Planners vs Reactors: How Consumers Manage Money

Managing your finances is not always easy, and many consumers identify it as their top stressor. MX’s most recent research found more than half of U.S. consumers (51%) agree that money is their main source of stress. But, just because the stress of managing money is common across the board, this does not mean that everyone meets the stress of money management the same way. 

New research from PYMNTS identified two distinct personas when it comes to how consumers manage their money: reactors — who take their finances as they come — and planners that take a proactive approach to managing their finances. 

According to PYMNTS, planners are on top of their credit and debt payments, have higher savings balances, and are able to cover emergency expenses as they come. Alternatively, reactors rely more heavily on credit and hold larger credit balances — and they have less in savings and rely on credit or payday loans to cover emergency expenses.

The report highlights compelling data on who falls into these personas and how understanding the personas can help predict consumer trends. Our most recent survey of 1,000+ U.S. consumers touches on many of the same points — here’s a closer look at some areas where MX’s research and the PYMNTS findings overlap: 

How Different Personas Define Financial Wellness

A key focus of MX’s recent survey was how consumers define and measure financial wellness. Here is how consumers answered:

Defining Financial Wellness

More than half of consumers are likely reactors, according to PYMNTS definition. These reactors define financial wellness as being able to pay all of their bills each month (30%) or cover everyday expenses (22%). On the flip side, 48% are planners — those not worried about unexpected expenses and those focused on saving for retirement. This split closely mirrors how PYMNTS identified consumers — 42% of consumers fall into the planner persona while 58% are identified as reactors. 

Measuring Financial Wellness

When asked what metrics they use to measure their financial wellness, the top metrics consumers say they use can also be split into these two personas: 

• Planner: 53% measure financial wellness by their savings account balance. 
• Reactor: 42% look at their remaining account balance at the end of each month

Generational Differences

PYMNTS also broke down the reactor and planner personas according to different generations. Younger generations are more likely to be reactors (73% of Gen Z) while older generations have the highest percent of planners. 

While it’s not surprising that younger generations are more likely to be reactors, you see a more nuanced picture when you look at top financial goals for 2025 from MX’s research. 

Our research indicates that Gen Z consumers want to plan for the future. The top financial goal among Gen Z respondents this year is saving for a new car (17%), compared to only 2% of Baby Boomers who plan to save for a new vehicle.. And, twice as many Gen Z respondents say their top 2025 financial goal is to buy a new home compared to Baby Boomers (8% versus 4%).

At the same time, while older generations have the resources and experience to fit the planner persona according to PYMNTS, their top financial goals center more on reactive concerns. Nineteen percent of Baby Boomers said their top financial goal is to cover their bills each month and another 17% said to pay off credit card debt. And, the most common answer among Baby Boomers was that they did not have a financial goal for 2025 (23%). Covering expenses and paying off debt are both indicative of the reactor persona and not having a financial goal, maybe more so. 

Breaking down key differences between reactor and planner consumers can reveal a lot about how financial providers can support their individual needs. For reactors, financial providers should offer education and services that will help them achieve their financial goals and plan for the future. For planners, financial providers can help them ease the burden of financial planning and enjoy the fruits of years of being a planner. In the end, it all comes back to financial providers knowing their customers better, meeting them where they are, and helping them get where they want to go.