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’m also happy with my January. Bought only two garments, managed to remove two from my wishlist and sold ten. My Bless trend screen looks very positive.
Bought some yarn as well but only to finish two already started projects.

Also checking in 👋

Obviously this is common sense, but I’ve been completely avoiding looking online/browsing the shops and this has helped my will power a lot, my daughter sent me a link to a brown suede jacket and I replied to her message (she’s away at uni) but I did not open the link, because I knew that once I was in the website I’d start browsing other items and potentially make a purchase.

My aims are to save money and to reduce the amount of stuff I own, so I’m happy to buy lunch out or a coffee for example, I’m finding that this is my outlet, I don’t do it often as I work from home so I’m not out and about as much as I was when I worked in the city and had coffee shops and delicatessen’s close by.

My only purchase in Jan was a replacement top from Vinted - same as I already owned but different size, put the original on Vinted, and a nightshirt as I decluttered my old stuff, I also used a gift voucher I’d been given to pay for it. So I’m happy with month one, just 11 more to go, and hopefully by that point not buying will have become second nature to me.

I bought a cardigan , I was on the lookout for ages for a striped fair isle pattern but they were wool.
Found one not wool , so happy and bought it .

I've done pretty well . A couple of M&S jumpers , this cardigan. Less than £100 all in.

I won't think about what I've spent on DD for new work clothes though ...

Checking in. I replaced my lost glove with a pair off Vinted and am buying some wellies as mine have a huge hole and are going in the bin. Nothing else to declare. Happy with month 1.

Socks and pyjamas (which don't count) and a sequin top to add to my stage wear.

And my Pelegrims subscription.

Just checking in for January and i am pleased with how little i have purchased but also how well i manage to avoid a purchase when i feel the need.

I just havent felt like shopping and i think its because i am in an active declutter at the moment so i just see purchases as more stuff. I think maybe when i have finished the declutter it will be harder to resist building back up again.

I did buy the bigger size in my winter work boots. I buy in 2 sizes for double socks and chilblain feet in the bigger size. So now i have replacements for both sizes even though both my boots are going strong. It does sound slightly hoarder mentality but i have always stocked up when on sale as they rarely go on sale.

I am embarrassed to say i bought 6 pairs of my summer work trainer when they went 65% off a couple of years ago. I am working my way through them and i am on pair 4 now! It did save me a fortune but i realise its not normal behaviour. I only do this with work footwear because i have specific ones i use.

Apart from the workboots i got a pair of casual boots right at the start of the challenge which were not strictly necessary but filling the last gap in my barefoot shoe collection. I have no need to buy any more shoes now.

I also got a £6 cookbook and only 1 item from my 5 clothing items allowed this year (those lovely new black trousers from the charity shop). So i am happy with january.

Checking in at the end of the month. I bought 2 items when I meant to buy nothing. I won’t link or describe in case you are like me and immediately follow the link and start browsing. They are spring/ summer things so I haven’t worn them yet. I will get a lot of wear out of them as we all say on this thread to justify our purchases but that means something else in my wardrobe won’t get worn instead. So overall I’m disappointed in myself for not being stronger but sadly not disappointed with what I bought. Fingers crossed now the sales are over I will make it through February without purchasing anything else.

After sticking to my very small budget (just) in January, I am reflecting that there is nothing I need at all in February so can I manage £0 spend. I went in a few charity shops and other shops yesterday and although I saw lots of things I liked, didn't get anything at all. Everything I saw I already have something similar so step the hell away. My husband is being super helpful actually and encouraging me not to. Money better spent on experiences, a nice coffee etc.
I feel like I have a much better handle on what I already have as well which is really helping.

@Itsnouse - yes, I agree that ok to briefly mention/ list puchases but probably not the best thread to post glowing descriptions or share links to justify a purchase. I too would jump on and have a look.

I took my son shopping to get new trainers yesterday and didn't buy anything for myself :)

I didn't buy anything in the S&B category in January and barely bought much else either. This month, I'm going to buy a night cream and an eye cream as I'm almost out. But also - replacements of things I only have 1 of don't count.

I'm also going to buy a book or two, but then again, they are not in my no-nuy category and I'm also going to read them immediately (rather than leave them languishing on bookshelves like I used to)

That was actually a pretty easy month of no buy. I haven't had the urge to buy anything yet and I am quite enjoying wearing the clothes that I tend not to choose. My thinking being that I liked them enough to buy so I should like them enough to wear!
I haven't really bought much else this year - new kettle as lid on old one was broken, a few kindle books as I read a lot, a new front door lock as it was jamming. The only thing I bought that I really didn't need was a lovely mug with a tin of sardines on from Asda, and it was only £2.50.

Well it wasn’t all mini skirts. I remember cos I’m old & was there. Early sixties the Jackie Kennedy look was very popular, fitted suits or dresses, pill box hats, shift dresses. Then late sixties it went very hippie, flowing clothes, lots of beads, flowers in the hair, headbands round the forehead, just pile stuff on…yeah man.

Right, end of month update & not done too badly.
Bought one 99p kindle book as I’d finished what I was reading & didn’t fancy what I already had. Bought some yarn to start knitting again instead of being online so much & can make a jumper instead of buying anything. And I’m waiting for a delivery of a new pair of dog nail clippers & a pack of latex bands to tie up topknots of my four little dogs who wear full show coats. So not so bad I don’t think. Can I keep it up??? 🤔

Jan went well for me! Only read books that I already owned, didn’t buy any skincare or makeup, and no clothes or homewares either. Been enjoying shopping my wardrobe and reducing my screen time with more reading and crafts

Well, I’ve deleted Amazon Prime after looking at my bank account and realising I spent £200 on there this month. Scary how easy it is. A tube of oil paint here, some brushes there…

I went down to zero in my account this month. An unexpected vet bill didn’t help.

Must do better.

Well it's not been as good as I hoped. I had to replace my linen shirt that I threw away as it left a huge gap in my cabin bag wardrobe. I bought a cotton stripe shirt for £9, so a fail. But I spent less than £25 on my replacements for the ruined clothes so hey ho . . .

The sad thing is when I return home i'll quarantine everything for 18 months anyway due to being paranoid about bringing bed bugs into the house so 😒

@PrincessofWells that turned into a memorable holiday for all the wrong reasons.

It was eye opening putting values into the Whering app - I have spent thousands of pounds on my wardrobe. It obviously all depreciates like a car off the forecourt but the clothing in just an overnight bag soon adds up.if you have to replace it quickly.

I'm gutted for you that you lost a pair of Toast trousers. I mostly buy that label in the sales, I just could not afford to replace over night and it's very much stuff I have cherry picked over different years and seasons.

Have you come to any conclusions about what to rebuild with or will you just muddle along till.liberation day?

@NoBuyBore I still have the Toast trousers, I have them on! Tbh it's fine, I'm away for a couple more months and planned to bring things I wouldn't miss if I have to throw them out or quarantine everything. It's just the very hot wash and tumble dry does kill the bed bugs, but of course it can shrink everything too . . . 😂
We're moving around a lot so it's just one of those things.

. . . forgot to say I only buy in Toast sales too, but there is a Toast outlet in Shepton Mallett that is worth a trip if you're not too far away, especially when they have a sample sale.

Is anyone else finding it liberating not collecting and returning stuff?

Yes, it is freeing!

I am really struggling today. The week so far has been generally awful and I wanted to ‘spree’ today and hang the cost of it. Just to feel that ‘new and expensive’ feeling. I did resist but now indulging in chocolate instead.

January did not go as well as I had hoped but all purchases were made to replace items in my spring/ summer wardrobe which are too big for me post-weight loss. Nothing further needed so purse strings are firmly shut! Did much better with screen time and managed to read 3 books during January.

I hope your week is getting better @DecemberGloom i know that spree feeling well when you are having a bad day.

And well done @LadyClumber on the 3 books read! I have had my kindle sat next to me more this month if that counts. The intention was there but I must try harder in February for less screen time and more reading. Ah well progression if not perfection.