"In its day, TikTok has gifted us with plenty of “-cores.” From “old money aesthetic” to “coastal grandma” to “office siren,” TikTok is the app of aesthetics. Now, the platform’s given us a viral trend that’s different from the rest: underconsumption core. The antithesis of overconsumption, this trend is all about living minimally and simplistically in the name of sustainability and saving. It’s about buying only what you need, repurposing items, and using them until they break. The underconsumption core tag on TikTok features over 44.9M posts in which creators share their minimal lifestyles, bare-bones routines, and simple pleasures.
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After years of watching countless influencers and TikTok users flaunt their excessive lifestyles, I have to admit that underconsumption core is a breath of fresh air. However, the problem I have with the trend is that it “core-ifies” something that’s actually not an aesthetic. In reality, underconsumption core is a direct response to a problem TikTok itself created.
Why we need underconsumption core
While we’ve been staring down economic uncertainty since the pandemic, some TikTok creator has been buzzing in our ears, telling us what to buy as they showed off an armful of products in their pristine home. Regardless of the creator or what product they were promoting, the message was always the same: Buy this, and you can live like me, too. It was a promise that even the most savvy shoppers have been unable to resist—I’m not immune, either. For the past several years, we’ve bitten the bullet, tried to justify the purchase using girl math, and prayed that the product lived up to the hype. It’s been a brutal cycle to be a part of, which is part of why “underconsumption core” is necessary on TikTok.
Underconsumption core is still ignorant of the fact that many of us just simply don’t live like TikTok influencers in real life anyway.
The rise of TikTok shop hasn’t helped, either. The platform rolled out its “social commerce” platform in September—the app earns commission on each sale and pushes users to buy from the shop with strategic advertising and repetitive haul videos. You’ve probably seen the ads. One second, you’re watching a video of a cute dog, someone’s vacation, or their favorite dinner to cook from home, and the next, you’re getting an ad for yet another Free People sweatshirt dupe. While TikTok shop might be convenient and cheap, it also fuels the mindless overconsumption that makes the app so exhausting.
For years, TikTokers (and TikTok) have capitalized on the fact that young adults use influencer recommendations to make buying decisions, and now that we’ve all seen the detrimental consequences this has on our wallets, we’ve decided to fight back with underconsumption core. There’s something kind of beautiful about this. Seeing people share the simple things they love about their lives under the underconsumption core tag is like a breath of fresh air in the middle of a clogged TikTok feed. However, underconsumption core is still ignorant of the fact that many of us just simply don’t live like TikTok influencers in real life anyway.
The problem with underconsumption core
While “underconsumption core” is an aesthetic, the act of not overconsuming is not. Being able to decide what and what not to buy is a privilege, and for most people, not buying things is a way to save more money and make ends meet—it’s the choice between having that handbag or a roof over your head with food in the fridge. This is especially true in our current economy, where a reported one in three Americans are living paycheck to paycheck. It’s great to encourage people to consume less, but framing underconsumption as an aesthetic is ignorant of the fact that for most people, minimalism and simple pleasures are just life.
There’s something dystopian about a movement like underconsumption core existing on a platform that encourages people to consume more in itself. From putting time limits on videos to encourage you to keep scrolling to the hard push toward “social commerce” on TikTok shop, TikTok isn’t about underconsumption, and it never will be. And at the end of the day, when you’re rapidly scrolling from underconsumption core videos to giant influencer hauls to videos of lavish vacations to a fridge restock, the overall impact of underconsumption core on your actual consumption habits isn’t going to be huge.
So, yes—we do need underconsumption core, and anything that raises awareness for a simpler, more sustainable way of living is great. But turning something that, for many people, is just a way of life into a “core” is kind of silly and a bit delulu given the platform.
How to spend less without resorting to underconsumption core
In case you are #influenced by underconsumption core, you may wonder how you can consume less without, you know, core-ifying your own daily existence. Here are some tips for sustainably reducing your consumption in the long term.
Create a wishlist for non-essential purchases
This hack is especially helpful for those who frequently make splurges or impulse purchases. Rather than forgoing online shopping completely, start making wish lists or adding items to the “save for later” tabs on your favorite sites. Then, set a financial goal for yourself to reach before you can buy a certain item or items. Not only will this restrain you from spending impulsively, but it’ll also encourage smart spending.
Use influencer recommendations carefully
It’s easy to blindly trust your favorite influencer’s product recommendations, especially if they’ve steered you right in the past, but buying everything they love isn’t going to give you a return on your investment.
To prevent yourself from blindly trusting one single influencer, seek out influencer recommendations and reviews only when you’re in the market for a new product. For example, if you need a new foundation, look up your favorite beauty influencers and find which products each recommends, then conduct your own research (maybe even read a few online reviews, wink wink) before buying. This will make it easier to prevent overconsumption while simultaneously spending less.
Remember that you’re allowed the occasional splurge
Overconsumption and underconsumption core are two extreme ends of the spectrum, so instead of falling into one or the other, try to land somewhere in the middle. Balance is an essential element of a well-rounded life, after all, and you deserve the occasional splurge, especially if you’ve been diligently paying off debt and building your savings.
When it comes to splurge purchases, try setting financial goals for yourself that dictate what you can buy. For example, if you save up $5,000, you might splurge on a new coat, while a $15,000 milestone might earn you a designer bag. Whatever it is, giving yourself goals to work toward will keep you motivated and, in turn, make it easier to consume less and prevent unnecessary product waste.
Log off
Maybe the real underconsumption core was the social media boundaries we learned along the way! If you feel like you’re caught in a cycle of scrolling between underconsumption core videos and TikTok shop hauls, that might be a sign that you need to hop off the app for a couple of days. Remember: Your real life isn’t a “core.” It’s even better.
Arianna Reardon, Contributing Writer
Arianna is a Rhode Island native, professional blogger, and freelance writer. She’s passionate about helping women develop healthy relationships with money, become financially independent, and invest in themselves for the future. Arianna is a firm believer in going after what you want, taking time to stop and smell the roses, and the importance of a good cocktail.