Do you live at home for free? In that case, you're not alone.
Over half of the young people in the survey pay nothing for their accommodation in their parents' home, and 28 percent pay much less than it costs.
As a parent, it can be difficult to demand money from your child – if you have the economic space to do so. And for the young person, it can be difficult to accept.
Reasonable
What one doesn't reflect on is the consequences. The one who uses up the majority of the money, regardless of whether one studies or works, risks taking the behavior with them when they move out, says Hjelmér and warns that many get into economic difficulties early in life.
So what is reasonable?
That depends on income. But a rent share according to the Consumer Agency is 2,750 kronor. Then it can be reasonable to pay a little for streaming services and possibly for gasoline if one borrows the parents' car, says Hjelmér.
He means that it's the behavior itself that should be encouraged, regardless of whether the money is needed for the household economy.
If the parent doesn't need the money, it can be saved and given back when it's time to, for example, take a driver's license, he says.
According to Hjelmér, children and young people don't learn enough about household economics in school, and the responsibility falls heavily on the parents – at the same time as many parents feel lost.
Many don't know how to teach about economics and what tools are available. Moreover, we're a bit lazy by nature and maybe don't have the energy to sit down with a budget or take a fight when it's asked for via Swish.
Treat
Can't you expect parents to treat a little?
Good parenting isn't about Swishing as soon as it's requested. Adults need to create routines and conditions for young people to understand. Parents can be smart and treat at the right time, says Hjelmér.
He also points out the importance of talking about economics and starting early.
Children begin to understand the value of money at the age of 5 to 6. Start talking about saving at home already then.
In their teens, a savings portfolio can be a perfect foundation for learning about the stock market, and here it needs to become more equal, Hjelmér believes.
Unfortunately, it's so that if more guys than girls learn to invest early, it will result in guys generally having more money, he says.
The survey has been conducted by Verian on behalf of Ica-banken.
It is based on 1,000 interviews with randomly selected individuals aged 19-29, conducted in March 2025.
The survey has not included questions about socio-economic background.
The results show, among other things, that:
The majority (53 percent) of young people who live at home do not pay anything for food, rent, and other costs related to accommodation.
Every other young adult (50 percent) receives economic support from their parents to cope with ongoing and unexpected expenses in daily life. Even among those who have a full-time job, more than one in four (29 percent) say they receive economic support from their parents.
Nearly every fifth young person (18 percent) prefers to use "buy now, pay later" solutions when they shop. One in ten girls feels that "buy now, pay later" makes them consume more.
Among the young people who still live at home, two out of five (39 percent) say they cannot afford to move out.
A large majority (72 percent) believe they have mainly learned about economics from their parents. In second place comes school/university (38 percent).
Source: Ica-banken
