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 bought some things but nothing that is not on the list I wrote. For me it's about being mindful, will this garment work hard for me over a number of years (ideally).

The question is going to be what happens when all that is bought, will I try to justify more spending somehow and how to stop that.

Failed already for March!🙄
Just bought a gorgeous stone coloured tweed cropped shacket from Vinted.
Not too upset coz it was only £8 and I was looking for a nice neutral cropped jacket for spring.

I bought a second hand suede skirt and used a voucher to buy a cotton jumper so feeling pretty pleased with February.

So far, I have only bought about 3 things and all with my Christmas vouchers so "allowed". However, 1st March I bought a pair of shoes from Sezanne for my summer work wardrobe. Still feeling good and I'm definitely considering my purchases and spending less.

I feel like I'm doing quite well, but then again I've had to as my salary dropped drastically at the end of January!

There have been small spends, like a book I really wanted to read, some new things for DC (who has had another growth spurt, so needed, plus a toy I deemed as educational). No new makeup or beauty products as I'm trying use up my stash and wear little makeup anyway.

My only complete fail was a gauzy cotton pj set from Sainsbury's. My local Sainsbury's and their clothing section seems to be my biggest downfall because it's literally the only time I get to feel clothes. This set was so lightweight that I couldn't resist. I have a few sets which are incomplete (stained bottom/torn top etc), so I definitely need to declutter the sleepwear drawer

I am enjoying the decluttering and the palaver of selling stuff is helping to remind me to be more mindful about what I buy. The decluttering is happening in layers. I do a round and then, when I go over the same stuff again, I find more to sell/get rid of. My wardrobe is like a tardis.

I think I’ve been pretty good so far since January. One blouse in charity shop.
I do have too many clothes though.

I didn't buy any clothes last month and actually saved £60. It doesn't sound a lot but I'm single and not on a high fliers salary.

Gave in and ordered a top from Next yesterday but I will get a lot of wear from it

Checking in to say I've got three items so far this year (sadly, all new rather than my goal of mostly focusing on secondhand items).

One was a zip front long sleeve running top in my favourite colour (birthday gift from DH for my birthday) and the others were a lilac cardigan (my favourite colour) and a pale yellow vest top to help me get more use out of a few other items in my closet.

All three were carefully considered purchases and in frequent use already... would've been even better to find similar secondhand, but work is crazy and I just haven't had time.

Slowly using up the beauty stash as well, including a mini lipstick in a lovely colour (that never happens!).

Good luck all in meeting your usage / selling/ purchasing goals this year! Keep up the good work.

Failure of a month. Skip the post if other people buying is a trigger for you buying!

Leopard print wide leg jeans
A pair of cos culottes from Vinted that are a tiny bit small so I may sell on, but I've been looking for this style for ages
2 TK Maxx casual t-shirts
A h&M dark grey tshirt, a black linen shirt, a stripe top
An m&s long sleeve khaki top from the outlet
A fantastic but strange purple sweatshirt with a beaded lobster on from Next
A velvet mini skirt from the Arket sale
A leopard waistcoat/ top from h&M that I've still kept in the maybe pile
Still not decided on last month's cream cropped jeans, but as they haven't been worn yet, I should return

A DKNY polka dot dress from TK Maxx that is absolutely something I should avoid, as it's too smart for regular wear, it's classic not fashionable when I'm trying to make my wardrobe more current, it didn't have pockets, and I prefer a maxi dress at the moment, and this is a midi. But you know when you try a dress on, it fits perfectly, and you know your other half will love it on you? Exactly that! So it's staying, and I think it will be worn to my daughter's graduation in July, and I've told him he needs to take me out somewhere smart to wear it 😁

I've also got a red linen maxi skirt in a basket, which is almost definitely getting bought, given how much red I've worn lately.

So, yeah, failure of a month!
10 definite keeps (most of which have been worn already), 3 maybes, and one to buy.
Apparently change of season is as bad if a time for me as sales. I'm going to stick this in the other thread as well.

Stuff that is going well so far:
Every maybe I've had this year, I've returned.
I've sold more than I've bought
I've been half tracking on Indyx, and I've worn almost all the new stuff that I've bought this year- I have a trait of buying stuff and not wearing it straight away, keeping it for best.

@anon2022anon - I've been avoiding this thread as I've also had a poor month too. The damage:

• 2 fragrance kits from Cult Beauty
• heaps of books (this really is my weak spot)- 2nd hand and I'll give to charity after reading but I have a big pile already.
• 3 candles (True Grace 50% off sale)
• A dress - absolutely divine (Toast sale)
• Pair of socks - another colour of my favourite pair (sale purchase).
• Slippers - replaces ragged pair but I have spare pair so not needed.
• 2 bras - replacements and I only have 4 in total so I'll give myself a pass here.

Regretting the slippers and should have stuck to one candle and one fragrance kit (got FOMO).
I am being more thoughtful about what I'm buying this year and am enjoying my purchases more- but I need to be careful of sales, fear of items selling out and spending more just to get free postage. I am an absolute sucker for the marketeers' tricks. Resist, resist!

I feel so much better now telling you that I succumbed to a pair of wide leg cream jeans in Tesco at the weekend!

I’ve been avoiding the thread as I was rubbish. I was in Australia and New Zealand for five weeks and bought quite a bit. Two pairs of trousers, two linen shirts, some gym wear, pjs, a lovely merino wool wrap type cardigan. I think that was it.

Then last week I bought two coats. Two! One black waxed long coat from Land’s End after I got soaked just out of the hairdressers and realised I didn’t have a raincoat type coat. And then I spotted a fab leopard print coat from Eleven Loves. Loved it immediately and thought about it for all,of five minutes before buying it. Then went back in to find it on line to show DH and realised I must have bought the last one in my size! And it arrived and I love it.

I don’t need anything now for summer. And I have a full wardrobe of coats and jackets for every eventuality!

I now need to do a clear out and I will try to sell a few things.

I've bought quite a few things - jeans, cardigan, tshirt, trainers, sunglasses, earrings, necklace (plus a jacket with a gift token) - which might make it seem I'm on the wrong thread... but these are all basics and things I will get wear from. And they are on my pre-written list for the year. I've spent about 45% of my budget.

My fatal error is buying quirky things that don't actually go with anything. And then 'I have nothing to wear' despite all my shopping - this is slowly resolving itself. I feel like I have plenty of things to wear.

My goal is mindful spending, ideally on slightly better quality, although I'm doing less well with that. I did go into New Look on the weekend and realise everything was ludicrously cheap and poor quality.

I wasn’t too bad in March. One pair of work trousers and a vest top for the summer. Neither were planned purchases but I did have work trousers on my list. The vest wasn’t On the list but it will go well with some previously owned items come summer.

My total for the year so far is 7 items so about on track.

I'm doing reasonably well actually in march brought a top and dress but they are going back tomorrow as one looks like nans curtains and another looks like a pick and mix bag.
Also brought a cardigan which I've kept and worn.
Don't think there is anything else.

Having confessed to a poor March I am really determined to have a better April. Will check in again at the end of next month.

Well done to everyone keeping on track.

I feel like I've given everyone the courage to unburden themselves now 😁

I gave myself a talking to after writing my list and took my two maybes back to H&M.

Nothing. Can't wait to swap over wardrobes though. Roll on warmer weather!

TBH I've already bought some things for April and plan on a few more!😁
Birthday month though so I planned to treat myself to few really good quality things I really wanted.

Confession time for me too. I did fairly well until March, but have massively fallen off the wagon this month. It's the anticipation of warmer weather. I returned some things but have kept:

2 linen shirts from Poetry (in the sale)
A linen summer dress from Boden
A denim chore Jacket from Community Clothing
2 pairs merino/cotton hiking trousers from Icebreaker (in the sale)
2 merino/lyocell t-shirts from Icebreaker (in the sale)
2 thin merino long sleeved tops from Icebreaker (in the sale)
2 cotton hats for summer

I should be happy with my spring/summer wardrobe now! I'm definitely going for a no buy April as I have gone over my allocated budget this month. I also seem to have ended up buying 2 of some things, mostly in different colours, when I'm sure one would have been enough.

Two things in March - a suede jacket and a silk shirt. I was annoyed because I was limiting myself to one item a month. I don’t feel so bad now after some of these confessions 😅

My March wasn't too terrible. I bought a merino base layer, which was on my purchase list. I have a set but it's at my parents house and I wanted one for the UK winters as we're spending more time outdoors in the winter.

My non-planned purchase was a cute t-shirt from h&m. I was ordering clothes for DC and it slipped into my basket... I really like it though, so now I have to declutter/sell on an existing top as it's one in, one out!

April is coming to an end so confession time... I was doing so well then yesterday I bought a pair of pale blue EPT trainers and a lightweight linen jumper in green to use as a summer cover up. Actually still feeling pleased with myself as that's loads less than I would normally buy in a month. Thank you for keeping me on the straight and narrow!

My April was a total fail...but it was a planned fail! Its my birthday month so I treated myself to a few things I have been really wanting.
I do not feel bad about it at all!😄