Dopamine Tapping: The new feel-good fix that’s fueling problem spending
Understand the emotional triggers behind your spending to help you reclaim your financial power and move forward with confidence.
In the new Updraft TV advert, we show how debt doesn’t arrive with a bang. It builds quietly through everyday moments – a tap here, a payment there – until the weight suddenly becomes impossible to ignore.
That idea isn’t new. We’ve long been sold the cliché of retail therapy: the belief that when life feels heavy, a shopping bag or a new outfit can make things feel lighter. It’s a familiar story across TV, film and social media, where treating yourself is framed as a harmless emotional fix.
But behind that glossy image sits a more modern problem. Spending is now faster, easier and more frictionless than ever. Contactless payments and Buy Now, Pay Later options have removed the pause that once made us think twice. We’ve started calling this behaviour dopamine tapping – the brief feel-good rush that comes from simply tapping a card or phone to spend.
And Updraft’s latest data shows this habit is having real financial and emotional consequences.
As January rolls around – the traditional month of self-improvement and cutting back – we wanted to understand whether quitting one habit might be fuelling another. Our findings suggest that as people try to reset, many are unknowingly replacing old vices with overspending instead.
What is ‘dopamine tapping’?
Dopamine tapping is Updraft’s coined term for the instant mood boost people feel when they tap to buy something, whether that’s on a card reader, Apple Pay or a quick guest-checkout online. It’s essentially retail therapy reimagined for a contactless age.
Unlike traditional shopping sprees, dopamine tapping doesn’t require planning or even leaving the house. The emotional reward is immediate; the financial cost is delayed or ignored entirely. That psychological mismatch makes it highly reinforcing.
Dr Pavlo Kanellakis, Fellow of the British Psychological Society, explains that today’s effortless shopping environment demands psychological skills most of us were never taught: “When the fastest route to feeling better is also the easiest transaction to complete, we need more advanced emotional management capabilities, not fewer. This isn’t about pathologising normal behaviour; it’s about recognising that navigating today’s shopping environment requires intentional skill development.”
Emotional spending: The real emotional tax on Brits
We surveyed 1,500 nationally representative Brits to understand how widespread dopamine tapping has become, and which emotions are quietly costing people the most.
By asking respondents how much they typically spend on “feel-good” purchases each month, we were able to rank emotions by their average monthly cost.
The most expensive emotions driving dopamine tapping
- Happiness: £297 per month
- Anger: £274
- Loneliness: £254
- Anxiety: £245
- Boredom: £229
- Sadness: £221
- Stress: £218
Even respondents who didn’t associate their spending with a specific emotion still spent an average of £167 per month on general feel-good purchases. Across all respondents, the average monthly ‘dopamine tapping’ spend came to £236, or £2,832 a year.
The ranking reveals an important insight: dopamine tapping isn’t driven solely by negative emotions. In fact, happiness is linked to the highest spending, suggesting that “treat yourself” moments may carry a greater financial cost than people realise.
To better understand what happens when dopamine tapping goes too far, we also surveyed 1,170 people who have experienced credit card debt, asking how emotional spending shaped their financial outcomes.
Emotional triggers are driving money troubles
When asked what most often leads them to spend money and ultimately fall into credit debt, 25% of people said boredom, followed by stress (21%), happiness (21%), anxiety (15%), sadness (12%), and loneliness (6%).
This distribution shows that emotional spending doesn’t only happen during low moments, but at any emotional peak or dip. Good or bad, people are turning to spending as a form of emotional regulation.
A closer look revealed the deeper causes:
- 46% spend due to stress or anxiety fuelled by work
- 31% due to breakups or relationship problems
- 27% following grief or loss
- 11% due to negative feelings after using social media
This highlights a pattern: emotional vulnerability, whether triggered by pressure, pain or comparison, makes people more susceptible to quick dopamine hits, including impulse purchases.
The financial impact can be severe
Perhaps the most concerning finding is that just under half (45%) of Brits who are in credit card debt say dopamine tapping has contributed to their credit card debt.
- 12% said it was the sole reason they went into debt
- 33% said it was one of the reasons
- Only 24% said they’d never spent money to feel better at all.
This emotional tax, which is paid in interest, overdrafts and credit card bills, reveals how deeply ingrained dopamine tapping has become.
And what are people buying to soothe themselves?
- Food & drink tops the list at 32%
- Clothes & accessories follow at 27%
- Experiences (17%), tech (10%) and entertainment (6%) round out the list
These purchases aren’t always extravagant; they’re often small, frequent, easily justified, and that makes them even easier to lose track of.
Updraft’s findings also show that people are conflicted about their own behaviour. When asked how they felt about using spending as a replacement for other habits, 36% said they were unsure, and 33% believed it was acceptable in moderation. Yet nearly a quarter (23%) said it was becoming another problem, highlighting early warning signs of dependency. Just 8% believed it was a healthier alternative.
This emotional ambivalence reflects what psychologists describe as “cognitive dissonance”, which is knowing a behaviour may cause harm, yet continuing because it offers short-term relief.
January and the rise of replacement spending: Why we need to cap the tap
January is the month when many cut back on unhealthy habits such as drinking, smoking, unhealthy eating, and even gambling. But our research shows that a quarter of Brits (25%) say their spending increased after quitting or reducing an unhealthy habit, pointing to a clear pattern of replacement behaviour.
Among those whose spending rose, the increases were far from marginal. Over 70% spent £100-£299 more per month, while nearly one in five spent £300 or more, and one in twenty reported spending an extra £1,000+ each month.
This equates to an average increased spend of £399 per month, which is a significant added expense at a time when many are actively trying to improve their finances.
This is consistent with a psychological pattern known as behavioural substitution, when one behaviour that regulates emotions is removed, another steps in to fill the gap.
This January, many Brits intending to improve their wellbeing may unknowingly be shifting from one coping mechanism to another, falling deeper into emotional spending cycles.
That’s why Updraft is encouraging Brits to Cap the Tap: a movement designed to promote mindful spending and help people regain control. Alongside behavioural tips and expert guidance, we’re distributing “Cap the Tap” stickers for phones, acting as a real-world nudge to pause before tapping card readers.
Mindful spending isn’t about restriction; it’s about recognising the emotional drivers behind purchases and building healthier alternatives to cope with stress, boredom and other triggers.
IRL vs URL spending: How frictionless online shopping fuels dopamine tapping
Dopamine tapping isn’t confined to in-store payments. In fact, online shopping may be an even more powerful trigger due to how platforms streamline the path from desire to purchase.
We analysed the number of clicks needed to go from browsing to checkout across major social media platforms. The results reveal an online ecosystem designed to maximise spontaneous spending:
Number of clicks from scrolling to checkout:
- YouTube: 4 clicks
- Pinterest: 5 clicks
- X (Twitter): 5 clicks
- TikTok: 6 clicks
- Instagram: 7 clicks
- Facebook: 7 clicks
All six platforms also offer guest checkout, removing the need to log in or enter saved information, dramatically reducing the mental “speed bumps” that would traditionally slow down spending decisions.
The combination of emotional vulnerability and ultra-fast checkout becomes a perfect storm: a hit of dopamine delivered in seconds, paid for over weeks or months.
Rewriting our relationship with spending
Dopamine tapping is more than just a modern phrase; it’s a growing behavioural pattern with serious emotional and financial consequences. While spending to feel better is common, it can slip into a harmful cycle when it becomes the default way to manage emotions or replace other habits.
Some people may experience an addiction-like pattern, marked by urges that are hard to resist, hidden purchases, spending beyond means, or anxiety when unable to shop. These red flags suggest that support is necessary.
As we encourage the nation to “Cap the Tap,” we want to empower people to build a healthier, more mindful relationship with money rooted in emotional awareness rather than impulse, stress or boredom.
Most credit card debt doesn’t start with a big purchase, but with lots of small taps. Updraft’s latest ad brings this to life, raising awareness of how everyday spending adds up, and how the right support can lift you up when it does.
If you’re worried about your spending, or you’re using shopping as a way to cope with difficult emotions, help is available.
Mind offers confidential resources, guidance and support for anyone struggling with emotional wellbeing or compulsive behaviours. Find support here: Mind.
Methodology:
This research is based on two surveys examining dopamine-driven spending among UK adults. The first surveyed 1,500 nationally representative Brits to understand how common emotional spending is and which emotions trigger the highest spending.
A second, more targeted survey was conducted among 1,170 UK adults who have experienced credit card debt, to explore the financial impact of emotional spending, including whether it contributed to debt or increased after quitting other unhealthy habits.
Where respondents reported increased spending, estimated monthly increases were collected in ranges and analysed using a midpoint methodology, with a conservative assumption applied to the highest band. All findings are based on self-reported data and attributed to the relevant survey sample throughout.
Final Thought
Want to take control of your money? If you’re looking to consolidate credit card debt and cut down on high interest, download the Updraft app today.
About Updraft
Updraft is an FCA-authorised lender and UK-based fintech aiming to help people swap financial stress for a little more headspace. We blend clever tech with practical tools – including ways to help manage and structure borrowing – designed to make money management feel less like a chore and more like getting your life back on track. Find out more about how we’re rethinking borrowing and money management at updraft.com.
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