Overspending? Here’s how underconsumption can help you avoid wasting money
J.R. Duren explores the rise of underconsumption — deliberately buying less and extending the life of goods — as Americans react to high inflation and the cost-of-living squeeze. Online communities on [[Reddit]] and short-form videos on [[TikTok]] have amplified practices from minimalism and anti-consumerism to circular-economy habits like repairing, thrift-shopping and product-as-a-service use. The piece links overbuying to targeted advertising, emotional spending and convenience, and notes environmental and financial consequences cited by the [[Environmental Protection Agency]] and the [[Census Bureau]]. Practical advice includes tracking spending, questioning impulse purchases, prioritizing durable items, and reframing underconsumption as freedom rather than deprivation — a method some readers credit with paying down large debts and reclaiming space and wellbeing. Surveys such as [[Resume Now]]'s finding that 92 percent cut spending, and examples of households saving hundreds a month, underline its appeal for both money-saving and environmental reasons.