennialsoftiktok #30somethingsoftiktok #30something
♬ original sound - Liz June • First Time Mom
They’ve got a point:
Digital wallets are sleek, savvy, and way cooler than your grandpa’s leather billfold. With a digital wallet, you’re like a ninja with your money – quick, efficient, and totally modern. No more digging for coins at the bottom of your bag like a pirate searching for treasure. Just tap, swipe, and go! Plus, no more back pain from carrying around that monster.
But the olds have a good argument, too:
With a regular wallet, no need to worry about low battery anxiety – your wallet doesn’t need charging! It’s always ready to roll, unlike those fussy digital counterparts.
And let’s not forget about security. Sure, hackers might be lurking in cyberspace, but they can’t snatch your cash from a leather pouch nestled snugly in your pocket. Plus, you won’t accidentally double-tap and send your life savings to some random stranger.
Lastly, forget about navigating through endless apps just to pay for a coffee. Who has time for that? With your old-school wallet, it’s just grab, pay, and go.
Still, according to GenZ, you are risking serious street cred with that back pocket bulge.
A February 2024 report on the increasing popularity of the virtual carryall via PYMNTS, an online payments and commerce hub, and Amazon Web Services found that 79% of Generation Z consumers use digital wallets.
But this can backfire, according to one Millennial:
@yourfavoriteel #stitch with @lindseymariecolor_ just be like the olds for a few more years and use the debit card.
♬ original sound - yourfavoriteEl