Young women rated pay day as 6.3 out of a possible 7, and young men 5.9 - well into the 'love' versus 'like' category of the study. People of both genders ranked having sex 5.8 and winning at sports 4.7. Meeting up with friends earned a female nod of 5.9, versus the male at 5.3. Surprisingly, relaxing at home also ranked very highly in the 'love' column of both genders, in Colmar Brunton's The 20 something's survey.

"People in their 20's have spent much of their young lives living with their parents and educating themselves in preparation for their entry into the 'real world'," says Spencer Willis, Director of Youth Insights at Colmar Brunton. "They have to work hard to earn their degrees and even harder to find work in their chosen profession.

"So for this generation, being rewarded in the workplace, be it by being given a pay rise or simply by being complimented at work, is enjoyed more than things the Baby Boomers would be typically think of as being pleasurable. They rank getting financially rewarded for work better than sex; in fact chilling on the couch is just as good!"

Female respondents typically enjoyed relaxing at home more than their male counterparts; they also put family first more often, professed to a stronger love of positive affirmation and also were more professionally motivated. These things put together suggests that young Kiwi females are working harder at achieving a work-life balance than young males, Mr Willis says.

Respondents to the survey loved and liked similar brands - the top picks being Sony, Apple and Coca-Cola on the 'love' side and Sony, Adidas and Nike on the 'like'.

Some 60 per cent of respondents to the survey have a university degree, or equivalent tertiary qualification and an additional 20 per cent are in the process of acquiring one of these.

"A degree is no longer a unique achievement and some companies are now looking for candidates with Masters or post-graduate qualifications," says Mr Willis. "This may contribute to the hunger people in their 20's seem to have for professional success and the feeling that they deserve more money.

"They have higher debt when they do enter the workforce, and they do so at an older age than the previous generations. The 20 something's feel they have to make progress in a hurry - potentially this tension with generations that have gone before is only going to get worse."

Colmar Brunton Youth interviewed almost 500 people in their 20's in January of this year. The survey has a maximum margin of error of + or - 4.3%.

ENDS