To give this a go? Buying nothing new for one whole year.

[HurtSoul]

I want to give this a go!
Has anyone managed his before?
Looks like charity shops and eBay have everything you need?

I want to do it just to set myself a challenge, to save some money & because I feel sickened at the waste of all the shit I buy brand new!

metro.co.uk/2018/12/30/mum-goes-two-whole-years-without-buying-anything-new-children-8293035/?ito=social

inthetropics I'd love to read your blog? If it's not outing of course for you

I'd say try it!

I haven't bought myself any new clothes for the past 14 months and it honestly feels so freeing! I used to buy myself a new dress just to make myself feel better but the amount I was spending.

I'm going to attempt it.
My goal is to get myself back to my dream holiday destination it'll be so worth it when i do :-)

It's probably possible but then things have a habit of wearing out and not everything can be repaired. I'm fairly frugal and only buy new clothes if something needs to be replaced or I see something that is irresistible. I expect a great many of us have lots of clothes but only wear a small percentage of them.

I don't think I could do this, however I don't spend a huge amount generally.

I do get some clothes from the charity shop but I struggle with trousers as I need a short leg.

I'm going to give this MY BEST SHOT, with one exception, I can buy something before my birthday.

I have started to play around with sewing machine so I will try to alter things that are nearly right. Or go to tailor if too challenging for me to alter. BUT YES. I am with you. I am going to TRY.

Shoes do wear out though. But we'll see.

It's the stupid economy. If it wasn't for the consumerist driven version we seem to be stuck with, (food supply not included) we could easily thrive with make do and mend, freecycle, and "swap shop" style gatherings etc.

I don’t do this but I do buy clothes on eBay which I find better than my local charity shops. I go for good brands like Cos, Hobbs & Jaeger and have picked up some absolute bargains - Silk dresses from LK Bennett for £10 for example. I occasionally end up with something too small but I can pass them on without too much angst. Bigger stuff I take to be altered and again I don’t mind the cost because the quality of the fabric makes it worthwhile. Bundles of clothes for kids are an absolute steal because there are so many people selling. Of course buying fewer items and better quality is more desirable than tons of cheapo stuff which gets manky quickly. I’m very much into visible mending trend and borro style of Japanese patchwork / mending etc and have recently bought Mending Matters book to help me repair some jeans I have that have holes but still fit well. No doubt you could order it through your library.... yay for libraries too!

I haven’t bought any new clothes for three years now (desperate for new bras ), it’s perfectly do-able, I find everything I need, including shoes, in charity shops. Obviously helps if you are not particularly concerned about the latest fashions .

I also never buy books, surely that’s what libraries are for?

I do love new clothes and I find that some charity shop stuff is OK but some is too worn looking already. Also Ebay - I don't buy clothes much from Ebay unless I know exactly the brand and the size I fit but even that varies, because most of Ebay small sellers clothes are non-returnable. So if I buy a dress for £15 and it doesn't fit, I either have to re-Ebay it (it might not sell) or chalk it up as a loss.

Personally I'd rather set myself a strict proper budget per month as for me, that's more realistic and should stop the impulse purchases (in theory....)

I think this is a great challenge. And I love shopping.

However not the year for me to do it. I'm going back to work post maternity and I desperately need some smart updates to my wardrobe.

There are other things that I'd struggle with. Kids shoes, electronics if they get broken, books, but a worthy thing to do for sure.

I dont earn money to pretend to be poor

I dont earn money to pretend to be poor

I don't think that's really the point

Food?

YABU

I'm definitely interested in trying it. I think that clothes could potentially be one of the toughest areas because of wear & tear or changes to weight and body shape

Theoretically this is possible. If I fail I will at least have saved some money. Who else is up for the challenge?

I'm going to try too though will be buying walking shoes. I walk 2.5-6 miles a day so need decent footwear.

Recently took a friend to a charity shop to dress for a ball

Dress and shoes £10 slight alteration needed - free

Much better than £££ for one night out

Not everything is cheaper secondhand and we shouldn’t feel bad for buying new if that’s the best option

Best not to buy at all if possible - look at the cost of chocolate and crisps isn’t he shops!
We don’t need those.

I did this last year... only replaced essentials new (pants and bras)
No one has noticed at work, my clothes are still fine and I have saved a lot of money.
I have only bought second hand and it is VERY satisfying.
This year I shall buy new boots but that is it!

I don't earn money to pretend to be poor

Whilst the point may have been missed, it does perhaps highlight a good point. It is probably easier to do this if you are affluent in the first place, Vimes boot theory springs to mind. It is easy to not have to replace your boots that cost $50 dollars that last 10 years, then the $10 dollar pair that last less than 2 years and are already on their last legs.

Most people could reduce unnecessary and frivolous spending but no spending at all, will, on the whole, be limited to those who already have everything and in good working order (and likely to remain so)

Such a good idea OP. I’m doing this too, after trying to do it in previous years. The only one that concerns me is second hand baby bedding/cots, because of the SIDS risk. Does anyone else have views or advice on this?

Morning - rather late to the party, but may I join?
We have had a VERY spendy 2018, so need to get back on track for 2019.
Great thread so far with lots of inspiration and motivation.
@ferntwist - isn't a new mattress the crucial part? I might be wrong as baby-parenting a distant memory

Yes ferntwist it's the mattress you should buy new. Give the frame a good clean with something antibacterial. I picked up a free cot bed frame from Freecycle yesterday.

I think everyone could cut down on what stuff they're buying easily. In lots of cases it's just mindless - you're on autopilot and don't even consciously think about what you're doing.

I am a massive fan of charity shops and have had some lovely, quality items from Hobbs, Cos or Boden from our local one. At this time of year charity shops are literally deluged with unwanted Christmas presents and if you're not bothered about having the "latest thing" then you can get now for next year. Over 2018 I picked up loads of gifts - new and unused but clearly unwanted - in the charity shop. Best one was probably a Ted Baker nail polish set thing, cost me £4 and retails for around £30. DD was delighted.