No Buy Year

ChihiroSen

I’m planning a no buy year. My disdain for consumerism has been building for a long time, but this year has been the final nail in the coffin. I don’t need anymore stuff. The environment needs me to stop adding to the rubbish tip. I watched my nieces and nephews, with playrooms filled with toys receive more and more, with little interest, it felt bad for them and bad for society that we champion having so many things. I no longer want to participate any more than I have to.

So I will not buy anything other than essentials, food, medicine etc. I have an abundance of things, I can make do and mend.  

If anyone is doing the same, or has done so before, I’d love to hear how you get on!

Rosa_Damascena

I agree fully with the sentiment....but I would struggle to have a NS week, let alone year! But you have inspired me to strive for NSDs (12 per month should be enough of a stretch). 

RHemmings

One of the pearls of 'wisdom' I try to pass onto younger people is to avoid collecting too much 'stuff' that needs to be carried around. People are much more mobile with a minimum of stuff. And can grab opportunities when they arise. 

ChihiroSen

Rosa_Damascena said:

I agree fully with the sentiment....but I would struggle to have a NS week, let alone year! But you have inspired me to strive for NSDs (12 per month should be enough of a stretch). 

I too would struggle to never spend. It’s more what my money is spent on that is the focus for me this year. Just no more ‘things’

ChihiroSen

RHemmings said:

One of the pearls of 'wisdom' I try to pass onto younger people is to avoid collecting too much 'stuff' that needs to be carried around. People are much more mobile with a minimum of stuff. And can grab opportunities when they arise. 

This is good advice. I could have done to hear that when I was young.

Frugalistamama

I'm lanning to do a no buy January. It's super hard to do when you have kids as they always need something for school or just plain growing out of things. So I think it'll be more like low buy.  We should set up a proper challenge, I'd be in.

RHemmings

ChihiroSen said:

RHemmings said:

One of the pearls of 'wisdom' I try to pass onto younger people is to avoid collecting too much 'stuff' that needs to be carried around. People are much more mobile with a minimum of stuff. And can grab opportunities when they arise. 

This is good advice. I could have done to hear that when I was young.

So could have I. I bought far too many things far too soon and then travelled around the world with them in tow. 

flamingo747

I share the disdain, and have definitely noticed it this Xmas. I'd be interested to see how it goes  

ChihiroSen

@Frugalistamama A Challenge is a great idea. I would definitely like to keep this thread going to document the trials and successes (hopefully).
Maybe a No Buy Year but people can opt in and out month by month as obviously life happens and circumstances change? Any input on ideas for the challenge is welcome!

I have hit my first hurdle as I realise I need some new trainers (others have a collapsed heel) and am debating whether to hurriedly buy them today or try and be creative…for example my mother is sending back her Christmas gift for me as it didn’t fit, maybe an exchange for the trainers then it counts as a gift the year before my no buy year starts??

bouicca21

I actually tried to have a no buy year in 2023 but come December, I needed to replace my jeans, repair the cooker, buy a warm winter coat, get a new mattress, and I treated myself to an air fryer/multi cooker in the Black Friday sale.  The year’s savings all went in a single month.  I’m going to try again for 2024.

London_1

Well this coming year I will be selling and buying a different house .But because I am running my food stuffs down (don't want to be packing tins of stuff) I only had three days in December when I actually bought fresh food.I'm away at the moment so no shopping for me since well before Christmas and it will be around 5-6th January before I need to food shop and even then its going to be a small one so apart from my house a No spend year sounds an excellent plan I will watch with interest and see how folk get on 

JackieO xx