Stop Spending Money on Stuff—You’re Probably Just Bored

Have you ever found yourself mindlessly scrolling on Instagram, seduced by an advertisement for a coat you definitely don’t need? You might purchase it only to receive it weeks later and discover you don’t want it anymore.

Impulse shopping can be challenging, even if you’re typically savvy with your finances. On TikTok and Instagram, videos abound of influencers warning of the perils of impulse buying and trying to discourage people from shopping the latest sales and trends.

Katia Chesnok, a content creator on Instagram, regularly posts videos of herself traipsing around outdoors as she encourages people to avoid shopping out of boredom or taking out debt to finance new purchases.

“This is a reminder that you do not need anything from Home Goods today,” Chesnok said in a video earlier this year. “You do not need anything from Marshall’s today. You do not need anything from TJ Maxx today. You’re just bored, and you don’t need more stuff. Go clean your kitchen. Go clean your kitchen.”

With targeted ads popping up on social media feeds and payment methods like Apple Pay fully integrated into online checkouts, you no longer need to leave your couch or pull out your credit card to make purchases. And as Black Friday and the holiday season approach, you may be tempted by upcoming sales that promise generous discounts.

If you have trouble controlling your spending or just want to tamp down on unnecessary purchases, here are three tips to combat overspending:

• Implement a waiting period: Before pulling the trigger on certain purchases, consider waiting at least a day or two. While you might think you need that T-shirt from that TikTok shop ASAP, you could end up feeling differently after 48 hours.
• Reduce social media usage or curate your feed: If you’re the type of shopper who makes purchases through platforms like Instagram and TikTok, try placing screen time limits on those sites or deleting the apps from your phone. However, if you must keep the apps, try to be more discerning about who you follow—if a particular influencer is always encouraging you to buy more, consider clicking ‘unfollow’.
• Beware ‘buy now, pay later’ (BNPL) loans: With BNPL loans, you can pay off a purchase over weeks or months, spreading out the cost into equal installment payments. Some BNPL providers offer interest-free loans, but some charge interest and many have late fees. While it may be tempting to use a BNPL loan to buy a product you can’t purchase in full, exercise caution. Pay close attention to any late fees and due dates, avoid financing the loan with a credit card (to avoid extra interest), and refrain from taking out multiple BNPL loans at a time.