It’s no secret social media is a powerful driver of overconsumption. It seems like all it takes is one viral video, and suddenly everyone needs to have every design of a $50 water bottle or a Dubai chocolate-scented hand soap. At first glance, the “Expensive Things I Think Are Worth It” trend currently going around on TikTok seems like it plays directly into this abyss of overconsumption-core — but after I took a closer look at the videos, I realized that a lot of them are actually less materialistic than they appear. In fact, they might even be a little bit profound.
If this is your first time hearing about the TikTok’s “expensive things” trend, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: Creators sit in front of their camera and list off a handful of things that may be pricey, but provide equal or greater value to their lives.
Initially, I wrote the trend off as just another attempt to covertly market specific products (and believe me, I was looking for ad disclosures in many of those posts) or for fledgling creators to get their foot in the door with brands they’d like to work with. But when I paid closer attention to the items and services most commonly mentioned in these videos, I realized this trend tells a different story.
While some videos *do* promote popular products and brands, creators across all niches are making the case for something intangible being the ultimate luxury: time. Whether they’re talking home appliances, memberships to gyms, or professional cleaning services, a common thread from this trend is the emphasis on maximizing time, even if it comes with a heftier price tag.
A fancy coffee maker might seem like a frivolous investment at first glance, but it’ll save you a lot in the long term when you’re not trekking to a cafe every day or remaking a bad latte after your cheap machine pulled your espresso incorrectly the first time. Maintaining your home’s cleanliness can be done by yourself, but those three-hour resets every week could be replaced with a hangout with a loved one or a lucrative business meeting if you’re able to pay to outsource it. Basically, while it’s nice to have nice things, what this trend has reminded me is that it’s even nicer to have time to enjoy the nice things in your life.
Maybe all of this is why the trend has reached people from so many backgrounds. Anyone can hop on it because it’s less about the glamor or the influencer lifestyle, and more about what can make life a bit more manageable. Because no matter your budget or taste, that’s something anyone could get behind.