Big Feelings, Bad Purchases: Emotional Spending In The Digital Age by Daniel Mercer - Non Fiction - Paperback

Details
Condition: BRAND NEW
Format: Paperback
ISBN: 9789370036185
Publisher: Rupa Publications

Overview
Big Feelings, Bad Purchases is a sharp, witty look at the emotional triggers behind modern spending habits. Daniel Mercer explores how stress, boredom, loneliness and even joy can send us straight to the checkout button, and why the digital shopping experience is engineered to make impulse feel like intuition. Blending psychology with everyday relatable scenarios, this book helps readers spot the patterns behind their purchases and start making choices led by intention rather than emotion, without losing the fun of shopping altogether. It is a timely read for anyone navigating a world of endless notifications, one-click checkouts and algorithm-driven temptation.

About the Book
We have all felt it: a difficult day, a scroll through an app, and suddenly a parcel is on its way that we did not plan to buy. Big Feelings, Bad Purchases digs into the powerful, often invisible connection between our emotional state and our spending decisions in an age of one-click checkouts, personalised ads and endless notifications. Daniel Mercer unpacks the psychology of retail therapy, explaining how dopamine, social comparison and algorithm-driven design combine to nudge us toward purchases we later regret. Rather than lecturing readers into austerity, the book takes a compassionate, practical approach. It offers frameworks for recognising emotional spending triggers in the moment, simple pause techniques to interrupt impulse buys, and ways to reframe the relationship between money and mood so that spending becomes a conscious choice again. Real-world examples and relatable scenarios sit alongside clear, actionable advice, making this as enjoyable to read as it is useful. Whether you are trying to rein in a habit of stress-shopping, curious about the psychology behind targeted ads, or simply want a smarter relationship with your bank balance, this book offers an accessible guide to understanding why we buy what we buy. By the final chapter, readers come away with a toolkit of small, realistic habits that make a genuine difference to everyday financial wellbeing, without demanding a complete lifestyle overhaul.

Key Benefits

• Explains the psychology behind emotional and impulse spending
• Practical, actionable techniques to pause before buying
• Written in an engaging, relatable, non-judgemental style
• Explores how digital design and algorithms encourage impulse purchases
• Ideal for anyone wanting a healthier relationship with money
• Makes a thoughtful gift for budget-conscious friends and family

About the Author
Daniel Mercer writes on the psychology of modern life, exploring how our minds interact with the pressures of the digital world. His work looks at topics spanning wellbeing, resilience and everyday behaviour, translating research and observation into practical, readable guidance for a general audience. In Big Feelings, Bad Purchases, he turns his attention to the world of money and emotion, drawing on behavioural insights to help readers understand their own spending habits. His accessible, conversational style aims to make complex psychological ideas easy to apply to everyday life, without ever feeling like a textbook or a lecture.

Why You'll Love This Book
Funny, relatable and genuinely useful, Big Feelings, Bad Purchases turns a guilty habit into a source of self-understanding rather than shame. It is the perfect read for anyone who has ever regretted a late-night online order and wants to spend with more intention, and a little more joy, going forward.

Please Note: Cover design may vary slightly from the image shown. This listing is for the UK edition, ISBN as stated.