A rather interesting, and recent Forbes article laid out some of the issues plaguing big retailers when it comes to Gen-Y spending. Yet one of the reasons why Gen-Y is considered a “toxic target market” really caught my eye. Gen-Y has become a generation of tight spenders due to the recession and massive amounts of debt they incur before they hit 30. As stated in this study, Gen-Y carries around an average of $45,000 in debt. Yes you read that correctly: $45,000. This same study also mentions that number could reach up to $78,000 by the time Gen-Y reaches 28-29. Couple this with the 48%-50% unemployment rate for Gen-Y and you have a recipe for and economic disaster, but we knew that already didn’t we? When the collapse of 2008 occurred, some assumed it would take a few years to begin seeing the ripple effects.

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