Australians are increasingly struggling to afford basic essentials as the cost of living continues to squeeze family finances, with some having purchases rejected and others simply removing items from their shopping at the checkout.
A new Finder survey of 1062 people revealed 7 per cent of people were unable to afford to buy essentials and needed to abandon their shopping, while a further 7 per cent had to return some items before they were able to complete the transaction.
And 20 per cent have had purchases rejected at the checkout over the past three months, the survey found.
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“Many have suffered the embarrassment of insufficient funds at the till,” Finder personal finance expert Sarah Megginson said.
“The surge in living costs means many households have less cash left for groceries.”
A further 6 per cent of respondents said they put purchases on a credit card instead of their intended payment method.
“The awkward exchange of cards or nervously trying to put items back on the shelf has become a regular occurrence for struggling Aussies,” Megginson said.
It also found that 14 per cent of respondents had not had a payment declined but had witnessed it happening to someone else.
“This is bread at the supermarket or filling up the car because the petrol light is on,” Megginson said.
“People often feel ashamed when they are having money troubles, but this research shows you are not alone.”
Megginson said solutions such as building up emergency funds, finding better deals on things like phone plans, utilities and insurance are some ways to help create a financial buffer.
“When it comes to financial issues, the sooner you can get on top of them, the smaller the chance you’ll be scrambling for a different way to pay at checkout,” she said.
According to Foodbank Australia’s 2023 Hunger Report, as many as 3.7 million Australian households were estimated to have dealt with a concerning level of food insecurity last year, with 79 per cent of people blaming increased or high cost of living expenses.
