Gen-Z adults with a fitness routine are nearly twice as likely to have a financial plan as those who do not exercise, a survey has found.
The survey commissioned by credit information company Experian indicated that, overall, young adults are switched on to their finances.
The research among 18 to 25-year-olds found that more than nine in 10 (92%) of those who take steps to keep fit have a financial plan, as do just over half (54%) of those who do not exercise.
Those who exercise regularly have £5,080 in savings on average, which is around double the amounts put away by those who do not exercise regularly (£2,511).
“Exercising regularly” was defined as those who said they exercised once a week or more.
Experian partnered with endurance runner Russ Cook, also known as the Hardest Geezer, to urge young adults to put the same drive into money management as they do towards personal fitness goals.
Mr Cook said: “The mindset I use for my runs – discipline, small wins, getting up and doing it again – is the same one I use when thinking about money.”
The survey also found that half (50%) of young adults feel “traditional” financial goals, such as home ownership, are impossible.
More than half (55%) of those surveyed said they are having to delay moving out of their family home.
Nearly half (46%) of young adults said that being able to afford shorter-term ambitions such as holidays, travel and festivals is more important to them than long-term financial security.
Around fifth (22%) are focused on staying out of debt, while nearly three in 10 (28%) want to save enough to take some time off work to travel, according to the survey among 2,000 people aged 18 to 25 across the UK carried out by Opinium in June.
John Webb, credit expert at Experian, said: “The link between physical and financial fitness is powerful, and through this campaign, we want to empower young people to apply the discipline they already show in their personal lives to their money, too.”
Sebrina McCullough, director of external relations at Money Wellness, said: “We see young people setting clear goals and tracking their progress. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about staying consistent. Just like training for a marathon, getting financially fit takes discipline, patience and self-belief. And Gen-Z are proving they’ve got all three.”
