Does Your Social Media Use Impact Your Finances?

Social media is a powerful tool. You can use it to enhance your business, network and do so many other things. Many people feel it’s a wonderful business tool; and it is. However, it can also have a very lasting negative effect on your personal finances. What if I told you that being indifferent to social media could actually make you far more financially stable? There is a widespread belief – and it’s likely far truer than most of us realize – that tells us that the more time we spend on social media caring about how other people live their lives, the more miserable and unhappy we are; and the less money we have.

Let’s look at it from this point of view; the way I live my life is being happy for others. Why? Because I’m happy in my life. I don’t feel the need to be just like everyone else, and I haven’t since I was a teenager. I’ve grown up to learn that I don’t have to like the same things, get into the same things as others; I can like what I like and I don’t care if my friends or acquaintances agree or disagree. It’s liberating not to care. What that means is that I can look at social media and feel happy for friends and those I know when they get a promotion or move to a new city or buy a new car or go on their dream vacation.

Unfortunately, that is not the norm for everyone. Too many people allow this to have an influence on their own life. “That woman is driving a BMW, so I must buy one, too,” is the mentally that too many people have. It’s the idea that you have to keep up with people who have things you don’t have. If you can afford it, do whatever you want. But if you can’t, it’s going to get you in trouble. This is where social media indifference comes in. The less you care about what other people have, the less like you are to live above your means trying to look good for everyone else on social media.

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