Overview
- Zelle's survey, reported July 21, 2026, found 76% of Gen Z who fronted group expenses were never fully repaid and 47% said they went into debt over unpaid bills.
- About one in five respondents reported avoiding friends or muting group chats to dodge repayment conversations, a behavior Zelle describes as payment avoidance.
- Psychologist and certified financial therapist Dr. Traci Williams said waiting for repayment delays the payer’s own bills and goals and can produce resentment that harms relationships.
- Experts and organizations such as AAA recommend clear upfront rules for group spending: agree budgets, set repayment deadlines, use expense-splitting tools, or choose all‑inclusive options.
- Payment apps like Zelle and Venmo ease transfers but only work if people follow through, so the coverage stresses that tools cannot solve the underlying social reluctance to ask for money back.