Posted: 2024-05-11 19:15:18

At just 23, Veronika Gobba owes over $41,000 in HECS debt on a course she's yet to complete.

It's a debt many Australians know all too well.

But there are some things she's not willing to give up – her iced vanilla lattes and frozen yoghurt treats.

"Things can feel hopeless. Why bother saving? The odds are stacked against me," she says.

"Spending money on little treats can bring you joy when don't feel optimistic about being able to make bigger purchases long term."

The dopamine hit

Little treats create moments of happiness in the face of a grim financial future, with 'little treat' posts amassing hundreds of millions of views of TikTok.

Veronika and her friends are among the countless young people opting to spend their savings on these little luxuries.

"We're a bit stressed out. Little treat. We've completed something. Little treat.

"It's like 'let's go reward ourselves with a little muffin, a little bubble tea or a little frozen yoghurt'. You get such a dopamine hit and then you feel happier," she said.

Veronika Gobba in a dark shirt, holding a pink takeaway coffee cup and a stack of textbooks.

Veronika Gobba's favourite little treats are iced lattes and frozen yoghurts.(ABC News: Ruby Littler)

"So many people my age are drawn to the little treat trend because when things seem so financially grim sometimes all you can do is think about one day and making that day a bit better."

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