The Quiet Power of Opting Out

By Uma Viswanathan, Chief Ethnographer and Storyteller, SmarterWealth

You’re staring at your credit card bill this month and feel that familiar twinge: How did it add up so fast?

There wasn’t one big splurge. Just a steady stream of little yeses. A few “let me just grab this while I’m here” moments. A last-minute dinner. A sale you didn’t want to miss. A scroll-induced purchase that felt good—for about five minutes.

It’s not that any of it was wrong. You’re not reckless. But when you zoom out, it’s easy to see how quickly money gets pulled in directions you didn’t consciously choose.

The truth is, we live in a world designed to make spending feel automatic—and saying no feel like you’re missing out. But what if you’re not?

Saying No in a Yes Economy

There’s a term for the quiet confidence that comes with choosing what’s right for you—even if it means opting out: JOMO—the Joy of Missing Out.

You might remember when JOMO had its cultural moment. Candles. Bubble baths. Phone on Do Not Disturb. A soft rebellion against the pressure to always be “on,” always saying yes. It was a vibe. But beneath the aesthetic was something real—and still relevant.

In a world wired for comparison, consumption, and never-enoughness, the joy of missing out isn’t just a cute concept. It’s a skill. A boundary. A form of self-trust.

And when it comes to money, that kind of opt-out? It’s not just joyful. It’s radical.

Discernment Over Deprivation

There’s a big difference between deprivation and discernment.

One comes from scarcity—“I can’t afford this, so I have to miss out.”The other comes from agency—“This doesn’t align with where I’m going, so I’m choosing to say no.”

The joy of missing out comes not from lack, but from clarity.

Saying no to a dinner out doesn’t mean you’re cheap—it might mean you’re saving for something that matters more. Skipping the newest iPhone doesn’t make you behind—it means you’re not letting urgency define your priorities. Choosing rest over hustle, silence over scrolling, simplicity over showing off—that’s not failure. That’s freedom.

It’s not flashy. You don’t get likes or applause for holding your boundary. But over time, those quiet choices add up. They build something solid.

You’re Not the Only One Opting Out

If this resonates, you’re not alone. More and more people are starting to reject the unspoken rules about what wealth should look like. They’re choosing slower paths, quieter joys, and financial strategies that make sense for them—not their algorithm.

Behavioral scientist Wendy De La Rosa calls this “reclaiming your financial environment.” It’s not about willpower. It’s about creating space to make conscious choices, instead of being swept up in unconscious ones.

So if you’ve said no to something lately—even if it felt awkward or hard to explain—pause for a second.

That wasn’t small. That was wealth-building.