Girls, it’s time to pull out our calculators because there’s another TikTok microtrend that’s putting our mental math skills on center stage — and it’s called “girl math.”
In the case of “girl math,” it’s pretty simple to follow if you understand the mind of a woman and the nano decisions we make every day from buying coffee to making returns to the store. To explain it plainly, “girl math” is a method to justify day-to-day expenses or spending habits in a manner that, to some, falls short of logical-mathematical justification.
The concept was made popular by a New Zealand radio show called, Fletch, Vaughan & Hayley that features a segment where listeners share their lavish purchases, such as buying a $1000 bag or spending $330 on a dress for a special occasion. The hosts assist callers in justifying their spending by calculating how often they will use the item or the potential savings it may offer.
@fvhzm Big fans of girl math 🫶💁♀️ #girlmath
Since the clip reached virality, the term has made its way into the internet lexicon to make sense of what women have done for centuries with our mental calculations and trying to make a dollar out of eighty-five cents.
One TikTok user @mckennaelianna, explains her perception of the girl math concept by saying, “Anything under $5 is free, anything I buy with a gift card is free, if I buy something and then I return it, I’ve made money. Going to an event or a concert is free because I purchased the tickets so long ago it doesn't even count.” Checks out to us.
Another creator @csagwa_, shared in a video describing girl math things that “make sense” to her that, “If I spend money before payday, I didn’t lose any money,” and “If I’m ordering clothes and the clothes comes out to $100 and shipping is $50, that’s too much money. If I’m ordering clothes and the clothes come up to $150 and the shipping is $0 dollars, I can deal with that.”
#girlmath
@csagwa_ Visit TikTok to discover videos!
Some girl math logic has since turned into relational tidbits rather than financial hacks, with women taking to X to share their thoughts on how they’ve used their intuitive rationale to justify various life decisions and relationship blunders.
Deleting a whole app to avoid one person. Girl math
— gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss (@_Onezwa) October 2, 2023
girl math is: if you can go a week without hearing from me, let’s round it up to the rest of your life bucko 😭
— ig: @yagirlaley👩🏾💻 (@yagirlaley) October 1, 2023
GIRL MATH: if i don't spend enough to get free shipping i’m losing money
— kayla👸🏼🍓 (@garzaaa8_) September 30, 2023
girl math is saying “this is cute” when seeing something at the store then putting it down & walking away
— s h e n n a 💛✨🦋 (@shenna_brook) October 4, 2023
While girl math is a light-hearted means for women to express the collective mental gymnastics we got through to not feel shame around our spending habits, there is a reclaiming of gendered financial language taking place. A study by Starling Bank found that “65% of money articles in women’s magazines define women as excessive spenders and advise them to limit, restrict and take better control of shopping ‘splurges.’”
They were then encouraged to find “financial support, like a parent. Or a husband.” The idea that women are reckless spenders further perpetuates the stereotypes that men are made to make money and are better at it, while women are loose slurgers, in need of constant financial supervision.
If there’s anything that we can take from the social phenomenon that is girl math it’s that women are, in fact, thinking many steps ahead before making large purchase decisions and trying their best to make life decisions that are within reason.
In this economy, we shouldn’t feel judged or feel that every major life or financial decision has to be put under a microscope before the “buy now” button. Yes, financial literacy is key to cultivating smart spending habits, but from what we’ve gathered, there’s always been a personal finance guru within us, and that’s girl math.
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Adrian Marcel On Purpose, Sacrifice, And The 'Signs Of Life'
In this week's episode of xoMAN, host Kiara Walker talked with R&B artist Adrian Marcel, who opened up, full of heart and authenticity, about his personal evolution. He discussed his days transitioning from a young Bay Area singer on the come-up to becoming a grounded husband and father of four.
With honesty and introspection, Marcel reflected on how life, love, and loss have shaped the man he is today.
On ‘Life’s Subtle Signals’
Much of the conversation centered around purpose, sacrifice, and listening to life’s subtle signals. “I think that you really have to pay attention to the signs of life,” Marcel said. “Because as much as we need to make money, we are not necessarily on this Earth for that sole purpose, you know what I mean?” While he acknowledged his ambitions, adding, “that is not me saying at all I’m not trying to ball out,” he emphasized that fulfillment goes deeper.
“We are here to be happy. We are here [to] fulfill a purpose that we are put on here for.”
On Passion vs. Survival
Adrian spoke candidly about the tension between passion and survival, describing how hardship can sometimes point us away from misaligned paths. “If you find it’s constantly hurting you… that’s telling you something. That’s telling you that you’re going outside of your purpose.”
Marcel’s path hasn’t been without detours. A promising athlete in his youth, he recalled, “Early on in my career, I was still doing sports… I was good… I had a scholarship.” An injury changed everything. “My femur broke. Hence why I always say, you know, I’m gonna keep you hip like a femur.” After the injury, he pivoted to explore other careers, including teaching and corporate jobs.
“It just did not get me—even with any success that happened in anything—those times, back then, I was so unhappy. And you know, to a different degree. Like not just like, ‘I really want to be a singer so that’s why I’m unhappy.’ Nah, it was like, it was not fulfilling me in any form or fashion.”
On Connection Between Pursuing Music & Fatherhood
He recalled performing old-school songs at age 12 to impress girls, then his father challenged him: “You can lie to these girls all you want, but you're really just lying to yourself. You ain't growing.” That push led him to the piano—and eventually, to his truth. “Music is my love,” Marcel affirmed. “I wouldn’t be a happy husband if I was here trying to do anything else just to appease her [his wife].”
Want more real talk from xoMAN? Catch the full audio episodes every Tuesday on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and don’t miss the full video drops every Wednesday on YouTube. Hit follow, subscribe, and stay tapped in.
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Colman Domingo’s Career Advice Is A Reminder That Our Words Shape Our Reality
When it comes to life, we are always here for a good reminder to shift our mindsets, and Colman Domingo just gave us one we didn't know we needed.
In a resurfaced clip from an appearance at NewFest shared as a repost via Micheaux Film Festival, the Emmy award winner dropped a gem on how he has navigated his decades-spanning career in Hollywood. The gem in question? Well, Colman has never identified with "struggle" in his career. Let that sit.
Colman Domingo On Not Claiming Struggle
"I’ve never said that this career was tough. I’ve never said it was difficult. I’ve never said it was hard," Colman said. "Other people would say that—‘oh, you're in a very difficult industry. It's very hard to get work and book work.’ I’m like, I’ve never believed that."
Instead of allowing himself to be defined by other people's projections about their perceptions of what the industry is or was, Colman dared to believe differently even if his reality was playing catch up with his dreams:
"Like Maya Angelou said words are things. And if you believe that, then that's actually what it is. Actually I've just never believed it. Someone told me some years ago, they said, 'I remember you were, you're a struggling actor.' I'm like, 'I don't.'"
"I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living..."
He continued:
"Even when I was bartending and hustling and not having opportunities or anything, I never believed that I was struggling because I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living and creating and being curious."
Colman’s philosophy of attaching to living instead of struggle has blossomed into an enduring career. He first made his mark on stage in acclaimed Broadway productions before transitioning to the screen, where his star began to rise in the 2010s following his role as Victor Strand in Fear The Walking Dead. From there, his presence only grew, landing memorable supporting roles in If Beale Street Could Talk, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and the hit series Euphoria.
In more recent years, Colman has stepped fully into the spotlight with standout leading performances in Rustin and Sing Sing, both of which earned him widespread critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations for Best Actor.
With all that said, Colman's advice is no doubt powerful, especially for those who are chasing their dreams, building something from the ground up, or have question marks about what's next in their careers. Words shape our realities, and how we speak about our journeys even in passing matters.
Words Create Our Reality & Colman Is Living Proof
"I tell young people that. To remember the words that you say about yourself and your career are true. So, I choose to make it full of light and love and it's interesting and every day I'm going to learn something new even if it looks like I don't have what I want but it's important to be in the moment... you really build on the moments moment to moment.
"And you're looking back at your career as I've been in it for what 33 years and you're like, 'Wow, that's what I've been doing.' And I've stayed strong to that so I think that is truly my advice."
Let this be your sign to give your path a reframe. When the path you're on feels uncertain, the journey is still unfolding. Like Colman said: "I wasn't attached to a struggle. I was attached to living."
That's a Black king right there.
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