TikTok Made Me Buy It: How Social Media Tricks Us Into Spending
- liammgould11
- May 18
- 6 min read
Let’s be honest: most of us are on social media every day.
Whether it is TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, or just scrolling through posts and stories, social media is a big part of our lives. We use it to watch videos, message friends, follow trends, laugh at memes, and see what other people are doing.
But one thing we do not always notice is how much social media affects the way we spend money.
In the Philippines, this is easy to see. A product goes viral on TikTok, people start posting about it, and suddenly everyone wants to try it. It could be a new milk tea drink, skincare product, phone accessory, shoes, school bag, Shopee find, Lazada deal, or something from TikTok Shop.
At first, you may not even care about it. But after seeing it again and again, it starts to feel like something you need too.
That is how social media quietly makes us spend more.
The Pressure to Keep Up
One of the biggest problems with social media is comparison.
You scroll and see people posting new outfits, food trips, gadgets, shoes, makeup, skincare, cafés, vacations, or expensive-looking lifestyles. Even if we know people usually only post the best parts of their lives, it can still make us feel like we are missing out.
For students, this can be even harder because trends spread fast. If everyone in class or in your barkada is talking about the same product, it can feel awkward to be the only one who does not have it.
Maybe everyone wants the same tumbler, shoes, bag, phone case, snack, drink, or trending item. Sometimes we buy things not because we really need them, but because we do not want to feel left out.
But spending money just to keep up can become a bad habit.
“Budol” Culture Is Real
In the Philippines, people often use the word “budol” when they get convinced to buy something online.
Sometimes it is funny. Someone posts, “Budol na naman,” after buying something from TikTok Shop, Shopee, or Lazada. But the truth is, budol spending can become a real problem when we keep buying things without planning.
Social media makes products look exciting. A short video can make something seem like a must-have, even if we never needed it before. Add a discount, free shipping, or cash-on-delivery option, and it becomes even easier to buy.
Before buying something you saw online, ask yourself:
Do I actually need this?
Would I still want this next week?
Am I buying it because it is useful, or because it is trending?
Can I afford it without using money meant for something more important?
Am I being practical, or am I being “budol-ed”?
Sometimes just waiting a little makes you realize you did not really want it that much.
Influencers Are Still Selling Something
Influencers and content creators can be fun to watch. Some of them give good advice, review products honestly, or share useful ideas.
But we also have to remember that a lot of influencer content is still marketing.
Sometimes creators are paid to promote a product. Sometimes they receive the product for free. Sometimes they earn money when people click their links or use their codes.
That does not mean influencers are bad. It just means we need to think before buying.
When someone online says something is “worth it,” we should ask: worth it for who?
Their budget may not be the same as ours. Their lifestyle may not be the same as ours. Just because something works for them does not mean it is the best decision for us.
As students, we should not let someone else’s post decide where our money goes.
Sales and Free Shipping Can Trick Us
Shopee, Lazada, TikTok Shop, and other apps are full of sales. We see things like “limited time only,” “flash sale,” “free shipping,” “50% off,” or “last chance.”
These words make us feel like we need to buy immediately.
But a sale does not always mean we are saving money. If we buy something we were not planning to buy, we still spent money.
A discount is only helpful if the item is something we actually need or already planned to buy.
Before checking out, ask yourself:
Would I buy this if it was not on sale?
Do I already have something similar?
Is this part of my budget?
Am I buying because I need it, or because I feel rushed?
Sometimes the smartest decision is not clicking “Check Out.”
GCash and Maya Make Spending Feel Too Easy
Digital wallets like GCash and Maya are very useful. They make it easier to send money, pay bills, buy load, receive payments, and track transactions.
But they can also make spending feel too easy.
When you pay with cash, you physically see the money leaving your hand. But when you pay through GCash, Maya, or online checkout, it can feel less real because it only takes a few taps.
That is why checking your transaction history matters. At the end of the week, look at where your money went. Was it mostly food? Online shopping? Load? Games? Transportation? Drinks? Small purchases?
Digital wallets are not the problem. The problem is using them without tracking.
If we use them wisely, they can actually help us understand our spending better.
Food Trends Can Add Up Too
Social media does not only make us buy products. It also makes us spend on food.
A new drink goes viral. A café becomes popular. A snack starts trending.
Everyone posts about it, and suddenly we want to try it too.
There is nothing wrong with enjoying food with friends. The problem is when it becomes a habit we cannot afford.
For example, buying milk tea, coffee, or snacks a few times a week may not seem like a lot. But over time, it can take a big part of your allowance.
Enjoying food is okay. But we should still know how often we are spending and whether it fits our budget.
Try the 24-Hour Rule
One simple trick is the 24-hour rule.
If you see something online that you want, do not buy it right away. Wait 24 hours.
If you still really want it the next day, and it fits your budget, then you can think about buying it. But a lot of the time, the excitement goes away and you realize you did not actually need it.
For bigger purchases, wait even longer. Maybe a few days or a week.
Waiting helps you make a real decision instead of an emotional one.
Fix Your Feed
Social media is not always bad. It depends on how we use it.
If your feed is full of shopping hauls, expensive lifestyles, trends, and ads, it will probably make you want to spend more.
But you can also follow accounts that help you learn. You can follow pages about saving, student tips, scholarships, small business ideas, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and personal growth.
What we see every day affects how we think.
So instead of only following accounts that make us want to buy more, we can also follow accounts that help us make better decisions.
The One-Week “Anti-Budol” Challenge
Try this for one week:
Every time social media makes you want to buy something, write it down.
Do not buy it right away.
Wait 24 hours before deciding.
Ask if it is a need, a want, or just a trend.
At the end of the week, count how much money you almost spent.
This challenge can be surprising because sometimes we do not realize how often social media makes us want things.
Final Thoughts
Social media is fun. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop are not automatically bad. The problem is when we let them control our spending.
As teenagers and students, we do not need to buy everything we see online. We do not need to copy every trend. We do not need to spend money just to feel included.
It is okay to enjoy social media, but it should not control our wallet.
At Elevate Cents, we believe financial literacy turns hope into opportunity. For Filipino students, that means learning how to scroll smarter, avoid unnecessary “budol,” spend wisely, and make choices that actually help our future.
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