Images by Getty Pictures; Illustration by Bankrate
The latest tumultuous financial system has led to an array of spending behaviors amongst People — from shopping for in bulk earlier than costs skyrocket to stricter budgeting in case of a recession. And it could be affecting their enjoyable budgets. Bankrate’s new 2025 Discretionary Spending Survey reveals that 54 % of U.S. adults say they anticipate to spend much less on journey, eating out or leisure in 2025 than they did in 2024.
Notably, that quantity is larger than the 49 % in final 12 months’s survey who anticipated to spend much less in 2024 than they did in 2023.
The cumulative results of inflation and excessive rates of interest have been straining households, contributing to file ranges of bank card debt and inflicting shopper sentiment to plummet.
— Ted Rossman, Bankrate Senior Business Analyst
With reignited recession worries and excessive bank card debt, it is sensible to need further wiggle room in your price range. But it surely’s additionally attainable that People anticipate to spend much less on account of a drop in journey fares, an finish to their favourite artist’s live performance tour or different non-economic components.
Study extra about how People are paying — or not — to get out of the home this 12 months.
Bankrate’s key insights on discretionary spending in 2025
Key insights
- Greater than half of U.S. adults anticipate to spend much less on journey, eating out or leisure this 12 months. That’s 54 %, which is greater than the 49 % who anticipated to spend much less final 12 months.
- One in three anticipate to spend extra on discretionary purchases this 12 months. That features 22 % who anticipate to spend extra on journey, 19 % on eating out and 15 % on leisure.
- Round 1 in 3 is prepared to tackle debt for a discretionary buy this 12 months. That’s 31 %, which is lower than final 12 months.
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Since 1976, Bankrate has been the go-to supply for private finance knowledge, publishing common charges on the most well-liked monetary merchandise and monitoring the expertise of shoppers nationwide.
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Folks anticipate to spend much less on discretionary bills this 12 months
For some time, we noticed patterns of doom spending amongst People — or overindulging to deal with monetary stress. Now, it appears folks could also be getting critical about their budgets.
Greater than half of People (54 %) say they anticipate to spend much less on journey, eating out or leisure this 12 months. That’s 5 share factors greater than final 12 months, when 49 % anticipated to spend much less in not less than one class than they did within the prior 12 months.
“Spending on experiences has boomed ever because the pandemic, however this pent-up demand is waning,” Rossman observes.
We’re lastly seeing a restrict to the ‘you solely dwell as soon as’ urge to splurge.
— Ted Rossman
Bankrate Senior Business Analyst
This 12 months’s survey reveals that 38 % anticipate a lower of their journey spending and 39 % every anticipate to spend much less on eating out and dwell leisure (together with live shows, sporting occasions and theater performances) in 2025. Some folks anticipate to spend much less in multiple class.
In distinction, solely round 1 in 3 (33 %) anticipate to spend extra this 12 months on not less than one among these classes — roughly 1 in 5 every on journey (22 %) and eating out (19 %), and even fewer on dwell leisure (15 %).
Cash concerns might be a motive folks anticipate to spend much less, nevertheless it is probably not the one motive.
Bankrate’s 2025 Summer season Journey Survey reveals that, whereas 65 % of People who will not be touring this summer season say they’ll’t afford it, one other 23 % say they’re simply not . Additional, 16 % say it’s an excessive amount of of a trouble.
The costs of gasoline, airfare, automobile leases and accommodations are additionally down from a 12 months in the past. Some folks may anticipate to spend much less on journey as a result of it prices much less to take action. Nevertheless, the prices of admission to films, theaters, live shows and sporting occasions and meals away from dwelling are up from a 12 months in the past, which can affect folks to keep away from these purchases and anticipate to spend much less.
Round 1 in 3 People are nonetheless prepared to make use of debt to pay for enjoyable
About 2 in 5 People (38 %) had been prepared to tackle debt to pay for journey, eating out or dwell leisure in 2024. This 12 months, it’s right down to 31 %.
Nonetheless, 22 % are prepared to make use of debt to pay for journey, 11 % for eating out and 9 % for dwell leisure.
Needless to say good debt invests in an asset that grows, whereas dangerous debt pays for one thing that rapidly loses worth. A one-time expertise could solely value extra in curiosity fees later down the highway.
3 methods to have reasonably priced experiences in 2025
If prices are the issue retaining you from actions this 12 months, there are alternatives to make sure enjoyable doesn’t go utterly out the window. Right here’s how one can journey, dine and discover leisure on a price range.
- Journey on a price range. You don’t have to e book a $2,000 flight throughout the ocean to have an elite journey expertise. Attempt making swaps like driving as a substitute of flying and staying with buddies as a substitute of in a lodge. It helps for those who might be versatile together with your dates and vacation spot — like not going to the Bahamas over spring break or Disney World on a weekend. Bank card journey rewards also can work in your favor, so long as you’re not going into debt to earn them. Study these 6 tricks to journey good and keep out of debt.
- Dine on a price range. It’s usually extra reasonably priced to cook dinner at dwelling than dine out, and cookbooks and meal kits like HelloFresh and Blue Apron are enjoyable methods to start out. However for those who benefit from the occasional night at a restaurant, you should purchase discounted reward playing cards, use bank card rewards by way of a portal like Chase Eating or faucet into eating credit that include many playing cards, particularly these from American Categorical. Try these greatest bank cards for eating places.
- Discover leisure on a price range. Most cities and cities provide free dwell music, trivia, artwork displays, passion meet-ups, library readings for teenagers, volunteer alternatives, vacation occasions and extra. Verify native web sites and influencers’ social media profiles for upcoming occasions. Or, invite your mates over for a recreation night time, potluck or karaoke. Free enjoyable is ready — you could simply must get artistic.
