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!

@anon2022anon - know what you mean about dopamine. This is the year that I'm determined to permanently quit treating shopping and eating as 'hobbies' or using them to relieve boredom. It's going to a long slog to get there.

Great advise re synthetics @Valkirie which should help me stop obsessing about the brown coat I’m stalking on the internet which is only 70%wool.

Also checking in at the end of Jan.
I can't say that I bought nothing, but what I did buy has come from Vinted and are things I can wear to work. Having been a sahm until very recently, I don't actually have many work appropriate items, so have been getting a few things on Vinted just to fulfil this requirement.
I bought a red coatigan, a couple of pairs of leggings with pockets and have a jumper and flat boots on order from Vinted.
In the spirit of this thread, I have resisted a pair of lovely but very high heeled boots, that I won't be able to wear to work!

I bought 4 items, which surprised me. 2 LS shirts, I only intended to keep 1 but kept 2, both pink stripe; the silver sequin cape for stage wear; and a LS teal velvet top from M&S, which was £6.49 and will go with a skirt that doesn't currently have a lot to match it. The top was on here quite a lot before Christmas.

We're still sorting through my mum's wardrobe so I've sold quite a lot of vinted. I give my dad his earnings and he gives me half back - I'm 52 😆 I sold 4 swim costumes last weekend. I honestly didn't think they'd sell and 3 went within an hour!

I don't need anything in February.

Well I can’t say I have been great. Have bought quite a bit really in various categories. Clothes, shoes, a bag, house stuff, a dental flosser, a heated hair styling brush, two mascaras and a face wash.

I am going to Australia and NZ on Monday for five weeks so bought a few things for that.

I have been adding outfit ideas to a Pinterest board based on things I know I have in my wardrobe which has been good for getting ideas of ways to put together things I have in a different way.

And while getting clothes ready to pack I’ve been planning what goes together rather than just throwing lots of stuff in my case. And I’m going to be a bit ruthless with the things I don’t take.

I have also decided I’d like a slightly fitted white shirt and a pair of leopard print jeans. I bought a pair from Sainsburys and like them but they are a bit short and feel a bit odd with boots but will probably be ok in summer. I’d also like a pair of black jeans.

But I don’t need anything straight away so will wait. I know I’ll end up buying g things in Australia so I’ll try to stick to things I know I want.

All in all I must do better!

Checking in. I have done okay, but can feel the temptation to shop creeping me up on me again...

I allowed myself one purchase at the beginning of the year - heeled knee high tan leather boots. Got a beautiful Hobbs pair this month from ebay.

However, I also popped into M&S on a lunchbreak and bought myself a cropped cardigan and the trench cape. Both of which have proven v versatile so far.

Must. Do. Better.

I managed the whole of January with just a couple of purchases using my Christmas gift vouchers (so they don’t count in my rule book) and the only items I actually paid for were two pairs of cashmere socks which were down to £6 each.

I’m happy with myself. Definitely will continue, all year if I can. It won’t be no buy but I’m determined to be more mindful of what I buy and it already feels like that’s becoming a habit. Well done everyone!

February confession, I managed the whole of January and then yesterday found a Genevieve Sweeney cardigan I'd been looking at for ages massively reduced in the sale.

To avoid breaking my rule, DH is going to get it for me as a Christmas present. So it will need to be stored away safely until December.

But he has reminded me that's my Christmas present and he won't do that again this year.

I will try it on when it arrives and if it's not perfect I will return it. But I always think February is the best time to buy decent knitwear in the sales.

I did OK in January. I bought one pair of Doc Marten boots in the sale to replace a pair I'd worn out. I still feel though that I am drowning in clothes. I need to lose weight so I can access more of my wardrobe.

Great to hear how everyone is getting on.

On paper I’m doing pretty badly (because I bought six items and one was a winter coat at £130) but I do think something has shifted for me. I have a lot more focus on what I actually want/need to buy. And those things need to be things I can see myself wearing again and again. As the spring stuff starts to come in, I can see plenty of mistakes in waiting, things I’d normally buy, turned by new colours and the promise of a sunny fantasy life, and them not properly integrate with my wardrobe, making it actually more complicated to get dressed. The material needs to be robust for a start.

I think I am slowly reframing my mind from thinking the next purchase is going to answer all my problems, because it won’t and that thing is immediately replaced by something else. It’s relentless in terms of new lines and options of things to buy.

I have a list of things on the ‘permitted’ list, these are pretty specific and based on what I actually wear.

This is progress for me, more so than just saying I haven’t bought anything for x or y period. January last year was absolutely fine but I went off the rails regardless. Quite intrigued as to how this year goes. One of the things I want to be able to do is to go to the shops and not buy anything, appreciate the things but know that I don’t need them. Rather than just avoiding shops.

A poster recommended the Broke Generation podcast. I’m finding the episodes on emotional spending useful. I am not the sort of person who spends when they are upset or had a bad day but there is something emotional in there. Understanding why I spend when I just don’t need to is really important to stopping.

I think shopping is emotionally loaded for me too. Vinted tends to get a lot of 'cheer myself up' purchases or 'these boots will improve my life' ones!
I'm trying to be more mindful that actually shopping will not do either of those things.
I am actually quite horrified by how much money I've squandered over the years on things o didn't need, when I could have been saying off my mortgage and gaining more financial security!

@HopingForTheBest25 Yes me too! I have a list of everything I bought in 2014 (spending £2.5k but on lots of cheap things) and I no longer have any of it. I’ve come a long way since then at least.

I bought two Barbour items that were in J Lewis sale at ridiculous prices and I will get loads of wear out of. I can see things coming into stores now and one of my fave combos is in there - the jeans/ white/ tan suede look. I'm desperate to buy a jacket 😬 part of my problem is I'm old 😂 and I think WTF buy it !

@itsstillmehere I find that what’s in the shops can affect how successful a no/low buy is. I’ve struggled to spend vouchers in Fatface for the last couple of years, yet I nipped in last week and could have bought several items.

Few things to report:

I bought a chunky brown leather belt off Vinted. tbf, I thought I already had one but then (when I was desperately looking for it) I realised I had decluttered it a year back because the leather was all cracked. So in my defence, it was a replacement for something I thought I already had (although if it's been a year I guess it's fair to question if I really needed a belt - but at £7.50 it was a decently cheap replacement)

I also bought the Celtic and Co clogs from Next someone mentioned upthread! I had Birkenstock Boston clogs on my shopping list for this year, but the Celtic and Co ones were only £36 so I thought it might be better to start with those as I'm not sure I'm a clog person (and £100 is a lot for shoes you are not sure of). I got the last brown pair in my size, but they were tiniest bit scuffed, so I called CS and they gave me back 30% of the sale price - so they ended up costing even less. Very happy - look forward to wearing them in the spring and chucking out my cracked crocs.

This is true. I spent a good hour in New Look the other day going through all their clearance rails. The prices were amazing but I couldnt find anything I liked that wasnt made out of polyester....(so that helped me save!!LOL).

Failed in an attempt to buy a jacket from M and S . Out of stock everywhere . Must be fate!

I needed a camel coloured classic wool(ish) coat, because thats what everybody needs in their wardrobe right?.
Ive since realiesed Im not a classic/quiet luxury/capsule wardrobe person. Im more of a slightly chaotic retro/boho/vintage/goth kinda person!

@henlake7 oh yes, I also thought this. My lovely MiL bought me a perfectly lovely camel coat, I fecking hate it. Turns out my perfect camel coat is a long sleeveless borg fleece from Matalan, perfect for hiking the hills with the dog.

Trying to stick with buying between 5 and 12 clothing items in the year. Two pairs of jeans so far, one gloriously slouchy pair replaces my dead and paint stained trackies, the other replaces my not just one small hole in the knee but two knee and one bum rips pair, both necessary but they count. Plus a random cross body bag from the Roka luck dip, which is fab but totally superfluous to needs. This leaves me two items for the rest of the year 😬

I think it was me mentioning the clogs @Pigtailsandall! I love the Birkenstock ones but can’t bring myself to spend that much on them. You got a great deal - they were £45 when I bought them. But still full price in the Celtic and Co website.

These sound good! I’ve bought around 15 things since January and I really need to stop. Nothing in February so far so I will start right now. Only underwear allowed if I need something like a bra.

Checking in at end of Feb and not such a good month. How is everone doing?

2025 Buys (Jan/Feb):

• 2 pairs socks,
• 2 Hush Sweatshirts
• New pair of trainers
• 2 hair products (Colour Wow spray and Aveda leave in) for my never ending fight against the frizz. These both seen pretty effective.
• Plus a bunch of books/Kindles (£32) and home stuff (£40)

On a good note, declutter is going well with loads of clothes & homeware given to charity shops and friends. Clothes sales good too - eBay sales so far in 2025 :£942.

I don't think I bought anything!

Though I bought nail top coat yesterday and a foundation from Liberty today (had vouchers at Liberty and recyclables at Boots).

I failed miserably and bought way too much.
Although I did manage to save a quarter of my wages as well so not a total loss!

I've failed, brought 3 coats in next clearance a black teddy coat £44 a black reversible puffer one side animal print the other side £44, and at the moment I'm debating should I keep a black wool mix coat from monsoon £75 half price , love them all and they all fit great, I won't mention the 3 cashmere jumpers brought in sale from John lewis in January, I now should not buy anymore more clothes this year.

just to add have declutter 10 items