Cha-ching! Cha-ching! Cha-uh oh. Money drives the world crazy. It supplies our new clothes, concert tickets, coffee orders, skin care products and game tickets— sadly not to the Lions Superbowl... too soon? Whatever it’s used for, it really does make our world go round.  

But are we falling into a shopping-addicted culture?  

50% OFF TODAY! BUY NOW; PAY LATER! ONLY AT THE LOW, LOW PRICE… It’s hard not to fall into the rabbit hole of purchases, Alice.  

Companies, brands, influencers, etc., are constantly finding new tactics to hook, line and sinker you into their shopping carts. Now, there’s nothing like a little impulsive splurge or a “You know what, I deserve this” type of buy, but how many times has this happened?  

No, I’m not shaming, punishing, judging or gathering a group intervention on you. I do it too; last week, I thrifted a leather jacket for only $40— steal! But how many more steals will it take to realize it’s actually my wallet? 

Influencers don’t help, either. Parasocial relationships get you to buy things you wouldn’t think twice about. Social media has been overexposing ads more and more in vigorous ways.  

Take TikTok, for example. When TikTok Shop came, we were swept off our feet with deals. Now, you end up spending more than you wanted to in hopes of free shipping, and from then on, every swipe is sneakily an ad.  

According to the National Library of Medicine, anxiety, self-esteem, depression and negative mood factor in with impulsive buying. Who hasn’t felt a little depressed and bought one, two or five outfits to mask that sadness; it only lasts until they’re no longer new, and you need another dose of the shop shot.  

How much fuel are we adding to the blaze of their advertising?  

An estimated $234.14 billion was spent on the social media market worldwide in 2024, according to Statista.  

Social media curates this “fear of missing out” (FOMO) if you don’t jump on that trend, the one after or that other one down the line.  

So, how do we stop feeding into it?  

1.  Make a budget. Leave room for extra spending, but once you reach that limit, pull the plug— physically, if you have to.

2. Let it sit. You can always wait to purchase it tomorrow or next week. You don’t need to add it to your cart right now. 

3. Don’t, and I repeat, DO NOT mid-night shop. The midnight munchies for products and clothes can wait until morning— at the very least. 

4. Limit your exposure to ads. Yes, easier said than done; we can’t always just avoid them. But the moment you notice you’re watching an ad— I don’t care what it is: the next iPhone, New Balances; it can be Britney Spears diapers! 

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Do you even have a baby? And do they really need those? Swipe away, soldier. 

Yes, you deserve that sweet treat. You deserve those feel-better boots, healing hoodies, bounce-back bodysuits, perk-up pumps and that snap-out-of-it sweater.  

But at what cost will it take to stop chasing that high? 

As of 2024, 70% of Americans remain struggling financially as daily financial stability weakens, according to Financial Health Network.  

The societal fixation on buying the newest thing will continue to rise; we have to catch our breaths and stop ourselves before we fall. 

So, put the boots back.  

Sources: 

Global social media ad spend 2019-2029 | statista. (2024, December 10). https://www.statista.com/forecasts/1418549/social-media-ad-spend-worldwide  

Rodrigues, R. I., Lopes, P., & Varela, M. (2021, June 2). Factors affecting impulse buying behavior of consumers. Frontiers in psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8206473/  

Taureck, L. (2024, September 17). Financial Health Pulse 2024: 70% of Americans remain financially unhealthy as day-to-day financial health weakens, middle income households hit especially hard. Financial Health Network. https://finhealthnetwork.org/financial-health-pulse-2024-70-of-americans-remain-financially-unhealthy-as-day-to-day-financial-health-weakens-middle-income-households-hit-especially-hard/  

Jaden Merimee