Inside: The one good reason not to do a no buy year, and five month-long “new year” challenges to do, instead.
Last year, I decided to attempt a low buy year. And since I do my best to be honest around here, I’m going to admit something I’m not proud of, especially since I call myself a minimalist.
I failed my 2025 low buy year. I failed HARD.
I struggled massively with my mental health this year as I watched rights being rolled back and families being ripped apart for no good reason. I tried many things to distract myself from the daily onslaught of bad news, but after a few months of sticking to my low buy year rules, I broke.
In April, we adopted two cats and purchased the necessities for them. We bought a tabletop ice machine because ours couldn’t keep up with seven people home all day in the summertime (in a house with no central AC).
We had to replace three appliances this year because they broke. Our laundry room flooded, so we needed to replace the flooring. Our good snow shovels broke, so we needed to replace them because my god, three snow storms in December, WHAT IS THIS?
I also dove deep into what I like to call the “happier side of Instagram”, where home renovation projects and pretty home decor filled my feed, instead of bad news. I decorated with a vengeance, fueling all my rage at what was happening in the country into creating a home that made me smile.
Many of these purchases were second-hand purchases from Facebook Marketplace and Etsy, so I feel a little bit better about it, but still.
Long story short, I didn’t even attempt a no buy year, just a LOW BUY year, and I still failed. So my #1 reason not to do a no buy year? A year is a really long time, and you cannot predict what will happen that will derail your best of intentions.
Here are five month-long challenges to consider doing, instead.
P.S. The Nespresso machine pictured above is one of the few things we didn’t buy this year. It was handed down to me by a friend, and I am loving it!
5 Challenges to Do Instead of a No Buy Year
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There is nothing inherently wrong with buying things. Money exists to serve you, and not being willing to spend it on your needs and even wants can be just as big a problem as overspending (I have one kid who takes spartan to a whole new level).
As long as you’re spending intentionally, staying within your budget and bringing things into your home that bring you joy, please: spend without guilt.
But when your spending starts to get out of control and interfere with your long-term goals, one of these challenges can help you take a breath and refocus on what matters most to you.
Personally, we are about halfway to what we need for a second used car, and I need to start contributing to my Roth IRA again this year.
What I love about these challenges is that they last only one month. Once again, a year is a VERY long time.
(After trying to buy no new clothes for a year, I honestly should have known better.)
So here are five challenges to do instead of a No Buy Year. You can do anything for a month!
Related: 7 Things to Declutter in January (for a Fresh Start)
1. No Amazon Month
Oh Amazon, you’re both a blessing and a curse. After watching The Buy Now! Shopping Conspiracy documentary, I am even more aware of how much Amazon is responsible for our overconsumption problems.
However, we do live rurally, over thirty minutes away from Walmart, Target, or Costco. Even our grocery store is over twenty minutes away!
So when we needed new snow shovels and Amazon could deliver it the next day, I was pretty grateful. And I am so thankful for our monthly subscription purchases like toilet paper that take a sliver of the mental load off of my overtaxed brain.
That being said, the ease and speed of purchases is a problem. “You can just return it,” they say, but I don’t even want to think about how many Amazon returns go to a landfill.
Committing to just one month without buying non-necessities from Amazon can help create new buying habits, like adding an item to the cart and waiting 72 hours before making a final purchase (you probably will end up skipping it).
A “No Amazon Month” can break the dopamine spending cycle. This is likely the one we’ll choose to do as a family in January, aside from our monthly subscriptions.
2. Use It Up Challenge
With the “Use It Up” challenge, you tell yourself that yes, you can buy new, but first, you need to use the old ones.
This challenge applies mostly to consumables: make-up, toiletries, cleaning products, candles, household goods like paper towels or toilet paper and food.
Sometimes, we over-order things like lotions and shampoos. Or we forget we already had it because #adhdproblems.
I like that instead of focusing on never buying more of something, it says “yes, you can buy more when.” So cancel auto deliveries of the things you have too much of, and commit to using things up.
If after a month, you have items leftover that you don’t want, consider giving things away – like unopened toiletries to homeless shelters, or regifting unused candles to friends or family.
3. Pantry Clean Out Challenge
January is my favorite time of the year to declutter the pantry!
It’s a slower month in our home. We have a month-long homeschool co-op break, and soccer is off for the season.
It’s the perfect time to take everything out of our pantry cabinets to see what I have and wipe them down. I also take advantage of the cold and set all of my deep freezer items outside to defrost the freezer, wipe it clean and take inventory.
A Pantry Clean Out Challenge helps you reset your grocery spending and organize your pantry so that as little as possible goes to waste in the future. Shape your meal plan around what you already have in order to use everything up that isn’t expired and start fresh for the year.
If pantry items are not meal ingredients, make a list of what you have and tape it to the fridge, so everyone can see it. Or if you can handle it sitting out for a few days, put out snacks on the kitchen table or counter where they’ll definitely get eaten.
You Might Also Like: 5 Easy Steps to a Minimalist Pantry You Love (No Decanting Required)
4. Eat at Home Month
Another slightly different take on the Pantry Clean Out Challenge, at Eat at Home Month can help reset your eating out habits.
According to Wallet Hub, “American households spend an average of $3,228 a year on dining out” (source).
On average, we spend $75-100 a week eating out. Not bad for a family of seven. Still, $100 a week adds up!
We probably won’t be doing this one, but it’s a comfort to know that if we really needed to, we could give up eating out and save $400 a month.
5. No Spend January
Up for going cold turkey for an entire month? No Spend January is for you!
Like doing a low buy year, do a little planning ahead of time. Figure out what you already know you’re going to need to buy, and define what you truly need.
Is weekly takeout a true need for you to stay sane? Put it on the “ok to buy” list. Is your dryer on its last legs and won’t make it to February? Put it on the list.
After you’ve listed out items you’ll truly need to buy beyond food at home, restrict all other spending for a month besides bills.
If you need help, set up safeguards for yourself like delete your credit card information from your browser, so you’re forced to enter it every time you make a purchase. Put “No Spend January” on your phone’s screen saver to remind you you’re not spending money this month.
If you want to get really hardcore, give a friend a check for $100 that they’ll cash only if you break your commitment to No Spend January.
You Can Do Anything for a Month, Right?
I don’t do New Year’s resolutions anymore, and I try my best not to set goals.
As a stay at home, homeschooling mom of five, I found that ambitious goals weren’t good for my mental health, since my kids needing things were often the reason I didn’t meet them. Blocked goals was a source of resentment that didn’t serve me or my family.
I’ve also read so many posts about how January 1st is a really bad time to commit to fresh starts and ambitious goals, at least in the northern hemisphere where we’re deep in the middle of winter. Spring is a better time for it.
Still, there is something about that post-holiday, new year energy that is so enticing! Or maybe it’s just the post-holiday spending hangover?
But the fact that culturally, everyone is choosing words and setting goals and giving things up…if can jump on that energy for just one month? I mean…why not?
Are you thinking about doing a challenge in January? Which one? Share in the comments!
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