Loud Budgeting, Please Meet “Slow Shopping”

It’s never been easier to shop. Short trend cycles fueled by social media can make it feel necessary to snag the newest thing — especially with added temptation from friends, celebrities, and influencers.

You don’t need to have a lot of spending money to participate, either; the rise of buy now, pay later services like Affirm and Afterpay mean those boots or that dress are within your reach even if you don’t have the full amount on hand. And shopping capabilities within social media apps like Instagram or TikTok make it possible to buy whatever new thing you see with one click.

But all this ease makes it easy to spend a lot of money, and these little treats can quickly add up — chasing the latest microtrend or immediately buying whatever you want can wreak havoc on a budget and derail other financial plans. This may explain the popularity behind “slow shopping,” the latest financial trend taking over TikTok that’s anchored in surprisingly sound advice from personal finance experts: simply take more time to consider whether what’s in the cart is something you really want or need.

Experts Featured in This Article

Courtney Alev is the consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma and leads the Turbo Tax integration team.

Bola Sokunbi, CFEI, is the founder and CEO of Clever Girl Finance.

What Is Slow Shopping?

Slow shopping is all about spending money deliberately; it’s the opposite of impulse buying. “It really entails being intentional in the moment between being tempted and making the purchase, and taking time to think about whether you really want to or need to make that purchase,” says consumer financial advocate Courtney Alev.

Slow shopping means carefully considering whether you really want an item before purchasing it. The idea is that putting more time and steps between looking and buying helps shoppers stick to their budgets and feel better about their purchases with minimal buyer’s remorse. Slow shopping puts the power back in shoppers’ hands by building more intentional spending habits without totally sacrificing enjoyment.

Nobody is advocating for denying anyone their little treats — in fact, slow shopping is all about putting a little more thought into purchases so those treats don’t sour into regret or debt. Slow shopping is a great strategy for anyone hoping to create some structure for themselves, but it can be especially helpful for those who find they’re missing their savings goals or taking on debt due to shopping.

“It’s really about recognizing your goals and what you want to accomplish, and using that motivation to adjust your behavior,” says certified financial educator Bola Sokunbi. “It’s OK to spend money on things you enjoy, but you don’t want it to derail your goals.”

Why Is Slow Shopping Trending Now?

Like the deinfluencing trend that recently took off on TikTok and the influx of videos on how to build a sustainable capsule wardrobe, slow shopping is part of a growing trend toward mindful spending.

Over the past few years, inflation and post-pandemic “revenge spending” have put extra pressure on peoples’ wallets. “There was a lot of YOLO and making up for lost time, and now there’s pulling back and being more intentional and reflective,” says Sokunbi. General uncertainty around the economy plus anxiety about the 2024 presidential election also factor into why people want to be careful with their money.

A desire to curb emotional spending is part of this trend, too. A 2023 study conducted by Qualtrics for Credit Karma found that more than half of Gen Z and millennial respondents self-identified as “emotional spenders,” and two-thirds of them have taken on debt as a result of emotional spending. This same study found that nearly half of the respondents felt guilty about their emotional spending and nearly 60 percent said they wished to cut back.

The way we shop has also informed this behavior: highly targeted advertising via social media makes it easier than ever for retailers to place products in front of the consumers who are most likely to buy, and new viral products and haul culture fuel FOMO spending. “There’s really no friction anymore, so that moment of ‘I want that’ quickly translates, and that wasn’t the case even a few years ago,” Alev says.

How to Implement Slow Shopping

The key to practicing slow shopping is to put more obstacles between finding something you like and clicking “buy,” so you’ll have more time to consider the purchase. Here are six ways to get started.

Think About Your Long-Term Goals

Knowing what you want your money to do for you is a key aspect of slow shopping. Get clear on your goals so you can set a budget and decide how much you can spend on fun additions without missing your longer-term targets, Sokunbi advises. Keep these goals in mind when you’re shopping to stay on track with your plans.

Make Lists

Instead of immediately putting an item in your online cart, make a wish list. Alev recommends keeping a running list of links to items you want to buy in your Notes app (or use pen and paper if physical lists work better for you). Another way to do this is to curate a Pinterest board of items you want to buy, and periodically check it to make sure you still want what you’ve pinned. You can also save posts within social media apps. Refer back to your list when you want to shop.

Remove Pre-Saved Payment Information

Many websites and social media platforms offer one-click purchasing by saving credit card or bank information. Try removing any saved credit card numbers from frequently visited sites; Sokunbi says the extra step of entering payment details is a chance to consider whether the item is an immediate need or not. If you often use credit cards or “buy now, pay later” plans, consider waiting until you have the money in hand to make the purchase.

Give Yourself Time Limits

Instead of immediately buying that shirt right when you want it, let items sit in your cart for a night, a day, two days, or a week to allow time to decide whether you really want them. After waiting a week, you may find that those heels are impractical or don’t fit your style. “Ads will use urgency and scarcity messages to make you feel compelled to buy, but you can wait [to buy] the vast majority of things,” Alev says. Giving yourself extra time also makes it possible to compare prices and plan around sales.

Limit Your Temptations

Changing who you follow on social media can be really helpful if you find yourself tempted to shop when you’re scrolling. You can curate your feed, so Sokunbi recommends unfollowing or even blocking influencers, celebrities, or shops that drive you to spend without considering your budget. “If you’re intentional about what you’re consuming, [social media] has less influence on how you spend your money,” she adds.

Listen to Your Feelings

Checking in with yourself about your feelings is key if you’re an emotional spender. If you find yourself shopping to fill a void or disregarding your budget and shopping more when you’re feeling particularly sad or stressed, take a step back and identify how you’re feeling in the moment so you can find another activity to do instead. Rather than shopping, try doing something that helps address the underlying feeling, like going for a walk or making a nice meal. Mental health professionals and financial therapists can give guidance and support to curb emotional spending that feels out of control, too.

Helen Carefoot is a freelance lifestyle, culture, and entertainment journalist based in Washington, D.C. Previously, she was Well+Good’s Lifestyle Writer and worked at The Washington Post on the lifestyle desk in the features section.