Insight Management Journal
Vol. 6 No. 1 (2026): May

The role of financial literacy in moderating the effect of self-control and hedonic lifestyle on students’ financial decision-making

Ahmad Yudhira (Universitas Tjut Nyak Dhien, Medan)
Uswatun Hasanah (Universitas Tjut Nyak Dhien, Medan)



Article Info

Publish Date
29 May 2026

Abstract

This study examines the effect of self-control and hedonic lifestyle on students’ financial decision-making, with financial literacy as a moderating variable. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 122 students and analyzed through moderation analysis using Andrew F. Hayes’s PROCESS Macro Model 1. The findings indicate that self-control does not have a significant direct effect on financial decision-making. However, when moderated by financial literacy, self-control shows a significant positive effect, suggesting that students with higher financial literacy are better able to translate self-control into sound financial decisions. In contrast, hedonic lifestyle has a significant negative effect on financial decision-making, while financial literacy does not significantly moderate this relationship. These results imply that financial literacy strengthens the positive role of self-control but may not be sufficient to reduce the adverse influence of a strong hedonic lifestyle. Practically, the study highlights the importance of integrating financial literacy education with behavioral strategies, such as budgeting practices, spending limits, and delayed purchasing decisions. Future studies are recommended to use longitudinal or experimental designs, involve larger and more diverse samples, and examine additional variables such as financial stress, impulsive buying, budgeting adherence, and exposure to buy-now-pay-later services.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

imj

Publisher

Subject

Decision Sciences, Operations Research & Management

Description

Insight Management Journal ISSN 2774-1737 merupakan media akses terbuka dalam mempublikasikan artikel ilmiah, jurnal ini memuat hasil-hasil penelitian dalam bidang ilmu manajemen, dan artikel tersedia secara online, bebas tanpa berlangganan apapun. Artikel yang dikirimkan ke jurnal ini akan diproses ...