Allow me to Deinfluence you From Overconsuming
We are addicted to shopping. And I don’t necessarily mean you or me, but as a whole, we need to learn to break up with overconsumption. I’m on underconsumption-core TikTok, and I recently heard someone say a few profound things that really made me think before I spend:
First, “companies are just mad that they have to go through you to get to your money.” Yikes. But it’s true! They are greedy and hungry for more and more of our hard-earned money. They sell us garbage at record speed just to boost profit margins and line the pockets of CEOs, all while exploiting their workers.
Second, “we’ve shifted from customer to consumer.” That hit me. We truly are just consumers in our own eyes and especially the eyes of our corporate overlords.
That’s why I’m excited to partner with Skillshare today to talk about learning skills, getting creative, and finding new ways to fill our lives besides with shopping and material things.
That brings us to my first piece of advice…
Find a hobby!
In the US, especially, shopping is seen as a hobby. Or it’s used as a cop-out for other hobbies. What I mean is, people often don’t have a reading hobby; they have a book-buying hobby. People don’t have a coloring hobby; they have a buying-markers-and-coloring-books hobby. It’s lovely to start a new hobby and get creative, don’t get me wrong, but let’s do hobbies more mindfully!
So, this post is brought to you by Skillshare.
There are so many amazing classes offered on Skillshare to bridge this gap that allow you to try a new hobby and learn a new skill without the environmental harm and without feeding into that consumerism addiction. From making an upcycled sunglasses case to naturally dyeing yarn to learning how to embroider in order to mend your clothes, it is totally possible to scroll less and shop less all while using what you have.
Skillshare offers creative classes for hobbyists, creative professionals, and everyone in between. Learn a skill from scratch or rekindle a creative passion you haven’t visited in a while. Make projects you’re proud of. And get great feedback from teachers and peers. Documenting how it’s done is just as important as creating.
And, you can do it all at your own pace. It’s not like an in-person class that you have to commit to every week. Pick from their vast amount of courses and take it in your own time.
If you’re still on the fence, good news! Skillshare is offering a one month free trial. Use my link here to claim your free trial before fully committing, but with the amount of things you can learn on this platform, I know you’ll stick around for more.
Okay, now allow me to de-influence you from a few trending items that I promise you do not need. And maybe you don’t actually want them either!
Stop buying these things!
Any trending hobby
Yes, we’re still talking about hobbies. I love when humans make art. I love it when humans learn new skills. But I hate when hobbies and crafts become short-lived trends. It means everyone who partakes will most likely buy a whole bunch of stuff new, use only some of it, and either landfill or donate the old items. Which, if you didn’t know, the thrift store is just a glorified step on the way to the landfill for much of our donated goods. Learn more here.
There was a huge rise in “underconsumption Christmas” and “crafty Christmas” in 2025, which I LOVE, don’t get me wrong. I love to see people creating more than they consume and handmaking meaningful gifts…to an extent. I do not love to see people who use this as an excuse to shop and shop and shop. People clicking their Amazon cart or driving to Hobby Lobby faster than I can say “hey, aren’t we boycotting those companies?”
Is that trending hobby a good idea for you? Maybe! I’m not saying to never try a trending hobby, but think before you buy. That’s the golden rule of breaking up with overconsumption. Truly think about whether coloring, embroidery, or crochet is right for you. Do you have the patience for it? Will it aggravate an injury you have? Do you even like crochet items to keep in your home? And give it time. Let the trend die out. Are you still interested in it when it’s not trending? Hopefully, this helps you overcome impulse purchases the next time a trendy craft hits your feed.
The latest water bottle craze
I promise you, your current water bottle is working just fine. You do not need to throw out your Hydro Flask to get a Stanley, and you don’t need to throw out your Stanley to get an Owala. Use what you have! If your water bottle becomes damaged and leaks or is a health concern, sure, find a way to recycle it and move on to a high-quality bottle that will last you a long time.
But if you just have a small ding in the side or maybe lost the cap (just order a new one), that’s not an excuse to hop on the latest water bottle craze. Quiet that overconsumer on your shoulder and listen to the underconsumer instead, and be content with what you have.
Whatever bag is trending
Similar to that are bags. I feel like bag trends change nearly weekly. First it was that crossbody Baggu bag, and then it was just a plain tote bag, and next it will be who knows what. It’s okay to want to be stylish and experiment with fashion, but that does not give you an excuse to buy into every bag trend and have more bags than you actually use and need.
Find one that fits your personal style and not the style of some influencer on the internet who is only selling you that bag so that they can make a quick buck. And I’m saying this as an internet person who uses affiliate marketing myself.
If you truly love the bag beyond the trend, wait until it hits the shelves of secondhand stores or online thrift sites to snag one for yourself.
Anything that you can find secondhand
I gave up shopping for brand new items when I realized that everything I could possibly ever need and want can be thrifted. With the exception of consumable items like toilet paper and toothpaste. When I need a new lamp, I thrift one. When I need a new picture frame or pair of shoes, a holiday outfit, or a pie pan, I thrift them. It’s taken practice. I’m not saying you’ll build this habit overnight, but I urge everyone to just try to build this habit starting now.
Maybe one day, you, too, will be buying nearly everything secondhand! Heck, even Dan’s Christmas present this year was 99% thrifted. The only new item I bought was maple syrup cause I couldn’t have possibly found that secondhand.
And, listen, if you still want to overconsume thrifted items, that impact is exponentially lower than overconsuming new items. Thrifted items are preventing landfill waste and preventing the creation of new items. And most of them are too full to keep up with the demand of donations anyway. Use this as a stepping stone to break up with overconsumption and learn more about why thrifting is so important in this video.
“Machine-made” and mass-produced crochet
Yeah, this one is quite specific, but as a crochet it has to be said: STOP BUYING FAST FASHION CROCHET! I’m talking about cardigans, bags, headbands, coasters, whatever it is, it was all handmade. Crochet cannot be made by a machine. Fast fashion is already highly exploitative (learn more here), but crochet is so time-consuming that it means someone was even more exploited than usual to put that item on your Target shelves.
I would tell you to support small artists, but chances are it’s out of most people’s price range. That’s why I crochet myself! It costs so much because that’s how long it takes. Even if I only charge myself minimum wage, knowing I deserve more than that, my handmade rugs would still cost over $600. No one wants to pay that, and I get it. This is precisely why you should not buy crochet for just $5 at Target. It’s theft of whoever made it.
Find fulfillment elsewhere
I think it’s easy to resort to shopping as a source of fulfillment if you don’t have another source. So, see if you can’t find that other source of joy and meaning! I feel you. I used to be a shopping addict in high school and even in my early adult years. But now I pride myself on finding joy in other areas! Here are the things that I do that you may take inspiration from:
I go out into my community. It’s scary, it really is, but it gets easier. I go out as often as I can, but without pressuring myself. I stay in when I have a migraine or am just tired or have other priorities. I regularly attend dance classes, go to other dance events, go to live music, or just head to a friend’s house to do living room karaoke or a board game. Build community, maintain that community, and find fulfillment in human interaction.
Partake in my hobbies (in an eco way). I love the feeling of finishing a project, big or small. I’ve been crocheting for years, but recently tried knitting again. It’s so time-consuming, and it’s hard to commit to in the age of instant gratification. But the feeling of finishing a months-long project and getting to show it off is unmatched. I use yarn that I already have, thrift what I need, or shop small when I absolutely need something new. I’ve also been dabbling in watercolor recently and am a huge fan of reading and cozy video games. Again, just be sure to do so mindfully.
Learn!! Yes, I’m going back to school at an institution seeking a degree. But you don’t have to do that to learn. Rising in popularity in the second half of 2025, people started making their own curriculum as if they were going back to school. Maybe you want to learn about the US Presidents or learn a new language or research the truth about the Vietnam War. Truly, whatever it is, make the time to learn about it by reading books from scholars, reading articles on Google Scholar, or what have you. Make it fun and do little research projects and present them to a friend! Even in my free time off school, you can find me listening to non-fiction books or going down an internet rabbit hole of my current hyperfixation topic. Learning can also go for skills like making sourdough or sewing. Reminder to check out Skillshare to get a free trial of learning one of these skills in a full-fledged class!
Get outside! Nothing helps me get in the right headspace quite like getting outside. The fresh air, the sun, and getting to interact with neighbors, plants, and animals feel so good. Bonus if you want to combine it with learning and learn about local flora and fauna, and become a hobby naturalist! Go on nature walks with guides, go alone, or tag along with a friend.
Maybe these don’t work for you, so find what does. Maybe it’s calling a relative every day or playing a special game with your children. Do what makes YOU personally fulfilled, since we are all different, but aim for it to be something other than shopping.
If you need more tips for breaking up with overconsumption, you can get this free downloadable guide or watch this video.
Thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring this post. Don’t forget to check them out for a free trial!
And thank you for reading. This post was honestly really sad for me to research and write up. I realized just how far many of us have fallen down the overconsumption pit. It’s hard to get out, but it’s not impossible. We can vote with our dollars and be mindful consumers to take care of the planet while also saving ourselves money.
As always, remember that your small actions make a big difference in the long run :)
Emma
