🛍️ Doom Spending: When the Future Feels Hopeless, So You Just Buy Stuff

Last week, we talked about saving for retirement—building a future you can actually look forward to.
But what happens when that future feels out of reach, or like it might not even exist?

World War 3 trends on social media, inflation eating your salary alive, and the environmental destruction in record highs.

In the middle of all that, we reach for comfort. A small escape. A checkout button.
That’s doom spending, and it’s not just a bad money habit. It’s a coping mechanism. A way to feel something when everything feels too much.

In today’s edition, we’ll go over:

• What Doom Spending is

• Why it happens and why it needs to stop

• 5 Grounded Ways to Combat Doom Spending

TLDR;

The Bottom Line

• Doom spending is emotional spending caused by anxiety, burnout, and hopelessness about the future.

• For young Filipinos, it's driven by real frustrations: corruption, unreachable milestones, and climate anxiety.

• It’s not about the ₱2,000 haul. It’s about seeking control in chaos.

• You can fight back with mindful budgeting, emotional awareness, and small savings goals that rebuild your sense of control.

The content

What Is Doom Spending?

Doom spending is when you spend impulsively—not out of need or celebration, but to soothe the quiet panic of a future that feels broken.

You scroll through bad news, feel powerless, then hit “Add to Cart.” 

Because why save for a future that’s not certain for me anyway?

Doom spending isn’t about being weak or irresponsible. It’s a reaction to uncertainty fatigue.

Why It Happens (And Why It’s Worse for Our Generation)

For Filipino Gen Zs and young millennials, doom spending isn’t just about boredom or bad habits. It’s rooted in very real frustrations:

1. Systemic Corruption Makes You Feel Your Efforts Don’t Matter

You work hard. You save. You vote.

And yet—those in power are still stealing, gas prices are still rising, and minimum wage still won’t cover basic needs.

So you think: “What’s the point of budgeting if the system is rigged anyway?”

2. Life Milestones Feel Out of Reach

• Buying a home? Near impossible.

• Starting a family? Scary and unaffordable.

• Retiring? Feels like a fantasy.

We were told to work hard and everything would follow. But the game changed, and no one updated the rules.

So you think: “Why save for a future that isn’t coming?”

3. Ecological Doom Is a Constant Background Noise

Climate collapse is no longer theoretical. Floods, heat waves, food shortages—it’s all on your feed, in your city, in your timeline.

So you think: “What’s the point of planning 30 years ahead if the world might not even be livable?”

And then you buy the thing. Not because you need it, but because it brings relief. Momentary meaning. A pocket of pleasure when the big picture feels too bleak.

Why You Need to Stop (Even If the World Feels Messed Up)

• Doom won’t cancel debt. The world might be unstable, but your credit card interest is very stable (and brutal).

• Spending doesn’t heal—only numbs. You’ll need better tools than parcels to process the pressure.

• You deserve comfort, but not at your own future’s expense. You don’t have to pretend everything’s fine. But you can’t keep trading tomorrow for temporary peace today.

Actionable Tips for You

How You Might Be Rationalizing Doom Spending (and What to Do Instead)

5 Grounded Ways to Combat Doom Spending

1. Identify Your Triggers
   Notice when and why you spend. Is it stress, boredom, or burnout? Awareness is step one.

2. Start a Micro-Goal Savings Habit
   Don’t aim for a house just yet. Start with ₱5,000 for emergencies or a small getaway. Small wins build momentum.

3. Mute Doom-Scroll Triggers
   Unfollow haul accounts or muted ads that push impulsive spending. Curate your feed with intention.

4. Practice a 24-Hour Cart Rule
   Add to cart, then wait 24 hours. Most "wants" won’t feel worth it the next day.

5. Budget for Emotional Spending, Intentionally
   Set aside ₱2,000/month for feel-good spending. The line isn’t no spending. It’s mindful spending.

 Final Thoughts

We doom spend because we’re trying to build a moment of comfort in a world that often feels broken.

But the truth is: when the future feels stolen, saving is rebellion. Planning is power. Spending wisely is a protest against helplessness.

You may not control the economy or climate or corruption, but you can control what your money does for you.

And that, in itself, is hope.

Stuff Worth Sharing

The Link Lowdown

A Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl - if you want to read about hope, start with this one.