During the last ten days of every month is when the ‘you-only-live-once’ philosophy comes alive for many. Denting financial discipline built earlier, emotional and impulsive decisions take over.
While the assurance of an incoming salary fuels reckless choices, Nandini Dubey and her husband step into what they call their “no-buy period.”
This means cutting out non-essential spends—impulsive dinners, movies, even late-night online shopping.
“We noticed most of our non-essential spending happened toward the end of the month,” she said. “So instead of forcing a no-buy month, which never worked, we just cut off those last 10 days.”
This habit didn’t come from a financial planner or a complex Excel sheet. It’s a simple hack picked up from social media.
Social hacks
Gen Z’s money-saving content has lowered the intimidation around finance, repackaging advice into bite-sized tips that fit seamlessly between reels and reality.
Nandini Dubey, a 34-year-old founder of Pa Se Paisa Information Solutions and content specialist based in Navi Mumbai, has built a system around such hacks. She has turned off shopping app notifications after noticing she would “give in when the app prompts her to check wishlist prices.”
She also began prioritizing fabric quality over fast fashion—another tip picked up online—resulting in fewer purchases.
“I come across a lot of content on frugal living, minimalist life, having a no-buy month, having a no-buy year and so on. So I see them a lot more on social media, especially international influencers like Christina Mychas, and Marissa from A to Zen Life,” she said.
In Greater Noida, 37-year-old designer Rishi Mathur follows a similar discipline.
He splits his finances across two accounts—one for daily expenses and another intentionally harder to access.
“I don’t even keep the UPI app for the second account,” he says. “If I need that money, I’ll have to go to the bank. That friction helps.”
He also delays purchases by adding items to his cart and revisiting them after 24 hours, logs out of shopping apps, and avoids auto-renewing OTT subscriptions—habits inspired by social media.
Why old wisdom works in this new packaging
Despite the constant push to spend and upgrade lifestyles online, there is also a growing stream of money-saving advice.
Individually, these are simple habits, now packaged into practical, easy-to-consume formats—especially within Gen Z communities. But the line between helpful advice and incentive-driven content is increasingly thin.
“Money-related conversations are buzzing amongst Gen Z,” said Anooshka Bathwal, founder of Dhanvesttor, a women-focused portfolio management company. “Social media has made financial awareness more approachable, short videos, relatable experiences, and easy entry points.”
Much of this surge is driven by rising living costs and economic uncertainty, making money management more urgent.
Strip away the trending audio, and much of this advice is simply old wisdom in new packaging.
“Social media has repackaged traditional financial wisdom into formats that are easier to understand,” she says. It’s no longer about “optimizing asset allocation”—it’s “how I saved my first ₹1 lakh.”
Santosh Joseph, founder of Germinate Investment Services, added: “People earlier were told what to do, but never the why. Now social media sells the benefits through these tips.”
Hidden risks
But accessibility comes with risks.
“The biggest issue is oversimplification,” Anooshka warned. “Wealth creation is complex, but social media often reduces it to quick tips.”
There’s also the problem of context—what works for one person may not work for another. A no-buy challenge could curb spending for some but trigger binge spending for others.
Santosh also flags hidden incentives. Financial content is often tied to product promotion—credit cards, investment apps, “zero-cost” EMIs.
“You’re told you’re saving 70%, but you’re still spending 30% you wouldn’t have otherwise,” he said. This is where awareness becomes critical. Not every “hack” is neutral. Some are designed to influence behaviour, not always in the audience’s best interest.
Another issue to be mindful of is the lack of fiduciary responsibility when it comes to the people who formulate these tips. Unlike registered financial planners such as Sebi-registered advisors in India, most social media “influencers” may not be licensed. While a licensed professional is legally and ethically bound to act in your best interest, an influencer could only be bound by their engagement metrics or sponsorship contracts and not the users’ best interests.
Relatability edge
That’s where the real shift lies.
Traditional financial advice is structured and long-term. Social media tips are modular—pick what works, ignore the rest.
Nandini’s “no-buy period” is a good example. It’s not a full overhaul, but a small, adaptable tweak.
Relatability is key. Influencers openly discuss debt, overspending and recovery journeys.
“Someone who has been in a debt trap and comes out of it has a better action plan,” she said. “It feels more real.”
Social media, in this sense, acts less like a rulebook and more like a testing ground.
Nandini calls her approach a “patch test”—trying habits for a few days before adopting them fully.
While small tweaks like turning off notifications or delaying purchases help, long-term financial health still depends on consistency, awareness and intentionality.
These hacks may start small—but used wisely, they can go a long way.