Newer generations like to blame older ones, such as Baby Boomers, for failing to offer proper advice on career choices during their teenage years or for underestimating the costs of homeownership, but they aren’t always right. Using information from the Pew Research Center (PEW), Preventing Chronic Disease, and The Federal Reserve, here are examples of Baby Boomer advice that younger generations may want to reconsider!
Phones Really Are Taking Up Too Much Attention
The generations that are currently young adults spend an excessive amount of time on social media or on their phones for various reasons, a common piece of Baby Boomer advice. Constantly checking the cellphone interrupts meals, conversations, and hobbies, eating up the little free time you have during the day. Pew Research Center mentions that one in five teens said they used YouTube and TikTok almost constantly in 2025.
Social Media Can Make Everyone Else’s Life Look Better
Social media has led people to constantly post about their lives, from their homes and relationships to their vacations and physical appearance. This often causes young people to compare themselves to others, a tendency according to Baby Boomer advice is exacerbated by the fact that social media makes other people’s lives appear better than one’s own. Pew Research Center mentioned in a survey that some people put everything out there confidently drawing a sharp distinction between the “real” self and the social media self.
Younger People Probably Do Need More Sleep
When it’s time to go to bed, younger generations often get caught in late-night scrolling, streaming, gaming, or simply chatting with friends. Keeping a mobile phone next to bed can lead to work-related messages or social media updates that disrupt the relaxation needed to fall asleep. The Preventing Chronic Disease organization stated that teenagers with at least four hours of non-school screen use were more likely to report irregular sleep routines.
Not Every Conversation Should Happen Through Text
Texting can be efficient for reminding someone of something, jotting down home addresses, and getting in touch, but it may not be suitable for resolving conflicts, apologizing, providing emotional support, or making complex decisions. Pew Research Center has long shown that younger users are especially active texters, although younger people have not abandoned voice calls entirely.
Putting the Phone Down While Driving Is Nonnegotiable
Baby Boomer advice warns that driving while texting, selecting music, browsing the internet, recording videos, or typing into the GPS means directly diverting your attention from the road ahead, which is exactly where your focus needs to be. PEW stated that overall, 52% of teen drivers ages 16-17 say they have maintained a conversation on the phone while driving.
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Reading Something Longer Than a Caption Still Matters
Another example of Baby Boomer advice is that they complain about younger generations, and rightly so, is that reading texts with sustained attention, while focusing on context and arguments, constitutes the true act of reading. Casually reading text messages, amidst empty conversations, that are forgotten within seconds does not. Pew Research Center indicated that 32% of Americans younger than 30 years old had said they visit bookstores regularly.
A Social- Media Feed Should Not Be the Only News Source
Baby Boomer advice reminds us that many people believe that through social media they can stay informed about what is happening in the world, yet it often lacks the editorial oversight and depth of established news organizations. PEW stated that 38% of adults ages 18 to 29 regularly received news from social-media influencers in 2025, compared with 8% of adults 65 and older.
In-Person Friendships Require Actual Effort
Building a genuine relationship with another person requires far more than social media reactions, likes, and text messages. These forms of interaction do not always offer the same depth as sharing a meal, looking someone in the eye, and expressing your feelings and physical reactions. Worst of all, digital contact can create the impression that you are maintaining relationships with dozens of people, even though those connections lack the depth of a true relationship. Pew Research Center mentioned that just 25% of teens from 13 to 17 years old spend time with friends in person on a daily basis outside of school.
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Being Bored Is Not Always a Problem
Baby Boomer advice also points out that younger generations leave no time for boredom. They fill every spare moment by picking up their phones to watch videos, play games, shop, or message friends. That constant stimulation leaves no room for reflection, observation, conversation, or simply letting the mind rest. PEW stated that 91% of teens from 13 to 17 mentioned they ‘often or sometimes’ use their cellphones just to pass time by.
Knowing How to Cook Is Still a Valuable Money Skill
Younger generations might not appreciate the value of knowing how to cook, but Baby Boomer advice highlights how important it is to be able to turn cheap ingredients into a complete meal, make use of leftovers, or avoid spending a lot of money when you’re hungry.
Food Delivery Convenience Can Become Expensive
The convenience of ordering food for delivery saves time on meal preparation and spares you the effort of cooking after a long day at work, but it is also more expensive than preparing the same dish at home. You might be surprised if you add up the total amount spent on delivery over the course of a month. Baby Boomer advice reflects a time when people didn’t have as many delivery options back then, so they experienced a different reality. PEW indicated that 53% of adults aged 18 to 29 use food delivery apps.
Subscription Creep Is a Real Budget Problem
Baby Boomer advice encourages people not to overlook the costs of streaming platforms, cloud storage, software, and delivery memberships, among many other monthly subscription expenses. Since many of these renew automatically, they are hard to avoid unless you pay attention and decide to cancel them. If you don’t use the apps, it’s like wasting your money.
Buy Now, Pay Later Is Still Debt
Baby Boomer advice encourages paying close attention to how much money they could, or could not, spend. However, the flexibility afforded to subsequent generations through the use of credit cards, allowing them to pay in installments rather than the full amount upfront, has led some to struggle with debts they committed to paying off in the future. Pew Research Center states that roughly 1 in 4 U.S. adults under 40 carry student loan debt.
An Emergency Fund Matters More Than Looking Successful
The discipline required to save money is not for everyone or every generation, nor do they all face the same obstacles. For younger generations, anticipating the cost of certain items is difficult because prices are constantly rising, making it harder to save for future car repairs or medical bills. The Federal Reserve stated that there are differences in emergency preparedness by age and income.
Credit Card Rewards Are Not Worth Carrying a Balance
Baby Boomer advice recommends paying off your entire credit card balance, cash back, points, and travel miles can help lower your costs. Conversely, if you carry a balance, meaning interest accrues into the following month, the cost of that debt will outweigh the value of the discounts. The Federal Reserve research shows that credit card rewards redistribute $15 billion annually from lesser-educated consumers to wealthier ones.
Starting Retirement Savings Early Really Does Matter
Baby Boomer advice encourages individuals to invest their money for the future, making an effort now for the benefit of growth later. Compound interest is a way to generate savings, where you’ll earn returns on both the original investment and previously accumulated returns. The Federal Reserve reported that only 35% of non-retirees believed their retirement savings were on track in 2025.
Job Hopping Has Trade-Offs
One piece of Baby Boomer advice is that it’s certainly right that changing jobs by choice disrupts benefits, such as future promotions, and the maintenance of personal relationships. However, young people focus on other elements, such as flexible schedules or the ability to work from home. So that’s why PEW indicates that the majority of U.S. workers changing jobs are seeing real wage gains.
Basic Household Skills Can Save Real Money
Baby Boomer advice encourages learning practical household skills because many people over the age of 50 learned how to handle household tasks, such as unclogging a drain, sewing on a button, or maintaining a bicycle, by watching their parents do them. That practical knowledge solves problems that would otherwise require calling in an unlicensed professional, a step many young people today take simply because they didn’t know how to make the repairs themselves. PEW noted that on practical abilities, most Americans feel confident handling everyday household tasks.
Repairing or Reusing Something Can Be Smarter Than Replacing It
You could spend a lot of money if you have to replace items like clothing, furniture, electronics, and household goods when they start to fail or run slowly. Baby Boomer advice suggests that the best alternative is to repair appliances or get the most out of your clothes until they are truly no longer usable. This reflects the typical Baby Boomer line of thought.
Online Privacy Is Worth a Little Inconvenience
Baby Boomer advice reminds us that when you access apps for free, you are actually handing over some of your search data, location, contacts, shopping activity, and other personal information to companies. With that information, they can present you with products that are particularly appealing to you. Pew Research Center found that 67% of Americans said they understood little or nothing about what companies were doing with their personal information.
Conclusion
Much of today’s Baby Boomer advice is rooted in their own life experiences, shaped by a time before constant smartphone distractions or a lack of basic skills like tightening a kitchen pipe fitting. If these observations are framed as opportunities for younger people to learn rather than as complaints, they are more likely to resonate with the intended audience. Conversely, younger people should be open to the knowledge older generations possess regarding matters like buying a home or managing personal finances, given that the older generation has already navigated and resolved these situations.
