TikTok's 'Loud Budgeting' Trend Appears to Have Legs

Some TikTok trends have more staying power than others. Bustle catches up with one called "loud budgeting" that still has legs since being introduced in December by 26-year-old Lukas Battle of New York City. The idea is to help people save money, or more precisely, to prevent them from spending it frivolously, perhaps because of social pressures. "Loud budgeting isn't about, 'I don't have enough,'" Battle says in his original video, which has more than 1.5 million views. "It's about, 'I don't want to spend.'"

• Taboo: One reason some financial advisers like the concept is because it destigmatizes the idea of talking about money with friends and family, Ashley Rittershaus of Curious Crow Financial Planning tells Bustle. If, for example, an invite to a pricey restaurant feels like a stretch at a particular moment, say so. "Loud budgeting is about getting clear about financial limits, goals, and priorities, and not being afraid to talk about it."

• Taboo, II: Chris Browning, host of the "Popcorn Finance" podcast, tells the New York Times that he also likes the term and the concept. "We have all these emotions that come up, like shame or guilt, and we don't really talk openly about it even with our closest friends," he says. As a bonus, talking openly about finances might help people hold themselves accountable.
• A risk: Elizabeth Schwab of the Chicago School also likes the concept, but she tells CNBC that people need to be careful to strike a balance between paying the bills and having some joy in their life. "Declining all of those social invites eventually takes its toll on us socially and emotionally," she says. Battle himself is on board with this balance: "It's not like, 'Skip the coffee a day and you'll be a millionaire,'" the writer and comedian tells the Times. "Keep the things that bring you joy in your life, because obviously it's dark and short."

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