Nonessentials

Nonessentials are goods, services, or activities not required for basic subsistence or core functioning. The term is used across consumer budgeting, economics, and policy to distinguish items that meet essential needs—such as food, shelter, basic healthcare, and transportation—from discretionary items that can be postponed or avoided without immediate risk to life or health. The scope of what is nonessential varies with income, culture, and context.

In economic analysis, nonessential expenditures are often described as discretionary. They respond to income changes and price fluctuations, and their share of spending tends to be more volatile during recessions. Governments may also classify expenditures as essential or nonessential when planning budgets or implementing temporary measures, such as during emergencies when nonessential activities can be curtailed to conserve resources.

Examples of nonessentials include luxury goods (designer clothing, high-end electronics), entertainment and leisure services (concerts, streaming subscriptions), premium travel, and other discretionary purchases. Nonessential services can include specialized or optional services beyond basic provision. The distinction is not absolute; it shifts with societal norms, technology, and personal circumstances, making the line between needs and wants culturally and economically contingent.

Critics note that labeling items as nonessential can obscure inequities, since access to alternatives and safety nets affects whether something is truly avoidable. The term thus reflects value judgments about priority as much as economic constraints.