Refuse to be 'Kidnapped' ，How I Escaped the Consumerism Trap丨Living in China

Added: 2026-05-14

[00:00:02]A couple of days ago I passed by a large shopping mall in the city center Behind the massive glass curtain walls the lights were dazzling The display windows were filled with the latest electronic gadgets various expensive sneakers and clothes and beautifully packaged cosmetics The mall was bustling with people carrying large and small shopping bags their faces beaming with a sense of satisfaction If we follow the script set by consumerism I should be filled with longing for everything in that mall I should feel inferior, anxious or even cynical because I can't afford those things But the truth is I felt no ripple in my heart Because I understood a truth very early on consumerism is a massive trap designed specifically for ordinary people especially the poor I am currently a low-income earner—or more precisely a 40-year-old middle-aged man who on a modest income is trying his best to control living expenses and save money to buy a house entirely of my own Today I want to share with you How I refuse to be kidnapped by consumerism in this era of rampant materialism and how I carefully budget and control my living expenses This isn't a tutorial on how to save money it's a discussion on how to reclaim control over your life First,we must see through the underlying logic of consumerism it sells anxiety,and then provides the antidote Think about it carefully aren't those advertisements implicitly telling you every day that you're unhappy because your clothes aren't expensive enough that you lack charm because you don't drive that certain car that you find life boring because you haven't vacationed at that famous spot It forcibly binds "commodities" with "your personal value" When you aren't wealthy enough it makes you feel inferior Many ordinary people just to make others think they are "doing quite well" or to make themselves look "refined" on social media would rather max out their credit cards to buy things that are far beyond their means But I refuse to play this game Because I know that for low-income earners and the poor the greatest cruelty is spending money on the act of "making others think you're living well" In my life the first step in controlling expenses is severing all "false needs" What are false needs?

[00:03:25]They are things you think you need but actually don't For example advance paid viewing on video streaming sites a 20-yuan bubble tea every day insistently buying the highest-end version when upgrading your phone or various expensive clothes and shoes I used to fall into this trap too But now before I want to buy something I ask myself three questions First will my life be substantially affected without it?

[00:04:00]Second do I truly need its function or do I just want the feeling of owning it?

[00:04:07]Third is there something else that can replace it?

[00:04:13]Usually after asking these three questions 90% of my desire to purchase vanishes Next let's talk about the biggest matter in life——food China has the richest variety of food in the world and food prices are incredibly diverse Whether you are very rich or very poor you can find food in China that suits your economic level and taste As someone who grew up in a poor family my requirements for food have never been high Ordinary food that fills the stomach is healthy and hygienic is more than enough In previous videos you've seen me cook and seen me eating fast food on the street Many people might think that eating out or ordering takeout is definitely expensive and that only cooking at home saves money But in fact thanks to China's low food prices the baseline cost for us to maintain basic survival is actually very low Even if you never cook and eat out or order delivery for every meal eating like an ordinary person like me a meal costs at most around 20 RMB For three meals a day a single person's living expenses can easily be perfectly controlled under 40 RMB I only eat two meals a day which saves me about 5-10 RMB every morning However I don't skip breakfast to save money it's purely a habit If you choose to buy groceries and cook at home the cost is,of course, even lower Going to a traditional wet market or a regular supermarket to buy some seasonal vegetables and cheap meat means you can eat quite well for just a few bucks Therefore,I am not held hostage by the absolute notion that “you must cook to save money” I flexibly choose based on the situation sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I'll order takeout or eat at a small street-side restaurant sometimes when I crave something specific or want to experience the lively atmosphere of the wet market I'll buy groceries and cook Not being trapped by formalities and filling your stomach in the most comfortable and economical way is enough Now let's talk about clothing and daily necessities Many people have the illusion that cheap things have no quality That's not true Inexpensive things as long as they fulfill the most basic functions are good things Nowadays various products in China are not only cheap but also have decent quality The clothes I wear are all ordinary items bought from regular online shops or small street-side stores costing a few dozen yuan each My shoes are slightly better because they are more important but they are also all Chinese-brand sneakers costing no more than 200 RMB Wearing them doesn't feel worse than international big brands like Nike or Adidas in fact they might even feel better I've worn them for at least 2-3 years and some for 5 years They might look quite average but they are more than enough for me If you choose unbranded shoes and clothes the prices are even lower The most powerful aspect of consumerism is that it creates many "concepts" For example, "affordable luxury" or "premium feel" A plain white T-shirt with a weird letter printed on it can sell for 300 yuan while one without letters sells for 30 yuan But I just want a piece of clothing that covers my body and absorbs sweat so I unhesitatingly choose the 30-yuan one When it comes to daily necessities I firmly live by the principle of "good enough is fine" For shampoo I don't care about herbal essences or anti-hair loss tech as long as it cleans my hair it's fine For face towels a regular pure cotton towel that you wash and sun-dry can be used for at least half a year why spend money every day on disposable face towels?

[00:09:27]For showering I don't chase various so-called "premium effects" or "special ingredients" in body wash a regular 3-yuan bar of soap is more than enough And many other small things these might seem like saving only a few cents or a few bucks a day but drop by drop they accumulate into a mountain They are the foundational bedrock of your financial defense line Beyond material restraint I think what's more important is the downgrading and restructuring of entertainment Modern people are too accustomed to "buying happiness" Going to the mall for a meal and a movie on the weekend?

[00:10:20]Two or three hundred yuan gone Traveling during the holidays?

[00:10:25]Easily thousands or tens of thousands It seems as if we can't obtain happiness without spending money But I have found many joys that cost almost zero For example going for a walk in the park In most Chinese cities there are many parks with lush trees and beautiful scenery completely free Going in for a walk or two breathing in the fresh air and easily spending a couple of hours is far more comfortable than smelling the mix of perfumes and food in a mall Like hiking I often go hiking in the woods for 10 kilometers Aside from expending a bit of energy and drinking a bottle of water I don't spend a single extra penny but I gain a whole day of peace and relaxation Or reading at home and playing with my cat Borrowing books from the library is free and the emotional value PiPi gives me is incomparable to any expensive therapist Once you get used to these low-cost joys you'll find that the stimulation requiring big money is actually fleeting After finishing that expensive meal or watching that movie you still have to face an empty bank account and inner emptiness Of course, as a low-income earner life can indeed be very tough sometimes Seeing others driving nice cars and living in nice houses I occasionally feel a sense of disparity Thinking about how I'm 40 and still renting I sometimes feel like a failure But whenever this happens I build a firewall in my mind This firewall is——I do not participate in your comparisons The reason consumerism can kidnap you is that you care about others' opinions You care that your relatives think you're not doing well you care that your friends think you're not generous enough you care that your colleagues think your clothes aren't stylish enough But when you truly accept "I am an ordinary person and my abilities only allow me to live this ordinary life" and you are at peace with it the ropes binding you snap instantly Other people's lives looking glamorous is their business it doesn't have much to do with you By spending very little money each month I can maintain a healthy body eat well, dress warmly and have a clean bed to sleep in Outside of work I have full control over my remaining time This feeling is like finding my own air-raid shelter in this noisy world The reality of a low income does indeed limit many of my choices But as long as I am not brainwashed by consumerism as long as I don't actively cling to vanity that doesn't belong to me and as long as I don't demand material things beyond my capabilities my money remains my money and my time remains my time I don't buy things I don't need so that one day when I truly need something I won't be helpless I try to spend as little as possible in my daily life so that when facing sudden difficulties I have some savings to cope with them Refusing to be kidnapped by consumerism is not ascetic self-torture it is a sober war of self-defense On this battlefield buying one less expensive piece of clothing buying one less useless luxury item upgrading to the latest phone one less time every act of restraint is our declaration to the world—— I am the master of my own life This is my life philosophy as a low-income earner ——simple、rough,but very real What do you think?