What does a night out really cost Australians — and what are households giving up to keep dining part of the budget? Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith In this episode of the Australian Finance Podcast, Gemma Mitchell is joined by Jason Leong, CEO and co-founder of PocketSmith, for part three of their Global Spending Map series. They use anonymised data from PocketSmith users across 190 countries to compare how Australians, New Zealanders and Americans are spending on restaurants, takeaway, coffee, alcohol, subscriptions and entertainment. The numbers are confronting. PocketSmith users in Australia spend about $1,000 a month across eating-out categories, while typical monthly restaurant and dining spend rose from $255 in 2021 to $400 in 2025 — a 57% increase. Jason explains why menu inflation accounts for only part of the rise, how interest rates have created a split between younger mortgage holders and older savers, and why Australian spending has moved differently from New Zealand and the US. Gemma and Jason also explore what households are cutting to protect the things they value, including subscriptions, fashion and gambling. They unpack the rapid growth of delivery apps, the hidden premium on convenience and the difference between intentional spending and spending by default. You’ll leave with practical ways to regain visibility without overhauling your entire budget: track one category at a time, set simple spending rules and decide which conveniences genuinely buy back time. Visit ⁠PocketSmith’s Global Spending Map⁠ to compare your habits with households around the world. *Chapters* *Episode resources* - Buy Gemma’s book “The Money Reset”: https://amzn.to/42Uz0aK - Speak with the Rask Advice team: https://rask.com.au/advice - Ask a question (select the Finance podcast): https://bit.ly/R-quest *Show partner resources* - View VanEck's range of funds: https://www.vaneck.com.au/vaneck-etfs/?page=etf-selector - Join Pearler using the code "RASKSWITCH" and get $32 of Pearler Credit: https://bit.ly/Pearler - Get 50% off your first two months using PocketSmith: https://bit.ly/R-PocketSmith - Whatever comes next for your business, power it with Stripe: https://stripe.com *Rask resources* - All services: https://bit.ly/R-services - Financial Planning: https://bit.ly/R-plan - Invest with us: https://bit.ly/R-invest - Access Show Notes: https://bit.ly/R-notes - Ask a question: https://bit.ly/R-quest - We love feedback! https://raskau.typeform.com/to/ZbfHy6IP *Follow us on social media* - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rask.invest - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@rask.invest *Disclaimer* This podcast episode was sponsored by Pocketsmith The information in this episode is provided by The Rask Group Pty Ltd and contains general financial product advice only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Before acting, consider whether the information is appropriate for you and consider seeking personal advice from a licensed financial adviser. You can read our Financial Services Guide at www.rask.com.au/fsg. If a financial product is mentioned, consider the relevant PDS and TMD, where applicable, before making any financial decision. Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Returns are not guaranteed and capital may be at risk. The Rask Group Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative No. 1280930 of Rask Licensing Pty Ltd, AFSL 563 907.