how do i use hashtags without a big budget?

hashtags don't cost anything, so budget isn't really the issue here. the mistake is using 30 huge generic ones like #love or #instagood where your post is gone in seconds. a handful of specific ones that describe the post works better, mix a couple of mid-sized niche tags with a local one if you're a local business. on tiktok they mostly just help the app understand what the video is about, the content does the heavy lifting.