CINCINNATI — Social media has become a constant in our lives.
It’s changed how we spend our time, how we communicate — and now, it’s changing how we spend money.
According to a Wallet Hub survey, 75% of people said they have made an unnecessary purchase on social media.
Mackenzie Masters, a Newport resident, told us show loves shopping online.
"Honestly, shamefully way too much," Masters said.
So does New Richmond’s Spencer Hartnady.
"Ohhh, every other day maybe,” she said
Hartnady said TikTok and Instagram are where she makes the most purchases.
“People will show it and I’m like, ‘oh maybe if it looks cute on them, it will look cute on me,’ so then I'll buy it too," she said.
Hartnady said social media influencers make products seem more "relatable."
“If you see someone your age doing something you want to do it too kind of,” Hartnady said.
Al Riddick, a financial wellness coach, said it's important to remember influencers are "called that for a reason."
According to that same Wallet Hub student, nearly 46% of people said social media sites are bad for their debt.
“You cannot get away from it unless you are intentional about It,” Riddick said.
So we asked Riddick some ways you all can do just that.
Riddick suggests deleting your credit cards on file from some of your favorite websites to help avoid one-click impulsive buys.
He also said it can be beneficial to create a budget.
"If you wanted to set an amount a month to spend online, I'm totally cool with that," he said.
For some, it’s still a work in progress.
Harnady admitted she doesn't do much to prevent herself from overspending.
Masters, though, said she's cracked the code.
"Put it in the cart, pretend that you're going to buy it, then never go back to the cart," she said.
A previous version of this article erroneously stated Al Riddick's name.
Don't Waste Your Money
