Low buy/no-buy 2025

[Pigtailsandall]

Anyone up for a low-buy challenge for 2025? We had a no-buy/low-buy 2024 challenge and I found it helpful to check jn and read others' updates. I'm going to set some rules but essentially I'm not allowed more than 1 new item a month - so 12 items for the year, including shoes.

I've decluttered tons, and have 3 empty storage boxes in my loft now and I really don't want to fill them up again!

Yes new season is going to be tough. But I keep reminding myself there are only so many clothes I can wear in a day/week/year.

End of month check in.

One pair of River Island jeans.
Two pairs of pumps from RocketDog. I've worn the pair I have to death all summer so have stocked up in the sale.

Edited as I can't find my July buys.
4 sleeveless/vest tops (lots of wear).
Long sleeve t for winter.
2 slouchy jumpers.
Knitted vest.
I'm sure I declared these something somewhere 😆

Oh, and a £4 brown belt from Tu.

It has been a very light month for me and the only wardrobe addition has been a silk blend vest top from H&M sale.

2 long sleeve t shirts is my only purchase this month.

Another successful month - but more because I was disappointed by some things I have ordered so they have been returned. Waiting on a second hand shirt from vinted.

Checking in without too many extra clothes coming in, but I did get a new pair of running trainers (needed) and DH kindly got me an (early) Christmas gift of new Chelsea boots because my old ones (19 months old and worn out because I walk everywhere) fell apart.

Otherwise, over the summer I got 4 secondhand items - two skirts, leggings and crop top.

Will have to count up my total for the year later, but the total cost and number of new items hopefully isn't too high, which I'm pleased about!

The two jumpers have had a lot of wear, as have the jeans.

I think I bought a pair of trainers in September as well. Nothing in October except a holiday and gin.

Doing well here. I’m determined to slim down my wardrobe, all in an attempt to release the put together woman with a capsule wardrobe who I know is lurking inside me!

Didn’t buy anything in October and sold quite a bit on Vinted so heading in the right direction 😀

I’ve been quite rubbish really. Bought quite a bit. New trainers - general walking ones, ones just for the gym and some burgundy Adidas for casual wear. And some chunky brown boots. A few jumpers. A black dress. New pyjamas. Some new gym wear.

Some was needed as I’ve lost quite a bit of weight so have gone down a few sizes. My old PJs were so big around the waist they were longer than they had been so I was in danger of tripping on the stairs. Some was just because I’m enjoying shopping for new slim me. Especially the black dress as that turned it to fit me best in size small!

We are going away for some sun over new year and I do need a new swimsuit as my others are really baggy in the bum now. But I don’t need any summer clothes.

We have a black tie dinner in December and I bought a dress for it in the sales last year. Need to see if it still fits!

I've done ok. More went out than came in. Very few mistake purchases. I'm really settling into my style now and my wardrobe is starting to look more cohesive and fewer outliers. Everywhere is getting more organised as I've freed up space to organise into. I'm getting a reduction in the desire to shop as I can more easily see what I have and where it is. I'll keep going next year and try to buy even less. There's honestly nothing I need now, I'd only be buying "wants".

I've bought a couple more items on Depop this month, whoops. 1 is a replacement though. I've found I always gravitate to similar things and when I see something I like 9/10 I have something like it already. Which I suppose demonstrates that I know what I like at least and now that I'm more aware I doing this, I can resist excess purchases more easily.

Two pairs of Black Friday Timberlands.

Possibly a cashmere cardigan from M& S, I'm undecided whether to keep it at the minute.

Maybe a pair of trousers for school, again, undecided.

And I finally get to wear the silver sequin cape I bought in January tomorrow evening as we have a Christmas concert.

Well my vinted shirt never turned up last month and I’ve only bought a Uniqlo merino jumper to replace one that has developed a hole in the front of the neck. I’m feeling very virtuous. Wonder if I’ll fall off the rails after Christmas…

Fell off the wagon and bought some new cord trousers and a beige furry gilet. Told myself I deserved them as I've just started a new job!

I've been thinking about this thread. I might try to do no-buy next year. Low-buy wasn't very low for me, but it went ok and I was happy with my purchases. I really don't need anything now though so no-buy seems more appropriate for 2026.

I thought about no buy this year, but decided I would just be setting myself up to fail. I have bought very little this year and watching this thread and occasionally adding my update has been very helpful. I feel accountable to a group of people who don't even know me! Consequently, I haven't made stupid sale purchases and I've loved and worn all the things I have bought, so a win for me.

I’ve been putting lots of things in various on line baskets but then not actually buying them which is a win!

I do want some decent waterproof trainers/walking boots. And some thermal leggings. And I need new underwear. And a new swimsuit as well are going to the sun for new year. I lost another stone over the summer and my swimsuit is baggy in the bum and my undies are a bit too big too. Nice complaint to have!

But I think other than the above I don’t really need anything. Wanting is a different matter obviously!

Buying sale items was one of the things I stopped doing outofideas2. I used to buy so much in the sales. This year I figured if I didn't buy it at full price I couldn't have wanted it that badly. I've spent less overall than I did when I was focusing on snapping up bargains in the sales. I fully expect to fail at no-buy honestly, but still hopefully not buy as much as if I didn't try. I'm finding it's best to aim for improvement than focus on an absolute goal. There's nothing makes me want something more than feeling like I'm denied it.

Very true @IndianSummer78. I have done spectacularly badly this year. I’m still wondering if I need to go cold turkey. I have enough clothes. Perhaps a t shirt come the Summer but that’s it.

I’m mixed on the sales. I think they make me overbuy if I do buy I suppose. I’ve been waiting out a discount on an m&s quilted jacket from earlier in the year. I knew I wouldn’t buy until it hit a certain price point (which it did yesterday) and if that meant missing out then so be it.

Rreview of my purchases from 2025, 24 items altogether, I guess that's an average of 2 items a month.

1 Carrier Company wool jumper, 2 wool cardigans (Brora and Genevieve Sweeney), 1 Boden linen summer dress, 1 Brora wool dress, 2 cotton summer hats, 1 Baukjen cotton trousers, 1 Brora linen trousers, 1 Icebreaker merino/cotton hiking trousers, 2 Wrap linen shirts, 1 cotton shorts, 1 Icebreaker wool mittens, 1 Community Clothing denim chore jacket, 4 Icebreaker long sleeve merino tops, 3 Icebreaker merino/tencel t shirts, 1 Fitflop leather clogs, 1 Mufflon wool coat.

I doubt I needed any of them, probably have enough clothes to last me a lifetime, but they were all in the sale and things that should last rather than fast fashion.

Really trying to go for a no clothes purchases 2026 though, basically because I have no more space and nothing I want to throw away.

As DH said, that's not a bad place to be in, having a wardrobe full of clothes you like with loads of choice for every occasion.

I never feel like I have nothing to wear anymore, always lots of good options in quality fabrics for every occasion and weather so I can't complain.

Total cost from that lot added up to £1502.72. So that's a couple of hundred pounds a month I can save next year if I don't buy things like this!

All my clothes are on my Whering App, it helps me choose what to wear and is good for tracking what I've bought and planning outfits. I don't record what I wear daily though, did for a while but too much maintenance! It's also good for reminding myself what clothes I haven't worn for ages as I can look at categories and see the pictures, otherwise I forget about stuff.

I'm loving all my clothes too and just at the stage of actually making effort to wear them all and the Whering app really helps with that. I've actually photographed my eyeshadow palletes and added them to Whering as well under 'Accessories' since I often make my eyeshadow part of my look. This also means I can immediately see what colours I have which stops me buying more since 9/10 I already have the colour I think I need 😅

I’d like to continue this thread in 2026 for accountability if that’s okay with everyone?