How Instagram Reels Shape Financial Decisions & Spending Patterns of Gen Z?

This study examines how Instagram Reels influence the financial decisions and spending patterns of Generation Z, particularly in relation to impulsive buying, aspirational consumption, and fear of missing out. As short-form, algorithm-driven video content increasingly dominates digital interaction, the research investigates how such media reshapes consumer psychology among individuals born between 1997 and 2012. Drawing on theories of digital consumer persuasion, planned behavior, and social comparison, the study conceptualizes Instagram Reels as an active behavioral stimulus rather than a passive advertising tool. A descriptive research design was adopted, combining primary data collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 50 respondents with secondary data from academic literature and industry reports on consumer behavior and digital economics. The findings indicate that frequent exposure to Reels accelerates purchase decisions, strengthens emotional spending tendencies, and normalizes discretionary consumption through algorithmic personalization and influencer-led social proof. A significant proportion of respondents reported purchasing products after viewing Reels and engaging in impulse buying behaviors. While limitations include a geographically restricted sample and reliance on self-reported data, the study highlights the broader implications of algorithmic culture on youth financial behavior and emphasizes the need for adaptive financial literacy frameworks in digitally mediated environments.