Young Americans have been quite vocal about their feelings concerning the nation’s inflation rate as bills keep mounting and the price of everyday goods continues to surge. In a heated rant, one Gen Z influencer on TikTok detailed his everyday struggles, claiming he and many others in his generation simply cannot afford to live with the present conditions.

America has had to deal with inflation in the past couple of years, and it has taken a toll on everyone and everything. Now, a new study released by Fidelity has revealed that concern for the future continues to mount among the nation’s younger population. In their 2024 State of Retirement Planning study, Fidelity found that around 57% of millennials, along with 56% of Gen Zers, say it is a struggle to save for retirement due to the higher cost of living.

During this challenging time of extended inflation, many of the nation’s younger generations have taken to social media apps such as X and TikTok to voice their concern for the future. One user, @nicsmnrs, took to his TikTok page to share a message on behalf of Gen Zers and Millennials who believe they cannot afford to live.

In a video uploaded to his TikTok page, @nicsmnrs expressed confusion because he makes significantly higer than minimum wage but still struggles with his finances due to inflation. “Can somebody explain to me in crayon-eating terms why I make over three times the federal minimum wage and I cannot afford to live?” he said.

As the video plays out, the influencer points out that Americans should not have to work 90 hours per week just to get by. “And I do not want to hear the ‘Pull yourself up from your bootstraps, work 90 hours a week.’ That’s not the goal, guys,” he said.

@nicsmnrs also spoke about the exorbitant rent prices in many major US cities. “A one-bedroom apartment is $1,800, and a two-bedroom apartment is $2,200. Who the f*** can afford that? It is embarrassing to come out and say that it is a struggle to survive right now, but I know so many people are struggling,” he said.

According to data released by the Labor Department in mid-April, inflation continued its rise in March for the third consecutive month. Essentially, this means the price of everyday items, including gas, rent, and groceries, will remain high for millions of Americans across the nation.

In March, US citizens endured yet another spike in the price of gas, with the national average rising by around three cents to $3.56 per gallon. According to Fox Business, an increase in the price of housing was a primary driver of the inflation spike in March.

The original video posted by @nicsmnrs has gone viral, clocking in a whopping 8.8 million views on the platform. This galvanized him, leading him to put out another video, further expanding on the first. In the second video, Nic opened up about how he had previously voted for the Republican Party, hoping they could do something about the cost of living.

“I just now realized that regardless of which side I vote, it won’t be fixed,” Nic said. “They continue to pull these bulls. The spending budgets that they keep approving, the foreign aid they keep sending out when we need that in America.”

Towards the end of the video, Nic suggests that government spending should bear some of the blame for the current financial situation in the US. “Government overreaching, government overspending has continued to happen, and it is getting worse and worse,” he said.

The amount of interaction Nic’s video has gotten, alongside its high view count, highlights the collective mindset of Americans who might be reaching their breaking point. If inflation continues to rise in the US, it will affect the everyday lives of millions of older Americans and it will also negatively affect younger generation affecting their ability to plan for the future.