You’re Not Bad With Money. You’re Just Overspending.

Every morning starts the same way: You go to your local coffee shop for a croissant and an oat milk latte with three pumps of vanilla, obviously. Then, while scrolling TikTok on your lunch break, you spot a cute sweater. It’s on sale, so you buy it immediately — you can’t stand the thought of it selling out. On your way home, you swing by your go-to takeout spot for dinner.

None of these purchases feel like a big deal in the moment — a little pick-me-up here, a treat there — but by the end of the month, your bank account is screaming “Hey, who took all my money?” Hint: It was you.

With the start of a new year, many creators on TikTok are calling out this all-too-common habit, while also offering a little solace: “You aren’t actually broke. You’re just overspending,” said @itssarah.ann in a Dec. 31 video that racked up more than a million views. She — and plenty of others on the app — are aiming to stick to “no-buy lists” in 2026 as a fresh way to manage their money. Here’s what you need to know.

Blame Lifestyle Creep

Unfortunately, a lot of your financial stress is probably beyond your control. A 2025 survey by Resume Now found that 73% of workers struggle to afford anything beyond their basic living expenses, and one-third say their salaries haven’t kept up with inflation.

“I see the rising cost of living, like groceries, rent, and health insurance premiums, cutting into people’s cash flow,” says Lindsay Bryan-Podvin, LMSW, a certified financial therapist and founder of Mind Money Balance. For example, food prices jumped nearly 24% from 2020 to 2024.

But there’s one factor that’s fully in your hands: lifestyle creep, the idea that you start spending more as you make more. A decent salary can sometimes inspire you to drop money on purchases you once considered off-limits. You might justify upgrading your drugstore mascara to a pricier version, or start taking Ubers to work even though public transit is right there.

“You go from ‘Oh, that's cute’ to ‘I just bought it’ in, like, 30 seconds.”

Stress doesn’t help. “A lot of overspending stems from emotional dysregulation,” says Hanna Horvath, CFP, a certified financial planner. Shopping when you’re anxious, overwhelmed, or bored can give you instant gratification, but it adds up fast — and the thrill doesn’t last.

And then there’s TikTok. “Social media has basically weaponized FOMO and comparison,” Horvath says. “Plus, Instagram and TikTok have made shopping so frictionless with in-app purchasing and affiliate links. You go from ‘Oh, that's cute’ to ‘I just bought it’ in, like, 30 seconds. There’s no cooling-off period, no chance for your brain to catch up.”

The Rise Of The “No-Buy List”

This year, @itssarah.ann said she plans to cut out coffees, clothes, extra water bottles, manicures, and any duplicates of items she already owns, like body lotion and perfume. If she has it at home, another one isn’t getting thrown into her cart.

Other creators are on the same wavelength, like @vanilla_swirlxx, whose no-buy list includes avoiding beauty services, like lashes, nails, and tanning. She’s also giving a hard pass to any products she sees in a GRWM video. TikToker @keziajcbs is skipping tech upgrades and “guilt spending,” meaning she won’t drop cash just to keep up with friends and their plans.

Horvath sees this trend as a clapback to hyperconsumerism. “We’ve been told for years that self-care means buying things, that we ‘deserve’ treats,” she says. “The ‘no-buy’ trend is basically people saying ‘Wait, I don’t actually need all this. And buying it isn’t making me happier. It’s making me stressed.’”

How To Make Your Own “No-Buy List”

If your paycheck seems to fly out the window, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re helpless or irresponsible.

“The narrative we’ve internalized is ‘I’m just bad with money,’ but most people actually have way more agency than they think,” Horvath says. “Once you create even a little bit of friction or awareness, you’d be shocked at how much changes.”

To rein in your spending, identify your usual suspects: daily lattes, influencer recs, sales “too good to miss.” Try cutting them out for a month and see what happens to your bank account.

To go further, delete apps for your favorite stores, unsubscribe from promo emails, and unsave your credit card info. “This creates that friction, which gives your brain time to catch up with your spending,” Horvath says.

You can also screenshot the stuff you want or jot it in a running note so you don’t panic about forgetting it. Chances are you won’t even remember it the next day, Horvath says, and it’ll free you from the overspending cycle.

After following her no-buy list in 2024, creator @miawestrap said she saved about $940. It’s easier to be conscious of your spending with these tips — plus, when you actually do decide to buy, it makes the purchase even sweeter.