Loud budgeting is in, quiet luxury is out

Broke babes, assemble! It’s our time to shine. After weeks of watching spenny Secret Santa hauls, 2023 wrap-ups featuring luxury holidays, and of course, rich people prancing around their mansions to Murder On The Dancefloor, our FYPs have had a refresh. The first (of many) TikTok terms for 2024 is here and this time it’s not just a fad to stroke the egos of the wealthy. It has real inclusive vibes. Enter: loud budgeting.

Yep, you heard that right — being on a budget is finally cool. TikToker Lukas Battle brought the term to fame when he declared that quiet luxury is out and loud budgeting is in for the new year. The idea quickly spiralled; at the time of writing, Battle’s video has 1.3 million views while dozens of creators have posted their own takes on the trend.

So what is loud budgeting? It’s being honest and open about how much you can spend. It’s giving up the peer pressured pretence for intentional spending. It’s regaining financial agency. It’s breaking that streak of buying things simply because everyone on TikTok is, like those Good Squish scrunchies, Stanley mugs or Sandy Liang doormats. It’s saying “no” to that friend who always wants to meet at natural wine bars with three £££ beside its name.

It’s definitely not about being frugal at the cost of feeling content, it’s more about making a conscious financial choice that’s wholly yours. As Battle explains in the video, “It’s more chic, more stylish and more of a flex than spending money.” Loud budgeting is a challenge to the consumerist, capitalism-fuelled belief that spending money equals higher status equals greater happiness.

After all, the TikTok generation graduated into a pandemic, global wars and climate doom. They are surrounded by other young people who don’t have the money to build families, buy homes or even rent comfortable spaces. Not to forget 2023’s girl math trend that, although very funny, likely left holes in a lot of pockets. When inflation and cozzie livs emerge as the only constants that can transcend trend cycles, an idea like loud budgeting comes as a salve to shrinking bank accounts (especially after the festive season).

The phrase’s sky high popularity on the internet echoes this sentiment. Battle’s video is dotted with comments like “I’m glad loud budgeting is in because I’m actually poor” and “Now you can buy something from the reduced section and be proud of it.” In other videos, creators listed all the ways in which they can loud budget. While one TikToker plans to track her spending and meal prep, another has begun taping their forehead because they couldn’t afford Botox. And if you understand everything better when it’s in therapy speak, maybe try this creator’s breakdown of loud budgeting? Or perhaps this one that asks you to save your money and buy plants instead.

The trend is also taking on a new life among personal finance influencers like Brittney Reynolds and Libby Brooks who make how-to videos on paying off credit card and student debt. Brooks prepped her followers with loud budgeting responses such as: “I’m sorry I don’t want to spend $100 going to dinner with you when I can put $100 in my high yield savings account.”

We have finally entered the era when shamelessly taking hotel freebies and stuffing that extra croissant in your bag is celebrated. Next time you’re wondering if you should haggle in front of a friend, or suggest going on a walk rather than grabbing coffee, do it. There’s no more shame in saving money. In the wise and viral words of Battle, “Put that dollar in your pocket, choose a stock that’s going to rock it.”

Looking for some loud budgeting hacks of your own? Here’s how team woo is saving the big bucks:

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