New Year’s resolutions; some people love them, others hate them. Personally, I find the beginning of a new year to be the perfect opportunity to check in with my goals and reset. As a self-proclaimed minimalist, my resolution this year, and every year, is to have a no-buy year.
In this post, I’m going to share exactly how I prepare for a no-buy year, as well as some tips to be successful.
Here’s how to make 2024 a no-buy year!
What is a No-Buy Year?
Don’t let the name fool you—even though it’s called a “no-buy” year, it doesn’t mean you can’t buy anything at all.
A no-buy year focuses on cutting out non-essential purchases, not all purchases. It’s not about depriving yourself of the things that you need to be comfortable. It’s more about reining in those impulse buys by being super intentional about what you can and cannot buy.
No-Buy Year vs Low-Buy Year vs Slow-Buy Year
Do you want to challenge yourself to spend less in the new year but the thought of cutting out all non-essential purchases sounds a little, well, extreme?
You can ease into a no-spend challenge by starting with a low-buy or slow-buy year instead.
A low-buy year is a more relaxed approach to spending less. During a low-buy year, you set some rules and a budget for non-essential purchases instead of cutting them out entirely. The specifics of a low-buy year can vary, but the idea is to cut back on impulse purchases, focus on what you truly need, and keep unnecessary spending in check.
A slow-buy year focuses on embracing a slower, more intentional approach to spending instead of setting strict rules or budgets. A slow-buy year encourages you to slow down the entire shopping process, and really question what you’re buying and why. Quality tends to trump quantity, and the idea is to align your purchases with your values and long-term goals. This way, you’re not just accumulating stuff for the sake of it, but you’re building a connection with the things you bring into your life.
The slow-buy idea is often linked to the slow living movement, which emphasizes a more deliberate and mindful approach to all aspects of life, including consumption.
How to Prepare for a No-Buy Year in 4 Steps
Here’s how to prepare for a no-buy year in 4 simple steps.
1. Reflect on your goals
Take a moment to identify why you want to embark on a no-buy year. Whether it’s to save money, reduce clutter, lessen your environmental impact, or practice mindful spending, understanding your goals will help you stay committed.
If your goal is to save money, take this time to set specific financial goals for yourself. Take a look at your bank statement from the last few months and calculate how much money you spent on things like clothing, eating out at restaurants or gadgets. Instead of feeling guilty for the purchases you’ve made, recognize the opportunity that you have for saving. If you’re making non-essential purchases, that’s a good thing! It means you’ve got the means to start putting some money away.
While preparing for my first no-buy year, I realized that I spent nearly $300 on clothing in three months. So, I told myself that I would start saving an extra $100 each month. I found that redirecting this pocket of money from non-essential purchases to savings was a super easy goal to follow through with. If you’re trying to save money, it’s all about reallocating your resources which is easy to do if you cut back on your spending.
2. Declutter your space
Next you’ll want to declutter your space.
Decluttering your space will give you a fresh slate as you go into your no-buy year. It will make it easier to resist buying things you don’t need. Think about it, if you’re wardrobe is spotless, you’ll be less tempted to clutter it up. Plus, by decluttering you’ll know exactly what you do and don’t own which will make it easier to create your ‘can buy’ list (more on this in the next step).
Decluttering can also be incredibly motivating. As you declutter, keep a list of all of the things you’re getting rid of and approximately how much you spent on each item. After you’re done decluttering, add up the cost of each item. Seeing that you spent thousands of dollars on things you’re now getting rid of will be a great motivator. You’ll realize just how much money you can save by having a no-buy year.
3. Create a ‘can buy’ list
While we’re aiming for a no-buy year, the reality is, we can’t avoid all purchases, especially for essentials like food and toilet paper. To navigate this, you’ll want to create a ‘can buy’ list for exceptions.
We’re assuming that if an item is not on your ‘can buy’ list, it’s off-limits. So, be specific. Rather than saying you have enough clothing and excluding it from your ‘can buy’ list, consider specific pieces that you have too much of. Identify potential gaps in your wardrobe – perhaps there’s a particular item you’ll need in the new year.
For instance, let’s say you own ten pairs of pants. You can safely leave pants off your ‘can buy’ list. Something pretty crazy would have to happen for all ten pairs you own to get destroyed. However, if you don’t own a rain jacket and you’ve been needing one, put that on your ‘can buy’ list. Making this distinction will ensure that you don’t feel guilt for buying something that is truly essential and giving up on your no-buy year altogether.
I choose to separate my ‘can buy’ list into three sections:
- Items I can buy
- Items I can buy when I run out
- Replacements (these are items I only own one of)
Keep in mind that your no-buy year can be as strict as you want it to be! Everyone’s needs are different so make sure that your list is realistic for you. Remember, perfect is the enemy of good. If you make your no-buy year too extreme, you may give up on it altogether.
With this being said, here is my ‘can buy’ list for 2024.
Items I can buy
- Medication/doctors appointments
- Utilities/bills
- Gym membership
- Classes (within reason)
- Spotify/Netflix subscription (no other subscription services)
- Bike maintenance/repairs
- Gifts (only for super special holidays/birthdays)
- Plane/bus tickets and fair
- Festival/concert tickets (within reason)
- Eating out (only for special occasions)
- Lamp (I’ve been on the hunt for one FOREVER)
Items I can buy when I run out
- Groceries (no stock piling food!)
- Cleaning supplies
- Toilet paper
- Toiletries (toothpaste, face wash, sunscreen, lotion, shampoo, deodorant)
Items I can replace (if lost or broken)
- Running shoes
- Underwear
- Basic electronics (cell phone, laptop, headphones, charger)
- Essential clothing pieces I only own one of (rain jacket, winter coat, mittens, etc.)
4. Start a purchase list
It can be challenging (if not impossible) to plan for everything you’ll need throughout the year in December. Therefore, having a method to track essential purchases that aren’t on your ‘can buy’ list is crucial.
Create a ‘purchase list’ in a notebook, spreadsheet, or the notepad app on your phone—whichever is most convenient for you. As you go about your year, document any purchases not on your ‘can buy’ list, including the item, cost, date of purchase, and the reason for buying it.
Maintaining this list will help you stay accountable for all purchases outside your ‘can buy’ list. With a system in place to address these unexpected purchases, you won’t feel like you’ve abandoned your no-buy challenge.
11 Tips for a No-Buy Year
Preparing for your no-buy year is arguably the easy part. The hart part is sticking with it.
Here are 11 tips for a successful no-buy year.
1. Start early
The thought of jumping into a no-buy year may feel overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time. A great way to ease into your no-buy year is to start gearing up a month or two in advance. It’s like a soft launch, giving you a chance to practice resisting the temptation to buy without feeling like you’ve already messed up if you make a purchase early on. Technically, the no-buy year hasn’t officially kicked off, so it’s not breaking any rules.
If you do slip up and buy something during this prep period, use it as a chance to reflect. Ask yourself, “What led me to break the rule?”, “Was it worth it?”, and “Could I have avoided it?”. These questions will help you identify potential triggers and understand your spending habits before the no-buy year officially begins.
Considering it’s already the end of December, this tip may not be possible for you to implement but it’s a good one to keep in mind for next year!
2. Avoid going on a shopping spree
At all costs, avoid going on a shopping spree right before your no-buy year. You may think that if you buy everything you’ll need or want right before your no-buy year, it’ll be smooth sailing from there. But let me tell you, it usually sparks this endless cycle of wanting things and, well, buying them. It’s a surefire way to make your no-buy year a whole lot tougher.
So, instead of preparing for your no-buy year by buying everything you think you might need, remind yourself that you have survived however many years without those items already. You already have everything you need.
3. Create a budget
Creating a budget isn’t necessary for a no-buy year, but it can be helpful, especially if the goal is to save money.
During a no-buy year, we’re operating under the assumption that you aren’t buying anything you don’t need. However, that doesn’t mean you aren’t buying anything at all. It can be super helpful to allocate exactly what you’re willing to spend, even on essentials like groceries. That way, you avoid sneaking non-essential purchases under the guise of a grocery haul.
I love budgeting and have written tons of posts all about how to budget successfully.
If you’re new to budgeting, here are some of my favorite reads:
- 5 Best Budgeting Methods for Personal Finance (& Free Downloadable Templates)
- Free 50/30/20 Budget Template & How to Use It
- 100+ Budget Categories and Subcategories to Include in Your Personal Budget
4. Find free alternatives
Before starting your no-buy year, it’s important to find free alternatives for the things you love to do. That way, your no-buy year feels fun and sustainable instead of depriving.
For instance, if you’re a bookworm, get yourself a library card so that you don’t have to buy your books anymore. If you love going out for dinner, start hosting potlucks instead. If you enjoy thrifting, plan clothing swaps with your friends.
Having a backlog of fun, free things to do will make your no-buy year a whole lot more painless.
5. Unsubscribe and unfollow
The toughest part about committing to a no-buy year is avoiding temptation. We live in a consumerist society and are constantly bombarded by advertisements and messages to buy more. Although you won’t be able to shield yourself from all of the advertisements that exist, you can avoid some of them.
Before your no-buy year, unsubscribe and unfollow any social media influencers, YouTube channels and email newsletters that trigger your impulse to buy. Replace that content with content that’ll encourage your no-buy journey. Here are 10 best blogs about minimalism to inspire your no-buy year.
6. Cultivate a support system
If your loved ones have no idea that you’re planning to have a no-buy year, they may unintentionally trigger you to make purchases. Perhaps they’ll send you links to items they bought and love, or they’ll regularly invite you out for shopping or meals. By sharing your plans to have a no-buy year with your friends and family, you can cultivate a support system and have an easier time sticking to your goals. And who knows? Some of them may even decide to join you!
7. Keep track of everything you get rid of
Remember how we tracked the cost of everything we got rid of while decluttering in preparation for our no-buy year? This is a great habit to maintain year-round.
Anytime you get rid of anything, jot it down in a notebook or the notepad app on your phone. Estimate the cost of the item as well. If you feel tempted to buy something, revisit this list and remind yourself how much money you could’ve saved by not buying the things you got rid of. It could serve as a powerful motivator.
8. In person vs online shopping
If you want to resist buying things you don’t need, is it better to shop online or in person?
I’ve heard both sides of the argument. Some people claim that shopping in person is less tempting, while others say that shopping online is. Check in with yourself and see what works best for you. Try both out as well!
For instance, if every time you go to the grocery store you end up walking out with tons of things you don’t really need, consider ordering your groceries for curbside pickup. You’ll have a chance to curate your shopping cart to exactly what you know you need instead of letting yourself get tempted by the ice cream aisle—been there, done that.
9. Switch your phone to grayscale
Are you guilty of scrolling through online stores, even when you’re not planning on buying anything? If so, consider switching your phone to grayscale mode.
Grayscale mode is an accessibility feature available on most smartphones. When enabled, it transforms the colors on your screen to various shades of gray.
Enabling grayscale mode on your phone makes it way less interesting to scroll through online stores, especially for clothing. Think about it—who wants to scroll through dozens of shirts that are all black and white and look exactly the same? Not me!
Enabling grayscale mode will make it easier to resist scrolling through online stores as a form of entertainment, which we all know more often than not ends in an impulse purchase.
10. Meal prep & plan your outfits
I love playing dress-up in my wardrobe. It’s so fun to get creative and create new outfit combinations. The best part is that this process isn’t just enjoyable; it can also be incredibly helpful during a no-buy year.
Feeling like you have nothing to wear is often just a matter of feeling uninspired by your clothing. By planning some go-to outfits ahead of time, you’ll never feel like you have nothing to wear, reducing the temptation to shop.
The same principle applies to food. If you regularly find yourself looking inside your fridge and thinking you have nothing to eat, I recommend meal prepping each week. That way, you’re not trying to come up with meal ideas when you’re already starving.
To make meal prepping more enjoyable, you can even have a meal prep party with your friends! I recently had a pot pie prepping party with my best friend. We prepped 12 pies and had a great time doing it!
11. Consider the opportunity cost
No matter how motivated you are to have a no-buy year, temptation will strike. With consumerism deeply ingrained in our culture, it’s inevitable that at some point during the year, you’ll find yourself tempted to click the ‘purchase now’ button on a cart full of items that are definitely non-essential.
So, what do you do?
I’ve found that it’s incredibly helpful to consider the opportunity cost of the items you’re about to purchase.
The opportunity cost is what else you could be doing with that money—whether it’s saving, investing, or spending it on something else that would add more value to your life. In fact, just the other day, I had to talk myself out of making a purchase.
I went to a house party, and one of the girls there was wearing the cutest pants ever. When I came home, I immediately went online to look for the same pair. I found them, added them to my cart, and just as I was about to type in my credit card information, I asked myself, “Are these pants worth $75?” If I didn’t buy these pants now, what could I do with that money instead? I thought about how that $75 could go towards the plane ticket I’ve been meaning to purchase and how much happier I’ll be on that trip than with a new pair of pants in my wardrobe.
As you go through your no-buy year, remember what you have to give up to make a purchase. Ask yourself if it’s really worth it.
Good Luck!
So, there you have it, 4 steps to make 2024 a no-buy year as well as 11 tips to help you be successful!
Are you trying the no-buy challenge this year? If so, tell me why in the comments below. Let’s all inspire one another!
Cass says
I had already decided to do this for the first 3 months of the year before reading your article. I’m guilty of ‘scrolling stores for entertainment’ and so much of what you’ve written resonates with me. After reading your inspiring words I’m going to try doing it for the entire year and see how transformative this behaviour will be. Thanks for the motivation!
barefootminimalists says
Hi Cass! Thanks for reading and good luck!