Generation X is giving payments providers a clear signal to make payments more flexible, but keep them familiar. This cohort is not particularly interested in the rapid adoption of new methods, but instead largely desires to keep using the same payment tools even as their financial situation evolves.

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The PYMNTS Intelligence report “Commerce Runs on Gen X: Inside the Power and Pressure Driving Its Choices” found in September that for Gen X, traditional cards remain central even as these consumers look for flexibility in when and how they receive money. For banks, merchants and payments providers, that creates an opportunity to improve the payment experience without requiring consumers to abandon the tools they already use.

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Gen X has also largely stuck to their established shopping habits. According to the report, 56% preferred shopping in physical stores, and 81% of their most recent grocery purchases were made in person. Technology is becoming part of the shopping process, albeit slowly, as 18% had used artificial intelligence to discover what to buy by July, and 58% had used generative AI for at least one personal task by April.

These payments and shopping preferences held strong even as the generation managed tighter cash flow. Gen X households spend nearly $96,000 annually, more than any other generation, yet 7 in 10 Gen X consumers lived paycheck to paycheck in 2025.

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