Can De-influencing Help Curb Your Urge To Buy?

From our Instagram feeds to our TikTok “For You” pages, social media has become a powerful market space filled with creators telling you which products you need to make your day-to-day life easier. With nearly every store at your fingertips online, it’s easy to give in to these influences and splurge on items that may seem like a steal. However, as time goes on, these items likely become obsolete and tossed aside, never to be used again after the initial purchase.

Instead of buying into every trend you see online, instead try de-influencing yourself before your next purchase. 

What Is De-influencing?

We've all seen the videos of influencers across every social media platform showing off their recent splurges: spending hundreds of dollars on fast fashion brands or buying every pink kitchen tool Amazon has available. These “haul” videos often inspire viewers to splurge and purchase frivolous items that will inevitably sit in closets and drawers collecting dust. However, videos like this may soon be a thing of the past, thanks to a new social media trend referred to as “de-influencing.”

This emerging trend is an effort to stop the overconsumption that we so often see showcased on our feeds. In these new videos following the de-influencing trend, creators try to discourage consumers from purchasing the products being promoted by explaining all the reasons they don’t need them. This trend is also encouraging consumers to think more critically about their purchases, including on what–and where–they’re spending money in an increasingly grim economy. 

How Do You Determine What’s Worth Buying?

If you’re frequently influenced to make purchases from the advertisements that appear on your social media feeds, or from the influencers that you watch in your free time, slow down and ask yourself these questions before you hit “Add to Cart.”

Can You Afford this?

First and foremost, you should be asking yourself if you can really afford what you’re about to purchase. Even if you have the money sitting in your checking or savings account, don’t splurge on an impulse purchase if that money has already been allocated to another payment in your budget.

If you don’t have the money and you can’t cut something from your current budget to pay for it now, start setting aside any leftover cash that you may have and plan for it in your future budget. This will help ensure that your budget stays on track and that when the time comes, you will have the funds to purchase it without causing yourself any financial stress. And, the extra time will allow you to consider if you truly want or need the item that you’re being influenced to buy.

How Many Hours Will This Cost You?

Comparing the cost of an item to your current hourly pay rate can be an eye-opening exercise to try when you’re in the mood to splurge. For example, if you’re looking to purchase a new pair of jeans priced at $100, and you make $20 an hour, that pair of jeans will cost you five hours of work—nearly a whole workday! When you think about your purchases as more than just the cost, and instead the hours of your life spent making that money, it’s easy to reconsider if that impulse purchase is worth it. 

Why Do You Want It?

While it’s okay to splurge in moderation, if you’re constantly buying products that you don’t need and won’t use, you’re only causing more harm to your wallet (and the planet) as they will most likely end up in the trash or donation pile after your next cleaning session. Before you make that next impulse purchase, ask yourself why you actually want it. Is this item a necessity that will make your life easier? Do you already have something similar that fulfills the same job? By asking yourself a few simple questions, you can prevent yourself from experiencing buyer’s remorse.

Will You Actually Use This?

How many times have you been scrolling through your TikTok “For You” page and find yourself entranced by one of the many videos showing you every swimsuit that you need from Amazon? While a quality swimsuit is a summer necessity, you don’t need 20 different options. Before you start shopping, ask yourself if the product you’re looking at is one that you’ll actually use and for how long. Even if the price is right, if it’s a product that you’re not going to use (or use for very long), then you’re wasting your hard-earned money.

How To Shop More Sustainably

When your phone is a catalog filled with every object you can dream of, it’s easy to spend and splurge without really thinking about what goes into the making of each product. Instead of mindlessly adding new items to your cart, try practicing mindfulness when you shop with these simple steps. 

Research The Brands You’re Supporting

As sustainable living becomes more prominent (and necessary) in our everyday lives, many brands are working towards creating sustainability-focused business models by following a circular economy model. Brands that follow this model reuse, refurbish, and recycle materials and products to help minimize waste and reduce pollution. Many of our favorite brands follow a circular economy, including Patagonia, Girlfriend Collective, Material, and more. 

Before you begin shopping, try doing some research on the brand that you’re supporting. There are several resources online, such as Good On You, that break down the sustainability of each brand with full transparency, so that you can consciously support brands that are actively working towards bettering the planet, working conditions, and animal welfare.

Shop Second-Hand

Not only does shopping second-hand help you save money, but it also extends the life of products that will otherwise end up in landfills. With several online marketplaces, like Poshmark and ThredUp, and rental brands such as Rent The Runway and Nuuly, shopping second-hand has never been easier. Purchasing pre-loved goods is also a great way to curate a unique wardrobe as you can often find one-of-a-kind pieces or customize each piece to fit your personal style.

Keep Your Purchases Longer

While it can be fun to shop along with the trends, doing so can be extremely harmful to the environment. Take high-waisted jeans, for example. These pieces made a comeback in the 2010s after mid- to low-rise jeans were deemed out of style. However, now we’re seeing the opposite—high-waisted silhouettes are being considered outdated, while mid to low-rise cuts are returning to every store. 

If you only shop with the trends, you will have to replace your wardrobe nearly every year. Instead, invest in staple pieces and take proper care of them so that they will last for years to come.

Invest In Pieces That Are Made To Last

Say it with me: value quality over quantity! If you have the budget to invest in high-quality pieces, then do so! Several sustainable brands offer staple pieces at an affordable price point, so that you can look good and feel good about who you’re supporting.

It’s no secret that fast fashion is the more affordable option. If, however, these sustainable brands are simply out of your allotted budget, shop intentionally and in moderation. Many styles from fast fashion brands can last for years if you read and follow the care tags properly. 

With the internet constantly telling you what you need to buy, it can be challenging to resist impulse shopping. But the reality is, most of the products being advertised on social media will end up in your trash bin or in your next donation pile after you use it a handful of times. Instead, practice mindfulness before you fill your cart. Your wallet (and the planet) will thank you.