Browsing by Subject "young adults"

The purpose of this study was to collect information about young adults’ consumer behaviour, attitudes towards money, economizing and independence. In addition, the purpose is to understand what has led to the young adults’ present living situation. One of the goals of the study is also to find out how young adults explain their living in their childhood home. This thesis consists of seven theme interviews (conducted among adults over 20 to 32 years old). Interviews are analyzed using content analysis and they are analyzed according to themes. The collected material and analysis enable answering to research questions: What are the consumption patterns of the interviewees? How do they feel about money and economizing? Do they feel independent? Why don’t they move from their childhood home? First, the young adults’ views of spending money are explored. According to interviews the young adults seem to be quite sensible money users but some luxuries were allowed, at least to some extent. The most matured interviewed young adults considered their consumption before and after leaving the childhood home. They had learned to use money reasonably after wasting at a young age. Working made economizing possible. Two interviewed working young adults saved money for a specific purpose. Money could also be saved without noticing it. Young adults’ attitude towards money was neutral: it made life easier but it did not mean everything. Secondly the young adults’ experience of independency is explored. Young people are considered to be independent when they move away from parents. The young adults living in their childhood homes felt themselves to be independent but still partially dependent on their parents. One of the interviewees felt falsely independent when he considered his living afterwards. On the other hand, the young adults who have moved away from their childhood homes sometimes turn to their parents on money problems, for example. Considering this fact, maturation does not happen only when moving away from childhood home. The interviewees thought that their living situation was a privilege to some extent, but attitude towards living with parents could be seen as a negative thing. The second theme also describes the problematic concepts of youth and adulthood. It is difficult to separate youth and the transition to adulthood. Youth and adulthood also involve the family which is important to young adults. Living in a childhood home was considered rational living amongst the interviewed young adults. Living with the parents was a wise thing according to the young adults’ life situation from the young adults’ and their parents’ point of view. Furthermore, easy living, space, young adult’s personality and ability to adapt to situations, family appreciation, personal reasons (lack of control in life, depression, for example), maturity and future plans were seen as reasons to stay at home for a prolonged period of time. Youngsters also mentioned some traditional reasons, for example studying and saving money, but briefly. It seems that young adults stay at home by their own free will rather than by necessity. Living is thought to be temporary: there is an intention to move away from the parents’ house. This affects in a positive way to living in a childhood home both to the young adults and their parents. The statistics concerning young adults living at home with parents are variable and complex. Recent research suggests that moving from childhood home is delayed. However, compared to Spain, for example, Finnish youngsters move away from home at a young age. If the situation is examined for a longer period of time it seems that young adults move away from their childhood homes at younger age than before.