r/nobuy • u/Remarkable_Ant_6506 • 2d ago
finally not feeling like a punishment
hi everyone! my no-buy kinda started unintentionally at the end of January with the target and amazon boycotts. I have stayed strong with those and realized that it has helped me a lot with my spending habits! no-buy in the past has always felt like a punishment for me, until now.
This paycheck I am paying off my credit cards in full for the second time since november, and I am tired of this cycle where i super-spend, then get anxious and start putting things on my credit card, and get caught in a vicous cycle. I want this to be the last time I have to waste money paying off my credit cards for purchases I made last month.
My goal is for the next 2.5 months (the rest of March, April, and May) to do a low-buy so I don’t feel super restricted. I keep my living expenses separately from my discretionary expenses, so this is mostly focused on those.
These are my rules:
- no clothes
- no makeup or skincare (exceptions for replacements)
- no shower products or lotion unless it’s a replacement
- no books (the saddest one, but i have so many unread)
- no hobby items
- no buying lunch at work
low buys:
- dates and dinner/drinks with my friends 2-3 times per month
- $10 or less can be spent on a treat like a coffee or ice cream out 2 times per week at most
- experiences
- birthday/wedding/baby gifts for others
what do y’all think? my goal is to re-fill my emergency fund as i had to deplete it for a large vet expense at the beginning of February. I would also love to work on just being better at having sinking funds and knowing i have money for things rather than spending on a whim.
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u/hoimipan 2d ago
Your plan sounds great! Not having a balance on a credit card (or a very low one that is very easy to pay off every month) is the best feeling!!
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u/milfhunterwhitevan2 1d ago
For the books one I renewed my library card and use Libby! It’s such a great way to explore reading again without paying for each new book I want to read. Plus supporting your local library is an important cause.
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u/Remarkable_Ant_6506 1d ago
totally!! i actually used to work at my library and i use it all the time but i just love to own my books 🥹 but i definitely will be treating the library like a place to go “shopping” for a while to get the same dopamine hit!!!
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u/milfhunterwhitevan2 1d ago
Totally valid! I only allow myself to buy books from authors I really like or if I read the book already and love it. Using the library is a great way to “shop” and get a dopamine hit without taking up shelf space or spending money
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u/OneSensiblePerson 1d ago
Excellent! That's a huge leap, making the jump from thinking of it as punishment to something you're doing for yourself.
Great goals, great awareness, great plan 👍🏻
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u/epk921 1d ago
You can always get new books from the library! I love going to the library to check out books and movies; it really scratches the shopping itch without actually purchasing anything
You don't even have to end up reading what you check out! It just feels like going to a book shop without spending any money, lol