Millennials Aren't Buying Homes, but They Are Spending Thousands on Houseplants
A generation ago, 20-somethings living in rental apartments usually saved to buy their first home. Elizabeth Margulis is saving for her next houseplant.
Since moving into her Chicago two-bedroom three years ago, the 28-year-old wardrobe stylist has bought about 30 plants — spending a total of $1,500, nearly as much as her $2,000 monthly rent. Today they form a wall of green along the sill of the L-shaped bank of windows in her living area “to create their own ecosystem,” she says.
To save for her next purchase, a larger cactus that costs upwards of $250, she is cutting out coffee shops and cooking at home a couple days each week. While she would like to own her own home someday, right now her sunny south-facing windows are more important. “Light was a big requirement for me when looking for a space,” she says.
