2026 No Buy

[Eatingmusselsfromashell]

I am planning a strict 2026 clothes no buy. I’ve tried in the past but the maximum I achieved was 3 months or so.
I’m sick of the cycle of seeing/ wanting / buying. I want to couple my No Buy with some other habit changes. I would like to limit screen time to one hour a day (except when listening to podcasts/ books and language learning). This is the year to brush up my Spanish and German for trips later in the year. I am annoyed at the hours of life I have wasted scrolling online sites.
I’ve tidied wardrobe in preparation and am ebaying / charity shopping anything which isn’t currently working for me.
Anyone else want to join me for moral support?

I’ll join for sure. For me the scrolling and the over consuming are a twin headed problem as every time I go online something is advertised that makes me think I want something that I neither want nor need.

What I would really like to do is to get to grips with what it is in me that responds so easily to temptation and what it is I personally get from the buying and having of things that I could be finding elsewhere in life.

I found this book very helpful for explaining that

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Buy-Not-Why-Overshop-Stop-ebook/dp/B00DC6Q32I/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.KbItiJA0ykNj9HgxRhXhB_ldr9rDqQT67EeR1PUFugrCEawRDFGh1CiAvbbAGrVUIa4iw-xMTAotqpADycK1F5tr93o-pUjWSFmxySm8ft8ALuU9D7rreuD_VdXR7bc177npFVPOV_r7VojxBRFctEd0qoaiftSp9FAhP675v4zuvoN6gLKDJt69JMCHo6wbpWk2-txwKdIMMz4VuBnnd-igkwQGLA9EH8yNJ1duE_I.1_lMjmgJcCU1zq564gTypud1OFaxph7Pmjh93ub5_GA&qid=1767546130&sr=1-3

Hello There, I think I’ve found my people!!

I am planning on a no spend Jan ( maybe stretching to April) and a low spend 2026, unfortunately I am a huge impulse buyer and get a huge dopamine rush from shopping, the reason I want to do a no/low buy is because I have so much stuff and it’s overwhelming. The saving money aspect will be a bonus. Doom scrolling is also a problem here 🙋🏽.

Beauty, skincare, clothing and home decor plus kitchen equipment are my weakness, I have enough of all of these things to last well beyond the end of 2026, my husband is the polar opposite to me and will only buy what needs and if it’s not perfect it will be returned, I need to be more like him, sadly my three youngest children take after me and also own far too much of everything.

Over the past two years I have gone from a size 16 to a 6 and now I’m back to a 10, for this reason I have clothes in all sizes, the bigger ones are in the loft but I’m too scared to get rid of them in case I’m a size 16 by the end of the year.

There are two things ld like to buy, a navy blazer and a smart black wool coat, but I’ll wait it out and see what happens.

Since Christmas I’ve done ok, I’ve not even looked at the sales (unfollowed a bunch of influencers on IG) and my only purchases have been a Gatineau Cleanser and a 1L bottle of the shampoo I use.

I’ve started listening to the Emma Edward’s podcasts - I fear it’s aimed at a much younger audience but I’m enjoying it so far - so thanks to the poster that recommended that.

looking forward to checking in and keeping up with this thread, thanks @Eatingmusselsfromashell for starting it.

Ventured out today to an outlet village and came back with two pairs of pyjamas and four pairs of thermal socks 😆

I'm waiting on an M&S dress that I ordered on 24th Dec . Keeps showing as Awaiting Dispatch
It was in the Sale ,
I am losing hope

Me too @70isaLimitNotaTarget.
I ordered a faux sheepskin gilet reduced to half price over a week ago. I've been watching it go in & out of stock all week. Now it seems to be Oos.
The option to cancel the order is interestingly still available. I have one already & I've lived in it. It's really warm so great for dog walking & looks really good on with smarter outfits. Oh well.....

I am going to try a low spend year but sadly I fell at the furst hurdle and bought 3 pairs of shoes on the 3rd day :(

To be fair I switched over to barefoot shoes a couple of years ago and 2 of the styles are gaps in my collection and were half price. The 3rd pair was a replacement work pair. I did sell most of my shoes on vinted when I switched to barefoot so do have less shoes overall from a few years ago.

Anyway I just hope I can stick with it from now on. Over the last couple of years I have bought myself a new wardrobe of clothes that I love so I really don't need anything for at least a year!

My rules are no new clothes, no shoes or unnecessary stuff. I can buy things in charity shops but it will be one in, one out principle. Only replacement toiletries.

I am going through a divorce and I have realised the last few years I have bought stuff constantly to self soothe. Like I am trying to buy myself happy. I am hoping now I am aware of it I will be able to stop myself before I buy things.

My aim is if I think I need something I will keep it in my basket 1 week. This has already proved helpful on a couple of occasions.

Have also unsubscribed from a lot of marketing emails.

I am also going to put together a list of things i would like long term and maybe buy one or two items a year that I really love and are well considered. For example I did this before Christmas with my new sage coffee machine. I hated my last coffee machine for about a year but wanted to take my time to research machines as it was a big purchase. I think I love it even more because it was so considered. That's what I want to get back to with my spending habits.

Are you me? All that sounds very familiar!

My no buy is going well so far, four days in and I’ve not only not bought anything and not been tempted but I’ve decluttered two garments, two unused lipsticks (I made the classic mistake - stocked up on a discontinued colour and then quickly went off it) and a box of art materials on ebay - adding £267 to my savings, so a very, very good start.

Now if I can just stay away from the Toast sale and start one of the many books I’ve got sitting here untouched instead of browsing for new ones that would be amazing. I do have an audible credit sitting there waiting for me, which is nice. I’m not cancelling Audible or Liberty Beauty drop so I will have something to look forward to without actively shopping.

I haven’t listened to Emma Edwards’ podcast as although I’ve read her books and used them as a wake up call for my clothes habit at 55 I feel her ongoing advice is for much younger women who have the time to really build something.

If Emma (and the others like her) had been around 30 years ago I truly think my financial position now would be a lot better. As working class girls we were taught nothing.

Welcome @RubySparrow, @Mumwithbaggage,
@Skinnysaluki, @Johaanahand @lostntranslation. Absolutely brilliant to have you on board!

That’s me at the one month mark (started my own clothes/accessories no buy on Dec 5th). It’s not been too painful so far - I think the distractions of the festive season helped. There’s been the odd wobble, and I’ve added a lot to my Whering wishlist but no purchases. I’m still feeling very motivated and having a community here with lots of great advice and recommendations is really helping. Well done to everyone who is managing with their own particular challenge, and don’t give up anyone who has had a wee lapse. I’m very guilty of all or nothing thinking myself and I think that’s not helpful here. Progress not perfection

@ThisIsMyBurnerPhoneand @DarklaneThanks for the book recommendations. Both look extremely interesting.

@Leftsidefacingcompletely agree with your comment on the lack of financial education in the past for working class girls in particular.

So far so good. Waiting for my new Muck Boots to arrive (essential replacement) but otherwise have avoided browsing the online sales and haven’t set foot in a shop.

Little flurry on Vinted this weekend with 4 items sold, I’ll get those posted today and it’s given me the impetus to continue listing a few things after considering giving up; every £ helps towards my budget for essentials.

Have you noticed how often you go to shops on your phone?

Since my "no spend" started I've become very aware how often I pick up my phone & end up in an online shop. It's great to intervene, but over the weekend, I've found any SM use results in me "Shopping/browsing" quite quickly.

Its almost as though SM is designed to get us shopping :) Instagram is the WORST - its drowing in ads and they are impossible to avoid.

But I am enjoying the exercise in raising awareness, engaging the brain, and getting out of the shop as soon as I realise.

I am also constantly unsubscribing - I still get a scary amount of promo emails, but I persist.

anyhoo, 5 days in and nothing has been purchased.

<woop>

Anyone else attempting a gentle (or not so gentle) declutter as a companion exercise? it makes sense to me that no spend & decluttering/reducing object go together.

Yes I am doing a declutter alongside due to necessity as we are getting ready to sell the house.

We did 4 big tip runs over the weekend and I shudder what it all cost originally. It made me realise that purchases are virtually worthless the minute you buy them. I think it's really helpful to keep that in mind when you are eyeing up new items.

I read somewhere that items own you, you don't own them. I think that's an interesting way to look at it. You have to clean them, maintain them, store them so they are all a drain on your time and resources.

We moved house in October so have already decluttered loads of stuff. We had been in our previous house for over 30 years so had accumulated a lot! We don't even need to use the loft in our new house as we have so much less clutter!

I went to the Tate yesterday to see an exhibition and looked around the whole museum shop without buying anything even though they had some nice mugs and my coffee mug is battered. I'm pleased with myself as I'm a sucker for a museum shop

I also love museum shops.
I know that no one NEEDS anything from a museum shop 😁 - its pure "pleasure zone"

Does anyone have any advice on a spending tracker app they could recommend? Ideally one that's free as I can't get my head round paying for something that tracks my spending.

I use the Spending Tracker app. You have to pay if you want the extra functions, but I've used it for free for years and it does what I need. On the App Store it's a brown wallet symbol.

I have still not done any unnecessary spending.

I had problem with my glasses but luckily the frame is still in warranty and as same issue occurs more then once in less then half year they are going to get me different model. I may have said I am never buying anything from them if they try to give me one more of the same as I don't' have trust it will last.

I've put together a basic habit tracker for 2026 and 2 of the catagories are:

• Buy Nothing New
• No Spend Day

I just spent my Audible credit (I’m keeping that subscription on as part of the plan so its fine) on Mary Portas’ ‘I Shop, Therefore I Am’.

The irony.

The last thing I bought myself was a mug. I live in a small town in the Scottish Highlands and we still have an independent department store and cafe that is the centre of our community (for how much longer though)….

They had gorgeous big handmade mugs by a local pottery in for their Christmas selection and one called to me. It was £45 but I have no regrets.

That's great thank you! I will try that one.

Eye test today and new reading glasses needed, so ordered those. Budgeted for and essential. I was early so had a little browse in a couple of shops on the way to the optician but felt no temptation.

Also having (yet another) declutter...I have as many clothes in 'sell on vinted' storage as I do in my wardrobe! Some I've listed ages ago and not sold so I need to be ruthless and get them off to the charity shop instead. Then be very strict with an 'if they don't sell off to charity they go' timeframe.

Struggling. I’m in Vinted to sell. I’ve just seen a jacket I was lusting after and that had sold out in my size. It’s a good price and looks like new. Aargh