Lynda Moore delves into ‘loud budgeting,’ suggesting it offers a refreshing shift in perspective

According to a recent CNBC article, the theme for 2024 is ‘loud budgeting’. This has pushed aside the trend for ‘Quiet Luxury.’

Now, don’t get me wrong, the allure of luxury items and high living can still be enticing. Who doesn’t want a taste of the glamourous lifestyle, even if just for a moment?

But with ‘loud budgeting’ there’s a refreshing shift in perspective. It’s not about depriving yourself of life’s pleasures; it’s about being intentional with your spending and focusing on what truly matters to you.

It certainly got me curious, so I thought I would share it with you, and I would love your thoughts on what you think ‘loud budgeting’ is all about, and whether you would subscribe to it or not.

Not surprisingly this trend has been raising its head on Tik Tok. Let’s not dismiss it out of hand as there may well be something we can learn from this.

So, what is loud budgeting?  According to Tik Tok it is about us, as consumers, taking control of our finances and making conscious decisions about how we spend our money, rather than following celebrities, who often have much deeper pockets than we do.

I quite like the sound of that, particularly for those who are easily swayed by what they see on social media and want to replicate the lifestyle regardless of whether they can afford it or not.

This trend is less about conspicuous consumption and more about I’m choosing not to spend, and it’s not necessarily because I don’t have enough to spend.

Think about it this way: instead of mindlessly swiping your credit card for that designer handbag or luxury dinner (which is what ‘quiet luxury’ was), imagine the satisfaction of putting that money towards something that aligns with your long-term goals.  Whether it’s saving for a dream holiday, building an emergency fund, or investing in your future, ‘loud budgeting’ encourages us to prioritize our financial wellbeing over fleeting indulgences.

Wow does this mean that Keeping Up with the Jones’s is finally going out of fashion? It’s being replaced with, ‘I’m going to do what is best for myself and my family’. The result are being seen in actions like being proud to make your own lunch and use public transport for example.

There is a real community building around cutting out impulse buying so you can achieve broader goals. Sharing how you can be creative and really getting the conversations about money and how to be smarter out there.

I know this is just a trend and no doubt there will be another one along shortly, but this one does give me the warm fuzzies.

It’s about getting real with your finances and what’s important to you, not what everyone else is doing.

It’s about starting to talk about money in a more open way, hopefully not just on social media but in real life to your family as well.

If you want to join the loud budgeting trend, then start by unsubscribing to all the marketing that comes into your inbox, or your social media feed (as much as is possible). 

Delete your credit card numbers on sites that you know will tempt you to spend more than you might want to.

Give yourself time to let your rational brain kick in when you are tempted to splurge, it can as little as 10 seconds or as long as 24hrs, depending on what you are looking at.

Let’s not forget the sense of empowerment that comes with taking control of your finances. By actively choosing where our money goes, we’re reclaiming ownership of our financial futures.  It’s a declaration that says, “I’m in charge here, and I’m making choices that serve me and my loved ones.”