UnderSpendful - a 24/7 Shopping Trial

Description

UnderSpendful is a quirky, experimental gift-management game that puts you in the middle of a holiday dilemma: keep your wallet full or keep your friends happy. With only $50 to spend and two picky friends to shop for, every decision counts. Each character runs on a unique system of 6 VIBES—like COZY, TECHY, or NATURAL—and your job is to match gifts to their emotional expectations. A laptop scores high on TECHY but fails at NATURAL, so choose wisely. Scour for discounts, tweak gift vibes with 15 handy modifiers, and navigate the stress of limited resources. Hidden mechanics, imperfect info, and vibe misreads make gifting a true hustle. Built during Mini Jam 200: Freedom, this solo project by LuliLaj features 150 gifts, rough charm, and a satirical take on consumer anxiety. Character art comes from the webcomic *Two-Sided Noose* by Volha Kosikava. Succeed by balancing budget and empathy—because in this economy, overspending.