Buy nothing in 2025 challenge (or minimal purchasing!) - anyone want to join in!

[LuminousStar]

Hello! In the vein of the decluttering threads I've been thinking about doing a challenge where I buy as little as possible in 2025.

I realise buying "nothing" is impossible, especially as a parent. But as my life is endlessly complicated by clutter and junk and taking care of objects, as well as money (or a lack of) so I am going to try to buy as little unnecessary stuff as humanly possible in the coming year. Not to mention all the clutter sitting around making me feel guilty because I haven't used it / read it / sorted it! So I wondered if stopping the junk coming in as much as possible might change my mindset!

Instead what I will do is write down anything I am tempted to buy and hold out instead. If something becomes absolutely necessary I will allow it. But there are often other ways around problems that I am often inclined to ignore (mend, home made solutions etc) I will have to rely on more.

Obviously groceries and essentials are allowed, as are non-physical items or treats (holidays, events, e-books, subscriptions within reason). But I figure that even my grocery shopping could do with a bit of pruning! And if I need something that makes life infinitely easier, of course I will buy it.

And at the end of the year I am perhaps planning a little treat if I manage to do a good job - maybe a budget for some new clothes or something.

Would anyone like to join in?

I'll join in. I'm on a mission to stop being such a consumer.

Today I bought Aveeno shampoo and body wash for DS who had a reaction to the Johnson's baby one last night at bathtime so I'm hoping the oat one will help his eczema and not cause him to flare up.

I have been doing this for ages. All my clothes and books I get from swaps, toiletries I get for my birthday. I never buy random shite. It is no hardship at all, I find it quite.freeing.

Like @WaveringAverter I think I enjoy the scrolling and buying process as much, if not more than, the actual purchases. I need a whole new mindset to break my compulsive consumer habits. Really hope we can all support each other!

Day one and only a £75 Tesco order ordered. Made lunch from whatever we had in rather than going to coop. However I was eyeing up a £100 jumper online. I need to stop doing that. Impulse purchases from my sofa got out of hand last year. I also have a million jumpers!

To all the new joinees - welcome! I'm not going to list names individually as I'm getting a bit confused about who I have already welcomed already and who not - apologies and I hope you understand but you are all welcome :)

You are all very welcome on this process and thank you all for supporting the thread!

I had an extra birthday gift to buy for a family member - I had something little here already but was thinking I had to go buy a top up gift as what I had seemed too paltry, but decided to regift something they had already admired and I no longer wanted, double win on the decluttering / no buy front. I'm also going to make a cake using ingredients we have too much of at home! So am doing my best to think outside the box for the situations as they arise. 😅

zebranotzeebra one of the charity shops in our town has a small electricals department. I got a hairdryer very recently for £3.50. They are all checked by someone, and DH checked the plug when I took it home. Anything like that in your area?

I'm always happy to receive a used/secondhand item; sometimes they make the best gifts. And better for the environment.

Another vote for secondhand gifts. I never mind receiving them, and in our family we use charity shops a lot for present buying.

A friend does SS with her extended family. The rule is it has to be secondhand or regifted, no new purchases allowed.

Same here with the impulse browsing! Today I’ve spent some time, ten minute bursts unsubscribing from a plethora of online shops! Out of sight, out of mind I’m hoping. I paid a couple of bills online this morning, happy new year 🤣 and bought nothing else! Gonna track spending in my journal. My spending last year was out of control really. I am def going to practise the delayed gratification model of spending. Writing stuff I want down and seeing if I still want things after a few weeks. I currently need nothing. So here’s to a successful day 2 too 🥰

Agreed - it will backfire if we are too strict and worry about this sort of purchase. You've both bought something you will use every day.

Successful first day here, although my dishwasher isn't working, so that could get expensive...

would love to join!
after my birthday and Christmas I have two new perfumes, lots of make-up, and bought bits in the Cowshed sale. Also just got the kids bits in the Boden sale.

so goal for 2025 is:
no new clothes unless needed due to weight loss (a big 2025 goal)
no new toiletries, makeup, perfume unless really needed (unlikely…)
no kids clothes (they have far too many!)
cut down on take away coffees (have a lovely new coffee machine)
no take aways (need to lose weight)

@FourChimneys I'm not sure, but it's worth a look -thanks. Though if I have to buy new, I'm not too worried about it as it's something we actually need - annoying that it happened day 1 but oh well! It's my impulse spending I really need to curb...

I'm in , I could do with less of the spendy ways

I'm in. My biggest issues are charity shop impulse buys, and food on the go/random snack purchases.

The food on the go/snack purchases need to stop anyway. I'm trying to lose weight and my youngest, who I breastfeed, needs to be checked for possible allergies, so it's better all round that it stops.

For the charity shop thing, I'm going to keep a lost of things we need - either home ed resources or things that my youngest is almost developmentally ready for - and only buy those.

We have 2 birthdays coming up in February. We do the whole Want Need Wear Read things for gifts, to try and limit the amount coming in

Can I join?
I'm hopefully going to be moving house in a couple of months, and am being brutal about what I'm taking with me. I am only taking necessary or truly special things.

In the last couple of years, I have greatly reduced my spending and have managed to accumulate savings. Prior to this, I was constantly living in my overdraft for approximately 17 years.

I already don't really buy unnecessary possessions now, although I spent more than I should have at Christmas. Eating out is my downfall.

I will have some major purchases with the move - washing machine, four new beds and some furniture, new crockery and kitchen things, but these will be essential items.

2025 will initially be a very expensive year, but then my spending will settle down.

I'm with you, OP - I need to prune my grocery bills, too. My other goals for this year are to have zero food waste, and to cook everything from scratch.

I have just joined Joe Wicks Body Coach for dietary & fitness advice - £60 very well spent!

Thanks for this thread, OP.

I joined Joe Wicks because I have gained an unreal amount of weight in the past two years. So to me, that membership can be classed as essential because I am heading towards diabetes very fast, and this will guarantee that I am taking care of my nutrition, fitness & overall health.

Felt the need to explain the purchase.
😊

That's the great thing about this kind of thread - it helps you think through what really is essential and what isn't.

I think spending money on your health is the best way to spend it tbh! And cutting down on unnecessary spending means that you have the money to spend on what’s really important and valuable to you.

welcome to all newbies! so glad you are joining us on this journey! 😄

What I am realising is I will make much better use of stuff I own already. for example, we have lots of board games that we have never used! looking forwards to trying them out, which we haven't due to a lack of time (probably tidying up all the clutter being one reason!).

Another thing I have realised is how many days a week I have to schedule my life around waiting in for bloody deliveries, or walking to collect a parcel from the nearby shop - well, hopefully no more! If I can limit the waiting in days better then I will have more time for healthy stuff like walks and so on - and walk to somewhere nice instead of to collect a parcel!!

I'm with you on the weight loss goals! hopefully it will synch up a bit with the cut back on spending and buying unnecessary clutter - I think it's all linked in a way - and yes to spend on health makes total sense if it is something you will definitely use!!

I looked at a sale for which I'd been waiting. Items I had been wanting were OOS, one was full price, many cute things in sale. Filled basket. Closed page. Not looked since.

Went on a book site to get last book in a series. Filled basket with extras. Reduced it by a third and did buy.

Not bad though. Definite positive action. And I've no shopping tabs open.

A good tip for online is not to use 'watchlists' at all then you won't have a list of possible purchases you considered ages ago tempting you! Add to basket as suggested by @LisaJohnsonsFacebookMole if you want time to consider the purchase and remove it if you decide against it.

Someone mentioned emails earlier. I’m very good at signing up at Christmas and then not un-subscribing. You then get tempted by all the sakes (‘I’ll just have a Quick Look…), plus your email list gets clogged up.

My last-purchase-of-2024 arrived - a Toast shirt from the sale. However, I didn't completely love it so I've returned it already. Previously I probably would have kept it and just left it in the back of the wardrobe, total waste of money. So technically, that counts as a no-buy imo!

Definitely cutting down this year. Will be asking myself with everything, 'Is it a need or a want?' With everything! Started decluttering and tidying up yesterday and already feel a teeny bit more in control. My aims are to have less 'stuff', save more money and stop impulse buying and buying things to reward myself/make me feel special. I'm in my fifties and should be sorted with all this by now!