Expert shares how having more hobbies and mindful spending can help save money in the 20s

The 20s in many ways are one of the most remarkable years in an individual's life. The decisions taken during this age, affect a person for the rest of their lives. Erin Confortini—who goes by @itserinconfortini on TikTok—certainly seems to think so and in her opinion, it is essential to be financially sound, so that money is available for the future. In her video, she shares how not having hobbies is preventing, young people in their 20s from achieving their financial goals. She believes hobbies, keep young people focused on one certain thing, rather than going out and spending money on things they do not really need in the long run.

Confortini reflected on her own recent experience. On a free Saturday, when she had "no plans and no one to hang out with," she like all people her age headed to the mall. Rather than feeling happy, she ended up feeling a bit agitated. She returned buying absolutely nothing, but that is not always the case with others. Many people find themselves feeling obligated to spend money, just because they have entered a mall. Thereafter, lo and behold, they find themselves having spent more than they had calculated. Self-regulation as a virtue is difficult to inculcate in today's day and age, with social media constantly making people feel that they are missing out on things.

Confortini wants people to get out of that mindset. She wants to make it clear, that most of the time when people feel compelled to buy things, it is not for the right reasons. The financial advisor lays it down clearly, "if you're overspending, it might be because you have time to spend the money, and don't know what else to do with your free time." In her opinion, by spending money on things that are not necessary, people are filling a void that they feel in their lives. People do not have anything to focus their energy on, so they do so on shopping, which eventually becomes heavy on their pockets. Hence, a hobby can help people not only find a good object to focus their energy on but also save money that they can use in important future pursuits.

Confortini advises people in their 20s, to be careful with their money by not giving in to self-indulgent behavior because she knows a bit about how going off-track can have a severe impact on an individual's life. She shared in a video how her total net worth became negative 15k, because of irresponsible financial behavior. The financial advisor shared 3 steps, that helped her get back on track, and get her net worth to 100k. They are, "1. create a budget, 2. track your spending, 3. Reflect."

She further explains how the first two steps are put in use by everyone, but the third step is what ensures that the whole process fulfills its objectives. Erin believes it is important that people "compare their budget to their actual spending." Many people are just afraid to do so, because of the guilt that might be involved during reflecting. The woman shares that she herself does not like to compare or reflect on her expenses during a high-spending month. But, it is essential, as "You aren't going to be able to change any behavior if you don't analyze what that behavior is."

The comment section found the suggestion interesting. @bri.be.reading agrees with the assertion, and believes reading can be a viable hobby, "ppl need to start reading more! libraries have incredible selections esp in pgh" @fauvehye also believes that a hobby can help in budgeting, "So true! Finding joy in simple, cost-free hobbies can be so fulfilling and great for the wallet! Keep embracing those insightful moments!"