Feeling the pinch from rising living costs and endless ads, young adults on TikTok are fighting back! Kara Perez, a financial educator, says people are burning out on spending because everything feels like a sales pitch. Social media has always been about perfect homes and luxury items, but now there's a new trend called 'underconsumption core.' This trend is all about living sustainably, repurposing what you have, and choosing quality over quantity. It's a big shift from the usual excess and wealth flaunted on Instagram and TikTok. Consumer fatigue is real, folks! TikTok user loveofearthco's video with over 100,000 views criticizes overconsumption, saying, 'I spent money I didn’t have on things I didn’t need.' Another user, nevadahuvenaars, shows what 'normal' consumption looks like: used furniture, modest closets, and upcycled decor. Despite financial struggles, the US economy is booming with high corporate profits and prices. But this feels like 'gaslighting' to many, says analyst Tariro Makoni. Buy Now, Pay Later plans make things worse, distorting access to wealth and making it hard to keep up with social media spending habits. Google Trends shows a spike in searches for 'underconsumption' this summer, along with 'overproduction' and the 'Great Depression.' UK influencer Andrea Cheong says young adults have a compulsive need to spend on fashion, driven by the pressure to define themselves through possessions. But 'underconsumption core' is breaking away from this. Unlike traditional trends pushed by influencers, this one promotes mending old clothes and authenticity. Cheong and Makoni agree that this shift reflects a growing demand for genuine content from creators.
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TikTok's New Trend: Underconsumption Core

Feeling the pinch from rising living costs and endless ads, young adults on TikTok are fighting back! Kara Perez, a financial educator, says people are burning out on spending because everything feels like a sales pitch. Social media has always been about perfect homes and luxury items, but now there's a new trend called 'underconsumption core.' This trend is all about living sustainably, repurposing what you have, and choosing quality over quantity. It's a big shift from the usual excess and wealth flaunted on Instagram and TikTok.

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