Indonesian Citizens Increasingly Tighten Spending Amidst Economic Uncertainty

Amidst the ever-changing economic conditions, citizens are now increasingly required to be more careful in managing their daily expenses. From household needs to business costs, many people are now more cautious in spending money to stay within budget.

This situation is also reflected in the changing shopping behaviour of young people, who are now more rational and planned. In the midst of dynamic economic conditions, the “Same Price” commitment is one of the approaches highlighted in helping people maintain spending stability.

The ongoing inflation is also driving the need for price certainty, both for households and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia’s annual inflation in April 2026 was recorded at 2.42 percent, followed by price increases in a number of basic needs and business costs in various sectors.

In response to this condition, financial planner Prita Ghozie said that price certainty is one of the important elements in people’s financial planning today. “In the midst of inflationary pressures that are still being felt by the public, price certainty is not just a shopping advantage, but also part of healthy financial planning,” she said, as quoted from a press release, Thursday, June 4, 2026.

She explained that when the price of a product can be predicted, consumers and small businesses can allocate their budgets more planned and not reactively to price changes. “For SMEs, especially those who are just starting out, price stability also helps them make more planned purchasing decisions and allocate budgets more effectively. This way, energy and focus can be diverted to maintaining business continuity and ensuring business sustainability,” she added.

This condition is also felt by small business actors in the regions. One of them is Annisa Amelia, a 25-year-old housewife from Banjar Regency, South Kalimantan, who runs an ice cream business with her husband. She admitted that she had to be more careful in managing business costs in the face of rising raw material prices.

“Now many prices of goods are going up, from plastic to raw materials. But our buyers are schoolchildren, their pocket money is limited. So we can’t just raise prices. In fact, one of our priorities is to upgrade the packaging so that it looks neater and more comfortable to look at,” said Annisa.