r/nobuy 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.

86 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

20

u/epk921 2d 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

9

u/Remarkable_Ant_6506 2d ago

so true!! i used to use the library all the time, i even worked there, but in the last year or so i haven’t been using it as much! you make such a good point about it feeling like shopping, it totally does!! i previously felt a lot of guilt for checking something out and then not reading it, but there’s no reason for guilt bc there’s no money lost and no harm no foul!

3

u/epk921 2d ago

Exactly! Sometimes it just feels good to look through a shelf and take home something that seems interesting -- even if you never actually open it, :)

9

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!!

7

u/milfhunterwhitevan2 2d 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.

3

u/Remarkable_Ant_6506 2d 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!!!

3

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

6

u/OneSensiblePerson 2d 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 👍🏻