Half of Aussies focused on saving

New research has revealed an increase in the number of Australians prioritising saving money, with many seeing everyday expenses as their primary concern.

Agile Market Intelligence has released results from its latest Consumer Pulse, a monthly tracker developed to monitor consumer sentiment, financial stress, and behavioural shifts across key household segments. The survey provides a real-time view of financial wellbeing in Australia, segmented by debt status and home ownership.

The latest data, covering June 2025, shows that while financial anxiety levels have eased slightly in some groups, households facing unemployment or carrying consumer debt continue to struggle, with widening gaps in financial resilience across employment types, age groups, and debt profiles.

As reported earlier this week by HR Leader, only one in five people across the country are feeling better off than this time last year.

The research showed that there is currently a “steady rise” in the number of Australians prioritising saving – from 42 per cent in March to 46 per cent by June 2025, accounting for nearly half of the nation saying that saving (including for retirement, deposits, investments, and emergency funds) is their number one financial priority.

Moreover, one in three respondents noted that covering everyday expenses remains the main concern.

This said, 28 per cent still say day-to-day costs, like groceries, insurance, and childcare, are their main priority, highlighting that cost-of-living pressures remain a central financial concern for many households.

The trend, Agile deduced, signals a growing sense of financial stability, with more Australians moving from reactive budgeting towards long-term planning.

However, it went on, with nearly a third still focused on making ends meet, financial pressure remains a reality for many households.

Speaking about the research, Agile Market Intelligence director Michael Johnson said: “The shift towards saving is encouraging.

“It suggests more Australians are in a position to think beyond the next bill. But with one in three still focused on getting through the week, cost-of-living pressure is far from resolved.”