A few months ago, I remember convincing myself that my spending problem was purely a discipline problem. Every week, I promised myself I would save more, spend less, and finally become one of those financially responsible people who seem to have their lives together.
Every week, I failed.
At first, I blamed myself. I thought:
“Maybe I’m not disciplined enough.”
“I probably lack self-control.”
“Maybe I just needed another budgeting app.”
But after paying closer attention, I noticed something interesting.
The weeks I spent the most money were usually the weeks I was around certain people, in certain environments, and exposed to certain habits. So, the problem wasn’t always me. Most times, it was actually just my environment.
Whether we realise it or not, we often absorb the financial habits of the people around us.
Think about it.
If all your friends order food every evening, eventually it starts to feel normal.
If everyone around you spends impulsively whenever money enters their account, saving begins to feel strange.
If your social media feed constantly shows luxury lifestyles, expensive gadgets, and “soft life” content, you may begin to feel like you’re behind even when you’re doing okay.
Our environment quietly influences what we consider normal, and what feels normal eventually shapes our financial decisions.
This is especially true in the university.
Many students arrive on campus with similar financial realities. Then suddenly, they find themselves surrounded by people with completely different spending habits.
Someone is ordering food every day. Amaka just bought a new phone. Tolu is planning another outing. And then without even realising it, comparison begins. You start spending money to keep up with lifestyles you were never supposed to maintain in the first place.
The result?
You end the month wondering where all your money went. And no, it’s not even because you were irresponsible, but because your environment gradually shifted your spending standards.
Today’s students are not only influenced by friends, we’re also influenced by thousands of people online every day.
A five-minute scroll can expose you to:
- luxury vacations
- designer fashion
- expensive gadgets
- millionaire success stories
- unrealistic lifestyles
The challenge is that social media often shows outcomes without showing sacrifices. You see the destination; you don’t see the years of discipline behind it. This can create pressure to spend money on things that don’t genuinely improve your life.
The good thing about environments is that they can either drain your finances or strengthen them. When you’re surrounded by people who talk about saving, investing, budgeting, and long-term goals, your mindset begins to shift.
Money conversations become normal. Financial planning becomes normal. Delayed gratification becomes normal.
Instead of feeling pressured to spend, you start feeling encouraged to grow, and this is why community matters. It’s easier to build healthy money habits when you’re not trying to do it alone.
You don’t need to cut people off or disappear from social life, you just simply need to become intentional about what influences you.
Here are a few practical steps:
- Follow Better Financial Content
Replace some entertainment content with creators and platforms that teach money management and investing. Small shifts in what you consume can create major shifts in how you think.
- Create Systems
Discipline is important, but systems are more reliable. Setting aside money immediately after receiving it can help reduce the temptation to spend impulsively. Ladda makes this easier by providing simple saving options that help separate money meant for spending from money meant for future goals.
- Join Communities That Encourage Growth
Being around people who are learning about money can be incredibly powerful. Whether it’s a finance society, savings group, or student finance community, positive environments make good habits easier to maintain. You could join the Ladda Student Community where students are learning how to save better, invest smarter, and take control of their financial future one step at a time.
Many people often assume financial success is simply about earning more money, but it’s more about creating an environment that supports better decisions.
The people you listen to, the content you consume, the conversations you have, and the communities you join all influence how you manage money.
So before blaming yourself for every financial mistake, ask a different question:
Is my environment helping me build the future I want, or is it quietly pulling me away from it?
Because sometimes, changing your financial life starts with changing what’s influencing it.