Loud Budgeting is a trend originating on TikTok that encourages its proponents to be vocal (that’s the Loud part) about saying “no” to spending money on going out, shopping, or other expenses (that’s the Budgeting part). The concept is credited to Lukas Battle, and on the plus side, it gives people who want to prioritize saving money a trendy way to decline peer pressure to spend. On the downside, if one gets preachy about their loud budgeting, it could become a way to shame others for their spending or unhealthy competition on who can save the most.
In the workplace, there are multiple temptations to spend more money than you may intend. Eating lunch outside is more expensive than brown bagging it. Using the lunch hour to go shopping could lead to overbuying. Contributing to the office pool adds up – e.g., a baby shower gift, ticket to a colleague’s fundraiser, Girl Scout cookies from yet another colleague who you didn’t even realize had kids!
If you’re not proactively tracking what you spend during the workday, you may not even realize that you’re spending more than you intend. The money you save from foregoing the extra shopping during lunch could be redirected to your retirement account, emergency fund, or outstanding loans. At the very least, you’ll be more mindful of your spending if you decide to say “yes” to lunch outside or Girl Scout cookies.
That said, eating at a restaurant or going shopping during lunch is a way for colleagues to socialize. If you don’t have a chance to interact during the workday, that lunch hour might be the only time to build key relationships. Even if you do interact over work, missing out on non-work activities means missing out on opportunities to deepen relationships in a different, more relaxed setting.
Don’t skimp on networking. Look for ways to socialize and still save money. If others are shopping, you can window shop. If others insist on eating lunch outside, propose takeout over dining in, so you can still eat with the group, but bring your lunch while others buy. If people want a sit-down experience, organize a potluck in a conference room – it’s cheaper than a restaurant, but you’re still enjoying something new.
It’s trickier when you’re faced with an unexpected request from a colleague to spend money on the baby shower gift, fundraiser, or cookies. There shouldn’t be pressure to spend but be mindful of the office culture and expectations. If it’s a small office and everyone tends to contribute something, saying No might save you money but at the cost of your camaraderie. In that case, earmark a fixed amount in your budget for just these occasions. Or, check with your closest colleagues to see if they are also overextended by the spending requests, and see if you can jointly suggest a moratorium on all requests, which makes it more about office policy overall than any specific relationship.
You can contribute to office culture in other ways spending money. In fact, you should not be relying on ad hoc office pools to build relationships and demonstrate how much you care. Get active in employee resource groups – or start one if your office doesn’t yet have one. Organize a lunch-and-learn series, and invite community experts or senior leaders in the company to share their expertise. Start a book club, softball team, knitting group, or other extracurricular activity that brings people together. You’ll raise your visibility, your colleagues will get a chance to bond and learn new skills (you have possibly saved them from underemployment!) and nobody has to spend any money.
Whether or not you practice loud budgeting to announce your thrift, or just quietly focus on saving money, you can still advance your career. Leading the charge on bringing communal activities to your workplace is one example of a no-cost way to advance your career. You are spending time and effort, but you’re not out any money, and you get visibility, organizational skills, and leadership experience. If you’re interested in a professional association or business conference, see if you can volunteer in exchange for reducing or waiving your membership dues or registration fees. If you’re looking to learn a new skill, see if you can audit a class or borrow learning material from your neighborhood library.
