Have you ever said yes to plans you didn’t really want—simply because everyone else was going?
Maybe it was brunch that turned into a $100 bill.
Or a weekend trip you felt pressured to book.
Or a vacation you weren’t financially ready for, but didn’t want to miss.
In the moment, going along with it felt easier than sitting with the discomfort of saying no. However, afterward, the cost shows up. Your money feels tighter. Progress toward your financial goals slows. And sometimes, regret creeps in.
This is where FOMO spending—fear of missing out—shows up. For many people, it’s a common reason financial goals are delayed.
FOMO is that feeling of urgency that something exciting is happening without you, and it’s often what nudges people into financial decisions they might not otherwise make.
FOMO spending doesn’t just show up in social plans. It can also influence financial decisions more broadly. From impulse purchases to investing in the latest meme stock, as noted by Axos Bank.
Why FOMO Spending Isn’t Really About the Money
At first glance, FOMO spending looks like a budgeting issue. In reality, it’s usually about pressure.
More specifically, it’s driven by:
- The desire to belong
- The fear of being left out
- The discomfort of being the only one who didn’t go
- The worry that you won’t be part of the conversation later
Because of that pressure, these decisions are often reactive. There’s no pause, no check-in, and no consideration of whether the expense aligns with what you actually want.
Adding to this, social media amplifies fear of missing out. Seeing photos, stories, and posts in real time can make it feel urgent. Suddenly, it’s not just about missing the event—it’s about missing the shared memory and social connection.
That doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you. It means you’re human. Still, when fear of missing out drives spending decisions, it often pulls money away from goals that matter more long-term.
Research backs this up. Seeing what others post online has been linked to financial decisions driven by fear of missing out. In fact, according to research from Empower, about half of Americans say they’ve made purchases or investments because of it.
Social media often shows a curated version of people’s lives—the highlight reel without the context—which can make comparisons feel more compelling than they really are.
Can I Keep It Real With You for a Moment?
A few hours of not wanting to miss out can add up over time, especially when it turns into a recurring pattern.
It’s easy to spend $100 on brunch or $1,000 on a weekend trip and tell yourself it’s “not a big deal,” but those decisions don’t exist in isolation. That same money can go toward paying down high-interest debt, building savings, or investing for your future—where it can grow and compound over time.
When you’re working toward goals like becoming debt-free or building long-term security, the real question isn’t whether the brunch or trip was fun. It’s whether you’re okay with this choice slowing your momentum.
This isn’t about guilt. Instead, it’s about trade-offs. Whether we acknowledge them or not, they’re always there.
JOMO and Your Money: Choosing Intention Over Pressure
This is where JOMO or the joy of missing out comes in.
JOMO isn’t about skipping everything or cutting yourself off from experiences. Rather, it’s about choosing intentionally instead of reacting to pressure.
With a JOMO money mindset:
- You plan for what truly matters
- You say no without guilt when something isn’t aligned
- You stop spending to keep up with expectations that aren’t yours
In other words, JOMO allows your spending to support your values instead of someone else’s plans.
If It Matters to You, Plan for It
Intentional Spending Is About Alignment, Not Restriction
One important distinction often gets overlooked: intentional spending isn’t about restriction. It’s about alignment.
This is where values-based spending becomes especially important.
If brunch with friends every other weekend genuinely matters to you, that’s not a problem—it’s a value. The key difference is planning for it.
How Planning Ahead Reduces Stress and Guilt
When social plans are built into your spending plan:
- They don’t catch you off guard
- They don’t derail your financial goals
- They don’t come with guilt or stress afterward
As a result, your spending plan becomes a support system, not a restriction. You’re no longer scrambling to “make it work” after the fact. Instead, you’re choosing ahead of time.
A Quick Gut Check Before You Commit
Now, before you add bi-weekly brunches to your spending plan, let’s do a quick gut check. If one of your core values is connection or community, are there other ways to meet that need that cost less?
Maybe that looks like brunch once a month instead of twice. Or maybe it’s inviting friends over, hosting a potluck, or taking a walk together. And if you do choose twice a month, are you okay with the trade-off? Because there’s always a trade-off. Spending on brunch means that money isn’t going toward paying down debt or building savings.
Don’t get me wrong—I love a good brunch. I just want you to have clarity when you’re making these decisions, so you’re choosing them instead of reacting to pressure.
Leave Room for Spontaneity (Without Derailing Your Goals)
And here’s something else that’s important to say: you can’t plan for everything—and you don’t need to.
If spontaneity matters to you, there’s room for that too. In my own life, I keep a sinking fund specifically for random things—spontaneous plans, last-minute invites, things I didn’t see coming. You can call it whatever you want.
The point is that the money is already set aside in a high-yield savings account, in an amount that makes sense for you. That way, when something comes up, you can say yes without stress or second-guessing. You still get to be spontaneous—just in a way that doesn’t derail your financial goals.
Questions to Help Shift From FOMO Spending to JOMO
Before committing to plans, try asking yourself:
- If no one else were going, would I still want to do this?
- Am I excited—or reacting to fear of missing out?
- Does this align with what I’m working toward right now?
- If this matters long-term, where does it live in my spending plan?
These questions aren’t meant to judge your choices. Instead, they help you build awareness—so you can prepare rather than react.
The Goal Isn’t Perfection — It’s Fewer Reactive Yeses
You don’t need to eliminate fear of missing out completely. Most people won’t.
What actually changes things is:
- Catching it sooner
- Pausing before committing
- Deciding in advance what you want to say yes to
Over time, these small shifts compound. Decisions feel lighter. Guilt fades. And your money starts reflecting your priorities—not social pressure.
Research suggests that shifting your focus toward what actually matters to you and what already brings you joy can help reduce impulses tied to fear of missing out and overspending.
That’s JOMO.
Not missing out—but choosing on purpose.
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