Last October, as a senior navigating college applications and midterms, I found myself engaging in TikTok’s “little treat” culture almost unknowingly.
While I completed my supplemental essays, I’d make my way to a nearby coffee shop for a six-dollar drink. Before I headed to school, I’d lather on Summer Fridays’ 24-dollar lip balm as a reward for my effort. As I accumulated various keys, keychains and cards, I purchased a 58-dollar wristlet from Lululemon as a supposedly “cuter” way to house my belongings.
By no means did I need these items. In fact, as I’d soon find out, I did not have the financial capacity to be spending my money in such ways.
As I’ve learned, little treat culture has its benefits as instant gratification and as a small prize for everyday chores, but it also encourages irresponsible habits among a generation that couldn’t be more desensitized to spending.
“Little treat” culture is the practice of rewarding oneself with small luxuries as self-care. Many Gen-Z consumers on social media use these little treats as a means of coping, for stress relief or as a way to celebrate accomplishments.
Across social media, cities, and time zones, young adults are indulging in expensive to-go beverages and novelties like the Labubu to reward themselves for daily tasks and for making it through yet another day.
According to the Bank of America’s Better Money Habits team, a third of Gen-Z is stressed about finances. Yet 57 percent of Gen-Z buy a small treat once a week, which 59 percent say leads to overspending.
“Spent $9 because little treats are cheaper than therapy,” one TikTok says. “It’s a treat culture and we’re just living in it,” says another.
While there’s a certain amount of comfort in being able to have a favorite drink on-hand while completing an arduous task, these daily financial excursions come with consequences.
Little treat culture encourages unrealistic expectations and causes young adults to not see the true value of money. In my experience, when finances seem expendable and money always seems to return, true quote-unquote luxury purchases don’t seem to be nearly as special.
A daily coffee and an expensive lip balm are luxury. But when they’re treated as so casual — when they’re so normalized, and when they’re seen as throwaway, everyday items — budgeting and financing becomes difficult.
As someone who spent multiple months consuming a seven-dollar Starbucks drink daily (a venti Pink Drink with vanilla sweet cream cold foam, to anyone curious), I believe such items should be spread across weeks or even months. Little treat culture discounts the essence and speciality behind the treats themselves.
Instead of spending my money every single day, I’ve since turned to “treating” myself in other ways. I craft; I watch shows; I go on walks, and all for free.
The premise of little treat culture is certainly very helpful for today’s young adults. Life is too short not to enjoy; it’s just that this enjoyment doesn’t necessarily need to come at a seven-dollar cost.
Altogether, a few months after I completed the needlessly massive expenditure that was applying to college, I found that my spending had taken a visible toll on my bank account. My lack of control around Starbucks and the restaurant haven that is Green Street left me with barely any disposable income, a long-lasting consequence that I’m still feeling today.
Prior to this rude wake-up call, I’d never before believed in budgeting as a young adult. Financially, my parents took care of me otherwise, and I’d earned that money through months of working as a summer swim instructor; why should I save it?
In the moment, I found solace in the luxury spending endorsed by little treat culture. But in the long term, I realized I didn’t have funds for things I actually needed, like helping pay for application fees or exams.
After some time, these items didn’t feel special anymore, and I found myself craving a feeling I’d usually satisfy with these little treats.
As a soon-to-be college student, I’ve learned the “money comes back” mindset is not realistic for where I am in life. Personal finance is something I’ve surely struggled with, but I hope that as I make my way to my new college campus next year I can find a way to balance my funding and desires for both boba and books, treats and transportation.
