Pinterest is the perfect way to unwind after a long day of work, chasing kids, and managing a household. Depending on how you use this website and app, your Pinterest habit could be sabotaging your budget. Keep reading to find out if Pinterest is costing you money and how you can fix it.
I LOVE Pinterest… not only for personal use but also for business. Pinterest sends a lot of traffic to Frugal Living Mom and I enjoy being able to share my ideas and recipes with more people. Personally, I find Pinterest great for looking for ideas and recipes over Google because you get a wider range of options. When you Google a recipe you are likely to get the same few sites (Recipes.com, Pioneer Woman, Food Network…) and while these are great, sometimes I want more. Pinterest does this.
All this said Pinterest can be a time suck and give you a case of Keeping Up With The Joneses.
Here are a few ways to keep it all under control:
Pinterest: A Giant Wish List
Because of the boards you follow and the items you have on your boards, your home screen should look very different from someone else’s. If you have gotten into the habit of using Pinterest as a giant wish list, you may have found that Pinterest is sucking your checking account dry every month. The fact that Pinterest is so easy to use is also what makes it easy to spend money. It takes just a click to repin a pair of shoes, a cute outfit, or an expensive piece of jewelry. The more time you spend looking at things you want, the more you feel like you are missing out. If you use Pinterest to drool over material items and gift ideas, it’s time to change your pinning habits.
Online Shopping or Creativity?
While some users fall into both categories, most users explore Pinterest for creative endeavors or for shopping ideas. Take a look at the words you use most frequently. Are they dedicated to projects, parenting tips, recipes, or outfits, gift ideas, and jewelry? As you scroll through your most recent pins, it should become obvious which group you fall into.
“DIY” Projects—Are They Really?
Even if you use Pinterest for DIY projects and decorating ideas, it may still be costing you money. Many DIY projects rely on expensive tools and craft store products, rather than objects you have lying around the house. You may think that you are saving money with DIY projects, but if you are hitting the craft store multiple times a week, you could simply be creating an expensive hobby for yourself.
Finding New Ways to Use What You Have
If your budget can’t sustain your Pinterest habits, it’s easy to turn bad habits around and use Pinterest more productively. Instead of pinning indiscriminately, check out each pin before you save it. If it’s an item that’s in your budget, go ahead and save it as a realistic gift idea. If it’s a one-of-a-kind $15,000 ring, you can admire it without saving it to your boards.
Rather than browsing and aimlessly, use it to make better use of what you have. If you’re feeling creative, find some items you have around the house or decor items that need to be upgraded. Use the search feature to find projects that use what you already have.
New Recipes Can Cost You More
If you are like me, you tend to stock up on the key items your family likes and you make recipes with most often. When you check Pinterest for new recipes it means new spices you may not have and items that rarely come on sale at the grocery store. Sure that steak looks delish… but I’m more used to ground turkey prices 
Keep in mind new recipes also will take you more time. Most the time when I cook I don’t use a recipe. When I do, following each step is quite a bit more time consuming.
Treats are great, but can get hard on your budget if they become an everyday thing.
Pinterest can be a fun and re-energizing way to relax, but keep it realistic and don’t get too obsessed with the stuff you can’t do or don’t have!
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