From flowers to therapy, Bengaluru woman breaks down ₹25,000 ‘Gen Z expenses’, internet divided

A 22-year-old woman living alone in Bengaluru has sparked a discussion online after sharing a breakdown of her monthly “Gen Z expenses”.The video quickly drew mixed reactions on social media. (Instagram/@shradhawhat)In the video shared on Instagram, user Shradha Saini detailed her routine expenses, beginning with small indulgences. “I buy myself flowers 2-3 times every month. That comes to around ₹2,000,” she said. She then described mental health as a top priority. “I take therapy for my mental well-being. That’s a non-negotiable for me and costs about ₹10,000 a month,” she added.Saini’s spending also included weekly self-dates. “I take myself out on a brunch date every Sunday. That’s around ₹2,000 a month,” she said, explaining that her weekends are largely dedicated to self-care.Further, Saini said that grooming and relaxation are essential parts of her routine. “Weekends for me are for massages and pedicures, which cost about ₹5,000 a month,” she said, adding that nail appointments add another ₹3,000 to her monthly expenses.Saini shared that she also spends on “aesthetic things” to regulate her mood, budgeting around ₹1,000 for such items. Additionally, she invests around ₹2,000 in self-reflection tools like guided journals, gratitude planners and vision boards.Explaining her perspective, Saini said, “I call these Gen Z expenses because for millennials, spending on yourself like this wasn’t common and often wasn’t accepted.”“What’s your that one Gen Z expense that millennials will never understand?” she captioned the post.(Also Read: Bengaluru auto driver’s dual-phone setup in traffic goes viral: ‘One for doomscrolling, one for navigation’)Social media reactionsThe video quickly drew mixed reactions on social media. While some criticised her spending habits, others supported her choices.“Great that you are spending on yourself and encouraging self love… but please don’t bring down a whole generation,” one user commented.“Millennials worked hard, made it easier for the Gen Z and along with that they did all the above things .. just one thing millennials never did was pay 10k for mental health per month .. that says a lot about both and better not to compare as situation/env was different,” wrote another.“At least millennials didn’t need therapy for mental well-being—they’re strong enough to handle situations,” commented another.“Love this for you. People should spend more on themselves. I wish I did most of these,” one user wrote.“Therapy is an investment.. if the older generation made this, world would have been much more compassionate, kinder & healthier,” commented another.