Choosing a No-Buy Year for 2025

 Happy 2025! The New Year was welcomed quite gently this year with family visiting, dinner eaten outside, cricket, an evening stroll, movies, games and finally watching the fireworks at midnight on the television. It was relaxed and joyful and I am hoping, will set the tone for the coming year.

2024 ran away with me. I lost a lot of direction, felt overwhelmed and fell back into old habits that did not improve either my mental health or my bank balance. I stopped blogging, which saddened me and enabled me to move even further away from the intentional and slow lifestyle that I so craved.

In the last couple of months of the year I decided that I needed to make a change. I began to wake early and meditate. I watched the sun rise. I tried to consistently take an evening stroll once the heat of the day had passed. And I began to research the concept of a no-buy year for 2025.

There are more than a few articles, Youtube videos, blog posts and personal accounts on the internet that discuss this concept - it's not a new one. I have participated in no-buy months in the past and, after setting some guidelines, decided to give the whole year a try. I'd like to share those parameters with you here, in case you are interested but also to keep myself accountable. I found that when I fell off the blogging band-wagon, I wasn't keeping true to my goals, my values and the vision I wanted to have for my life. Sometimes I felt like a bit of a fraud sharing my simple, classic-inspired living with you but once I stopped doing that I realised how important it was to my own life and how I like to live. So, here is what my no-buy will look like and why I chose to do it this way.

1. No shopping for myself 

This means that I will not spend my money on buying things for myself that are not totally essential. For me, that essential purchases include toiletry products (when I have absolutely no other alternatives to use up). Non-essential products are clothes, books, plants, knick-knacks, food out (unless it is with family or friends - just no coffee or meals on my own), cds or dvds (yes, I do still buy these often second-hand!). 

2. Gift Giving is Allowed

In my rules, I have made it that I may buy for other people, for birthdays, Mother's/Father's Day, anniversaries etc. I don't have a specific budget in my mind, other than what we would normally spend on such occasions. I am also allowed to accept gifts, which means I can wait for Mother's Day, my birthday or anniversary to request things that I might really be wanting or needing.

3. So Are Gift Cards

I received a couple of gift cards for Christmas which, in my rules, I am allowed to spend throughout the year. I am not allowed to go over these amounts, however, or add more to them. In my mind, these come under the previous gift giving clause. 

And that's it. I haven't made it overly complicated or too restrictive because I know I probably wouldn't be as successful. 

My goals 

The reasons behind undertaking a no-buy year are simple: I want to be more mindful in my shopping habits, to break bad habits of emotional/stress shopping, and to save some money. I know that I have more than enough to suit my needs and yet I continue to struggle with the concept of "enough." I am really hoping that this no-buy year will help my curb those impulses and really appreciate what I do have.

What do you think? Is a no-buy year (or month) a concept that appeals to you? Are there any other goals or resolutions you have in mind for 2025? I'd love to hear them in the comments below. And if you are interested to see how I'll get on, then stop by because I plan to update you regularly throughout the year.

Finally, I want to thank you all for supporting my little corner of the web and a big thank you to all of you who reached out during my hiatus in 2024. Your care is very special to me and I am so pleased that my writing can inspire you in some way.