The surprising items Aussies are splurging on in 2024 (2024)

The latest Australian spending habits have been revealed, highlighting what people are splashing the most cash on and the items they're avoiding to cut costs.

Shoppers are spending more on pet supplies, gaming, cosmetics and skincare this year, but they're cutting back on homewares and home décor, electronics and baby and nursery products.

The trends were revealed in Roy Morgan'sThe Future of Retail: A Roy Morgan Business Address which explored Aussie consumers' spending habits amid cost-of-living pressures between April 2023 and March 2024.

The surprising category that saw the biggest jump in spending over the past year in Australia was pet supplies.

Pet owners are spoiling their furry friends with things like beds, toys, food, leashes, collars, grooming accessories and treats.

Many Australian Redditors have been discussing what they are and aren't budgeting foras many have changed their financial priorities due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and rising inflation rates.

Those who own pets said they spend 'thousands' on their animals with 'zero regrets or hesitations'.

'I spend thousands and not even on essential stuff, like stupid stuff I find cool that they do not like a litter robot and robot vacuum to clean up any litter they track,' one user said.

'A cat wheel, cat-sized couches, many cat trees and scratching posts, a catio, toys, etc. The essential stuff probably isn't too bad - maybe $100 a week.'

Aussies seem to be favouring home entertainment over outdoor activities as gaming had the second biggest increase of 12 per cent in the last 12 months.

'I'm fixated on buying a PlayStation 5 currently to keep that feeling of boredom away, something I can justify being a solo male who's into gaming,' one man said.

Similarly, books, crafts and hobbies and games or toys are all categories where consumers are happy to splash their well-earned cash.

Beauty is a priority with increases in cosmetics, perfume and aftershave and skincare products.

Many have reported ditching beauty services and opting for at-home DIY treatments like waxing and manicures and buying up things from stores like Priceline and Chemist Warehouse.

'I stopped getting my eyebrows waxed and bought a professional wax kit and do them myself at home! I prefer how I do it and I have saved so much money as I was getting my eyebrows done every 3-4 weeks previously at $40-$50 per session,' one Perth woman said.

Others are purchasing cheap buys in favour expensive luxury cosmetics and skincare products.

'I recently purchased cleanser from Woolies instead of Mecca. About a $60 difference in price and my skin is fine,' one member wrote.

'After seeing my dermatologist and having this talk, she gave me a bunch of chemist options and, honestly I'm surprised my skin is actually so much better,' another agreed.

When it comes to tech, customers are splurging on phones and accessories and small electrical goods like kettles, irons and hair dryers.

In contrast, Aussies skimped on computers and tablets, computer accessories and software as well as large electrical goods such as fridges and washing machines.

Consumers reduced their spending on categories centered around the home the most with interior design taking the back bench as home decorations and décor, manchester and homewares all saw significant decreases.

TVs, home theatres and hi-fi saw a 21 per cent drop, as did baby and nursery items, which could be because the birth rate has been in decline since 2021, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Personal entertainment like streaming services and movie and TV show downloads took a hit.

Many have said when revising their household budgets, services likeNetflix have been the first to go.

'I don't even watch that many things but when the prices go up each year and content becomes more and more fragmented, I have no sympathy when the bottom falls out for all of them,' one Reddit user said.

Men and women are also reducing the amount of clothing and footwear they buy and some have switched to second-hand stores to ease the impact on both their budget and the environment as fast-fashion is more often than not being thrown into landfill.

'I stopped buying so much stuff in general! Less clothes and what I do buy I try to get secondhand, one budgeter said.

'I used to love going to clothing stores and was a bit of a fast-fashion addict but I've bought about six items of clothing this year and that was as a special treat on holiday,' another wrote.