Why Being Unhappy Makes You Spend More Money

Life is a crazy roller coaster. One day you can be flying high, the next you may be down in the dumps. Everyone experiences moments where things just aren’t right. It could be a symptom of general malaise, or something more serious. At different times in our life, it’s common to experience stress and bouts of unhappiness. During these difficult times, people tend to spend more money. We all have different spending triggers, but unhappiness is a big one for most people. Here are reasons why being unhappy makes you spend more money (and how you can work through it).

You Just Don’t Care

When you are unhappy, you are more likely to feel detached from your goals. I have often had a destructive nonchalance that hits me when I’m feeling down. I just don’t care about money, budgeting, tracking expenses or anything. It seems like work, and all I want to do is feel better. For me that means going out to eat and indulging in convenience. It’s important to take care of yourself if you are unhappy, but also realize that there are ways to overcome it and not throw all rules out the window in your quest for happiness.

Antidote: Think about how you will feel about spending frivolously after your unhappiness subsides. I know it’s hard to think ahead when everything feels so hard in the moment, but don’t lose sight of your goals. Find frugal alternatives to self-care like meditation, baths, yoga, hiking, running, biking, and chatting with friends.

Money Seems Trivial

When you are going through really tough times, money can seem incredibly trivial. If there is a death in the family, a natural disaster, divorce, etc. it’s hard to see the importance of money. What does money matter when people are dying? While there are definitely more important things than money, and I truly believe people and relationships are priceless, a time of crisis is not the time to spend without thought to its aftermath. Dealing with family emergencies are already expensive, and you are more likely to dismiss your budget if you are already swamped with unexpected expenses.

Antidote: Money can be a gift. Money can help you relieve stress by being prepared. Money can help others. Remember, money is just a tool. It can be used for good. Try to get some perspective. Whatever you are going through is temporary.

You Confuse Spending Money with Making You Happy

When you are unhappy, you lose perspective of the little things that make you happy. It’s easy to get caught up in spending more money to make yourself feel better because you believe it makes you happier. Many people go shopping for clothes, buy new gadgets to entertain themselves, or make hasty purchases they can’t really afford when they are unhappy. This is really just using money as a band aid, and confusing spending with happiness. You are filling a void with these empty, external things. I am not completely dismissing the rush and thrill of getting something new, or having a new experience. Au contraire. However, real happiness exists outside of things. Happiness is a feeling; a practice at its very core. As someone who used to wear sadness as a shield, I understand that it can be easier to dwell in unhappiness. Being happy takes courage and more determination to not let every little thing affect you.

Money can help facilitate happiness in the sense that it can relieve you from worry (for example, if you are worried about paying your rent), and make your life easier, but it does not equal happiness. If you feel like you are spending money because you think it makes you happy, try to separate yourself from external things.

Antidote: Think of what really makes you happy. I mean really makes you happy. If money were no object, what would you do with your life? Try and go after that. Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.

I think it’s common for people to spend more money when they are unhappy, but it doesn’t have to be your default action. Like anything, it is something you can work on improving. Understand your spending and emotional triggers — the why of spending money is so important. Find what truly makes you happy, and let money be a tool, not a downward spiral.

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