Cars, clothes and holiday woes: 7.7 million Aussies regret how they’ve splashed their cash
Key takeaways
- 7.7 million Aussies admit they regret a recent purchase.
- Women more than twice as likely as men to feel fashion remorse.
- Clothing and footwear top the list.
Millions of Australians are quietly cringing at their bank statements, with discretionary spending fuelling a national wave of buyer's remorse, according to new research by Finder.
A Finder survey of 1,015 respondents revealed more than a third of Australians (36%) – equivalent to 7.7 million people – regret how much money they've forked out on a purchase, from Landcruisers to labradoodles.
Clothing and footwear topped the list, with 14% of Aussies admitting they regret what they spent on fashion.
Women were more than twice as likely to regret clothing purchases compared to men (20% vs 8%).
Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, said millions of Aussies were feeling guilty about overspending.
"It's very easy to justify purchases in the moment, especially when it comes to things like fashion and travel.
"But over time, those decisions can erode savings and weigh more heavily on people.
"Too many Australians are spending money they don't have just to keep up appearances – and it's coming back to bite them, particularly when the cost of living is putting so much pressure on household budgets."
Cars came in second, with 11% of Aussies admitting they regret how much they spent on their vehicle – and men more likely to lament the spend than women (13% vs 9%).
One in 10 (10%) regret how much they outlayed on a holiday, while technology purchases like gaming consoles, phones and computers were cited by 9%.
Jewellery and engagement rings rounded out the top five at 6%.
Despite Australia's long love affair with real estate, just 5% of Aussies said they regretted how much they paid for a property – the same proportion who regretted spending on a wedding or celebration.
Sporting equipment (4%), makeup (4%), handbags (4%), a pet (2%) and cosmetic surgery (1%) rounded out the top 12 most regrettable spends.
Young Australians were the most likely to feel the sting, with 3 in 5 gen Z (58%) admitting at least one regrettable purchase, compared to just 15% of baby boomers.
Megginson said the findings were a warning sign as households continued to navigate elevated interest rates and persistent cost of living pressures.
"If you're carrying a credit card balance, tackling it now could stop a bad purchase becoming a long-term burden.
"Small splurges can quietly snowball, so it pays to pause before you tap – and to compare your options on big-ticket buys before you commit."
Do you regret the amount of money you've spent on any of the following?
| Clothes/shoes | 14% |
| Car | 11% |
| Holiday | 10% |
| Technology (e.g. gaming consoles, phones, computers) | 9% |
| Jewellery (including engagement ring) | 6% |
| Property (e.g. House, unit, land) | 5% |
| Wedding/celebration | 5% |
| Handbag | 4% |
| Make-up | 4% |
| Sporting equipment | 4% |
| A pet | 2% |
| Cosmetic surgery | 1% |
| Other | 1% |
| None of the above | 64% |
| Source: Finder survey of 1,015 Australians, March 2026 |  |
Credits
- PR & Insights research team: Taylor Blackburn, Kate Boddington, Natascha Kwiet-Evans, William Capada
- Survey operation: Qualtrics
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