Can 'loud budgeting' save you money?
It's the latest money-saving TikTok trend – so how does loud budgeting work?

A new money-saving trend has caught the attention of the younger TikTok generation: loud budgeting.
While there are plenty of savings challenges to help people budget and put money aside, some people are choosing to chart their own path.
A new "viral TikTok trend" called loud budgeting has become popular among Generation Z – those born between 1997 and 2012 – who don't want to be called stingy for "not shelling out", explained The Independent.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Instead, added the news website, the social media platform's users are "vocal" about "financial constraints" and prioritising their savings goals.
The trend is "taking the world by storm", said the Daily Express, with more than five million TikTok views and a 1,714% rise in Google searches in January.
What is loud budgeting?
It all started, said BuzzFeed, with TikTokker Lukas Battle, who proclaimed earlier this year that quiet luxury – "wearing luxurious well-fitted basics with not a logo in sight" – is out, and loud budgeting is in.
Loud budgeting is the “latest personal finance trend" to go viral on TikTok, explained Bloomberg.
It is the "antidote to quiet luxury", said The Guardian, and a "wholesale rejection of aspirational consumerism" by openly embracing thriftiness.
The trend is "less about deprivation", added BuzzFeed, and more about "deciding what's actually important to you" when it comes to your spending and then shouting about it.
"It's about what I don't want to spend and the everyday person", explained Battle to VoucherCodes. "Put that dollar in your pocket. Choose a stock that is going to rocket".
The idea is to "proudly own your money consciousness", said HuffPost, so you may say no to going to dinner as you are prioritising paying off credit card bills or saving for a mortgage.
However, it also helps if you are rich as those embracing the trend include people who shout about having money, said The Irish Sun, "and the frugal things they do so they don't have to spend it".
Is loud budgeting an effective saving strategy?
Loud budgeting and living within your means "isn't new", explained VoucherCodes, but as Gen Z is "projected to be the world's largest consumer group", they are pretty influential.
It may be "irritating when young people adopt an ancient practice (i.e. parsimony), give it a new name and pretend they invented it", said Polly Vernon in The Times, but it is "embarrassing" not to be a loud budgeter in these "cash-strapped times".
Battle's videos have been viewed millions of times and many already seem "fully on board" with the concept, said Metro.
Rachel Kerrone, a family finance expert at Starling Bank, told the news website that "financial honesty is not only good for your bank balance but your health".
"From sleeping better to more honest friendships to stronger mental health, so many good things can come from talking more openly about your money," she added.
Getting rid of the "shame and stigma" associated with debt and budgeting could help you live a more "financially healthy lifestyle", budgeting expert Andrea Woroch told HuffPost.
But with this trend, it is important to not be "all talk" and to actually take action to improve your finances with a detailed plan.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Marc Shoffman is an NCTJ-qualified award-winning freelance journalist, specialising in business, property and personal finance. He has a BA in multimedia journalism from Bournemouth University and a master’s in financial journalism from City University, London. His career began at FT Business trade publication Financial Adviser, during the 2008 banking crash. In 2013, he moved to MailOnline’s personal finance section This is Money, where he covered topics ranging from mortgages and pensions to investments and even a bit of Bitcoin. Since going freelance in 2016, his work has appeared in MoneyWeek, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and on the i news site.
-
RFK Jr.'s focus on autism draws the ire of researchers
In the Spotlight Many of Kennedy's assertions have been condemned by experts and advocates
By Theara Coleman, The Week US
-
Protein obsession is oversaturating the health food space
Under the Radar Some experts say that fiber is now the most important macro to focus on
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Codeword: April 23, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
By The Week Staff
-
What are your retirement savings account options?
The explainer The two main types of accounts are 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
What is your net worth and why is it worth knowing?
the explainer Take stock of your assets
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
What to know before lending money to family or friends
the explainer Ensure both your relationship and your finances remain intact
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
The best time of year to buy a car
Some months — and days — are better than others
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Considering quitting your job? Here's what to do first.
The Explainer Your job likely comes with a number of financial strings attached
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
The pros and cons of online-only banks
the explainer You can get your finances in order without getting off your couch
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
Do you owe taxes on sports betting wins?
the explainer If you gain wealth of any kind, you must pay taxes on it
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
3 tips to prepare in case of a recession
the explainer President Donald Trump admits a recession is possible amid his newly imposed tariffs
By Becca Stanek, The Week US