The average adult Facebook user has 338 “friends”, according to Pew Research Center. However, only a very small percentage of those friends are actually real friends that are dependable during times of need. In fact, a study done by Oxford University Professor Robin Dunbar shows that less than 3 percent of Facebook friends can be counted on during a crisis. So, why should you unfollow the other 97 percent of your “friends”? And how can unfollowing Facebook friends save your budget (and your self-esteem)? I’ll tell you how to unfollow Facebook friends (without pissing anyone off!), and why it’s good for your wallet!
First, think about how many friends you have on Facebook…
Now think about how many of those “friends” are actual friends?
For me, it’s about 1 percent. Staggering, I know! But I don’t feel bad for myself. I have a very few close friends, but I’m “friendly” with many people. Here’s a quick test to determine if a Facebook friend is actually a friend. If they got married, would you get a wedding invitation? If you wouldn’t score an invite to their hypothetical wedding, hit that “Unfollow” button.
What Does it Mean to Unfollow Facebook Friends?
When you choose to unfollow Facebook friends, you will no longer see their posts in your Facebook News Feed, though you will still be friends with them. This is different that “Unfriending”, which completely removes that person from your friend list.
How Do I Unfollow Facebook Friends but Not Unfriend Them?
To Unfollow someone on Facebook:
- Go to their page by clicking on their name in your newsfeed or searching for them.
- Hover over the button that says “Following” at the top of their page.
- Scroll down and select “Unfollow”.
Congratulations, you’ve just Unfollowed your first real/not real Facebook friend.
These steps are especially useful if you have that one annoying friend that posts about 835 times per day and not a single post is of any importance.
Will they find out that I Unfollowed them?
No! That’s the beauty of the Unfollow button. It’s your little secret that you don’t really care to see another picture of their dog wearing a tutu. And, hey, that dog is better dressed than you are… and now you don’t have to compare your wardrobe to that of a four-legged animal.
How is Unfollowing Facebook Friends Good for Your Budget?
It’s simple. What do people usually post on Facebook? Pictures of their seemingly perfect lives. Photos of them on their recent tropical vacation, in their new bathing suits, looking tanned and toned. Photos of their shiny new car. Photos of their kids looking perfectly put together in a custom made outfit. Duck-faced, filtered photos snapped in the one square foot of the bathroom with perfect light.
And how do you feel when you look at those pictures?
Do you feel like you are inadequate? Do you feel like you aren’t keeping up? Maybe it’s someone that you went to high school with, and they seem to be doing better financially than you are, even though you are the same age.
Do you feel the need to go out and buy that new car to show your Facebook Friends that your life is “perfect”, too? Or do you need to buy that new pair of shoes? Or show off your fancy new manicure to your hundreds of “friends”?
Did you know that many of the posts in your Facebook Feed contain some sort of hidden advertisement? Advertisements that have inadvertently been placed there by your “friends” to entice you to go out and buy what they are “promoting”. Just think about it. How many times have you scrolled through your News Feed and thought, “I love her shoes. I want a pair just like them”. Or, “That looks like so much fun. I should take my kids to Disney, too”. Or, “Look how good she looks after three kids. I need to get a gym membership, STAT!”.
*Side Note – I manage all of the finances in my household. Seriously, my husband has never paid a single bill! Click here to see how I keep track of our money without going crazy (or broke!).
Your News Feed is an awesome tool for brands and big business, because it’s free advertising. Most of us want what other people have. It’s natural. It’s easy to get caught up in the hype and the false perfection that is your News Feed. I’ve been there.
But you have to remember that what your friends post on social media, for the most part, is carefully edited to portray them as the perfect soccer Mom. You know the type… that Mom that can juggle three kids, make duck l’orange from scratch, never have any folded clothes on top of her washing machine, and let her toddler drink chocolate milk on the white rug, all while somehow looking like she just stepped out of the pages of Marie Claire.
No offense if you are that Mom.
My hat’s off to you!
But most of us aren’t that perfectly put together. And that’s perfectly okay.
And what about Time?
Don’t forget about all of the time you will save by choosing to Unfollow Facebook friends. Your productivity is about to go through the roof! Think about how many hours a day you spend scrolling through irrelevant posts from your hundreds of Facebook friends. Wouldn’t your time be much better spent on something else?
For me, it was not uncommon to spend at least an hour (maybe two) each day going through my News Feed and reading about what all of my “friends” were doing. When I chose to unfollow Facebook friends, I immediately got all of that time back and was able to focus more on the things in life that are truly important. Plus, now I only see posts from people that I truly care about, not people that I knew 16 years ago for two semesters of high school.
Have kids? Want to make sure you are doing everything you can to raise them to be kind? Click here to check out my super popular post on How to Raise the Nice Kid in a World of Mean Girls, and get my FREE Printable Kindness Charts!
Is Your News Feed Dragging You Down?
Here’s the ultimate test. Open Facebook and go to your News Feed. Now look at the first ten posts that come up. What is your first gut reaction to those posts? Jealousy? Inferiority? Oooh, I need that pair of LulaRoe leggings? If not, good for you.
But if you feel like your feed is maybe a bit toxic to your budget or your self-esteem, or if scrolling through your feed is monopolizing your time, go ahead and hit “Unfollow”.
Wrapping it Up
I don’t mean to be preaching, or forcing my opinions on you. I’m simply letting you know about real feelings that I have had while scrolling through my own social media accounts. And I bet many of you have felt the same way. Don’t be afraid to get rid of unnecessary, and often unintentional, peer pressures by unfollowing some of your “friends”.
Bottom Line: Don’t let your News Feed tell you who you should be, or what you should spend your money on.
Related Posts:
- How to Raise the Nice Kid in a World of Mean Girls
- How to Eat Clean on a Budget: Save Money on Produce!
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