"On austerity"

[Alienhiker]

[I am re-posting this because I messed up the TITLE entry the first time, for which, I am sorry.]

My brother is raking me over the coals because in an informal email I wrote, "We are on austerity this holiday season, so nothing fancy, please. " He wrote back that this is improper use of "austerity." Any opinions? [email address removed] Thanks to all.

[Marylin]

[I am re-posting this because I messed up the TITLE entry the first time, for which, I am sorry.]

My brother is raking me over the coals because in an informal email I wrote, "We are on austerity this holiday season, so nothing fancy, please. " He wrote back that this is improper use of "austerity." Any opinions? [email address removed] Thanks to all.

It does sound strange. I have never heard this expression before.
I would say something like: We are on a budget or we are pretty tight ...or something like that.

Marylin

[Casiopea]

Additionally,

EX: We are on/in austere times . . . .