Features of the financial behavior of student youth

The article deals with characteristic features of the financial behavior of student youth and factors affecting it. This paper is based on the results of the author's survey that was conducted in the fall of2020and covered 1242students from 17 universities in Russia. It examines the attitude of young people to saving, consumer, and investment behavior. The author sought to finds out whether the consumer preferences of young students are consistent with their financial capabilities, and whether young people are satisfied with realization of their life plans. He analyzes the sources of income of students and the sums which they consider as savings. The problems of financial dependence of the younger generation on the older ones are discussed in this article. The differences in the financial behavior of students financially dependent on parents and those leading an independent way of life are analyzed. The article presents results of the survey of students' financial behavior related both to preservation and accumulation of capital, and to general strategies of saving behavior-saving for purchasing goods, medical treatment and services, education, etc. There are considered financial instruments used or planned to be used by the respondents in case of saving large sums of money. The article shows the differences in investment behavior, in use of financial instruments between independent and financially dependent students. There are examined discrepancies between the consumer preferences and the financial capabilities of student youth. The conducted study allows drawing a conclusion about the influence of family and parents, their attitudes, and views on the financial decisions of students, which are not always rational.