Cost-of-living pressures have changed the way Australians shop.

According to new research commissioned by Amazon Australia, - who are proud sponsors of today's episode - share that almost 9 in 10 Australians have changed their shopping habits, and four out of five are now deliberately timing purchases around major sales events - with Amazon Prime Day kicking off this week (Tuesday the 7th of July, through to Monday the 13th of July).

But is this really about spending more?

Or are Australians simply becoming smarter with their money?

In this episode of SugarMamma's Fireplay, I sit down with Duncan Fredericks from Amazon Australia to unpack the key trends of how Aussies are shopping today.

We discuss:

• Why Australians are becoming far more intentional with their spending.
• How sales events can become part of a budgeting strategy rather than an excuse to impulse shop.
• The difference between shopping with purpose and shopping emotionally.
• Practical tools like Wishlists, product reviews and price planning that can help you spend more intentionally.
• The categories Australians are prioritising during major sales events.
• How Amazon Resale works and why buying returned or open-box products can help save money while reducing waste.
• The real value of Amazon Prime beyond sales events, including delivery and entertainment benefits.

I also share my own personal shopping philosophy, including the difference between creating a Need List and a Wish List, why I always read reviews before buying, and how thoughtful planning helps me enjoy the convenience of online shopping while freeing up something that's even more valuable than money... my time.

Remember:

A sale doesn't save you money.

Buying the right things does.

Thank you to Amazon Australia for sponsoring this episode of SugarMamma's Fireplay.

As always, thank you so much for listening. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review and share it with someone who loves making smarter financial decisions.