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’ve unsubscribed from various emails this morning. And will continue to do so over the weekend.

I’ve also stolen an idea from a PP, I have jotted down a potential purchase list for payday. It’s already totting up, a month ago I would have purchased with some consideration but not as much as I intend to apply this year. Ideally, I won’t be purchasing anything from the list 😁

Unsubscribing from emails / newsletters is also a good environmental gesture, their cumulative carbon footprint is bigger than you would expect.

John Lewis emailed me today to say that a laundry basket I have wanted for ages is back in stock. My existing wicker basket was a wedding present in 1981 so has been well used and the lid no longer fits after it became a favourite scratching post for a (now dead) cat.

I have deleted the email and I am trying to decide whether the new basket is a want or a need. On the one hand, the existing basket is more than 40 years old and is in poor condition. On the other hand, no one sees the basket but me and the existing basket is still functioning.

But the new one would be so much nicer and would definitely "spark joy" every time I use it.

It bothers me that at my age I am still finding it difficult to distinguish between wants and needs. What should I do?

On the positive side, I have packed up a box of barely worn clothes for the charity shop.

Godesstobe What struck me first about your post was that 1981 was over 40 years ago. I had to double check that, it seems to be more recent 😊

I would buy the new laundry basket, the old one won't last forever and if it will spark joy then even better.

My very unexciting spending today was on DIY bits, pipe lagging and other boring stuff but necessary to the current renovating project. I accidentally bought a new throw for the sofa but the current one is wearing out and I would have bought one later in the year. The new one was in the sale so I'm counting that as a win rather than a fail.

I would buy the new laundry basket.

You're replacing a very old item with a new one.

Unsubscribed from a few newsletters now and ignored the sales offers 😅

I’ve just swapped my current account from Santander which will pocket me £175 for switching! This will pay for my car service. Also just sold a couple of bits on Vinted!

All I want to spend on this month is absolute necessities.

I’m still unsubscribing from these emails! Also very susceptible to these where I have a watchlist as someone mentioned earlier. I’ll forget about things and then get reminded 🙈
today I spent money replacing my sons school shoes (essential family purchase) but nothing else so far!

Unsubscribing is a good shout - less temptation to make un-planned-for purchases.

I'm also reading a load of books on my kindle that I already own rather than buying more (only exceptions are a couple of books I've pre-ordered from my one favourite author.

I've also uninstalled Too Good to Go. Seems like a good way to save money, but really, it's hit and miss whether what you get is what you'd have bought given the chance, and I'm fussy too so some stuff would get wasted.

DH got given £300 of one4all giftcards this year (long service award) so that will be spent on stuff we need. We like a couple of M&S ready meals a lot, and the cards are accepted there, so when a takeaway is tempting, we'll get a fakeaway instead!

Oh and my nail lady has closed her business, so that's a luxury expense that DD2 and I have (that I pay for) once a fortnight that I will no longer be spending out on. I'm going to explore doing my own instead as we have the kit. DD2 already does her own when needed so will help. :)

Talk about a moral dilemma though - my Lloyds app has everyday offers offering cashback. I'm owed nearly £40 for a new phone (present from DH for Christmas) for example.

They are offering £15 cashback for subscribing to The Daily Mail&.

I've done it, cos £15. It says I can cancel anytime, and online on the bank app it didn't specify a min term so I'll give it a month at £1.99 then cancel and see if they honour the cashback!

I also am reading my massive tbr pile irl and on kindle before purchasing more books. Though I preordered one before the end of 2024. Last one though! It’ll be already owned or the library for me this year! X

Sort of a half fail today - I swapped out my bedding in December so needed a duvet cover which I bought at the time (previously had washable duvet). It arrived today and the colour is totally wrong, so I’ve ordered a replacement. Unfortunately the original website didn’t have any other suitable colours, so I had to order it from somewhere else which was more expensive ☹️

So I did spend money, but it was sort of rectifying a purchase made in December and it would have been a straight exchange had the first website had the colour I wanted. I did think about keeping the one which arrived, but I’d replace it when my no spend year was up which is also wasteful so decided just to spend the money on something I’d keep for years.

I booked some theatre tickets today because they were half the price they would have been if I had waited til nearer the time. Still no clothes, books or random internet purchases. I didn’t buy the £15 notebook I was very tempted by because I have many other blank notebooks.

I have unsubscribed from Amazon Prime, also a major source of impulse purchases!

No Spend Day again today, yay. Was tempted to buy a coffee but didn’t.

I will have to spend on Saturday, new tyre needed.

Tempted to get selling on Vinted, will have a look at what I have to sell tomorrow.

Had to buy a coat for my son as the zip was totally jammed,always a little unexpected cost lurking.

1st January - £0 spent
2nd - £35 on a small top up shop which will mean I don’t have to go into a supermarket again until next week. I used to pop in everyday as they are on my door step and waste so much money but since before Christmas I’ve stopped doing it.

2 no spend days so far. I've deleted a lot of my shopping apps and unsubscribed from emails and deleted some of my social media.

We have an expensive planned purchase either today or later this month which is a replacement tent. We just got into camping last year and I really love the weekends away all over the UK we have been doing at very little cost. It's absolutely worth it for us.

I get an Amazon voucher from work as a trivial benefit but have nothing to buy so it will sit there until needed. I also have another couple of vouchers Love2shop and Asda I need to remember to spend.

My spending was getting out of control after a payrise and bonus last year and lost 2st which meant I needed a new wardrobe. This thread is helping my mindset shift. It's not about not spending 😩 but instead about boosting our savings 🤑. I'm actually good at being frugal and getting discounts/ cashback and shopping around for the best price but I need to have a financial reset and just not spend on things that just aren't necessary.

I will still be spending but I’m being more mindful about it.

I don’t have stockpiles of skincare/make up/clothes so buy as I need them. My new house is very minimalist so I always stop and think before I bring stuff into it but somehow my money still evaporates. I think a huge % of my money was being spent in supermarkets.

I'd like to join, I'm still happy to spend on socialising but want less stuff. I'm not terrible but could do so much better. Don't need toiletries apart from replacing used ones like shampoo. Lots of books to read already. Biggest weakness is buying lunch at work, but I have got better at taking own in but will continue this.

I’m going to try this for 2025. For me it’s about cutting out buying clothes and toiletries and things like books. I am also guilty of nipping into the supermarket at lunchtime and buying extra snacks etc for work. I don’t drink coffee so that’s not something I can cut out. I am going to cancel my subscriptions to Audible, Amazon and Disney plus too.
I am reducing my hours a bit at work this year so I want to cut down spending.
I have so much stuff I don’t really need to buy anything.
i will still spend on experiences such as holidays and trips out but no more stuff!
so far 2 no spend days.

Can’t believe the urge I have to do some online shopping. Not even for anything in particular. Mad! This mindful consideration of spending and consuming was needed more than I realised.

I think it’s a reaction to some work stress that I can feel building.

It's interesting how much I've got an urge to buy things.

I've already seen two pairs of pyjamas, some fairy lights, I'm sure that there's other stuff too.

Oh yes me!

i also have the urge to buy stuff, I have adhd which doesn’t help in the slightest and my house has just accumulated stuff over the past 19 years! I’m 48 this year and I still have stuff from my childhood too.

when my dh died and then 2 years later my mum I inherited all their stuff too so as you can imagine my house is rammed.

food waste is an issue as is buying stuff to replace stuff I lose in the house, then I find said stuff and then I have duplicates

I Have so many clothes it’s ridiculous…and shoes and coats.

i think some of it has been a trauma response. Before I was with dh I was in a relationship with an abusive man who made sure he didn’t do without but I had too. When I binned him and met my lovely dh I had one pair of shoes to my name, no winter coat, my clothes had holes in and my underwear was awful, full of holes, elastic had gone etc

but now I’m overwhelmed and skint.

Ive cancelled Amazon prime, it was just so easy to order crap for next day delivery. Now if I do need anything (not want!) I will transfer money to dd2 who has her own prime.

Ive made a meal plan, im planning to sort through my clothes and my room and I will not buy any clothes this year.. underwear is exempted as I do need new.

I have a massive yarn stash again mostly inherited from my mum and I will use this, I also have arts and crafts stuff that I’ve bought and never done. I started a diamond painting last night that I bought six months ago and I’m going to dig out my sewing machine if it still works and make something with the fat quarters I’ve had for years.

I will do this!