Social media microtrends can make spending feel fun and communal, but constant participation can derail budgets and lead you into debt.
In a recent article with the Associated Press, Dr. Erika Rasure, chief financial wellness advisor for Beyond Finance, and other experts recommend pausing before purchases, setting clear financial values, and creating barriers to impulsive spending (like removing saved payment information). Treating mindful money choices as self-care helps reframe budgeting as freedom, not restriction. Engaging in trends in moderation is fine — as long as this brings joy without undermining long-term financial goals.
Key pieces of advice from Dr. Rasure and the other featured finance experts include:
- Social media trends drive spending: Viral aesthetics and microtrends can create a sense of fun and community, but frequent participation risks overspending and debt.
- Pause before purchasing: Wait 24 hours (or longer for big-ticket items) to avoid impulse buys.
- Know your spending values: Setting clear financial goals and aligning purchases with them helps resist lifestyle creep.
- Create barriers to spending: Removing saved payment info or disabling one-click pay can make purchases more deliberate.
- Treat mindful money choices as self-care: Reframing financial discipline as empowerment reduces guilt and builds healthier habits.
- Engage with moderation: Participating in trends is fine when it sparks joy — just avoid letting it undermine long-term financial stability.
Social media trends can be fun to join, but experts warn that mindful habits — pausing before purchases, spending based on values, creating barriers, and engaging in moderation — are key to avoiding debt and protecting long-term financial goals.
Read the full story on Associated Press to understand social media trends and how to spend wisely.