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?

@wholenutcadburys totally with you on "saving things for best" like candles etc is essentially pointless unless you actually use them at some point!

I'm with those pointing out the danger of Home Bargains. I'm pretty sure a lot of the stuff I've decluttered is stationery, homeware from there that has never been used. 😳

Also Flying Tiger is another downfall!! Too easy to grab stocking fillers and so on from there, but now my kid is older hoping to get out of the buy any crap for Xmas mentality!! A year away I know, so I have some time to get a few better ideas together... but Xmas is really one of my downfalls for buying as I tend to do it through the year to make it a bit easier. I am determined to cut right back this year and only get needed, quality stuff or consumables.

Ah yes they've not long opened a Flying Tiger in my nearest shopping centre (Metrocentre) and it's a struggle that's for sure!

We had a "tat free" Christmas this year, no silly stocking fillers that just go to waste and didn't think we were missing out on anything.

It is something new to me being in the mentality of only buying certain things that are meaningful and I genuinely need rather than just buying frivolous things and nothing to show for it at the end of the month. It makes you not want to spend anything and really think about the purchase (wants over needs)

I don't go frivolously over brands & don't wear makeup other than occasions. No alcohol etc.. so my biggest none negotiable is Estee Lauder Advance Night Repair, pricey but oh so worth it!!!

Metro centre is my nearest shopping centre too 👋🏻

The saving things for best was really ingrained in my parents generation. When I cleared their house I found so many things put away carefully and never used. They were shared out among the family and we now use them regularly.

Yesterday saw a couple of purchases. I needed to buy food but also saw a present for a relative's birthday in March. We needed to replace a kitchen item which has worn out. I went online, saw that postage for two was the same as for one and although the extra one wasn't strictly necessary I will put it away for now and will probably never have to buy another one.

Today will be a no spend day. I need to call in at a friend's house which means walking through town but I'll leave my wallet at home.

@Beepbeepoutoftheway - I say rock it! Short / wonky / blunt cut fringes can (are already?) totally a thing! My mum (used to be a hairdresser) always says a bad cut now, is a great cut in 3 weeks … so I would see this as an epic thrift that’ll pay off at the end of Jan 😂

I’ve started really well and not bought anything non essential (yet). I bought dd a washing up bowl and drainer for her flat but they were only £20 and much needed. We do a meal plan on Sunday mornings and hubby shops to the list as he’s stricter than me - if it’s not on the list he ain’t buying! There’s only the two of us so not too difficult though dd comes 3x a week.
I’m going to Liverpool with dd later so that will be my first test. I have a gift card for m n s so may use this if I see something. I will be so tempted at hotel chocolat particularly if there’s some sale goodies left, though I’m more concerned at not making any clothing and make up purchases.
Hubby is meeting us for tea later, which is fine as we don’t eat out often and rarely do takeaways.
I no longer have my nails done as had to remove them last august for hysterectomy. My nails were such a mess and so thin i decided to stop with the biab and get them back in good condition. This has saved probably £120 a month as had a pedi every 6 weeks as well. I will have to find a salon for the moustache though!
I’ll report back later how I get on today.
Good luck everyone and have a lovely Saturday.

I'm in, I'm cutting right back and started in December (obvs bought gifts but cut these right back as well and bought 0 gift sets, tat etc). Amazon is one of my biggest downfalls and I had a separate credit card for it so felt like pretend money! I've shut that card down and will put small purchases on my debit card - much more visible. Amazon generally is a problem , it's too easy. I don't want to get rid of Prime totally so need to get much more mindful.

Since last week I've managed to spend £2.50. Keep seeing things I like in the sales crop up on my phone ! Am just sending myself the link and trying to forget about it.

My other plan is to only use my credit card for big spends when I need the cover. A coffee here or there needs to be paid immediately so I can see it leave my account.

@wholenutcadburys LOVE the idea of a tat free Xmas. What sort of gifts did you give? Need to start planning mine.

@coolcahuna welcome! And anyone else new who would like to join...

Me and DP gave ideas of things we genuinely needed like underwear/slippers.. we didn't get each other the stocking fillers that end up going to waste like hand creams (I like a specific brand), those little overpriced games in a box that never get opened.. really we just stayed away from home bargains and B&M 🤣

We did secret Santa in my family for the adults and only bought the kids. I'm more of a gift giver so it was difficult to limit things and not end up spending loads..

This year I feel like it'll be our last with DS believing so we're wary of experiences seeing Santa where we can. We're also putting £50 each away until November as we really felt the pinch this year with all the additional costs going up x

I decided to do it back in December. 4th January by ccard already has £650 on it.

Today off to a spendy start with £150 on annual passes for our local farm. We get these every year as the farm is amazing! So much to do in all weathers, always activities throughout the year included in cost, soft play too so it's always a day out always paid for (just need to always remember the picnic!)

@wholenutcadburys that sounds very sensible re Xmas. I am going to have to rethink my entire stocking filler list for my DS! I do get some less fun stuff for him like socks and useful clothes, but will have to find some ways to sneak in some experiences and more fun stuff and consumables that won't get wasted. I wonder if we buy very little it will all be more exciting come December when he gets actual stuff if we've bought very little extras for him though the year! Oh and the farm thing - if you get lots of value out of it then these things are so important and probably saves you money in the long run as you'd be off spending elsewhere.

I had to buy something today (very boring) - paint. I'm redecorating the kitchen so it is an essential (boring) purchase.

We only have the one DS6 so stocking fillers I actually got with £5 free hobby craft voucher for the birthday offer. I picked up pens, pencils (we're going through them loads), craft items to use throughout the school half terms.
I used some boots points from a purchase I got for my grandma, for deodorants & "nice body wash" for DP stocking.. I don't usually shop in Boots as find it pricey for toiletries so I felt it was money I wasn't going to waste from my bank account, he preferred this as then it's not tons of minis that are used straight away..

For DS we got those little stationary bits, little bits we found throughout the year like bike lights reduced super cheap in Decathlon (saw them for around £8 in Tesco in the stocking filler section).. always a terrys chocolate orange!
It might get more difficult when he's older but I try and pick up bits throughout the year if I see reduced or good deals..

Had a coffee this morning while waiting for new tyres on my car. A spendy morning but as the tyres are essential I am only counting the coffee so it’s a spend of 3.50. I’m certain that sitting in a coffee shop was much less expensive than a walk around the shops so it’s all positive. Spending just 3.50 over 4 days is unheard of for me😁

@Snowmanscarf thanks for the mention of the kindle unlimited price. I went to have a look at how much it would cost me to rejoin to decide whether it would be cheaper (come half term in Feb when I'm off work for a week and on holiday, when I read a LOT) and the 99p for a month for 3 months is showing as an offer there. So I've signed up. Not quite in the no-spend theme I suppose, but it will save me a lot over 3 months. :)

It's not going to be a no-spend day anyway today.

It's going to be a fairly spendy day. DD1 has been putting up with a very old bed for a year or so since moving home from Uni. To be fair, she is low maintenance and was putting up with it as she doesn't like fuss. But I had got fed up of the creaking it was making whenever she moved and I worked out it was 40 years old having been one of a pair of bunk beds my parents bought for my sisters to use back in 1985!
It's been passed to my SIL for her kids, then passed back to me for mine, split into 2 singles for my dds who are now 20 and 23 and this one has finally given up the ghost.

I mentioned my intention to replace the bed in passing to a colleague who is moving house and the next morning she delivered a practically unused bed for free. So I can't complain. But a mattress is also really needed, so that will be today's purchase.

I’d like to join please

Hello!! 👋🏼👋🏼

@Whereisthelove2 welcome!

I realise this thread is about no spending, but I'm struggling a lot - I am trying to declutter like mad and as I don't have a car (or any storage space) am resorting to giving stuff away free on Olio / FB. I'm feeling so much guilt about this, because of all the money wasted! That said, hopefully as I have realised how much wasted money there has been, it will help me in my no spend rules!!

I feel like someone needs to give me permission to just get rid of this stuff because of the money that was spent. It's really holding me back. 😥

@LuminousStar Perhaps think of it in terms of you wasted the money when you bought the item so you aren’t financially any worse off by giving it away. You’ll just end up with more space and less clutter. Would that help?

@LuminousStar
Maybe start a diary (digital or just a paper pad / note book, where you write down for each item what you can learn from decluttering this and on a positive note, what you would do differently next time or which could have been alternative actions.
Maybe also consider which items you already have can replace the one you declutter, or how you could think out of the box to not buy something but use something else instead - multipurpose things.

Then you have decluttered but it's opened up new ideas and creative thinking. You can always refer to your notes next time you think about a purchase.

I'm not a fan of decluttering multiples (as per Marie Kondo), because it's least wasted if you use it later when the first one breaks / is used up. However, that needs space, and if the space just isn't there then it's probably better to remove it.

Went to a city with lots of shops today including John Lewis where I often buy treats such as a new lipstick. However I Only bought birthday cards and some towels which I used some Christmas money for. I also bought my daughter a coffee for her journey home as she was freezing. So in effect in 4 days I’ve spent £10.60 which is pretty good for me.

Has anyone used www.anglodoorstepcollections.co.uk?
I'm looking for a way to donate boxes of unwanted things to charity when I don't have a car to transport them to the charity shop.

@Iheartmysmart @ForestAtTheSea I love these ideas thank you. Yes to loving and gaining more space and yes to writing down what I can learn! It could serve as a reminder to me on this journey. I am definitely going to try NOT to fill that space up with extra junk. Also considering repurposing where at all possible! And saying NO to new stuff, and spending to try to solve problems that aren't necessarily there.

On a side note I ordered two lampshades before the no spend deadline (before 1st Jan) but I don't love one of them and will be returning it to swap it for something a bit cheaper. So will not have spent any extra which is good.

That sounds intriguing @Godesstobe ! Not heard of them before but may check out.