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.
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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.
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Clothing and footwear topped the list, with 14% of Aussies admitting they regret what they spent on fashion.
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Women were more than twice as likely to regret clothing purchases compared to men (20% vs 8%).
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Sarah Megginson, personal finance expert at Finder, said millions of Aussies were feeling guilty about overspending.
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"It's very easy to justify purchases in the moment, especially when it comes to things like fashion and travel.
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"But over time, those decisions can erode savings and weigh more heavily on people.
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"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."
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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%).
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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%.
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Jewellery and engagement rings rounded out the top five at 6%.
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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.
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Sporting equipment (4%), makeup (4%), handbags (4%), a pet (2%) and cosmetic surgery (1%) rounded out the top 12 most regrettable spends.
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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.
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Megginson said the findings were a warning sign as households continued to navigate elevated interest rates and persistent cost of living pressures.
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"If you're carrying a credit card balance, tackling it now could stop a bad purchase becoming a long-term burden.
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"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."
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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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