'Embarrassing': Young Americans are wasting money on silly things — like TikTok...

From lives in Candy Crush to TikTok “pink sauce” — the controversial condiment made from dragon fruit and sunflower seed oil — Gen Z is easily swayed into spending money on frivolous finds they see online.

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A recent study from financial services company Bread Financial revealed 28% of Gen Z have made purchases within a video game, like Sims add-ons or extra lives in Candy Crush, that they don’t want other people to know about.

And 22% are embarrassed they’ve bought trending TikTok products like the viral Amazon "butt-lifting" leggings, pink sauce or ring lights.

But what’s most alarming is that this younger generation appears to have a spending problem in general. About a third of Gen Z spend more money than they make, while nearly the same amount don’t budget at all, compared to 25% of total respondents, according to the Bread Financial study.

Baby boomers, on the other hand, are the most likely to budget and far less likely to fall victim to funky fads — here are a few lessons their younger counterparts can pick up from them.

Be more intentional about spending

It’s important for young Americans to be more deliberate and thoughtful when it comes to their everyday spending, says Nick Antonelli, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Bread Financial.

He explains that these small online buys may seem insignificant, but people often don’t realize how frequently they make them — or how they can add up over time.

In the meanwhile, according to the Bread Financial study, boomers are less likely to make impulse purchases and more likely to plan for their expenditures.