No Buy Year

Gem-gem

Good morning everyone, I have been reading this forum with interest plus doing other research. I have read about people who have literally gone the year without buying anything except paying for bills and food. One person even used their bike instead of a bus. Others suggest that you set out your own parameters about what is in and what is out. 

I would like to join you all on this challenge, I too am fed up with consumerism, about  the way we are encourage to spend, spend, spend to feel good about ourselves. 

Things I am able to spend on: 
Bills 
Food
Health and hygiene
Clothes within the 66 Fashion on a Ration budget. Where possible sourced from UK. NOT fast fashion. 

Repairs - boots rehealed 
Going out / experiences / theatre

Travel
Things I am not allowed to spend on: 
Books - use the library / read the mountain of own books
Jigsaw puzzles - do ones received for Christmas and swaps with friends
Clothes outside of 66 coupons
Wool - use up what I have
Craft - use up what I have ( I never have gone overboard on this but I have inherited some plus I have loads more that will soon be coming my way! Will give some away).
Make-up and shower gels (One planned spend of eyeshadow - I only have the one that I am using and this may not last the year).
Alcohol - we have enough brandy in the house to make this year's Christmas cake. So shouldn't be a problem. 

Birthdays and Christmas is a tricky one - I am making niece and nephew hot water bottle covers - have already bought hot water bottles. DH and I tend to buy each other an experience. 

For my Dad I gave money to him, as he has recently moved. I am not going exclude spends in this area but be mindful. 

When going out with friends - before the pandemic I tended to go out for meals - which was up to three meals a month. Now, we go out for walks or buy a day gym pass and only have a meal once a year with each friend.  

With another friend, we have a walk and then have a coffee / hot chocolate to support a local business. This I will include in my spend as we only meet twice a year. 

Chocolate is my one and only vice. I don't eat cheap chocolate but a good quality dark chocolate. (For example, Hotel Chocolat) I still have some from Christmas. I did also buy some in the sale. I am going to set a boundary around this - but not a no buy. Under WW2 rationing rules you are allowed 87.5g per week. 350g per month. So this is going to be my allowance. 

Throughout this year, I will also aim to do several bootfair and help reduce the clutter in both mine and my Mum's house. 

I will update you all on how I do. Thank you ChihiroSen  for stating this thread. 

MrsCatz

Evening all, I am going to have to buy a coat this year, my one is no longer keeping me warm. I am going to pick one I love and buy quality because it will have a hard life commuting

Florafauna

Food bought today £7.39 and £50 spent on deposit for some dental treatment I am having at the end of January. No other spends 

Rosa_Damascena

Florafauna said:

Food bought today £7.39 and £50 spent on deposit for some dental treatment I am having at the end of January. No other spends 

Private / cosmetic dentistry can take you into second mortgage territory! Funny how we spend so much on dental care when older, in younger years a manual toothbrush, toothpaste and an occasional flash of Pearl Drops would do. I am constantly reminded of this: 
https://youtu.be/wif1OaM-_W8?si=aMd_JVGDFxVlpBSb

@MrsCatz - I have bought many good quality coats from the chazzer for a few quid, you just need to know where to look and then launder / dry clean before using. My days of spending hundreds on a decent coat are over.

Florafauna

@Rosa_Damascena that's so true. The full cost will be around £3000 in total. I've got the cash saved but it feels so awful to have to spend it like this. It is worth it though. And looking on the bright side, I have a referral from a friend so I get £25 off 😂🙄

MrsCatz

@Rosa_Damascena thank you, I will have a shifty at our local shops tomorrow. I am hoping that they may have something from people declutterring, I have been doing the same thing.

Slowdown

Hello no buy buddies,
I wanted a no buy day but had forgotten I was  lunching with library friends today. We went to pizza express thinking it would be fairly cheap. £16.95 for a pizza!!! I was staggered. Had tap water and a coffee and £22 bill. Not a good bargain. But left some pizza so I could have it for lunch tomorrow and feel like I stretched it further. 

It’s so expensive to eat out now and yet the place was packed. 

As the shopping from home idea has taken root, I used a notebook and tore out the used pages instead of buying a new one, used an old hard disc storage box for some crafty bits rather than buying a container and I’m going to start wearing some boots I bought a few years ago which are hardly worn. They’re quite chunky Doc Martins and a half size too big so an extra pair of socks sees me right. Happy days 😊

Rosa_Damascena

Slowdown said:

Hello no buy buddies,
I wanted a no buy day but had forgotten I was  lunching with library friends today. We went to pizza express thinking it would be fairly cheap. £16.95 for a pizza!!! I was staggered. Had tap water and a coffee and £22 bill. Not a good bargain. But left some pizza so I could have it for lunch tomorrow and feel like I stretched it further. 

It’s so expensive to eat out now and yet the place was packed. 

As the shopping from home idea has taken root, I used a notebook and tore out the used pages instead of buying a new one, used an old hard disc storage box for some crafty bits rather than buying a container and I’m going to start wearing some boots I bought a few years ago which are hardly worn. They’re quite chunky Doc Martins and a half size too big so an extra pair of socks sees me right. Happy days 😊

I would not be happy either, it's not even as if the food at Pizza Express is particularly tasty. The social aspect of lunching with friends has huge benefits, but honestly you are better off hosting each other in turn. 

Worlds_Worst_Superhero

I'm a bit late to the party, but I'm interested in joining you all.

I'm not so concerned about the financial aspect, my main reasons for wanting to do this is to really think about the bigger issues associated with the whole consumer culture. 

I'm trying to simplify my life and am becoming aware that most of the "stuff" we are expected to desire to own I don't really need.

Worlds_Worst_Superhero

After reading the comments, I've decided to limit my purchases to essentials only.

For me, the "essentials" are:

Food- doing an inventory and meal plan and only buying what we need

Cleaning and toiletry supplies- but using up all we have first before buying anything else.

Annual travel passes

School supplies/ course visits

Annual Railcard and train travel to visit friends and family.

Weekend newspaper- partner and I love to do the crossword together in bed on a Sunday morning. It's something we've always done ❤️
Home Insurance, utilities, phone and WiFi (essential for work and college) 

Also, replacement or repair of any "essential" appliances- cooker, washing machine, fridge freezer, heating system. Home and garden maintenance as and when needed.

No unnecessary spending on:

Eating out, takeaways or "grab" food or drinks

Books and magazines- we will use the library and Libby app.
CDs/ DVDs/ games/ cinema- we'll listen to/ watch what we already have and make use of many of the free channels and apps we already have.

New Clothes. We will wear what we already own, repairing if and when necessary and only replacing when we have to. Any "new" clothes will be purchased from second-hand from charity shops or re-use sites (except underwear!)

There's probably more "essentials" and "non-essentials" to add to the list, but I can't think of anything more right now.