Is It Really Values-Aligned?
— IN THIS POST —
Overview
I’m publishing this into the void, as my website has had a lock screen in place since July 2.
Prior to The Spending Experiment, I would rarely think twice about how much I was spending as long as I deemed my purchases to be values-aligned. While I’d wince when presented the total at checkout, I’d rationalize that my values-aligned standards necessitated high price tags. And I was willing to pay these prices. Because how could I not?
But beneath the surface — and what I’m focusing on today — is that I’d been kidding myself (at least a bit) on what values-aligned consumption actually means.
What is values-aligned consumption?
To me, values-aligned consumption means that I shop my values.
A few things that I deeply value:
Food that is grown without exposing Mama Earth, living creatures, and migrant workers to poisons (aka pesticides)
Clothing that is made in ways that do not exploit workers (to the extent possible in a capitalist world)
Materials — containers, fibers, goods — that are fully compostable, biodegradable, or infinitely recyclable
A few more things that I deeply value:
Unspoiled wild spaces and places
Clean, plastic-free, and uncontaminated oceans
A climate that supports all life
Similarly, values-aligned consumption means that I do my best to avoid buying things that run contrary to my values.
A few things that run contrary to my values:
Plastics — especially those used in packaging and for other single use purposes
Anything that cannot be composted, biodegraded, or infinitely recycled at the end of its life cycle
Products that are designed to either be replaced rather than fixed or only fixable by an “authorized dealer”
A few more things that run contrary to my values:
Marketing that is manipulative, coercive, and/or that incentivizes me to act right this second
Consumption that is excessive, unsustainable, and/or creates harm at any point in the supply chain
Consumerism and capitalism
These values and anti-values are the tip of the iceberg, but they offer me something to work with.
Giving myself permission to consume imperfectly
I am absolutely imperfect when it comes to consuming based on my values. Short of completely going off-grid or choosing abject poverty, it is simply impossible not to in the US.
For example, I live in Chicago, and I’m not planning to source my meals from dumpsters (been there, done that, and always hated it).
But no matter how intentional I am when it comes to values-based consumption, harms will be caused. Case in point: some impacts associated with buying a bunch of organic broccoli.
First, there’s going to be some sort of plastic label rubber-banded onto my organic broccoli, a migrant worker who worked his ass off under grueling conditions and received little pay for tending to and harvesting my organic broccoli, and the burning of fossil fuels for at least 2,500 miles by a big rig (don’t worry — we’re not going down that rabbit hole!) for my organic broccoli to reach me.
And that’s ignoring the dirty energy keeping the lights on, AC running, and refrigerated case running 24/7 at Whole Foods. I could go on about the land that Whole Foods paved over, the building materials that are certainly not compostable, biodegradable, or fully recyclable, and the fact that my purchase of organic broccoli further lined the pockets of one of the most despicable and wealthiest men in the world.
But, a girl’s gotta eat. So, I do the best I can within the structure I despise.
Why bother, when it all seems so pointless?
So why bother with the more expensive organic broccoli? That’s a fair question — especially because I am actually not hyper-concerned about ingesting pesticide residues at my post-childbearing age.
So here goes: I am willing to pay a premium so that the already-exploited migrant worker — not to mention the land and oceans — aren’t also exposed to high concentrations of poisons.
This is values-based consumption done imperfectly but with great intention.
What values-based consumption looks like in practice
What follows is how I integrate my values into real-life spending decisions.
Important: this is about me, not you. At the end of this post are prompts designed to help you identify what your own take on values-aligned consumption may look like — which may be very different from mine!
Groceries
My current food budget is $300 per month (for just me), and it includes splurges like honey from farmers markets, excessive quantities of organic walnuts, regeneratively produced olive oils by woman-owned businesses, and the like. If I had to go bare bones, I could readily shave $100 off my current grocery spend.
Note that my diet is primarily made up of plants (and occasionally fish). I do consume some dairy, but butter is the only dairy-based staple in my diet.
Values-aligned grocery spending looks like me:
Continuing to buy organic groceries, while avoiding single-use plastics (e.g. produce bags, plastic clamshells, frozen meals, etc.)
Only buying the amount of produce that I can store in the glass containers, bees wrap, or linen produce bags I already own
Sourcing non-perishable items from the bulk bins at either the co-op, Eco Flamingo, or Whole foods
Shopping farmers markets to the extent possible
Buying regenerative organic dairy products sourced from grass-fed cows and/or B-Corps whenever possible
Only buying wild-caught seafood from species that aren’t overfished
There are many more considerations that I won’t get into here, as doing so would make this a very long post.
Skincare and haircare
My current skincare and haircare needs are quite minimal, and so the adjustments I’ve made on The Spending Experiment (which is all about values-based consumption) have been quite minor.
My haircare routine consists of combing out dandruff, cleansing my oily scalp with shampoo and conditioner bars every two to three days, and air-drying my long, undyed, fine hair.
My facial skincare routine consists of using water and a washcloth for cleansing when I’m in the shower, a dab of balm post shower, and a weekly clay mask.
The rest of my skincare routine consists of washing my pits, bits, and feet with a handmade bar soap that I likely bought at a street festival or farmers market. I might use a lotion (packaged in glass) if my skin gets really itchy, which isn’t often.
I don’t wear makeup, and because I walk barefoot whenever I can, it’s nice to build up some light callouses. If I were to get pedis, I’m sure that the technician would be appalled, but since I don’t, I couldn’t care less.
I do not buy into the hype that as a 50-year-old woman, I should look like I’m 30. I look forward to the day my hair turns grey and I have laugh lines etched into my face.
Side note: WHY TF ARE WE SO AFRAID OF AGING?!
Values-aligned skincare and haircare spending looks like me:
Basing my spending decisions on a product’s packaging, assuming that the ingredients are solid
Avoiding palm oils, “fragrance” oils, and synthetic colors
Prioritizing options that source ingredients from regenerative agricultural practices (like Evan Healy)
Sourcing my clay from the bulk bins at Eco Flamingo
Buying deodorant (sans anti-perspirants) direct from Little Seed Farm
I recognize that this minimalist approach to skincare and haircare spending won’t land with a lot of people reading this, and that’s okay. If it gets you reflecting on your own choices and how you can make them more values-aligned, that’s what matters!
Clothes and most everything else
What it means to shop my values when it comes to clothing has shifted markably as a result of The Spending Experiment.
Up until recently, values-aligned clothing purchases were those that were some combination of 100% natural fibers, undyed, Fair Trade certified, organic, and sometimes even hand sewn. Ideally, the clothing I’d purchase came from either B-Corps, nonprofit organizations, or entities permitted to use the 1% for the Planet label on their websites and merchandise.
But my latest haul (from a nonprofit, no less!) got me thinking about the ecological impacts of growing cotton (even organic cotton) and the factory workers who create massive profit margins for Western clothing companies but who are paid wages that keep them impoverished.
It also got me thinking about the massive clothing waste that Westerners create — waste that either fills our landfills or gets exported to less-developed nations — and it became clear that shopping my values means shopping second-hand.
This is going to be, perhaps, the most challenging part of The Spending Experiment, as I want to wear flowy cotton clothes, buy jeans that fit perfectly, and be able to choose items that express what I want to express.
I don’t want to have search for that proverbial needle in a haystack, carefully inspect the rare find for stains, smells, and holes, or simply do without. Especially when second-hand prices aren’t all that much lower than TJ Maxx or Ross (two stores that I have a love-hate relationship with).
But values-aligned consumption is important to me. So is reducing capitalism’s grip over my ability to choose my occupation (or even work for such a rotten system at all). And so, I’m here goes…
Values-aligned clothing (and most other consumption) looks like me:
Frequenting thrift, second-hand, and consignment stores regularly so that I can discover those needles in a haystack without the pressure of finding something specific right now
Purchasing books through my local bookseller or Bookshop.org, buying them used, or checking them out from the library (never through Amazon or Kindle)
Getting comfortable with borrowing the things that it makes sense to borrow…like a sander for the bookshelf that needs refinishing
Buying from small brick and mortar businesses — local, when possible — even when it costs more and includes shipping fees
Not buying many of the things I want and sitting with the discomfort of it so as to retrain my brain from being a dutiful consumer to moving into deeper integrity with my values
Some of these things I’ve been doing for a while — particularly when it comes to where I buy books and some other items. But I’ve resisted shopping second-hand for a long ass time. And that is changing.
Note to self: there’s a thrift store right next to my favorite coffee shop and plant shop, which is a 17-minute walk. So no excuses!
Also, not buying the things that I want when I want them is both exceptionally challenging and deeply rewarding. It sucks. And whenever I’ve ridden the wave of disappointment long enough (trust me when I say that it lasts longer than 90 seconds like the ride the wave people claim), I feel more empowered and — paradoxically enough — less deprived. Why? I have no fucking idea.
But that’s what truly happened when I didn’t buy the statement ring or the pair of Oscar de la Renta sunglasses with tags still attached from the vintage shop in Chesterton, IN on July 4th. A ring and pair of sunglasses that were very reasonably priced and that I really, really wanted. My partner even offered to get them for me as an early birthday present, but I said no.
Because I needed to practice not consuming. To practice not satiating every desire I had.
Business and tech platforms
I’ve already done the heavy lifting here. I switched from Gmail and Google Drive to Proton Mail and Proton Drive early in 2026.
I switched from Google Calendar to iCal, and if I continue to not need a client scheduling tool, I plan to switch from iCal to Proton Calendar.
I switched from Chrome and Google Search to Brave and Duck Duck Go.
I turned off all AI settings in all of my apps and tech platforms, including search engines.
I cancelled my paid Zoom account, as Proton Meet comes wrapped into my subscription.
I cancelled my paid Canva account.
I cancelled Kit — the platform I use to send email newsletters. If and when I decide start sending them again, I’m switching to Buttondown.
Some of these decisions were values-driven (bye-bye Google!), while others were a combination of values (please stop forcing generative AI down my throat and then expecting me to absorb its cost) and a desire to be more frugal. Such was the case with Canva, Kit, and Zoom.
But there is more that I want to do — mostly from a values-driven perspective.
Values-aligned tech platform changes I plan to make include:
Transitioning from Microsoft to Proton Docs (I transitioned to Microsoft when I left Google because both Apple Docs and Proton Docs lacked the functionality I wanted…but I can’t stand supporting Microsoft, so I need to figure out how to make Proton Docs work for me)
Leaving Substack and finding awesome writers whose work I’d like to consume elsewhere (got any ideas?)
Simplifying my tech stack to the degree that I can, without becoming overly reliant on a single platform
I’ve spent a lot of time pondering tech platforms and what values-driven consumption actually means in this area. And in the simplest terms, I’ve realized that I’m either going to have to (a) spend money, or (b) spend privacy (aka data).
I don’t like my data being sold so that I can then get targeted with ads that will manipulate me to buy more things I don’t need and be available to bad actors for nefarious purposes. Which transitions us into marketing…
About being marketed to
I don’t watch tv, movies, or streaming services. I do not know how to operate the remote for my partner’s Roku, nor do I understand how to navigate modern televisions. When I last watched proper television, my tv had a knob. And since I didn’t have cable, I was limited to local stations.
I’m also not on social media, don’t use Google, and use Duck Duck Go for a search engine.
All this to say, (a) I make it damn near impossible to be marketed to without my explicit consent, and (b) I’m not dialed into trends that might influence my buying decisions.
And for this, I am so very, very grateful.
I do get marketed to via email, but 95% of that comes from people whose lists I want to be on and don’t mind being marketed to (and I just unsubscribe whenever that changes).
If you have a different relationship to tech platforms — and most Westerners do — you will face more challenges than I do. Because you’ll see an influencer hawking something that you simply can’t live without (for like 30 seconds), you’ll get served ads that leave you suspecting that your phone is listening in on your conversations (and even your thoughts), and you’ll learn about the latest gadget that will (allegedly) make your life easier.
You know the solution to ending this wicked marketing so that you can more successfully implement values-aligned spending, don’t you?
That is all.
Reflection prompts
What do you truly value in this world?
How does your current consumption and spending align with your values?
If there’s dissonance between your values and consumption, what is your “why” for wanting to move into deeper alignment with your values (assuming that you do)?
What would values-aligned spending look like for you?
Where do you spend money in ways that aren’t values-aligned?
What might it take for you to change this?
That is all.
Hi! I’m Kristi.
I help women & genderqueer folk liberate themselves from capitalism’s self-blaming hamster wheel of “mindset work”, bootstrapping, and “never enoughness” while navigating life’s day-to-day challenges. This work is, ultimately, about helping humans move into deeper integrity with who they truly are so that they can flourish and contribute meaningfully to our collective liberation. Click here to learn more.
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