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?

Well I have ordered myself one off Vinted and some underwear in the Strip and Stare sale. I now consider myself done.

Welcome @Pineapples123and @Darklane! Brilliant to have you here.

@notnormanI save pictures of things I like but haven’t bought (most with prices on) to my wish list on the Whering App.

I was given an envelope with some money as a Christmas gift. There is a particular silk scarf in a design I love which has appeared in marketing materials from a favourite brand, but will not be available until February. I am going to keep money aside then go in to the store and buy the scarf with the cash. Clothing or accessory presents are allowable under my rules, so I am including the ability to spend cash gifts on clothing or accessories. Will be interesting to see if I still want the scarf when February rolls around. Apart from this, have stayed strong since Dec 5 and am managing to avoid the lure of sale shopping. I know from experience that I go over the top in late December if I think I am going to try a no buy, so that’s why I chose to go for Dec 5th as my date. Last year’s ongoing declutter/ ebay marathon has worked well as my clothes and shoes are now containable in the (good size) wardrobe in my bedroom and are no longer strewn through other rooms / wardrobe sin the house. Going to do a final declutter / tidy to get it looking nice before New Year.

Ohhh I am so in for this.
I didn’t realise there was a thread.

I've been "chatting" with chatgpt about it already. I've decided a no buy isn't going to work for me, in fact I think it will make me want to shop even more.
So I have a few rules:

• I have a small budget every month for fun shopping that i will try not to dip into.

• I need to finish my capsule wardrobe instead of buying endless amounts that I rarely use. I also want to buy higher quality than I would usually.

• Where possible i will used vinted with the one in one out rule. I will only use my vinted balance. If I have nothing then I don't buy it.

• Only TWO beauty boxes or edits. This year I have bought every single beauty box or edit i fancy. Space NK, Cult and Boots appear to be by weakness. Now 2 isn't ideal but compared to what I have been like with them it is a vast improvement. I have a massive high quality skincare stock as a result but I need to use what I have, I don't need 8 cleansers.

• No perfume unless from my budget. I don’t need perfume tbh but it is almost like a hobbie for me. I adore it and have over 100 bottles which is almost embarrassing. I do want a zara one and I have a zara voucher but do not need it.

• Big purchase I have to save my fun money for. This year I've bought a ninja coffee machine, an echo show 21 etc without even a second thought. I see it, i want it and I buy it. That has to stop.

These things alone will make a difference to me. I've just used my Christmas money to buy an Oura ring as I want to also be more healthy next year.
Lose a bit of weight
Deal with stress better
Sleep better.
I'm deep into peri I think, and as a result my sleep and stress seem to dictate my life. I've read the Oura can help manage things like this.
I didn't just throw it in my basket though, I thought about it for ages, waited for my Christmas money and waited for them to ne reduced.

Sorry for the essay!

One thing that made me realise I needed to get control over my lack of self control was going to the States with my sister in May.

We went to target nothing fancy to pick up a few things that you can't get in the UK
She spent $50, I spent $500

We earn similar and have a similar disposable income.
She has self control
I have none.

Have ordered a pair of joggers on sale from Sweaty Betty to replace a pair that are now too big for me. That’s me done although I likely will need to purchase a few things in the spring/ summer due to my weight loss. The plan is to continue to de-clutter my wardrobe and sell on Vinted and use that money to fund my new purchases. Stay strong, ladies!

@NC543210 this is exactly how I'm going to approach 2026 as I know it I do a total ban I will fail!

I'm setting myself a monthly budget which I can use or roll over. It's small so won't stretch to many purchases so I will need to be very mindful. My weakness is clothes and bags. I'm fine with beauty purchases, never get tempted at all.

One other thing I have done is I've started doing a craft project. Keeps me off my phone and also it's a hobby that doesn't involve spending money or looking in shops.

I did buy one thing in the sales which was a top from Anthropologie which I have been stalking all year and it finally went on sale. I'm trying not to feel guilty about this as it's a quality investment piece for me. I have a pile to list on vinted today and could probably do with another wardrobe clear out if I'm honest. I've invested in good jeans this year which has really helped open up my wardrobe. I also got given a few lovely clothes and accessories for Christmas so really the itch should be scratched for a while?!

@coolcahuna I need a hobby that keeps me out of the shops and doesn't need money spent. I'm not a crafty or artistic person at all.

I have deleted the Space NK app this morning.
Bought a make up bag that I've wanted all year and used my reward points so it was free.

@NC543210 the craft has really helped as I genuinely look forward to doing it and I can watch TV at the same time. Maybe reading or even one of those survey apps you do on your phone ?

Love spending free points. I canceled my amazon credit card last year and that helped massively to reduce Amazon spend.

Late to the party but I'd like to join in too please!
I tried the 1-out-1-in and the only buying second hand where possible strategies last year but a few stressful events had put paid to that by spring and I ended up going a bit mad on shopping the rest of the year. Too much internet scrolling definitely had an impact on that so reducing that is also a big aim.
Not sure if a complete ban will work for me but I like the idea of breaking it up into 3 month blocks and see how I get on.
We've also got loads needs doing to the house so I'm going to couple it with a savings aim...hoping the money I save on clothes will go into the home improvement pot.

I don’t even have ‘things I like’ - I literally see things then buy them.

I'm in! I think I will do as @Winederlust is doing and break it down into 3 month chunks. I am awaiting a sales parcel from M&S which should arrive around New Year but it's only knickers and trail shoes!

I'm going to be much cautious with my spends this year. I am so often disappointed with my clothes purchases, so unless I am completely certain about something, I am not buying it.

I'm in. Our house is on the market and so many items of clothing are in storage. I lost weight last year and need to buy ones that fitted. My end date is moving and sorting out my clothes.

Something I need to stop looking at online….Boots £10 Tuesdays!
Buying 3 things to get the £30 free delivery on things I already have a stash of cos they’re reduced, almost every week 🙄

I bought the Rituals Advent calendar this year so loads to try out . My favourite still has to be Sakura .
I've got Molton Brown , I like the Orange and Bergamot but bought a duo which had Apricot and Freesia as the other scent . I didn't expect to like it but it's nice .

I will need to get some more Aveda Shampure at some point but I've just found a half full 250ml bottle so I'm ok for now .

Should be ok for toiletries till June !

Can I join - Vinted addiction, which was progress as before it was general online shopping addiction and costing me a lot more. But I’m actually sick of the hunting, decision fatigue, arguing with myself and justifying. I am going through buy only 1. underwear and 2. a black linen blouse and shorts for the summer (identified last summer and will get from vinted) and 3. must have replacements (eg if my walking boots die) and have just added that book to my list, looks great.

I've bought some jeans as well but now I am properly done!

I am also going no clothes, toiletries or books - initially for three months (to Easter but hopefully that is the reset I need and it shapes my purchasing for the rest of the year. I have enough make up to last me until my death bed, the mortician can do me up from my own stash.

I also want to reduce screen time (iPad and phone, but read non fiction on my kindle mainly kindle daily deals). I have a stash of fiction to read (proper books, not kindles) so no need to buy more. I read a lot but like others too much screen time has played havoc with my concentration levels. I have also received wool as a Christmas present (I asked for it) to get away from screens. I am going to avoid Instagram- wastes too much time, shows me “must haves” I don’t need, and I just find influencers annoying and getting rich from saps like me. There isn’t any original content anymore, just lots of copies of copies of copies.

I will probably be out of a job in a few months so it will be a necessity to save up before that happens, although I would want to do it anyway. I am so over stuff and over consumption- I am going back to basics. Mindless consumerism is a byproduct of boredom. I must learn to feel okay with being bored without taping in my debit card number. With a few exceptions most things bought are shortlived pleasures. I remember experiences not stuff. It is easier in the summer when my lifestyle is very outdoorsy- winter is more inside and stationary apart from my scrolling finger.

Good luck everyone.

Welcome @NC543210, @Winederlust, @canyon2000, @Caterpillargirl23, @CharlotteCChapel, @Huffingoodand @Fixydodah. Great to hear everyone’s reasons/ parameters around no buys or low buys.

Ive put 6 things on Vinted over the last 3 days and now have £60 in my pending!

I'm also a sucker for the boots £10 Tuesday.
Ohhhh a £10 toner. I will add it to my other 11. 🙃

I bought a coffee cup today- a stanley one. I like the water tumblers so I know I can trust it.
Reason being is despite having my all singing and dancing coffee machine
I dont have a suitable travel cup so always buy one at work. £5 and nowhere near as nice as the coffee from my machine.
So bought one reduced to £20, will have paid for itself in a week.
£80 a month on coffee is scandalous.

I recommend joining your local facebook wastesaver/freebies site. Really handy way of picking up things as well as decluttering.

So I've set up my new budget which starts from today/Jan effectively and I'm hoping this small budget will work for me and make me focus on 1 or 2 things. I've already seen something I like which would be just under 1/3 of the months budget so will think about that one.
Listed a whole load of things on vinted this week and going to do some more clearing / sorting and going through the wardrobe today. I seem to have quite a lot of duplicates so I think I can donate / sell some and see more accurately what I have.

I have gone through my wardrobe, had a bit of a clear out. But I really don’t need to buy anything for at least a year. I’ve set up some standing orders to savings accounts so I’ve already spent the money each month I normally would spend on clothes. We’ve got this