Gen X Sticks With Familiar Cards, Even as Money Gets Tighter

Generation X is not rushing to try new ways to pay. A PYMNTS Intelligence report says this group wants to keep using the cards and banks it already knows, while getting more flexibility in when and how money reaches them.

What the report found

The report is called "Commerce Runs on Gen X." It found in September that traditional cards remain central for this group. Shopping habits look familiar too. 56% prefer physical stores, and 81% of recent grocery purchases were made in person.

Money is tight. Gen X households spend nearly $96,000 a year, more than any other generation. Yet 7 in 10 lived paycheck to paycheck in 2025. In January, 57% had $5,000 or less in readily available savings, and 38% had $1,000 or less.

What it means for business

Gen X does try new technology when the benefit is clear. By July, 18% had used artificial intelligence to find what to buy. By April, 58% had used generative AI for at least one personal task. Change is happening, but slowly.

For banks, shops and payment companies, the message is to improve what people already use instead of replacing it. The report does not say which flexible payment options Gen X wants most, and the material does not describe how many people were surveyed.