THERE’S nothing more satisfying than rewarding oneself after a job well done, and members of Generation Z have their own ways of patting themselves on the back.
While some give themselves their much-needed rest, others check out an item they have been keeping in their online shopping carts or order the food they have been craving for a while.
Many Gen Zs reward themselves by buying the things they want. In fact, three out of four Filipino Gen Zs—born between 1997 and 2012—living in urban areas said they shop online because they believe they deserve it, according to a 2024 joint study by Filipino-focused sociocultural research firm The Fourth Wall and communications firm Uniquecorn Strategies.
It found that while 50 percent of these Gen Zs’ finances came from allowances given by their parents, the other half came from their full-time jobs, businesses, or side hustles.
This is why there is absolutely nothing wrong with treating themselves once in a while, especially if it is the hard-earned money they are spending. In some instances, however, they tend to self-reward themselves so much that it is already hurting their pockets.
Now, the question is: is there a limitation in rewarding oneself? When is the “deserve ko ‘to” mindset enough?
Look for the ‘middle ground’
There has been a discussion about self-reward among netizens on X (formerly Twitter) when one of them floated the idea of “toning down” the “deserve ko ‘to” mindset and instead being financially responsible and a good steward this year.
This post earned mixed reactions from online users, with some agreeing with the netizen’s post and stressing that some regret their financial decisions after prioritizing their wants over their needs. Others argued that they should mind their business and let people enjoy their hard-earned money.
But for money mindset and life coach Nik Madriñan, people do not need to choose between spending their money and depriving themselves of things they deserve.
What they need to do instead is find the “middle ground” of their finances where they can enjoy treating themselves without hurting their wallets, she said.
“I believe that there can be a balance because we think that it’s either ‘I sacrifice now to enjoy later’ or ‘If I enjoy now, I’m going to sacrifice tomorrow.’ But I believe that you can enjoy the now and balance saving for your future,” Coach Nik told republicasia.
“It’s just a matter of how you can manage your finances in an optimal way where you can do both,” she added.
In rewarding themselves, Coach Nik noted that they should not settle for less and think about what they truly deserve.
“You don’t just deserve instant gratification [or] small rewards; you deserve so much more than that. You deserve lasting fulfillment, true joy in your life and that’s what people forget in this conversation,” she stressed.
More often than not, Coach Nik said how people view themselves reflects on how they treat themselves. If a person thinks they do not deserve much, she said they tend to settle for things that do not give them genuine and lasting happiness.
So before money management comes into play, Coach Nik highlighted the importance of knowing their worth rather than settling on small things delivered to their doors.
Create a ‘criteria’
Coach Nik noted that each person has various ways of balancing their finances, depending on their priorities. Those supporting a family may have a different middle ground from those who just finished college and started their professional careers.
This is why Coach Nik highly suggested everyone create their own “criteria” for their finances to define what balance would look like for them.
“Is it for you balance is, ‘Ah, nakakapunta ako ng concert tapos nakakapaghulog ako every month consistently for my emergency fund, so that hindi ko binubuhos lahat ng savings ko just to enjoy, at the same time, I’m not putting all my money to save naman na ikukulong ko na lang sarili ko sa bahay?’” the money mindset and life coach explained.
In some instances, some individuals apply the 30-day savings rule where they would reflect on whether or not they really need the item they want to purchase.
But Coach Nik believes that people do not have to weigh in their wants and needs, as it is a matter of how they would allocate their funds properly.
“I’d like to challenge the mindset na we need to deprive ourselves of our wants, so we only have to focus on our needs. That doesn’t become sustainable,” she emphasized.
“I’d say that as long as you know what your priorities, your life goals are, it’s gonna be easier to align your finances to that,” she continued.
‘Challenge’ old beliefs about finances
This year, some individuals aim to improve their finances and be more financially responsible.
But how can they do this? Coach Nik shared a “controversial” tip on how one can attain financial freedom in 2025: “challenge” their old beliefs about money.
“I speak from my experience that if you want to be truly financially free, it’s only 10 percent money management and 90 percent overcoming ano ba ‘yung mga limiting belief I have around money?” she shared.
Coach Nik disproved the idea that one can save money consistently by sticking strictly to their daily expense tracker.
“The root cause, often times, is ano ba ‘yung mga kinalakihan kong thoughts na pinaniwalaan ko dahil ayun ‘yung sinabi ng magulang ko, ng kapitbahay ko, ng lola ko? Ayun ‘yung mga outdated, toxic beliefs that you still carry to this day that bleed into how you spend,” she said.
One example is when a person thinks they are “selfish” if they put themselves first before others—a belief that hinders them from prioritizing themselves and saving for their dreams.
“Ano ba ‘yung mga thoughts na kinalakihan ko na ayoko na paniwalaan? And start challenging them,” said Coach Nik.
She added, “Because once you start challenging those toxic beliefs na kinalakihan mo, it becomes so much easier, I tell you, to save for what matters and spend on what truly gives you real fulfillment.”
