Let's talk about Mormon #momtok money
And also why I'm having new thoughts about Oprah (the original influencer)
Friends,
To the surprise of no one, my latest Reality TV binge has been the Hulu series, “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.” I was literally counting down the days until I could watch it, and finding times to do so when it would least annoy my husband.
I was totally up for all the semi-manufactured-for-the-cameras drama, but what I was surprised to also see the way money involved. The women make a point of saying that this is very much a business-driven venture- and that they are all NOT friends.
Fact #1: These women are in many cases the breadwinner. Their collab hashtag #momtok and the way it has grown their own followings has given them the means to contribute financially to their families. They talk about how liberating it is and how empowered they feel despite their restrictions as mormon women. They also talk about the stress of the responsibility to maintain their social media status as a means to generate income for their families. Sadly, they also reveal that some of their husbands are not supportive of their social media and business ventures.
Fact #2: The income can be substantial. Several of them have talked about brand deals that were as high as $75,000. They promote everything from products for kids and babies, to cleaning products as well as skincare and makeup lines. One mom, Mayci Neeley, has even used it as a launching pad for her own company of natal nutrition products, BabyMama.
Fact #3: They have a hard time balancing their “mormon values” with the drive to earn their influencer paychecks. In one of the episodes, Whitney is deciding whether to take a check for $20,000 to do just one post holding up a sex toy. She really wants the money but worries about how doing the post will impact not only her image, but also how her husband and loved ones would feel about that choice.
Speaking of Influencers: I’m re-thinking my love of Oprah’s favorite things.
For years, I remember having such fun chats with my sister about Oprah’s Favorite Things. It was not only a highly popular episode of her talk show, but the picks also appeared in her magazine. I remember us deciding we would but at least ONE thing Oprah recommended. I no longer own this but this at one point that included a neon green handbag too small to fit anything meaningful, and not fancy enough to be an evening purse. Clearly something I did not need, and really never used. I bought it- and was only even aware of it- because Oprah told me it was something she loved- and so I would also love it too!
These memories all came flooding back to me when I was recently asked by NewsNation to talk about a new TikTok trend called “Underconsumption Core”. In short, it means living your life with mostly what you already have. No chasing the latest trends. That may mean using items inherited from parents or grandparents including dishes that aren’t a complete set, and using just one of each item at a time. So you have one lipstick, one blush, one candle, one water bottle and so on.
According to Google Trends data, searches for “underconsumption core” grew by more than 4,250% over the past 12 months. Click on the leave a comment button below and share your take!
Here’s my segment with NewsNation:
Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Think about things we replace because we are “trained” to do so but really don’t tend to need to be replaced that often.
Electronics (ex: your phone, computer, hairdryer)
”Classic clothing’ like jeans, winter coats, sweats (yes to still wearing your high school sweatshirt!)
Dishes/mugs/glasses that aren’t a complete set anymore
Put new lenses in old glasses frames if your prescription changes
Have an “only one” rule: only one candle, only one water bottle, only one hairspray, only one lip gloss until they are done.
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