The purchase you weren't planning to make

You open social media to watch one video.

Twenty minutes later, you've seen a creator recommend a new water bottle, a limited-edition hoodie, a skincare product everyone's talking about, and an advert telling you there's only two hours left to get 30% off.

Sound familiar?

Every day we're surrounded by thousands of adverts. Some are obvious, while others are built into social media posts, videos and content from influencers whose job is to persuade you to spend money.

That doesn't mean advertising is bad. But understanding how it works can help you make spending decisions that work for you, not just for the people trying to sell something.

Why social media can be so tempting

Social media isn't just designed to entertain you. It's designed to keep you scrolling.

The longer people stay on a platform, the more adverts they see. That's why content is often personalised based on what you've watched, searched for or liked before.

Once your algorithm figures out what you like, it can start showing you lots of products it thinks you might like.

You watch one video about trainers and suddenly your feed seems full of them. After seeing the same product multiple times, it's easy to start believing everybody has it and that you need it, even if it wasn't on your wishlist a week ago.

Four tricks advertisers use

The pause button

Before buying something, try asking yourself:

• Do I actually need this?
• Had I planned to buy it before I saw the advert?
• Is it good value for money?
• Have I compared it to similar products?
• If I wait 24 hours, will I still want it?

You don't have to stop buying things you want. The goal is simply to make sure you're choosing them deliberately.

Wants aren't bad

It's completely okay to spend money on things you enjoy.

This isn't about never treating yourself. It's about understanding the difference between a genuine choice and an impulsive purchase.

Sometimes you'll decide a product is worth buying. Sometimes you'll realise you'd rather save that money for something else. Both are smart decisions, as long as they're your decisions.