Rushes of ‘payphoria’ are sweeping over the nation, with new research from global small business platform Xero revealing that many regional Aussies are feeling the pinch in the lead up to the pleasure of payday.
The national Xero Payphoria Study included 253 regional respondents and found that despite these struggles in the countdown to payday, ‘payphoria’ is real. One in five regional Australian workers have less than $50 in their bank account in the lead up to payday. In an effort to conserve cash, the study uncovered that many regional Australians were cutting back on cherished rituals such as coffee and eating out (46 percent), and even delay paying household bills (32 percent) as they count down to payday.
To support themselves ahead of payday, almost one in five regional Australians look towards Afterpay, payday loans, credit cards or overdrafts, while 12 percent even ask their friends and family to dip into their pockets to help them get through. Regional Australians are more likely to be paid weekly or fortnightly than metro dwellers, but often end up searching for loose change to tide them over to the next payday.
The study also found that those in regional areas are more likely to describe themselves as spenders than metro dwellers. Two out of five regional Australians identify as a spender, with over half (58 percent) of regional Australians knowing that they ‘should save more, but that would mean giving up luxuries’. Almost half (46 percent) plan to be better with saving but it never happens. Regional Australians’ financial goals are more likely to be paying off credit cards and saving for a car than metro dwellers, as opposed to saving for a house deposit.
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Savers |
Spenders |
| ● 61 percent of regional Australians identify as savers
● More likely to budget and keep track of expenses and spending habits ● Key financial goals are on financial management such as retirement, having an emergency fund and paying off mortgages ● Feel worried if they don’t have enough savings ● More likely to be married with no children ● A higher proportion are paid monthly |
● 39 percent of regional Australians identify as spenders
● Don’t want to give up luxuries that come with saving ● Believe lifestyle is more important than planning for the future ● More likely to use their income to pay off debts like credit card bills ● More likely to have children under the age of 18 ● A higher proportion are paid weekly |
Celebrating Payphoria
Two out of five regional Australian workers count down the days to their next pay, and a significant number (53 percent) mark the occasion a celebration. For a third, payphoria brings about feelings of happiness, with a quarter then experience the subsequent sense of relief.
As part of ‘payphoria’, one in three regional Australians were spending more money on payday than they ordinarily would, with regional Australians believing they should be able to splash their hard-earned cash.
For just over one in four regional Australian workers payday means enjoying their hard-earned money by treating themselves or others, having a night out with friends or family, making an extravagant purchase, booking a trip or event, or buying a new outfit – with 80 percent of workers recognising they work hard and deserve to enjoy their money now.
