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 did go and buy a couple of things yesterday ( its still 2025). One was ankle boots and a jacket for work. Reduced in sale in Mango and I used my points. Also bought badly needed bras.
I have a £50 a month slush fund ( a just in case), which will be rolled over.
I'm going to list stuff after New Year. I need to add to my savings and pay off credit cards. I cleared one yesterday. 😉. Not being out over Christmas helped.

@Gymbunny2025 That’s a very good idea about the standing order moving the money that previously would have been spent on clothes etc. Will experiment with that.

I’m also working on cleaning/ tidying wardrobe today @coolcahunaas part of a general bedroom sort out / deep clean. Formerly I would have stuff all over the house but after months of decluttering/ ebaying / charity shopping etc everything that’s mine is in this room. Once this space is done I feel I will have the right amount of stuff for me and when I go back to buying (after this year plan to do ongoing low buys of 10 items) it will be on a one in, one out basis.

I struggle with tidying / organising for myself but ironically not for other people. Today I have told myself that I am an ‘organise your space’ consultant and have hired myself for the day. Have taken ‘before’ pics of wardrobe/drawers/surfaces/ ‘floordrobe ‘ and am cracking on to a favourite Spotify list. Ridiculous but I have to trick my brain. Have rubbish/ rag bin/ charity bags on the go. Am visualising myself photographing and enjoying a lovely organised room at the end of the day.

I’m hugely envious of those who are naturally tidy!

That’s a brilliant idea @Eatingmusselsfromashell as I am also good at organising and decluttering for other people; I shall copy that!

I did very well in 2025 when it came to decluttering, 2025 items left the house as I was on the decluttering challenge thread. I did not do so well on the not buying ‘stuff’ so this is a useful thread for me to join for the upcoming year. I’m looking at a couple of items right now and thinking ‘what on earth was I thinking when I bought that?!’. I have also over-catered on food for Christmas etc again this year despite buying probably half of what I bought last year!

I did quite well on Vinted (150 items sold) but it died off in the last couple of months so I took a load of stuff to the charity shop. I still have far too many clothes and need a big cull. I must attempt to get rid of more items that are for my previous life, not the one I have now (I retired just over a year ago).

I’ll consider some defined goals over the next few days, but currently concentrating on using up consumables and minimising grocery shopping for next few weeks, as well as getting up to date with laundry so all clothes can be considered.

Once the Christmas decs are all down I’ll get properly stuck in.

My Vinted sales also dropped off towards the end of the year @ProfessorIDareSay I listed 6 items on Sunday and 2 of them sold really quickly. One was a summer skirt! I need to start relisting the items that have been on there a while.

My Adidas x Liberty trainers have arrived and I'm taking a pair of black jeans back to M& S today. I don't like them, and I don't really need them.

I need a bikini as we're going away at Easter but everything else is fairly well topped up, even if I'm bored with some of it 😆

I'm in - again! I tried to buy no clothes last New Year and it didn't last long.

I'm terrible at being manipulated by trends, when what I need to tell myself is that it's a marketing ploy

I wish I had been organised and listed some occasion wear in early autumn, no one is going to want it straight after new year :(

We’ve definitely got this. Bought some underwear from the Stripe and Stare sale, a couple of new bras and that’s me done.

Yes please, I too want to go on no buy
January full no buy.
From February
No need, no buy - so if it's something that is necessity like walking shoes and I genuinely need it, fine.
Social media, once a day after dinner only - starting on first.
No new perfumes unless when travelling abroad, I make one exaptation here for any Liberty kits as I have build up credit from beauty membership. This is until September.
No makeup or skincare. I don't have build up of body or hair care so I am going to continue buying as needed.

Last shopping trip of the year a couple of days ago! It was with christmas money though, so I didnt spend anything. Basically bought a few thermal/winter bits to see me through the colder months.
Will try not to buy anything unless it is a necessity (will need new work shoes at some point this year and poss new knicks, depending how elastic holds up!LOL).

One thing Im not too bothered about is toiletries and skincare. I only ever use the same products so will just be replacing as things run out.
Def aiming for a proper no buy Jan though.

I picked up the coat I ordered today and it's lovely, so that's made me feel like it was worthwhile

I've just ordered a new pair of frames on sale because I desperately need new glasses, and I can't hand over my old ones to be reglazed as I don't have a spare pair. If they're no good I'll have to return them and choose something else, but I'm giving myself a pass for that.

Friday (or possibly Thursday) I'm starting a bag for the charity shop bin up the road. I have a few things I've never worn that I won't miss so that's an easy way to start - I don't have the energy or the headspace for Vinted atlhough I'll put a few bits on eBay.

Joining you. I have a large “put onto
vinted” pile and also clothes hoarded in various places in the house.

I also want to clear out, list out and then use up all my odd bits of beauty products - ticking them off once done. I have lots of lovely unused notebooks I can use for this purpose 🤭

Lots of great books to read as well, and limit phone time.

i find listening to an audiobook or podcast helps me get through boring tasks.

Rules are utter essentials only (running trainers, hiking boots, new sports bra) and build up vinted credit for anything else. Swop & borrow from friends too.

Please can I join 😊

Hello all — I’m completely overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in my house. I’ve had two Vinted piles sitting there for the last three months 🙈 I’m going to make a proper effort to get them listed by the end of the week, and if not they’re going straight to the charity shop.

I did buy some walking clothes in the sale the other day, but that was using Christmas money. I’ve also got a wedding in September so I’m allowing myself an exception for that as I don’t own anything remotely “black tie”.

I’m planning to try Project 333, so I’ll be boxing clothes up and seeing how I get on. Boxing up so I don’t have the ‘clutter’ of clothes.

I have been decluttering recently and tried doing it by category. Slightly ashamed to admit I discovered a ridiculous number of skincare duplicates — including six bottles of Coco & Eve tan 😳 They’re now all together in one wardrobe with the rest of my toiletries, so it’s basically a mini Boots in there. I’m on a total toiletries ban now, except roll-on. Maybe I’ll try the declutterring thread too.

Hoping this group will help keep me accountable 🤞

I keep a bin bag in the bottom of my wardrobe where anything goes in that no longer makes me feel fabulous. I have lost a lot of weight in the last 2yrs so have cycled through a lot of clothes from size 20 to 10. I have managed by only buying a cheap capsule wardrobe, this has narrowed down on what clothes I actually wear. I'm almost at goal weight and intend to replace my cheap clothes with good quality replacements but in a very slow and considered way. £100 could buy me a bag full of cheap clothes, this has been my default with clothing due to restricted budget for decades. As I've had to replace all my clothes 5 times in 2yrs, I've been shopping in the cheapest places.

My low buy is to buy 1 good quality £100 item instead of a bag full of stuff for £100.

2026 goal is a knowledge one. Next year is a research year of quality and style, learning about fabrics and craftsmanship of the best quality. Learning about the value creation and what is actually worth paying for and what is brand marketing. As a frugal chic person, I'm working towards the chic end next year and upgrading my wardrobe in top quality, classic, long lasting, beautiful items. With a limited budget, I expect this will take years to fully set my wardrobe.

I'm finding it hard already and it is still officially 2025! My small budget is the only way I will achieve this.. rather than a total ban. And its literally clothes that are my downfall. I don't get drawn to cosmetics, toiletries - I have a small repertoire and just buy when things are used up so hardly anything at all. I've already seen something I like due to blinking Facebook ads!!!!!! Aaargh. Have saved it but not succumbed.
Keep strong everyone.

My M&S sales buys from Christmas Day turned up today. All very nice apart from some trainers which are too small. I'm pulling up the drawbridge now, just in time for New Year!

Welcome @ProfessorIDareSay, @mamabluestar, @MiaN, @CalmConfident and @ThatAgileMintBiscuit. Brilliant to have you here!

Oh dear, it's just after 1 pm January 1st (I'm in NZ) and I've already purchased a short sleeve white linen shirt! In my defence it was on Ebay, and is in place of the shirt I almost bought yesterday as a last fling. However, from now on it's going to be strictly things I need rather than want, and as I have enough clothes and shoes to last me for years I will hopefully not be buying very much for the rest of the year.

I've had a sort out and anything I don't want is on a local auction site, or in a bag to be donated. I really like everything left in my wardrobe and I'm going to wear and enjoy my clothes - instead of always looking for the next hit. My shopping is mostly online as I live in a small town, and I'm also aiming to spend a lot less time online this year.

Good luck everyone - and HAPPY NEW YEAR. 🎉

Happy New Year everyone.
Right that’s it, no more looking at stuff online or looking round shops just because I happen to feel like it. Have to confess I had a bit of a “this is the last” binge on New Years Eve & bought a couple of tops in the M&S sale & a bit of makeup 🙄

Happy new (no buy) year!

I still have a next, yesstyle and boots order expected. But my wallet is closed! I suspect I’ll start itching to open it in about a week

Happy New Year everyone and good luck with whatever challenge you have set yourself.

My challenge will be one out, one in. I have a few clothes I have worn to death and are now beyond repair so will aim to replace those. I also have lots of shoes I can no longer wear, some brand new, so should try to sell them, but not sure if I will be able to find the time.

I was reading a magazine online and saw loads of stuff I would like to buy - I stopped myself doing further research. However, this is going to be harder than I thought. But I will try.

I went shopping this morning. Luckily in the far reaches of my wardrobe not the shops!

I found a very serviceable pair of cream jeans I haven’t worn in forever that fit,look good and will go with plenty!

I’m going for a low spend 2026, rather than a no-spend, as that is more do-able. Buy less, but better quality.

I’ve moved a certain amount from my savings into an easy access spending account. It has to last the whole year. Once it’s gone, it's gone. I’ve also set up a spreadsheet, so everything can be tracked.

I’ll continue to put outfits together on Pinterest and Whering and generally ‘shop my wardrobe’. I also intend on getting rid of 30% of my current clothes, either to charity shops or through Vinted. Less clutter. A curated wardrobe.

I’m interested in this. Would you mind saying what budget you have given yourself for the year? Is it clothes and make up? Or all spending?