Behavioral Spending & How To Stop It

Behavioral Spending 

Today’s video is not about what we spend money on, it’s talking about why we do it. We are digging into Behavioral Spending. That sneaky, emotional, sometimes impulsive ways we through our money around without even realizing it. We will discover 5 tips to help us through it and break free from it.  

Hi, it’s your friend Eva, and I’m in debt. No savings, no retirement and absolutely no business giving financial advice. But here we are.  Personal finance needs more honesty and less shame. If you're tired of being judged for being in debt, share and subscribe, I have some free downloads below. Be sure to sign up for my free weekly newsletter. But before we start, I’m not a financial advisor or in today’s case, a therapist. When it comes to financial advice or any advice you find on the internet, do your own research. 

First things first, we need to define what behavioral spending is. It’s when our emotions, habits, or even boredom drive us to spend money without a plan. 

Like why did I just buy a $9 latte and a candle that says ‘Manifest Good Vibes’? Oh yeah, it’s because I was stressed after a 5-minute work meeting that could’ve been an email. 

Behavioral spending can be triggered by stress, boredom, sadness, or even celebration. Basically, if you’ve ever said, 'I deserve this!' — congrats, you’ve met behavioral spending. 

Okay, now we know what it is and we’re going to own up to it, here’s how to track it. 

Step 1: Keep a Spending Journal 
Old school, but it works. You don’t need an actual journal, the notes app on your phone works just as good as pen and paper. 

Every time you spend, jot it down. 

• Where were you?  

• How did you feel? 

• What did you buy? 
• Bonus points if you track what triggered the purchase. 

Step 2: Highlight Emotional Buys 
Use a highlighter or a special symbol to mark emotional or impulse purchases. It’ll be very humbling — and very eye-opening. 

Step 3: Categorize Your Triggers 
Was it stress? Boredom? FOMO because some person you don’t even like posted her third vacation this month on Instagram? 
Track why you felt the need to buy. 

Step 4: Weekly Review 
Every week, sit down and review what you tracked. No judgment, no shame, especially if shame is a trigger for you.  We’re scientists in a lab, studying our own actions. 

This isn’t about feeling guilty, it’s about finding patterns. If every time you see your in-laws, suddenly you’re on amazon before you’ve even reached your car, there’s something deeper than just remembering you need a waffle maker that makes heart shaped waffles. 

What to Do About Behavioral Spending 

Alright we’ve been tracking now what do we do about it. 

✅ Tip 1: Replace the Trigger 
If you’re stress-shopping, what else can you do? Take a walk? Call a friend? Don’t doomscroll Zillow listings you can't afford. 

✅ Tip 2: Set a 24-Hour Rule 
Make yourself wait 24 hours before any non-essential purchase. 9 out of 10 times, future-you won’t even care about that glow-in-the-dark yoga mat. 

✅ Tip 3: Budget for Fun Money 
Give yourself a little no-judgment play money. $20–$50 a month, depending on your budget. That way, you can spend without blowing up your goals. 

✅ Tip 4: Unsubscribe and Unfollow 
Retail emails, influencer hauls — delete, unsubscribe, unfollow. You don’t need daily temptation. I have a separate email address for just stores and recipes.  

✅ Tip 5: Find the Root Cause 
Sometimes behavioral spending is a symptom of something deeper: loneliness, burnout, stress. Working on the real issue will naturally reduce the spending. 

Listen, you’re not a bad person for spending emotionally. You’re human. When you start tracking it, you take back control. Money is a tool, it’s not therapy. 
 
If this hit a little too close to home, I get it. It was a big wake up call for me. We are all a work in progress. 
Please comment below, what’s your biggest behavioral spending trigger? Mine is stress and burnout but there are also other emotions at play and I’m just now discovering them.