Australians are feeling the pinch in 2026. Grocery bills, insurance premiums, mortgage repayments and now inflated petrol prices. Cost of living remains front of mind, and many households are reassessing where every dollar goes.
However, while budgets are tighter, life hasn’t gone on hold.
Recent insights from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Household Spending data and activity within CommBank Yello show a clear pattern: Australians are continuing to prioritise experiences; from movies and meals out to major travel plans, even as overall discretionary spending is approached more cautiously.
This isn’t impulsive spending. It’s intentional.
Entertainment: small outlays, big impact
One of the clearest indicators is in entertainment. Movie reward redemptions have tripled over the past year, signalling strong demand for affordable, shared outings. Cinemas offer a relatively low-cost way to disconnect from daily pressures and reconnect with friends or family.
Live entertainment is also holding steady, with more than 175,000 tickets redeemed across concerts, theatre and comedy events. Despite cost-of-living concerns, Australians are still choosing to show up for live experiences.
From a financial behaviour standpoint, this suggests households are trimming back on higher-cost goods while preserving experiences that deliver emotional value.
Dining: the “everyday treat”
Dining out remains resilient. Around 10% of cashback activations through CommBank Yello are in restaurants, cafés and takeaway venues, placing food among the most consistent lifestyle categories.
A meal out has become a manageable indulgence and a way to celebrate milestones or simply spend time together without committing to a large expense. It reflects a broader trend: people are being selective, but not eliminating joy from their budgets.
Travel: turning intent into action
Travel continues to stand out. It remains the number one savings goal within the CommBank app, highlighting that Australians are planning ahead rather than abandoning holiday ambitions. Between July 2024 and October 2025, more than $1.9 million in travel credits were redeemed through the bank’s travel booking platform.
Even in a cautious economic environment, households are allocating funds toward meaningful getaways, often saving gradually and redeeming rewards to make trips more achievable.
A structural shift, not a short-term trend
What initially looked like a post-pandemic rebound now appears more embedded in consumer behaviour. Australians are increasingly placing value on shared moments and personal wellbeing over accumulating more “stuff.”
From a financial advice perspective, this shift is significant. It shows that budgeting today isn’t simply about cutting back, but about prioritising. Households are making deliberate trade-offs, choosing experiences that strengthen relationships and create lasting memories.
The takeaway isn’t that spending pressures have eased. They haven’t. But Australians are demonstrating that living well and managing money responsibly are not mutually exclusive.
With thoughtful planning, especially with the help of your financial adviser, it’s possible to balance financial discipline with the moments that matter most.