Financial Experts Outline 5 Strategies to Curb Doom Spending

4 articles · Updated · KTEN · May 14

Five tactics from certified financial planners target “doom spending” — stress-driven, unnecessary purchases used to self-soothe after doomscrolling or broader anxiety.
Experts say the habit persists because shopping offers a brief dopamine hit and a sense of control, making impulse buys feel calming even when they later strain budgets.
Their first fixes are diagnostic and structural: review recent purchases for patterns, set a monthly spending plan, and carve out a defined amount for guilt-free discretionary spending.
For people still overspending, advisers recommend guardrails such as deleting saved card details, removing retail apps, unsubscribing from promotional emails, limiting social-media use, and avoiding late-night scrolling.
The broader goal is substitution and balance — spending only part of extra cash, saving the rest, and replacing shopping with lower-cost stress relievers like walks, hobbies, or calling a friend.

Brain tech can curb impulse buys, but could it also be used to control us?

Is doom spending a personal weakness, or an economy profiting from our anxiety?