My team (antelope) are focusing on changing spending habits of college students. MB represents a key subset of this user population–she embodies the financially unstructured but socially active college student–a common persona among students that we interviewed who juggle multiple jobs, have irregular income, and prioritize social experiences over strict budgeting. Many college students, especially those working part-time on campus, experience fluctuating earnings and struggle with tracking expenses, leading to unpredictable spending patterns. Additionally, social spending is a major expense category for students, and this was the biggest theme we saw from our baseline study and interviews. MB’s habits (spending impulsively, checking her balance reactively, and attempting to budget but struggling with consistency) reflect financial behaviors seen in many students who recognize the need for savings but lack the structure, discipline, or effective tools to manage their money proactively. Understanding this subset is crucial because they are highly influenced by peer behavior, digital payment convenience, and psychological barriers like FOMO, making targeted financial interventions particularly impactful.
MB’s 14-day pay period cycle highlights key intervention points, such as before social spending starts, after the first realization of overspending, and at the moment of budgeting attempts, where well-timed tools or strategies could help her break the pattern.
