Emotional spending is tanking millennials' finances — here's what the data shows. A LendingTree survey found that 50% of millennials admit "retail therapy" has actually hurt their financial health. Gen Z isn't doing much better at 49%, and even across all age groups, 44% struggle with impulse purchases.

The psychology is real: when stress hits, shopping feels like relief. But that dopamine hit is temporary. If you're caught in this cycle, try these moves:

• Build a separate "spending fund" so emotional purchases don't drain your main savings
• Wait 24 hours before buying anything over $50 — the urge usually fades
• Unsubscribe from marketing emails and uninstall shopping apps to reduce temptation
• Replace shopping with healthier stress outlets — walks, hobbies, time with friends
• Set up automatic transfers to savings so money leaves before you can blow it

TLDR: Emotional spending is a symptom, not the problem. The real fix? Change your relationship with stress.