With all the media we consume today, it seems like we can never get away from things being advertised to us and promotions from every brand on the planet being pushed in our faces. From massive shopping hauls from everyday micro-influencers to the insane amount of plastic organizers that home and lifestyle influencers keep in their drawers, it seems like we can never have enough. Now with platforms like the TikTok Shop, purchasing useless and bad quality items is even more accessible. So, at what point does it become overconsumption, and when does the criticism of these hauls and organizational videos become more hateful than critical?
As the rise in over-buying and trips to stores like Marshalls and HomeGoods becomes more notable on TikTok and Instagram, even becoming its own genre of video, “de-influencing” has also found its place in this sphere of content. De-influencers tend to be the voice of reason among all the voices telling you that you should run, don’t walk to grab the newest Stanley cup in the eighth shade of beige to be produced. They do important work too, because let’s be honest, do you really need eight reusable water bottles in shades of the same color? However, there comes a point where de-influencing becomes less about suggesting why purchases may not be necessary and more about hating on creators for spending their money on things that aren’t necessities.
One example of this de-influencing turned into borderline hating is @DepressionDotGov on TikTok. Her platform was built off her ability to de-influence people from buying random knick-knacks and clothing that are constantly promoted, but her content quickly moved towards judging people for buying anything or having a certain way of organizing themselves. For example, in her three pinned videos on her page, she criticizes a business owner for packing an order of self-defense items, a work-from-home setup, and someone buying holiday items from Target. Now, I’m not saying that this creator shouldn’t be making this type of content — after all, de-influencing videos have helped me save tons of money on things I didn’t need — but at what point does criticizing these people stop being de-influencing and start being hating for content’s sake? After all, maybe the person buying holiday decor doesn’t currently have any, and wanted an affordable option from an accessible store like Target? Or maybe the girl working from home has certain behavioral tendencies and found an organizational method and work routine that works for her? Of course, this creator is not the one and only person making this sort of content, and I’m sure hating on others is by no means her intention when creating her videos. However, an important thing to remember is that the majority of these haul and shopping influencers are adults, choosing to spend their money as they please, and are also doing their jobs as influencers to create content that pushes others to buy.
Whether motivating viewers to spend exorbitant amounts of money regularly in today’s economy is ethical or not is up to the consumer to decide, but as someone who frequently finds themself being influenced to buy things because of these videos, here are some tips to help you spend your money more consciously.
- Think of yourself 1, 2, and 5 years from now. I find that lots of the stuff I currently have, whether it’s clothes, dishes, containers, or trinkets, I’ve had for years and years. I don’t think I’ll ever have a keychain shortage in my house because of how many I’ve bought over the years, so that’s not something I choose to spend my money on, whether I’m on vacation or just shopping at the mall. I also find myself still wearing clothes that I’ve had since high school because they still fit well and are in good condition, so until every one of my black cropped t-shirts wears out, I won’t buy another one, which leads me to my next point.
- Pay close attention to the quality of what you’re buying. I’m not saying to buy a $50 pure cotton T-shirt or a $200 dollar pair of jeans. But, if you’re in H&M and can see the seams already fraying on a going-out top, or if the $5 cocktail glass at HomeGoods already has a tiny chip in it, just take a pass on it. It’s better to save your money despite it being cheap than to buy it and have it break within months.
- If there’s a problem, ask yourself if you have access to the solution or if there’s even really a problem. My biggest example of this is reusable water bottles. If your HydroFlask has a tiny dent in it because it fell off the desk, has it stopped doing its job? Does a tiny dent warrant a brand-new $40 water bottle? If your Owala starts smelling funky, is the first step to buying a new one? Can you give it a little TLC and start washing it more frequently, or use vinegar or baking soda to get rid of the smell? Is the answer to spending a full day’s pay to replace something that’s inconvenient, or are you able to put in a little elbow grease to make your things last longer?
- Don’t spend money you don’t have. It may seem like common sense to some, but at the end of the day, credit cards and shopping influencers can be a really dangerous combination. It’s important to remember that credit cards are not free money, and falling into extreme debt can create even bigger problems in the future. If spending money is becoming a problem, budgeting is a good way to keep all your money set aside for specific things, and you can always add a shopping category to your budget. Another idea is to allow yourself either one or two days, or one or two items, to splurge on when you get paid. Obviously, please don’t spend your whole paycheck, but it’s nice to reward yourself for all the work you do, so using a shopping schedule may work to satisfy the shopping cravings created by influencers.
- Remember that shopping influencers are just doing their job. At the end of the day, these content creators are doing just that: creating content in order to sell you something. Sometimes, it’s painfully obvious, even when the ad has not been disclosed, but some creators are really good at persuading their audiences to buy the latest dupe from T.J.Maxx. A good way to combat this is to mentally question the influencer. Do you think they’re actually using the products they promote? If you walked into their house, would you see the $30 full-length mirror they got off TikTikShop? How much of their clothes do you think they even wear throughout the year? By taking a step back and reflecting on the reality of these creators’ lives, it might give you some clarity as to whether you really need or want what they’re selling you.
By being more thoughtful with your shopping practices, you may find that you’re able to save a little more money than before and not be as susceptible to the constant ads and shopping hauls all over the Internet. However, at the end of the day, you should be able to spend your money how you want, regardless of what anyone has to say about it, and it’s important to remember that when watching both influencing AND de-influencing videos.