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?

Welcome @Whowhatwerewolf - I completely relate to your post! @Lowbuy2026 there’s definitely room for you - great to have you here!

Still on the wagon, although have been wrestling with temptation when looking at new in Spring/Summer stuff from my favourite brand. I keep telling myself that there is ALWAYS great stuff to buy and I have lots of nice clothes to last me the year. Annoyed at myself that I have wasted time and headspace thinking so much about this stuff over the last week.

I have however, reduced scrolling significantly and I am reading a book a week , which I have thoroughly enjoyed. A friend had given me a book token for Christmas with an IOU for coffee and cake in a lovely wee independent bookshop. We went on Friday and it was a fantastic afternoon - one of the nicest gifts I’ve ever been given and massively appreciated. So that was an excellent dopamine hit.

I’m doing well on sticking to exercise schedule and I think that’s also helping provide dopamine.

Using chatgp to be the angel on your shoulder is a great idea @Whowhatwerewolf!

OK, so I have a situation here and I've had to buy a couple of things. We are travelling in Asia on a cabin bag each which is easily doable but I picked up bedbugs somewhere. The remedy is a 60 degree wash followed by at least 30 minutes in a very hot tumble dryer, so everything went in at the laundrette.

Dh is fine, his jeans and shorts were too big anyway because he lost weight last year and refused to replace stuff.

My black linen shirt and navy t shirt are ruined due to shrinkage and my wide leg jeans are now very tight so I'm having to throw them. My other jeans were too big anyway so now theyre fine along with some toast cotton trousers that were also too big. That leaves me with 4 rather tight vests and nothing to cover shoulders so I've bought a t shirt and a pair of jeans. The jeans are barrel legs and the t is a plain beige to go with everything. The jeans were £9.21 and t shirt £3.

It's not a calamity. When I packed to come out here I deliberately brought clothes I wouldn't mind losing and there we are. I might start a thread on 'how to survive travelling Asia with a cabin bag and bed bugs!'

I forgot to try on the black trousers I bought a few weeks ago but they're elasticated so should be OK . . .

@PrincessofWells that's a very valid reason for buying clothes!

Dd1 announced last night she's getting married in April so I will have a new dress for that - it'll be low key but I am her mum! Considered making something from my stash of fabric for about half an hour.

The three things I bought in the sale have all gone back - shoddy quality fabric.

Not bought anything up to now, not even a kindle book on Amazon so quite pleased.
Going on holiday early summer but I laid all my stuff out on the bed and decided I had plenty {some of it was just bought last year) so will not buy any holiday gear.
Got a couple of posh afternoon teas as Christmas presents so looking forward to a couple of more or less free outings and have suitable things to wear for those.
So far so good!

I haven't bought anything S&B related at all and I'm very pleased. Only things coming in are a few clothing items for dc (2 tops and a pair of joggers) cause kids tend to grow. I also bought a duvet cover as we only have one and it was irritating having to wash and dry it all in one day to get it back on the bed.

Very happy, though I will soon need an eye cream and a night time moisturiser as those are running low.

What is the book that you enjoyed?

@biedronain the last few weeks I’ve read ’Only Here, Only Now’ by Tom Newlands, ‘ The Ice Palace ‘ by Tarjes Vesaas and I reread my favourite book of all time ‘Independent People’ by Haldor Laxness. Am currently reading a bit of non-fiction - ‘Art Cure’ by Daisy Fancourt - which I bought with my friend’s gift voucher. Also have ‘ We are Movement ‘ by Wayne McGregor lined up for next. A bit of an eclectic mix! But the mindless scrolling is definitely reduced.

So I’ve done really well with no clothes purchases whatsoever. But I’ve been invited to a party on Saturday night which requires dressing up - theme is 60’s. I’m not a fan of dressing up and have a curvy 50’s body not a twiggy 60’s!

Any suggestions for improvised outfits?!?!

I can’t find who suggested this in the thread, but I have left my phone out of my bedroom for two nights now. A lot of my buying was late night scrolling. I am reading more and when I wake in the night I go back to sleep much quicker. My lumie alarm clock (probably a late night buy) is set up and works really well.

I did the ROKA lucky dip... I like the bag I got but I didn't need another one. Back on the wagon.

@WhitegreeNcandle I think 60s hair and makeup could be the answer. Bit of bouffant in the hair and plenty of mascara and eyeliner. It might help evoke the theme and then you could keep the outfit simple. You could go French Left Bank in black polo neck or late 60s with a midi skirt depending on what’s in your wardrobe.

@PrincessofWells - totally valid reason and sensible choices.

I also bought some guilt-free clothing today. Threw out another pair of knickers that had developed a hole and noticed I was getting quite low in stock plus the remaining ones are a bit tatty. I last bought knickers a few years pre Covid (9-10 years ago?) so their state is unsurprising. Ended up buying a 5 pack from M&S which, with Sparks offer, came in under £10.

Underwear is not one of my weaknesses.

@lbnblbnb it's the scrolling for me as well. It's a killer! I follow an influencer on Insta. Her style is so like mine but I'm purposefully ignoring her reels at the moment to resist temptation!
The 60s theme party is a tricky one, can you borrow anything?
I did have to replace some CC cream yesterday but it was on fumes and i use it most days so seeing this as an essential purchase.
January is such a long month, this has been hard !

Take a look at Boots £10 Tuesdays, every week online. They always have No7, Olay etc at £10 which means they are reduced by around £20

Aah the pay day struggle is real. Yesterday the reptile brain was telling me it would be okay to order stuff from Me and Em as it would get lots of wear. I need the deinfluencing thread (which is a great idea and very amusing) but I would be posting multiple items.
Keep telling myself that I am only a few days away from a full two months no buy. Am going in to the city tomorrow so need to keep away from shops!

Well I've done better than I thought this month.
4 pairs of socks
Ordered some black work trousers for £28 from Marks that I am going to return, and a top that isn't right so it's going back too.
Ditching Amazon has made a huge difference and frankly I can live without it.

Amazing news. Glad this is going well.

It was me who suggested it. It works so well for me too. I was also scrolling and impulse buying a lot last year (thanks menopause insomnia) and the phone was a huge temptation. Everywhere pushes sales now, even Pinterest seems to be an aggressive marketplace rather than a wholesome pinboard.

I ordered one unnecessary item for 14 euro (full price 30). I am happy with myself so far this January.

ive got to agree that Pinterest is so cluttered with adverts that I’m finding it hard to use now. Instagram is getting as bad. I used to be able to use both of those for some fashion inspo but the amount of adverts is off putting.

The ads on pinterest have become so bad (and many) that they really help me stop scrolling, they are annoying and show me things that I would not usually consider buying.

Popped in to local charity shop to see if they had something for upcoming holiday. They didn’t, but will keep an eye out.

Whilst there, I resisted a lovely iPad cushy in hare fabric, a vintage sewing machine, a pair of Black and Tan boots and a beautiful leather cross body bag. I could easily have spent over £100. They had some treasures in. Feel both slightly smug and also slightly depressed!

Happy to say I think I'm getting addicted to NOT buying. (happily munching my Christmas chocs!)

I came out of January with some savings where I'd spent less/bought less. Nice to see visible signs of improvement.

Hi. Checking in - since last Sat it's only been the 5 pack M&S knickers (under £10) to replace tattered ones (thrown out) plus a couple of Kindle 99p deals.

Nearly bought some skincare (in a shopping cart and about to check out) as was a 'great deal' but stepped away from the brink. I have enough skincare to last till the end of 2026.