Side hustles and budget challenges top FinTok trends of 2025

The average FinTok user spent over 400 hours scrolling through their feed in 2025, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 Americans split evenly by generation who use FinTok — the financial side of TikTok — revealed that they spend an average of eight hours per week watching videos, totaling 416 hours this year.

This was especially true for millennials who average about 10 hours per week, or 520 total hours in 2025.

Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of banking app Chime, the survey asked respondents to outline their experiences getting financial advice from TikTok.

Almost three in five (59%) tried some sort of money-saving FinTok trend in 2025, including low budget living (30%), girl math (17%) and “No Spend September” (15%).

These respondents saved an average of a little over $400 ($406), while millennials ($432) and Gen X ($428) saved the most.

Other top trends of 2025 include side hustle sprints (20%), the budget bucket challenge (12%) and debt pay-off winter (12%).

For the youngest generations, FinTok trends are seen as a way to make financial topics more accessible and easier to understand (Gen Z, 41% and millennials, 35%), though 30% of baby boomers emphasize the fact that while these videos are entertaining, they may not always be accurate.

While older generations may approach new trends with more skepticism, Gen Z seems to be making them work, as 43% said the financial trends they tried in 2025 were successful, compared to just 22% of baby boomers.

Yet that caution may not necessarily translate to distrust. Three-quarters of Americans polled, along with 61% of boomers specifically, say they trust financial advice shared on TikTok.

When asked about their most interesting or enlightening experience on FinTok this year, one respondent shared, “I learned not to keep moving my investments around and to just sit on them for a certain period of time, giving enough time to see if the returns are going to be worth it.”

Others learned ways to “better save for the future” or “about interest rates,” while another specifically learned about “different side gigs to supplement income, which truly helped.”

“People are clearly thinking differently about their money, and it’s refreshing to see so many embracing the digital tools and knowledge at their fingertips,” said Janelle Sallenave, Chime’s Chief Spending Officer. “Even if some keep their FinTok habits under wraps, platforms like TikTok are making conversations about saving, spending and investing more open and relatable — helping more people feel confident engaging with their finances in whatever way works best for them.”

According to a 2024 survey by Talker Research of the same sample, more than half (53%) planned to use FinTok more in 2025 than they did in 2024. This year’s results revealed that was true for 46% of those polled, with 60% of Gen Z specifically.

Adding that to the 42 pieces gained last year, Americans have racked up close to 100 (74) new nuggets of information from FinTok in the last two years alone.

Nearly three-quarters of those polled (74%) think that it’s socially acceptable to get their financial information from FinTok and another 61% would go so far as to recommend it to someone looking to improve their finances in 2026.

In the next year, more than half (53%) plan to use FinTok more than they did this year. Improving savings habits (38%) and feeling more confident about money (34%) ranked as the top two goals.

Gen Z will be looking for ways to pay off debt faster (38%) or learn about new ways to invest (34%), while one in five of both Gen Z (22%) and millennials (19%) are keen to find community and accountability.

TOP FINTOK TRENDS OF 2025

• Low Budget Living - 30%
• Side Hustle Sprint - 20%
• Girl Math - 17%
• No Spend September - 15%
• Budget Bucket Challenge - 12%
• Debt Pay-Off Winter- 12%
• The Great Lock In - 11%
• Loud Budgeting - 9%
• Micro Income - 9%
• De-influencing - 9%

Research methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans who use FinTok, split evenly by generation (500 Gen Z, 500 millennials, 500 Gen X and 500 baby boomers) who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Chime and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Oct. 24 and Nov. 4, 2025. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.