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16 February, 2024

Gen Z & Millennials say group travel makes for awkward financial interactions

Close-up shot of group of male and female students giving money in US currency to order a lunch together

A recent survey of 1000 Australians aged 18-35 has revealed that money issues are a regular tension when travelling in a group.

Commissioned by bill-splitting app Kttipay, the survey found the most annoying issue with group bills is that Aussies are being left out of pocket by people who either don’t pay them back or take too long to pay.

40 percent of young Aussies said they disliked being left hanging by friends, travel mates or acquaintances when they fork out for shared bills.

Over half of young Aussie travellers prefer to pay for their expenses as they arise when travelling in a group, 26.6 per cent will use an app where one person pays and is reimbursed by others, and a further 18 per cent choose to divide everything equally, no matter the cost.

With close to one in five opting to pick up the slack for their mates no matter how much they spent, it’s no wonder that 36 per cent of those surveyed complained they always end up paying more than their fair share. Nearly 17 per cent of group holiday makers bemoaned having to pay for everyone and 28.6 per cent resented not having any control over how money is spent by the group. To make matters worse, 14.8 per cent have experienced arguments over what people owe after the money has been spent.

In light of these issues, 98 per cent of respondents rated transparency in group spending situations as important – like having the ability to access receipts. 68 per cent of young Australians go as far as to label transparency in group spending situations as either ‘important’, ‘very important’, or ‘extremely important’.

With data showing that appetite for travel in 2023 was higher than ever, finding a way to manage group bills fairly and equitably is at the top of the list for many young travellers. M

More than half of survey respondents indicated they’d be willing to pay for an app that takes care of group spending in advance to save themselves the hassle of constantly chasing people up for money.

Kttipay founder and CEO Iain Salteri says the dominant preference is that everyone pays their own way, but failing that, there needs to be a fairer way to manage group spending than to split it equally. He points to the survey findings, which show that one in three Australians (31%) are owed money by someone in their social circle.

While most Australians are owed under $100, one in five are out of pocket for $100-$250.

Similarly, 72 per cent of young Aussies owe their friends and family under $100, but 15 per cent owe others up to $100-$250.

In a calendar year, 30 per cent of Aussies will spend $200-$500 on shared expenses like dinner with friends, weekends away/holidays, and housemate expenses.

Another one in four spend between $501-$100, and 19 per cent spend a considerable $1,001-$5,000.

“As much as we may love our friends and family, paying for their luxury tastes when we prefer cheap and cheerful travel is a quick way to ruin holidays,” Salteri, said.

“As Australians embark on their summer vacation, the time is ripe for a versatile platform that will take the stress out of managing group spending so that they can actually relax and enjoy their trip.”

“Travelling in a group can be great fun, but a trip can quickly go sour if boundaries aren’t put in place to maintain accountability for shared bills.

“Bill-splitting apps are excellent for helping keep the peace so that everyone can check their expectations and ultimately enjoy each other’s company while on holiday.”

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Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

group travel Iain Salteri Kttipay