“I like my money right where I can see it,” Carrie Bradshaw famously said in the sixth season of Sex and the City. “Hanging in my closet.” Those of us who are more obsessed with interior design than fashion understand the feeling, though we’d rather display our cash all over our home in whispers of quiet luxury and stylish built-in situations that ooze bookshelf wealth. Well, until loud budgeting came along and set us straight, that is.
What Is Loud Budgeting?
Think of loud budgeting as the antithesis of quiet luxury: While quiet luxury is all about eschewing designer labels and not broadcasting what you spend (albeit while cultivating a fancy, schmancy lifestyle worthy of celebrities and influencers), loud budgeting encourages you to be vocal about what you do and don’t want to spend money on—plus, whether or not you think something is worth your hard-earned money.
According to Lukas Battle, whose viral TikTok has amassed more than 182,000 likes, it’s for everyone. “It’s not ‘I don’t have enough,'” the comedian explains in his popular video. “It’s ‘I don’t want to spend.'” For example, Battle says, loud budgeting would include declining an invitation to go over to your friend’s house and listen to them complain about their ex for hours because you don’t want to spend the gas money.
How to Bring Loud Budgeting Into Your Home Decor
While loud budgeting often goes hand-in-hand with social obligations (and finding excuses to get out of them), some pros say the concept carries over surprisingly neatly into how you think about your home.
“It’s about embracing an open conversation on finances, directly impacting our living spaces in a positively audacious way,” says Stoy Hall, a certified financial planner and the CEO and founder of the investment advisor firm Black Mammoth. “This openness encourages us to express our individuality in our homes affordably and sustainably, debunking the myth that elegance must come with a hefty price tag. It empowers us to celebrate our financial journeys and decor choices, no matter how modest they may be.”
And it’s not a new idea. San Francisco designer Emilie Munroe believes loud budgeting in the home is a tale as old as time. (Or, you know, that side table you snagged for a steal at your local antique store.) “High-low design has been a cornerstone of design aesthetics for years,” Munroe says, noting that she has noticed her clients being “more vocal about their economically motivated retail choices.”
In fact, loud budgeting might be the tool you need to figure out the right high-low mix for your home. If you identify the pieces you want to save up for (say, a great sofa or a piece of art you love), then it might be easier to just say no and resist impulse spending on other items that don’t matter as much. It can actually guide you toward investing in a home you feel proud of and that feels more authentic to who you are and what you value.
“There’s a justified pride in mixing a unique shaped or colored mass market side table or ottoman beside a bespoke sofa sectional or nestled on top of an antique rug,” Munroe says. “Like a great outfit, the layering of pattern and color in a room is enhanced by layers of investment in the various pieces.”
The trend could even extend beyond your shopping preferences. Maybe, just maybe, it’s the perfect logic to resist a new kitchen trend or costly bathroom renovation. As tempting as it may be to embrace every single fad that piques your interest, sprucing up your home on repeat is an expensive endeavor—and it’s not as satisfying as curating a home you love.
So, instead of succumbing to the social media peer pressure and shopping every trend that comes along, give yourself permission to decline. Go ahead: Budget loud, budget proud.
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