Loud budgeting might be the latest trend in personal finance but it’s not a new concept. First introduced by Lukas Battle on social media platform TikTok, loud budgeting is about putting your financial needs and priorities first and saving for what matters—while being unapologetically vocal about it. In contrast with quiet luxury, loud budgeters prioritize spending and practice financial accountability according to what they want out of life rather than letting friends or society dictate how their money should be spent. 

Loud budgeting gives you permission to say no, whether it’s to an expensive dinner out, attending a concert, or a posh vacation. It’s not because you can’t afford it—it’s more that you’d rather spend your money on something that you value more. Verbalizing and being transparent with your financial priorities helps friends and family understand when you decline invitations or events. You could say, loud budgeting is to spending, as ‘Dry January’ is to drinking, except on a more long-term basis. 

Whether it’s the fear of missing out (FOMO) or the practice of keeping up with the Joneses, we can feel pressured to spend money on things or experiences that might not be our top priority. We are bombarded everyday with advertisements, celebrity endorsements, influencers and social media messaging that spending money equals happiness. Loud budgeting empowers individuals to advocate for themselves and spend or invest their money in a manner that matches their values, while saying no to spending that does not. 

Spending responsibly is nothing new. The difference is that in the past this kind of behaviour came with negative social stigmas attached; you were labelled cheap, frugal, a penny-pincher or maybe even a party-pooper. Loud budgeting has made responsible spending not only socially acceptable, but trendy. 

In the past, conversations about money were often taboo. Being able to communicate your boundaries and having confidence in your financial decisions is a big step towards being accountable and achieving financial independence. Open conversations about budgeting, saving, and investing leads to conscious choice and greater financial literacy.

That being said, advocating for yourself and reigning in your spending is only the first step. It’s important to identify what’s important to you, what you want to achieve and how to make those goals happen. A good starting point is the ATB Wealth Financial Management Fundamentals Guide. 

Whether it’s paying off debt, buying a house, investing for retirement, or being able to do the things that are important to you at any stage in your life, an ATB Wealth advisor can work with you to create your plan and determine what steps are required to achieve your goals. 

Loud budgeting relates to choice and awareness, not sacrifice. Once you’ve created a plan to achieve your goals, knowing you’re saving for the things that matter to you makes it easier to stick to your loud budget and say no to unnecessary spending that doesn’t align with your values.