How to have a low buy or low spend year

I don’t want to be just another mindless consumer. I want to make sure that what I am spending my money on counts. So, this year I decided to find out how to have a low buy or low spend year! Here’s what I’m planning on doing to make myself successful at my low buy year!

When you decide to have a low buy or low spend year you usually give yourself some rules. Here’s my rules for my low buy or low spend year.

• 90 % of what I purchase must be thrifted or from facebook marketplace (in otherwords not new!)
• I am allowed to replace whatever needs replacing. Examples are: makeup (all stocked up for now!), facial cleansers, soap, shampoo, etc.
• No new dog toys (but may purchase a single lot of dog toys that are pre-owned or thrifted). A lot of my spending is on my dogs!
• My clothes I buy must be thrifted (except bras, panties, socks). Those can be purchased if I need replacements. Right now I’m good so shouldn’t need anything until Fall.
• Gifts may be new but I’m going to try to look at thrift stores and if it’s something I think they will enjoy I will buy it for them as a gift. If not I will stick with something new.
• No new gadgets unless they’re prescribed by a medical doctor (no new phone but if I need a waterpik, etc then that is okay).
• I’m not going to say I can’t eat out. I work from home and am home 96% of the time. If I feel the need to get out occasionally and grab a quick bite to eat then I am going to allow that. I don’t grab Starbucks or drinks out (except at the Moose and I can do whatever I need to there!) or anything so this will usually just be a lunch out.
• No new shoes unless they are replacements. I have plenty of shoes.
• Eating more of the food in my vegetable bins and less throwing it away. I want to be the person that eats all the vegetables and I do try to eat more than normal but sometimes I just don’t want it. I need to make a point of eating what I already bought! Less trips to the grocery store. Ugh, we go too much.
• I’m going to try to get more of the items I need at my local Aldi instead of ordering online and spending so much more money on face cleansers, creams, lotions, etc. But only when it’s time to replace.
• No buying of new books. I have an entire shelf full of books I bought at thrift stores that I haven’t read. Get to reading them, girlfriend!
• Very little purchasing on Amazon. I already bought something this year on Amazon but it was for someone else so that doesn’t technically count. I don’t want to buy things that I want from Amazon. I can add it to a wishlist on Amazon and if I want it in a month then I can consider that a birthday or Christmas want! I want to work on sourcing it locally if possible and thrifted would be for the best!

Now my reasons why I’m doing this.

• I want to get the most use out of my items.
• I want to declutter and by using my items I will be getting rid of items as well. I’m going to try to declutter 20 things per month this year.
• Last year I had a salary reduction because of sales. I want to ensure I’m able to continue working from home and making the most use out of the money that comes into my home.
• I want to fix the things that aren’t perfect. So, my pants with a hole in the knee, I need to mend them. Not get new ones! That’s the goal anyway.
• I want to ensure I’m eating the food I’m buying and it’s not going to waste. For example, turning one meal into three ie. roast, turns into beef stew, turns into the beginnings of a vegetable beef soup, etc.
• I want to be a good steward of what I already have.

My tendencies are to watch the people on youtube who think the way I do and do the things I do. I love to watch the ones who do low buy or no buy years. I just know I’m not ready to do a no buy year…yet. I also know my husband doesn’t believe the way I do. So, him and I will do different things this year and that’s okay. I’m the only person I can control and that’s all that matters. I do tend to be an Earth lover, so, why not try one of these with me as well. If you do, tell me what your rules are! I love to hear from you. Tell me your low buy stories and let’s do a check in monthly on how we’re doing! I can’t wait to hear from you. One thing you’ll notice is I try really hard to not push you to buy things. I don’t want that to be my job. So you coming here to read my articles is all the profit I make. Thank you for taking the time to read.

Before you go check out some of my other articles.

• Slow Living vs Soft Living the differences
• How to live well on less
• How to pick multiple income streams
• Set your kids up for success with money

Before you go please don’t forget to give me a like on facebook, subscribe on my youtube page or if instagram is your game you can find me here!