The Game of Life is an internally funded research initiative from Radius designed to explore how people in the U.K., U.S., UAE, and India are navigating everyday choices in a complex, shifting world. The study looks at four key areas: general consumer mindset, financial behaviors, attitudes toward artificial intelligence, and sustainability. The research was designed to uncover what consumers are doing in their everyday lives to provide deeper insight into how brands can connect more meaningfully, target more accurately, and ensure communications are effective in supporting long-term brand growth.
Consumers across global markets aren’t holding out hope for financial relief in 2025. Ipsos found that nearly half of global consumers (49%) don’t believe the economy will be stronger in 2025 than it was in 2024¹, and in April 2025, J.P. Morgan raised the probability of a global recession from 40% to 60%.² In response, people are tightening their grip on their finances not by retreating, but by getting smarter.
We conducted our Game of Life research to gain deeper insight into how and why consumers are adapting their behavior in response to current and emerging challenges and found six key trends: consumers are seeking greater control over their budgets, scaling back spending while minimizing sacrifice, hacking the system to optimize rewards, preserving small indulgences, discovering that everyday discipline can have a meaningful impact on their bottom line, and earning on the side to reduce financial pressure.
They’re approaching personal finance like a strategy game: navigating uncertainty with small but deliberate moves, building structure, reducing waste, and finding new sources of satisfaction. Across markets, we see consumers consistently relying on a three-part system to adapt:
- Increase intention and control – proactively managing spending through planning, budgeting, and behavior tracking.
- Reduce, not remove – scaling back without sacrificing satisfaction.
- Hack the system – using tools, rewards, and workarounds to stretch their budget.
This 1-2-3 framework is evident across behaviors and generations—guiding not just how consumers spend, but how they save, substitute, and self-reward. While the economic backdrop is challenging, consumer behavior reveals optimism in action: resourceful, resilient, and ready to adapt.
Macro trend 1: Increase intent and control with stricter budgets.
Consumers are designing rules for their own financial game. From budgeting apps to handwritten shopping lists, they’re putting guardrails around spending and reclaiming agency over their choices.
- 67% of global consumers follow a personal financial budget.
- 34% create shopping lists to avoid impulse buying.
- 20% use formal budget plans.
- 19% avoid using cards and pay with cash for greater control.
Younger generations are more open to new budgeting methods, while older groups prefer traditional tools. Across all demographics, the goal is the same: don’t leave money to chance.
The implication for brands:
Are you helping customers increase intention and control?
Brands have an opportunity to build goodwill and trust with consumers. Provide clarity, flexibility, and tools that support smart spending.
Macro trend 2: Scaling back without sacrifice lets consumers reduce, not remove.
People are making tough choices—but they’re not cutting joy completely. Instead, they’re shifting to more affordable alternatives: own-label groceries, bulk buying, and secondhand goods. The priority is to preserve lifestyle while trimming costs.
- 46% reduce or cut out luxury/treat purchases (#1 saving tactic.)
- 26% trade down to private-label grocery brands.
- 20% buy in bulk.
- 14% shop secondhand, especially for clothes and accessories.
- 63% say fashion is now more about functionality than style.
The mindset is not austerity—it’s adaptation.
The implication for brands:
Are you enabling “reduce, not remove” choices?
Make trading down feel smart, not second-rate. Find ways to optimize products and services and communicate your value prop to meet customer needs.
Macro trend 3: Consumers are hacking the system by turning routine spending into rewards.
Loyalty programs, cashback apps, and provider-switching tools offer consumers a way to “win” the financial game. These small gains help people feel empowered and rewarded—even as they cut back elsewhere.
- 91% of U.K. consumers actively use loyalty schemes.
- U.S. consumers belong to an average of 19 loyalty programs.
- In the UAE, 22% use cashback apps.
- In the U.K., 15% negotiate better deals with service providers.
- 40% of U.K. consumers intend to switch broadband or mobile plans.
The everyday transaction becomes a chance to outsmart the system and stretch value further.
The implication for brands:
Are you giving them ways to hack the system?
Loyalty programs, savings features, and discounts can feel like wins when they’re well-timed and well-positioned. Connect with your customers to gain insights on what they value now, and innovate your programs to meet their needs.
Macro trend 4: The lipstick effect lets consumers reduce, not remove treats and indulgences.
Even as people pull back on big spending, they’re still making room for low-cost indulgences—coffee, cosmetics, takeout—as a way to protect their sense of identity and well-being.
This is the lipstick effect in action: during downturns, consumers gravitate toward small luxuries that feel rewarding and emotionally sustaining.
- 45% of Gen Z say they make impulse purchases “to treat myself” compared to 37% of consumers overall.
Brands that understand the emotional role of these small pleasures can build deeper loyalty—even during times of financial strain.
The implication for brands:
Can consumers find affordable luxuries in your product mix?
Consider product line adjustments you can make to help your customers access their favorite products at a price point that’s easier on their wallets.
Macro trend 5: Everyday discipline impacts the bottom line.
From switching to public transit to setting up auto-savings, consumers are adopting low-effort, high-impact behaviors that help them stay afloat day to day.
- 35% of U.K. adults save 10–20% of their income monthly.
- 16% use automatic bank transfers to build savings.
- 11% use more public transportation.
- 43% invest in stock-market-related options.
These aren’t sweeping lifestyle changes—they’re sustainable habits that build resilience over time.
The implication for brands:
Are you in a position to partner with your consumers on their savings journey?
Design promotions, programs, or educational content that shows them how your brand helps them save and/or optimize their spending.
Macro trend 6: Earning on the side delivers an advantage.
Consumers aren’t just saving—they’re hustling. From selling secondhand clothes to starting freelance gigs, people are generating supplemental income as part of their financial toolkit.
- 22% pursue side hustles.
- 12% sell unused clothing or household items.
- The global secondhand apparel market is projected to hit $218B by 2026 (Stylight).
The “trash into treasure” mentality is about more than cash—it’s about reclaiming financial agency.
The implication for brands:
Empathize with your customers.
Communicate that you see how hard they’re working and identify the best ways to deliver higher value or lower price points in a challenging environment.
Consumers are navigating financial stress with strategy and creativity. Are you helping them play to win?
People aren’t waiting for the economy to improve. They’re adjusting how they spend, save, and earn—driven by control, satisfaction, and reward. The brands that meet consumers on those terms will earn trust and loyalty through every up and down.
In the game of life, financial wins don’t have to be big. They just have to feel like progress.
How are you adapting to meet shifting financial mindsets?
Let’s talk about how we can help you respond to today’s changing trends.
