Summer often loosens wallets through last-minute trips, dinners and constant social media highlight reels that encourage saying 'yes' to experiences and purchases. By fall, bills and financial regret expose a summer spending hangover that reflects emotional and social influences on decisions. Impulse buying occurs when emotional brain activity overrides decision-making and when personal 'blockers' weaken during excitement or comparison. FOMO derives from an ancient survival instinct linking belonging to safety, so social exclusion feels risky. A spending hangover provides an opportunity to identify emotional triggers, replace shame with new habits, and set clearer spending rules.
Between last-minute weekend trips, fun dinners and the endless scroll of friends' social media highlight reels, it's easy to find ourselves swept into a season of "yes." Yes to the concert. Yes to the extra round. Yes to that shirt we didn't know we "needed" until five minutes ago. By fall, the glow starts to fade, and the bills start to arrive.
Impulse buying happens when the emotional part of the brain overrides the decision-making part. Normally, internal or external "blockers," the habits and rules we set for ourselves, help keep spending in check. But during emotionally charged moments, those blockers weaken. For example, excitement for an upcoming vacation could make you more likely to say yes now and think about the cost later, while comparison on social media might amplify the feeling of missing out.
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