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America’s in a “Fun Recession”:  New Data Shows 6 in 10 Feel Life’s on Repeat

Rising costs and planning fatigue have turned joy into work — and over half of Americans say if their life were a reality TV show, it would be too boring to watch

Chicago, November 18, 2025

Americans aren’t just stuck in their routines: they’re bored enough to change the channel on themselves. According to The Rut Report, new national research from Groupon, 62% of U.S. adults say their daily life feels repetitive, and 55% admit that if their life were a reality TV show, it would be too boring to watch.

The findings reveal a nation in a “fun recession,” where rising costs, time pressures and planning fatigue have made joy feel like work. The data offers a deeper look at why real-life fun feels harder to find.

Additional key findings include:

• 55% say if their life were a reality TV show, it would be too boring to watch
• 53% say making social plans feels like scheduling a work meeting
• 54% say the cost of going out keeps them from trying new things
• 82% say real experiences make them feel better than scrolling online
• 51% spend more time talking about fun than actually doing it
• 56% say they’ve rediscovered making new friends in person this year

 “People aren’t choosing the couch over real life; they’re just blocked by logistics,” said Josef Buryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Groupon. “Discovery shouldn’t feel like work, and joy shouldn’t be a luxury. Our mission is to help people turn life on without turning their wallets inside out.”

The Price of Play

Fun has become harder to afford, and easier to postpone.  More than half (54%) say the cost of going out keeps them from trying new things, and half (50%) admit they’d be more spontaneous if they didn’t have so many competing obligations. Nine in ten (90%) believe they’d have more fun if experiences were cheaper or easier to find.

A Nation Watching, Not Living
The Rut Report paints a portrait of people scrolling through life instead of starring in it.  50% say they spend more time watching others have fun than joining in, while 55% say their own life wouldn’t make good TV.  And yet, the appetite for joy hasn’t gone away: it’s just being deferred by fatigue.

The Friendship Comeback

There’s one bright spot in America’s “fun recession”: real friendship. More than half (56%) say they’ve rediscovered making new friends face-to-face this year — most often through local events (47%), shared hobbies (42%), and community spaces like gyms or recreation centers.  Even places of worship (29%) now rank higher than bars (27%) as a preferred spot to meet people — showing that meaningful connection is replacing the old “happy-hour” default.

Same Rut, Different Cities

The Rut Report, based on a nationally representative survey of 2,007 U.S. adults and 1501 additional oversamples of adults in New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, shows that every city is stuck in its own way:

• New York: Hungry for connection but short on time
• Los Angeles: Adventure-minded but slowed by cost
• Chicago: Community-driven but constrained by weather and schedules

Regardless of ZIP code, 90% of Americans believe they’d have more fun if experiences were easier to find or more affordable.

“The data tells us people aren’t lacking motivation, they’re lacking accessibility,” Buryan added. “That’s the gap Groupon was built to close: making discovery effortless, value obvious, and spontaneity possible, helping people to turn life back on.”

Turn Life Back On 

For many, weekends now feel like extensions of the workweek:  a blur of errands, chores, and screen time. But the same data shows Americans are looking for ways to break the pattern: 38% say they’ve checked off a bucket-list experience this year, led by Gen Z (47%) and Millennials (47%), who are deliberately choosing experiences over possessions. To help make those moments easier to find, Groupon offers local experiences across categories like food, wellness, activities and travel, so people can discover options that fit their interests and budget. When life feels stuck on pause, sometimes a single new experience is enough to press play again.

Download the full report at no cost.
For media inquiries or to arrange an interview with a Groupon expert, please contact press@groupon.com
                                                                                                         

About The Rut Report
The Rut Report is part of Groupon’s broader mission to help people discover local life again, giving them more reasons, access, and affordability to experience the neighborhoods they live in. 

Methodology
Number of Respondents: 3,508 respondents
Fielding Dates: Between October 23 and ­October 28, 2025
Sample Description: The survey consists of a nationally-representative sample of 2,007 adults throughout the United States. Demographic characteristics such as gender, age group and U.S. region are nationally representative of the overall U.S. population of adults. The margin of error for the sample of 2007 U.S adults is +/- 2 percentage points with a confidence level of 95%. 

Additional sampling was conducted throughout the New York, Los Angeles and Chicago markets, with 500 adults sampled in New York, 501 adults sampled in Los Angeles and 500 adults sampled in Chicago. The margin of error for each of the three oversampled markets is +/- 4 percentage points with a confidence level of 95%. 

Note to Editors
Additional survey findings — including full demographic breakdowns by age, gender, and city — are available upon request. Custom data cuts and visuals can be provided to support feature coverage.

About Groupon
Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) is a trusted local marketplace where consumers discover services and experiences that make life more interesting and deliver boundless value. To learn more, visit press.groupon.com.