International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 13, Issue 3, March 2023 308 ISSN 2250-3153 This publication is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY. http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.13.03.2023.p13537 www.ijsrp.org The Impulse Buying Behavior and Financial Well-Being Profile of Young Professionals in the Philippines Renamae D. Azul, Ken Drexel Q. Cadano, Ryan Joseph M. Guiao, Norishi Maranga, Carmencita H. Salonga, and Melody N. Usita Polytechnic University of the Philippines DOI: 10.29322/IJSRP.13.03.2023.p13537 http://dx.doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.13.03.2023.p13537 Paper Received Date: 15 th February 2023 Paper Acceptance Date: 15 th March 2023 Paper Publication Date: 24 th March 2023 Abstract This research study seeks to provide preliminary descriptive information on the profile of young professionals when it comes to engaging in impulse buying behaviors and their financial wellbeing as a protective factor. This study can assist mental health providers in determining if this demographic is at risk of acquiring mental health distress as a result of impulsive buying habits and mitigating it effectively through the application of practical interventions such as financial education. Among the 73 individuals who responded to the two scales that measure impulse buying and financialwellbeing, results reveal that the respondents have low to medium levels of impulse buying behavior while in terms of their financial wellbeing, most of the respondents scored medium-low to medium-high. Keywords: Impulse buying behavior, financial well-being, young professionals Introduction One of the exciting parts of being employed after years of hard work in college is earning your own money. As an individual becomes part of the workforce, it evokes both feelings of thrills and responsibilities. Through the aid of technologically advanced devices, the dream of being able to afford an item or a service is at the tip of their hands. Likewise, there is a need to set aside money in case of rainy days. Added to the exposure to social media, consumers are attracted by advertising and the messages it conveys, which is reflected in their behavior and purchase intentions (Varadarajan, 2020, as cited in Rodrigues et al, 2020). Hence, handling personal finance could be challenging for some. Social media users agree that social networks affect their purchasing decisions, and almost half indicate that social media stimulates their online purchases (IAB Spain, 2016; PWC, 2016). The recent study of impulse buying and financial literacy in the Philippines only limited the study to the assumption that financial literacy does decrease impulse buying and yet the issue of impulse buying behavior and financial wellbeing remains unexplored (Jabar, 2021). As stated in the news article of Ladesma (2022) a lot of Filipino were still uncomfortable having money as a topic since they didn't want to be branded as greedy or directly translate it as “mukhang pera” and noted it as a reason why the Philippines where money matters are still regarded as taboo topics. One of the critical areas that the researchers want to observe in this study is the level of impulse buying behavior of young professionals. Impulse buying is defined by the researchers as the act of purchasing something that an individual had not meant to buy but proceeded with the purchase out of attraction. It also comes from a strong desire to buy something right away. The desire to purchase is a complicated self-indulgent feeling that can cause emotional conflict. Additionally, spontaneous purchases frequently happen with little thought given to their repercussions. The impulse buying behavior is also enforced when the individual feels feelings of satisfaction after making the purchase. It is easier to recall the things we often see especially under the influence of social media, than the things we avoid dealing with in a conversation specifically, financial matters like budgeting. Money isn't everything, but it is unquestionably at the center of everything. Largely, talking about money or financial-related topics remains taboo and controversial. As a result, people get information about handling financial matters with unverified resources which are often not evaluated objectively (Klontz, et al. 2020). Financial matters are one of the concerns that when not given attention, may result in mental health strains such as stress. A study cited in the Inquirer (2021), 7 out of 10 Filipinos are in debt, making the Philippines the most stressed nation in Asia-Pacific when it comes to handling their finances. This increases Filipinos' anxiety and uncertainty about their financial condition, which can lead to stress