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!

I've used ziffit for book clearouts, some are priced low but its easy way to get rid recipe books and childrens books i sell on vinted :)

Thank you. It's the large amount of recipe books I'm wanting to lose

Wrong thread!

I'm in and joining on this.
My wardrobe is far too full, with coats being the worst offender! And seasonal clothing- I could have worn a different sequin every day of December if I wanted ( I did most days!). I've also gone from a size 10 to a size 14, slowly creeping to a 16, so I have clothes in so many sizes.

My problem areas are sales/ offers, H&M new in, and buying for my 'fantasy' life (going out clothes, sequins, unsuitable for real life things!).

My plan: to limit myself to 2 things in each month, and one bonus item- 25 in 25. This includes Vinted/ second hand. I think I may leave underwear and socks out of this, as I need to go through those drawers, but pants and socks aren't a problem area!

I am very good at selling things on, but I have a massive hoard to get through of mainly mine and kids clothes. I had an aim of 50 items a month sold last year, which I achieved overall, but was mainly kids clothes. I want to continue with mine, and am setting a lower goal of 30 a month this year. That will see me with 360 out, and 25 in. I need to switch the kids rooms round, which means the junk room gets smaller- progress needs to be made quickly!

For resources, I strongly recommend a Broke Generation podcast- it specifically addresses clothes and shopping addictions, low buy/ no buy years and other similar issues. Very woman- centred, and really interesting on these subjects.

I'd definitely recommend checking out vinted. I was quite surprised at the price / demand on there, especially as charity shops are full of recipe books. I didn't sell anything particularly special but they all went quickly :)

I need to get in on this. My wardrobe is groaning and I have a sizeable stash of beauty advent calendar items that will see me through the year (and probably beyond).

Being realistic though, I am incapable of being fully no spend and well, I need a bit of joy in my life 😅 I like the idea of allowing myself 12 items to force me to ask myself if it’s worth it.

Ok , I put in a low offer for silk dress from brand I love… 300 quid dress for 30 quid.. said is has some staining underarm so I took a risk… put low offer pre Jan 1st but paid for it Jan 2nd so do I cheat and say last years?
Also bought a pair locally made ( I am in NZ) 100 percent cotton chino style trousers in beige same designer .. perfect for safari.
thats definately me done for Jan now!

I am in. Wedding last year plus a genuine / gigantic emergency meaning I used up my emergency fund mean I need to start building it up again. Clothes are my biggest expenditure by far so sorting this out will make a world of difference.

I may go for no-buy. Only thing my wardrobe really needs is a pair of heeled tan knee-high boots, so this will be my one exception.

I'm going to try. I want to lose weight and start wearing all the stuff I already own!
Exception might be some work clothes.

I'm definitely in for a low spend. I bought some new jumpers, a longline cardi and some new loungewear in a pre Christmas sale, and picked up a couple of No. 7 sets in Boots and some dark Brown leggings in M&S sale today and that is it. The only things I have on my 2025 list are:

A long lightweight modal dressing gown for the summer/holidays. I shall keep an eye on TK Maxx as they often have Cyberjammies.
Dance trainers
Ballet shoes

Dance trainers are the most immediate required purchase, new ballet shoes can hold until I start spring classes after Easter I think.

otherwise I'm going to try and offload some of my excess wardrobe on Vinted and really try and curate what I've already got.

I did really well last year up until aroind September. My wardrobe is bursting but yesterday I made a list of everything which has been a real eye opener.

I need to do this! I have millions of clothes and all occasions covered plus a healthy beauty stash. I am very guilty of overbuying and did it yesterday while replacing some soap. I need some strategies to stop it. Maybe a list is a good idea but how to you organise categories?

I'm in again. This year I'm going for total no buy of clothes, shoes or bags 2025.

I lost quite a bit of weight this year and replaced most of my trousers. And managed to buy a whole lot more other stuff on the way. I have also had a big wardrobe clear out.

I need this thread to keep me on track.

Also using the Whering App to help me shop my wardrobe.

Can I ask please. Those of you who’ve made several hundred pounds selling on Vinted, is it because you’ve sold lots & lots at under £5 each or have you got decent prices for the nicer things? I’ve been too nervous to try but I’ve got loads that could go, unworn or hardly worn, clothes but also lots of heels which as I have developed permanent mobility problems through injury that I’ll never wear. Lots still with the stickers on the soles, shamed to admit, that were expensive so am loathe to just give them away though I know it’s stupid when they’re just sitting unworn.

Oh & for those of us who tend to overbuy can I recommend two books that I’ve found helpful.
To Buy or Not to Buy by April Lane Benson
&
Less by Patrick Grant

@Darklane im still an ebay girl. I sell shoes, usually unworn. Very expensive ones sell well anyway, gucci etc.
I give away anything Marks and spencer or cheaper.

Personally I've made money on volume, not quality. I've sold lots of stuff around the £5-10 mark, but also a fair few at £2 and £15. Most expensive thing I sold was £45. Heels don't sell well, and I had no luck with party dresses etc as Vinted is inundated with them. Best items have been kids clothes and montessori toys, homeware and good basics - anything from brands like Arket, Stories, COS. "Lower" high street items like m&s, h&m etc don't sell well imo, except if the item is particularly pretty and completely new.

Also my goal is to be sustainable and clear out space, not necessarily to make money.

Thanks for the book recs for overbuying I’ll check those out

Thank you for your replies, they’re very helpful

@Darklane Thank you! Just found and reserved Less in my local library, so no need to buy!

I am with a low buy on clothes, budget £100 per month, so some months it may be a couple of smaller things or nothing to save up for a bigger item. Skincare - I only buy in moderation.

Can I join please? For me it will be a no buy Jan/Feb and then a low buy Mar-Dec (£100 pm - carry over unspent amounts into following months but not spend in advance).

Budget has to cover all clothes, accessories, beauty products, toiletries, books/ebooks, homeware and misc stuff. Services (e.g. haircuts, alterations, repairs) are excluded as are activities/travel, food, drink, gifts (within reason) and essential household replacements/maintenance (e.g. cleaning products, paint, lightbulbs etc).

I made my last purchase on NYE from Vinted - £18 for a coat I've been hunting for 5 years after wearing mine to death. My main reason for no/low buy is to become more intentional about what I buy. I'm tired of being a mindless consumer and I want to reduce the amount of stuff I have. I've made a good start with decluttering and will be selling stuff on eBay/FB/Vinted etc.

Look forward to hearing how you all get on.

We went to London yesterday.. lots of opportunities for a cheeky buy.. I resisted them all.!! I'm adamant I'm not buying anything and tomorrow I'm sorting out all my toiletries.. 🙈 god knows why I have so many.

I've been decluttering for a few years now I'd say everything I own and wear clothes wise I could fit on one hanging rail now.

It feels really apt to recommend The Rebel Finance School. It's a completely free 9 week personal finance course that will be starting in the Summer. It completely changed my approach and behaviours. It's run by a lovely couple, no upselling and no crazy tricks like invest in crypto or anything. To underline my reducing shopping habits it has been really helpful.

The other thing I did which was worth it's weight in gold was to have my colours done professionally. It was around £350 with HOC but what I learned is that there are around 8 of all the possible colours that look amazing on me.

So, I pretty much only actively look for those 8 colours online. There are others in my season so if I go physically into a shop, I can discount 75% of a shop automatically, I scan things and find what I want in seconds. It means that literally everything in my wardrobe coordinates, I can easily see true gaps. It also makes shopping my wardrobe easy and fun..in reality I think we all fall into the rut of picking out the same items and thinking we don't have much. I went through it the other day and mixed and matched a bunch of things to create new outfits.

For example a pink hooded jumper under a pink Barbour style coat made it looked less formal and more sporty athleisure, and a high neckline layered under a summer dress means I can wear the dress in the spring too, not just hot summer days.

I'd like to go through the wardrobe a month before the start of each new season and pick out my outfits and shop deliberately for any gaps.

Dealing with a very recent loss and my comfort habit is to look at (and then buy) beautiful things. Trying to stay strong!

Think it was on the last thread that there was a suggestion of people posting their "shopping their wardrobe" outfits? I am keen on the idea. Conscious that there is a WIWT thread already - but think there is something usefully specific about a thread which is just providing non-buy / low-buy inspiration (to the individual posting and others). What do others think?