In a world where TikTok trends rise and fall faster than you can say ‘viral,’ there’s a new sensation in town, and it’s called ‘girl math.’ It’s the trend that has everyone scratching their heads, laughing, and maybe even secretly nodding in agreement. Move over, ‘girl dinner’–it’s time for some mathematical magic, or should we say, girl math.
Samantha Jane, a 28-year-old real estate developer and content creator, can be credited for popularising this peculiar phenomenon. Her video about ‘girl math’ exploded with over three million views on TikTok, leaving a trail of giggles and head-nods in its wake. But what exactly is girl math, and how does it work?
Girl math operates on a unique set of principles that would leave your high school math teacher bewildered. In this world, cash is like confetti at a parade – it doesn’t really count as spending. If you pay for something in cash, it feels like you’ve just won a prize at a carnival. One TikToker even confessed, “If I pay for something in cash, it feels like I got it for free.”
But girl math doesn’t stop there. It dives headfirst into the world of sales, where buying something on discount becomes a form of saving. Forget about percentages and decimals; this is a realm where if you buy a $400 handbag but use it every single day (yes, all 365 of them), it’s suddenly only costing you about a dollar a day. That’s right, your designer bag is practically free, according to girl math logic.
Let’s not forget the Starbucks addicts. According to girl math aficionados, if you load your Starbucks card and then buy a drink later, that drink is basically free. Your coffee habit just became a financial masterstroke, all thanks to a little sprinkle of girl math.
Here’s how one TikTok user explains girl math: “Anything under $5 is free, anything you buy with a gift card is free. If you buy something and then you return it, you’ve ‘made’ money. Going to an event or a concert is ‘free’ because you’ve paid for it so long ago that it doesn’t even count now. You’re losing money if you don’t purchase something when it’s on sale. You’re losing money if you don’t spend enough to qualify for free shipping. You’re making money whenever you skip your daily coffee or soda run. Anything in your digital wallet that isn’t immediately spent is free money.”
In response to this TikTok, one commenter shared her own accounting artistry: “When you buy something that’s like $100 and you do both cash and [credit] card you technically only spent $50 because cash is free money.”
And the madness doesn’t end there. The realm of girl math extends to justifying spending on everything from Botox treatments to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour tickets. Imagine buying a ticket to see T-Swift four nights in a row – that’s a wallet workout! But fear not, girl math is here to save the day. By subletting your apartment, re-watching concert videos a thousand times, and performing some mystical financial gymnastics, you’ve just transformed that hefty expense into a fantastic freebie.
So, where did this perplexing trend originate? It seems that ‘girl math’ had its humble beginnings in a recurring radio segment on the New Zealand-based radio station ZM, hosted by the morning show Fletch, Vaughan & Hayley. In this segment, listeners shared their purchases and costs, and the hosts would collaborate to justify the spending until it felt “basically free.” Talk about financial acrobatics!
Now, before you start doubting the sanity of the world, it’s important to remember that ‘girl math’ is all in good fun. It’s a lighthearted take on personal finance, designed to reframe the narrative and remove the guilt or shame often associated with spending money. Samantha herself emphasises that it’s not about making good or bad financial decisions but finding joy in your choices.
In the quirky world of ‘girl math,’ spending isn’t just spending; it’s an art form. It’s a way to make everyday life a little more spontaneous and a lot less serious. After all, who said math had to be dull and dreary?
So, the next time you find yourself contemplating that enticing sale or debating whether to skip your daily latte, remember: according to girl math logic it’s practically an investment in yourself. Whether you’re a girl, a guy, or anyone in between, if it resonates with you, it’s for you!
