For years, spending acted as social shorthand for doing well, particularly when social media provided a glittering shop window to directly compare. Nights out, holidays and lifestyles signalled success, even when they were quietly funded by credit, buy now pay later and low-level anxiety. But after years of rising rents, stagnant wages and repeated economic shocks, many young people have realised that pretending everything is fine is no longer aspirational – it’s risky.
Instead, we’re seeing the rise of “loud budgeting”. Openly setting financial boundaries, rejecting social FOMO and choosing not to participate in expensive norms has become a form of self-respect. In a cost-of-living crisis, honesty isn’t just refreshing, it’s a survival skill – and a tool to live the life you want whilst controlling your compromises. Taking control of your circumstances is hot.
Social media, once a driver for keeping up appearances, has played an unexpected role in this shift in Gen Z circles. Previously a major driver of FOMO, it’s now a place where budgeting honesty builds community. Debt pay-downs, no-spend months and savings milestones are shared publicly, not for sympathy, but solidarity. Talking about money stress is no longer oversharing – it’s how people sense-check reality.
Gen Z, in particular, are far more open about money than previous generations. Salaries, rent, credit scores and savings are discussed plainly, without the embarrassment I was were taught to feel. That openness matters. It reduces shame, exposes unrealistic expectations and helps people course-correct earlier, before problems spiral.
This has also changed how success is defined. Status is shifting away from visible spending towards intentional restraint. Saving for a deposit, building a safety net or investing in a side hustle now carries more weight than another expensive brunch. The growing interest in FIRE – Financial Independence, Retire Early – reflects this mindset: sacrifice visibility now for autonomy later.
I saw this recently while recording the Mouthy Money podcast as a guest editor, interviewing the brilliant Sian Docksey who set up a “Money Coven” – a weekly check-in with friends to talk openly about spending and saving. No judgement, just accountability – like having a board of directors for your financial life. It’s a simple idea, but a powerful one.
At 41, I sit between generations. More open than my parents, but still carrying the instinct to buy a round and cross my fingers my card goes through rather than just say ‘I’ll get my own’ . Younger people don’t have that hesitation. For them, loud budgeting isn’t awkward – it’s efficient.
In 2026, status isn’t about what you can afford to show. It’s about what you’re confident enough to say no to. I, like Whitney, believe the children (okay, full grown adults younger than me) are our future here, and to be honest I’m a bit jealous.
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Vix Leyton is a consumer expert at thinkmoney and a stand-up comedian.
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