Really enjoyed this post. I’ve sat on the fence for such a long time about doing a no buy (I just think I’m setting myself up to fail!) instead I love the idea of low-buy, and for the last 4 or 5 years I’ve been so conscious about what I’m buying and really leaning into secondhand over new purchases.
I'm doing a low buy and aiming for 12 items (1 for each month). I'm adding anything I think I want to a wishlist and then revisiting at the end of the month to see if I really want it.
Not that it’s TOTALLY the same, but I know I can be wasteful by purchasing coffee every morning that comes in a single-use plastic or “biodegradable” cup (not that I really believe in the advertised biodegradability always). It’s also a tax on my finances to purchase a $7 latte everyday. BUT, it’s my “little treat” and routine that grounds me in a hectic day. My goal is to purchase less than everyday - that sounds really loosey-goosey but if I try to go from 7 days to 4 days I know I’m going to fail - and be more consistent in bringing my reusable cup with me. I appreciate your note on mindfulness because making these big sweeping changes aren’t always effective, sometimes it’s just being more thoughtful of our everyday choices that makes the difference!
Holley, I'm so with you on this! My little treat has become a matcha latte which tastes so much better from my favorite coffee shop vs. when I make it at home :) You make an excellent point about bringing your own cup and I forgot that this is even an option. I'm going to start doing that asap - tysm for sharing this!
I'm not doing a specific low buy this year (yet...we'll see how things go!) but my primary goal this year is to buy fewer, higher quality pieces that I truly love and will last for years in my wardrobe. Loved hearing your thoughts on your experience and what you're focusing on in 2025!
Yes, same - higher quality pieces and buying less is my goal going forward. The way you're structuring what you're not buying in 2025 is a great idea - I'm so with you on the button-ups.
I started a clothes no-buy late last summer, and am doing a general no/low-buy for everything else apart from food, etc, but going month by month.
I think you are wise not to restrict yourself at this point, because you have clear goals and you are in the process of building your sustainable wardrobe. I have found that when I feel as though I am being restricted (even when its self-imposed), I'm more likely to want to rebel and less likely to stick to it, and it's been much easier to do now, knowing I have every eventuality covered.
Going month by month is so smart so you can gauge what works for you. Agree that these pledges can get restrictive, so it's nice to have some flexibility built in :)
A bit off topic - but how do you read 200 books per year on a practical level? I recently was floored with these numbers by you and Xue - a book is at least several hours of time, and I usually feel very good if I do 50 per year - do you read very fast or is it some kind of routine? Genuinely very curious!
I'm also blown away by Xue's reading! And 50 books is such a feat, especially since most books fall into the 300-400 page range. Reading has been my favorite thing to do since I was little, so I think I'm just in the habit of carving out time. When I'm by myself I tend to read instead over watching tv. If I'm eating a meal by myself, waiting for an appointment, on the train, or on a stationary machine at the gym I'm probably reading a book. I listen to 10ish audiobooks/year which I count in my total and love a gamified personal challenge, so my Goodreads goal keeps me on track :)
I'm going to continue to be low buy as I'm pretty satisfied with my wardrobe right now, but I don't think I'll be putting a specific number on it. I'm glad your 10 buys of the year were practical and enjoyable!
I’m not doing a buying pledge because I’ve had trouble with overshopping in the past and I don’t want to set myself up for a failure. However I’ve been doing intensive trauma therapy and noticed I’ve been shopping much less and returning things much more often. I only kept two items I bought in December which is big change for me. So I’m more interested in the working from the inside out theory and things will fall into place rather than imposing outer restrictions on myself that I tend to rebel against. That’s what’s helping for now and I’m excited to carry it into 2025.
I’ve been enjoying reading about your journey and your thoughtfulness about consumption.
Totally Sita - knowing yourself and what sets you up for success is so important. That's amazing that you're already making progress going into 2025. Thank you for the kind words :)
I am also not doing a buying pledge but that’s because I feel like I’m in a healthy place with my consumption. I wishlist everything and never buy with impulse; everything is always within my budget and the number of pieces I end up regretting has diminished significantly. I do credit a no-buy I did with lots of learning but (more than that) I made genuine change as a result so I’m content!
100% Kelly! No/low buys are so helpful in creating long-lasting change. Agree it's a great reset for impulse shopping, especially (for me) for fast fashion.
Kelly, it sounds like you are in a great place with shopping! That’s so interesting that doing a no-buy helped you to get there. I think it probably helps to train us not to be impulsive. Maybe I’ll try one some day when I know I can stick with it :-)
I will continue with my low buy (5-10 new, focusing on resale/vintage) and only sustainable materials. I was inspired to do that in 2024 and it was life changing. I stopped all fast fashion (Zara, HM, Amazon, etc) and impulse buying. I think I ended up with 11 new and the rest resale. It’s a great feeling!!
Francine that's amazing! Cutting out fast fashion and impulse buys are a huge win. I'm curious since I'm working to prioritize more sustainable fabrics - are you buying mostly natural fibers?
Yes! Only 100% leather, cashmere, wool or cotton. And that’s for anything I buy, whether new or pre loved! It helps having these parameters (aside from just asking myself if I really want/need it). Also, I ask myself “does this item deserve being in my closet?”
I’ve found a couple of consignment/thrift stores that are just far away enough that I can’t shop them too often. I think I will plan a monthly trip, and shop with a list.
Lists are such a great way to stay focused - it can be so tempting to buy in the moment! I'm in the same place where the stores I'd love to shop irl aren't convenient to my area, so this works out well :)
I’m on the fence about another low buy pledge. I also enjoyed having a goal to keep from the sales cycles but love the idea of less restrictions in my overall life even more.
Same Sigrid - a no buy isn't in the cards for me atm, but maybe one day. I appreciate how thoughtful you're being with your 20 items for 2025 and enjoyed reading your post on this :)
Really enjoyed this post. I’ve sat on the fence for such a long time about doing a no buy (I just think I’m setting myself up to fail!) instead I love the idea of low-buy, and for the last 4 or 5 years I’ve been so conscious about what I’m buying and really leaning into secondhand over new purchases.
I'm doing a low buy and aiming for 12 items (1 for each month). I'm adding anything I think I want to a wishlist and then revisiting at the end of the month to see if I really want it.
Emily, I love this! Having a number and wishlisting is super helpful and I'm looking forward to reading about your secondhand finds.
Not that it’s TOTALLY the same, but I know I can be wasteful by purchasing coffee every morning that comes in a single-use plastic or “biodegradable” cup (not that I really believe in the advertised biodegradability always). It’s also a tax on my finances to purchase a $7 latte everyday. BUT, it’s my “little treat” and routine that grounds me in a hectic day. My goal is to purchase less than everyday - that sounds really loosey-goosey but if I try to go from 7 days to 4 days I know I’m going to fail - and be more consistent in bringing my reusable cup with me. I appreciate your note on mindfulness because making these big sweeping changes aren’t always effective, sometimes it’s just being more thoughtful of our everyday choices that makes the difference!
Holley, I'm so with you on this! My little treat has become a matcha latte which tastes so much better from my favorite coffee shop vs. when I make it at home :) You make an excellent point about bringing your own cup and I forgot that this is even an option. I'm going to start doing that asap - tysm for sharing this!
I'm not doing a specific low buy this year (yet...we'll see how things go!) but my primary goal this year is to buy fewer, higher quality pieces that I truly love and will last for years in my wardrobe. Loved hearing your thoughts on your experience and what you're focusing on in 2025!
Yes, same - higher quality pieces and buying less is my goal going forward. The way you're structuring what you're not buying in 2025 is a great idea - I'm so with you on the button-ups.
I started a clothes no-buy late last summer, and am doing a general no/low-buy for everything else apart from food, etc, but going month by month.
I think you are wise not to restrict yourself at this point, because you have clear goals and you are in the process of building your sustainable wardrobe. I have found that when I feel as though I am being restricted (even when its self-imposed), I'm more likely to want to rebel and less likely to stick to it, and it's been much easier to do now, knowing I have every eventuality covered.
Going month by month is so smart so you can gauge what works for you. Agree that these pledges can get restrictive, so it's nice to have some flexibility built in :)
A bit off topic - but how do you read 200 books per year on a practical level? I recently was floored with these numbers by you and Xue - a book is at least several hours of time, and I usually feel very good if I do 50 per year - do you read very fast or is it some kind of routine? Genuinely very curious!
I'm also blown away by Xue's reading! And 50 books is such a feat, especially since most books fall into the 300-400 page range. Reading has been my favorite thing to do since I was little, so I think I'm just in the habit of carving out time. When I'm by myself I tend to read instead over watching tv. If I'm eating a meal by myself, waiting for an appointment, on the train, or on a stationary machine at the gym I'm probably reading a book. I listen to 10ish audiobooks/year which I count in my total and love a gamified personal challenge, so my Goodreads goal keeps me on track :)
I love this and I hope to get to your point where slow mindful consumption is my baseline. Happy new year!
Yes please!
Thank you Xue :) Excited to follow along on your no buy January and also maybe hear about what books you're reading.
It's been awesome to realize how many fashion-loving bookworms there are in this community! I might add a book recommendation of the month. :)
Oooh just jumping in to say YES PLEASE to the book recommendations!!
I'm going to continue to be low buy as I'm pretty satisfied with my wardrobe right now, but I don't think I'll be putting a specific number on it. I'm glad your 10 buys of the year were practical and enjoyable!
That is such a great feeling to be happy with your wardrobe - and you style it so well.
I’m not doing a buying pledge because I’ve had trouble with overshopping in the past and I don’t want to set myself up for a failure. However I’ve been doing intensive trauma therapy and noticed I’ve been shopping much less and returning things much more often. I only kept two items I bought in December which is big change for me. So I’m more interested in the working from the inside out theory and things will fall into place rather than imposing outer restrictions on myself that I tend to rebel against. That’s what’s helping for now and I’m excited to carry it into 2025.
I’ve been enjoying reading about your journey and your thoughtfulness about consumption.
Totally Sita - knowing yourself and what sets you up for success is so important. That's amazing that you're already making progress going into 2025. Thank you for the kind words :)
I am also not doing a buying pledge but that’s because I feel like I’m in a healthy place with my consumption. I wishlist everything and never buy with impulse; everything is always within my budget and the number of pieces I end up regretting has diminished significantly. I do credit a no-buy I did with lots of learning but (more than that) I made genuine change as a result so I’m content!
100% Kelly! No/low buys are so helpful in creating long-lasting change. Agree it's a great reset for impulse shopping, especially (for me) for fast fashion.
Kelly, it sounds like you are in a great place with shopping! That’s so interesting that doing a no-buy helped you to get there. I think it probably helps to train us not to be impulsive. Maybe I’ll try one some day when I know I can stick with it :-)
Well, to be fair, mine was 6 weeks which can hardly count BUT I did treat it as a true NO buy which is an accomplishment for 6 weeks.
Absolutely!!
I will continue with my low buy (5-10 new, focusing on resale/vintage) and only sustainable materials. I was inspired to do that in 2024 and it was life changing. I stopped all fast fashion (Zara, HM, Amazon, etc) and impulse buying. I think I ended up with 11 new and the rest resale. It’s a great feeling!!
Thank you for sharing and your question is perfect - I’m going to use that next time I want to buy something.
Francine that's amazing! Cutting out fast fashion and impulse buys are a huge win. I'm curious since I'm working to prioritize more sustainable fabrics - are you buying mostly natural fibers?
Yes! Only 100% leather, cashmere, wool or cotton. And that’s for anything I buy, whether new or pre loved! It helps having these parameters (aside from just asking myself if I really want/need it). Also, I ask myself “does this item deserve being in my closet?”
I’ve found a couple of consignment/thrift stores that are just far away enough that I can’t shop them too often. I think I will plan a monthly trip, and shop with a list.
Lists are such a great way to stay focused - it can be so tempting to buy in the moment! I'm in the same place where the stores I'd love to shop irl aren't convenient to my area, so this works out well :)
I’m on the fence about another low buy pledge. I also enjoyed having a goal to keep from the sales cycles but love the idea of less restrictions in my overall life even more.
Totally in the same boat Lauryn - 2025 feels like a year for putting into action learnings from previous low buys in exchange for less restrictions.
I am doing a low buy of 20 items in 2025. I know I will need to replace things, so a no buy just isn't realistic for me.
Same Sigrid - a no buy isn't in the cards for me atm, but maybe one day. I appreciate how thoughtful you're being with your 20 items for 2025 and enjoyed reading your post on this :)
Thank you so much! Looking forward to see what I'll learn in 2025.