Australian social media is seeing more posts about thrift than splurging, with creators sharing ways to cut back, eat at home, and skip nonessential spending.
The shift comes as more people feel pressure from the rising cost of living, according to SBS News.
What happened?
At 28, Ally Perdikaris has built a following by focusing on ordinary routines instead of an aspirational lifestyle. She describes her content as "normalising a normal life," and centers it on mindful spending and avoiding excess.
Online trends such as "underconsumption core," "deinfluencing," and "no buy challenges" have helped fuel a broader push against constant consumption, and creators like Perdikaris are part of that movement.
"We're so good at making it look so effortless and casual: someone's amazing, amazing life," Perdikaris said, per SBS News. "So, I wanted to cut through that a bit, just to maybe pop up on some people's feeds to interrupt that kind of scroll."
Through videos about making coffee at home, eating at home, and finding inexpensive ways to socialize, Perdikaris tries to model a lower-cost approach to daily life.
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"I don't encourage people to go out and buy things. Instead, I'll encourage them to maybe spend less or spend more intentionally."
Why does it matter?
Its appeal is closely tied to the financial pressure many people are experiencing.
A 2025 Monash University study reported that 85% of Australians aged 18 to 24 faced financial insecurity at some point over the prior year. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics also showed that about one-fifth of households could not raise $2,000 for an emergency within a week.
The strain is not only financial but also emotional.
Dan Auerbach, a clinical director at Associated Counselors and Psychologists Sydney, said the rise of budgeting content is "refreshing" because it offers "a real sense of the possibility of something better."
At the same time, he noted that even frugal content can still trigger unhealthy comparisons for some viewers.
By focusing on modest, practical habits, these creators offer actions people can take even when broader economic forces feel beyond their control.
Perdikaris said, "We can't really control the rising costs of living. I think people want little things they can do that are within their control."
What are people saying?
Kelly, a 49-year-old South Australia-based frugality content creator, said many of her money-saving habits were passed down through family tradition.
"A lot of things that we do are from my grandma, and they're just everyday basic, simple things," she said.
She also warned viewers against spending too much on trendy budgeting tools and accessories, saying, "You don't need all the fancy stuff."
Emily, a 35-year-old Queensland frugality content creator, said the content's popularity is driven by genuine financial stress.
"Everybody is looking for little things that they can do that'll make big differences," she said.
Perdikaris also acknowledged the contradiction at the center of the trend.
"It's a trend that people — like me as well — can monopolise and make money off, which is kind of ironic," she said.
She said she hopes the message lasts beyond the current moment.
"I definitely think it's popping off as a huge trend, but I don't want to see it die."
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