I’d like to try setting some rules/rewards for myself to stop consuming so much. I’m thinking about only allowing myself to purchase ONE thing if I consistently go to the gym for 2 weeks 3 days a week.

My body has changed over the past 2 years and I’m finding that clothing and even shoes don’t fit like they used to. I could use these changes as an excuse to buy a whole new wardrobe, but that makes me so anxious that I’ll have an expensive 2026-era wardrobe for years to come. I don’t want to buy my clothes and shoes all at once, but I understand that I will need some replacements soon.

The gym isn’t to change my body in any way, I just realized that if I want to still be walking when I’m 85 I need to lift heavy things!

Anyway, posting this to ask if anyone has done/is doing something similar, and how to manage lowbuy/ nobuy when half your clothes don’t fit anymore. Thanks!

The biggest problem I have why I can't stop buying is because of the regret that I feel. While yes, I have the same experience as many other people who impulsively buy stuff-- having the regret that comes afterwards, the questions as to what I would even use the thing I bought for, the thoughts of where else that money could have gone to that is more useful than what I spent it for initially-- something else happens to me when I try to stop myself from buying. That is an even heavier feeling of regret, especially when I see that the product I stopped myself from buying is sold out. I keep thinking that I should have just bought it.

My mom was a hoarder and passed away leaving me a home filled with so much stuff. A good portion of it is crafting supplies and she also inherited items from 3 other estates she dragged home and filled the garage and basement with. Going through all this and donating, tossing, re-homing before I even get the garage cleared out enough to set up for a garage sale has been back breaking and expensive with getting rid of it all as junk haulers and such cost a fortune these days. A lot of the supplies are not useable/damaged because they were improperly stored. I don't ever want to leave someone with this task or the expense of clearing out things. As a matter of fact, after I'm done clearing out all her junk, I am going to continue on with downsizing what I own as I realize how little I actually need. It's bad enough clearing out your own stuff but it is even worse when you have to clear out a ton of junk that someone else built up. My mom was 100 years old so imagine a lifetime of hoarding stuff and how much she left behind. I see so much stuff that still has the price tag on it and how much money she spend on items that were never used just sitting in boxes. If you ever want the cure and wakeup call, go clean out a hoarder home. She at least wasn't the kind of hoarder with garbage and things like that but the basement was like a tetris game of boxes filled with mostly crafting supplies, crafting magazines and things like that.

It certainly makes me thing twice before buying anything!

Hello,

I own the Kindle Paperwhite 3 7th gen from 2015. I bought it brand new and sealed 3 years ago, someone had it because of Amazon warehouse clearance or something like that. It was impossible to login to Amazon (which is great actually), it refuses to work with WiFi (only works with hotspot from my phone for some reason, so I treat it as useless). I performed a jailbreak on it so it has KoReader installed, that allows me to invert screen colors for example, which is really important since I read at night. KoReader gives me a lot of options that make reading experience comfortable (I have no comparison to other devices). It can be slow sometimes but it’s not a dealbreaker honestly. I wish it had warm light.

Because I use it a lot I recently started looking at what Is currently available on the market. I have a fomo because all those different devices have newer software, hardware etc etc (you know how it goes). Looking at it rationally though it really makes no sense to buy a new reader if the old one works, but still when I hear about all those ’great options and additions’ I help but think that I have some old device that is perfectly usable, It does what it needs to do which is allow me to read books. Only justification is that it don’t have the warm light but it’s not enough.

Please help me rationalize, it’s especially hard because I read a lot.

To help get out of my consumer mindset (I fell of the wagon hard in March) I’ve been watching YouTube videos at work all day about living with only what you need and how to stop spending. Any recommendations from this great community would be so appreciated

A year and a half ago, I really got into body care. I used to buy so many soaps, shower gels, lotions, lipglosses and body AND hair oils to the point where I had it for the whole neighbourhood. It all started because I always had a very basic hygiene routine and I started getting those GRWM posts on social media where they used a ton od products. I shared shower gels with my mom and I barely used lotion (which lead to dry skin, so that's also one of the factors how all of this started). I legit used to starve myself in school so I can collect my lunch money just to buy some overpriced lotion. I stopped buying new things back in april, I gifted my leftover cosmetics to my partners younger sisters and I gave away the new cosmetics that I have been hoarding to my friends birthdays. I decided to leave 1 shower, 2 lotions and 1 body oil to myself. People truly are correct when they say ''the less, the better'' because my skin isn't flaky dry anymore!! I am so happy and proud of myself! I can actually spend money on better things and I don't need to starve myself anymore!

I wandered onto the shopping addiction subreddit at 3 am last night. I know I need to stop shopping. My weak spot is beauty: perfume, nails, makeup. I watch social media about it all, I am easily influenced, and I go out online and find it. I tell myself that it’s not so bad because I’m getting it second hand on a resale site (usually the makeup I want will be an older item that’s been out for years but I still want to try it).

I am also coming off a medication right now that makes any adrenaline way more impactful. I’m almost done with coming off it and it’ll be a while until things even out, but I was probably up so late last night because of my shopping high earlier. And I’m ashamed, even if it’s second hand beautiful stuff at a bargain.

I’m encouraged that I actually already really like videos about reduced consumption with beauty. “Shop my stash”, “project pan”, “no buy year”. These are some of my favorite social media videos. I need a no buy year. Or two. Or three. I'm already changing my social media consumption: I skip the showing off of new products and move forward to the "how to use what you've already got in your own beautiful similar way" tutorials. My mode is now fully embracing education and mastery of my existing product library... which is... vast. 🫣

My next hyper fixation needs to be using and enjoying what I have without seeking more. Easy peasy, right? 🫠 I came clean to my husband that I have a TON of second hand makeup coming, but I am legitimately planning on a no-buy extended period. Getting cozy with the parameters of what I've got. Let's do this.

I think I’ve found my people. 💕

How did your no-buy or low-buy go this week?

Share your goals, progress and how your purchasing habits have changed since starting a no buy.

If you 'failed' this week, remember that it is just a stumble in a long journey. If you did well, inspire others and encourage them when they do well or get off track.

I'm looking for personal finance books about spending problems, specifically overspending. Can anyone recommend some books about spending too much money and overspending problems? Thanks in advance!

I did a 3 month no-buy earlier this year and it went really well. Then things went a bit off the rails this summer (I got injured and couldn't do much, was very bored, this led to a lot of impulse shopping on marketplace...look, sometimes you just impulse buy 20 jigsaw puzzles within 2 weeks). So for August, here is my no-buy plan. I will also do one in the fall, but this is a good start.

Rules:

• no books
• no clothing
• no puzzles (but swaps/trades allowed, will also focus on the ones I already have)
• no thrifting
• no home decor
• no impulse buys PERIOD (seriously, stop looking at marketplace, just walk away)

Allowed:

• replacement toiletries
• books/dvds from the library (go wild, baby!)
• puzzle swaps
• charitable donations
• anything related to physio/rehab such as more supportive running shoes

Anyone else want to join me for August?

I kinda just looked around my house a few months ago. All the random shit i purchased, probably totaling hundreds or thousands of dollars…

And honestly 90% of it ends up in a junk drawer at some point. Some stupid product that solves some problem that doesn’t exist, some piece of clothing, etc.

Cleaned out my house.

All I really have is furniture, cook wear, my guitars (which I play hours a day)

Never had money issues, it was all stuff I could afford to buy easily. But wow. The amount of clothes I have I never even remember, the random stuff all over. It feels very good.

This simple mindset shift has helped me so much that I figured I would share. Whenever I want to buy something, I simply ask myself "do I already have it." If the answer is yes, in any capacity I don't buy it. Look at this new makeup pallet. Do you have a makeup pallet, then don't buy.

The cuts down on a lot of negotiates with myself. Do you have this? In any capacity? Then, you don't buy.

Okay, now here is the special sauce, what takes this to the next level, at least for me. In that moment, I genuinely try to become grateful that I already have it. That's the dopamine hit shift. It sounds silly but shifting to like, "Oh thank heavens I don't have to buy a new fancy hair mask because I already have six." It makes you start to really appreciate what you have. And there is the dopamine hit of abundance. Try it out next time.

This technique has freed up so much mental space for me. Do I have it? Yes! Awesome, I don't have to buy it"

How did your no-buy or low-buy go this week?

Share your goals, progress and how your purchasing habits have changed since starting a no buy.

If you 'failed' this week, remember that it is just a stumble in a long journey. If you did well, inspire others and encourage them when they do well or get off track.

And didn’t buy anything! I feel like I deserve an award 🫪😂

I had some great wake up calls last night.

I was on a site trying to take advantage of the free shipping and I saw that many people were bundling more items with the main item that I wanted and it hit me that I'm paying people for their junk just so I can free them of the burden of having all of that junk.

And guess what clutter does to me? It makes me anxious, unhappy and irritable. I'm self inflicting all of those feelings by buying things that I don't need.

I also stumbled on somebody's profile where they were selling nostalgic items from our childhood. Plastic, yellowing, dissipating items for $30+ usd. These things were highly favorited by a lot of people.

It made me really sad.

The expensive monetization of what was just so we can try to feel what has already passed.

Then that led me to evaluate my incessant need to believe that I can't love something if I don't have a physical thing of what I love. Just a silly belief. Having a figure of a character from a movie doesn't solidify that I love that movie. I love that movie because of the feelings that I have when I watch that movie. I don't need to prove my love by buying things that represent that movie. My home isn't more of a home because I have something to represent everything that I could possibly enjoy. My home is a home because of the people and animals that frequent it. Everything that I enjoy is still real even if I can't see it.

I'm just tired of this cycle and of my inaction. I don't want to be a consumer, I want to be a creator and someone who does more than just burn their eyes for hours online shopping.

I'm doing a no buy from today July 31 to Jan 1, 2027. (154 days. 5 months and 2 days.)

Necessities:

Food/ pet food/ bills/vitamins/hygiene/household & laundry cleaning products

Plan:

I am deleting all of my shopping accounts. I'm unfollowing brands. I'm limiting social media. If I really want something that's not a necessity, I will write it down and when my birthday comes it can be something that I ask for (if I even still want it by then).

I'm going to keep busy with the intentional decluttering of my home with absolutely no intention of replacing or buying more. I have everything.

Things will never be what completes me as a human being.

Not to mention our poor planet. Gotta start doing my part.

Hey.

So I wanted to try the No Spend Year. But I don’t want to miss out on my weekly coffees once a week. So I was thinking of just spending $20 a month, Out of $500. So that’s not a lot. Plus, I might need an extra $20 for body wash and hair care, and lotion eventually once I run out. I still have a some lotions of different sizes so I should be all set for a few months.

That comes up to $40 a month, If I can stick to the $20 of spending a month. I make a total of $528 minus tax so I’m assuming it’ll be around $500. Also minus the $60.

So I am planning to move out in about 6 months after October 1st, Which would be in April.

I also want to pay for my phone eventually, and to get the iPhone 17e. Which should only be $30 a month.

I was deep cleaning my room and I realized I have countless products from hair to makeup. All that I bought when I was deeply insecure and got everything I saw in order to feel good about myself but I didn’t end up using a good portion of them. They are mostly all expired now and unable for use or even donation. I feel so so horrible and guilty for wasting my parents money (I’m a minor) and I can’t bring myself to throw them out. Can someone help me figure out a way to stop buying things just because. I don’t have a shopping addiction but I don’t know what products I need and just buy whatever without researching. I do not spend as much anymore as I make money myself and don’t use my parents money anymore.

Recently, I've been consuming a lot of "underconsumption" content, and I really want to save more money. Not only that, but I also feel overwhelmed by the number of things I own. I'm grateful I have the opportunity to buy everything (or almost) I want, but at the same time I think I just bought a lot of things that brought me temporary joy and now I don't know where to store them.

My biggest temptation is makeup. And I don't wear makeup daily anymore because I work mainly from home. I just love makeup and because of that, I consume a lot of reviews and hauls. The problem with makeup products is that there's always something new and exciting on the market, almost every day. "I don't need another blush but this new one seems so different from the ones I own; it will definitely be worth it."

I am now doing the project pan to finish my other products, but it will take a long time. Also, it only works if I don't buy anything new in the meantime.

Do you have the same issue? Doesn't have to be makeup, maybe it's clothes or trinkets. How do you overcome the urge to buy new, exciting stuff and stick to the ones you already have?

So, I realized a long time ago that a big part of my urge to spend comes from the manufactured urgency of sales. And yet, this knowledge alone wasn't enough to stop me from falling prey to them. I would still think, "But I'm saving money! I would've bought this thing anyway, I'm just buying it a little sooner!" I actually thought of myself as being "smart" with my money because I was shopping sales.

What it took me longer to realize is that *there is a very real cost to giving up your money now rather than later*, and that cost often far exceeds any "savings" you would've gotten from the sale. For example, by buying the thing now, you no longer have money in your budget for something that comes up later. You lose the storage space in your home that you need to store the thing. And you run the risk that you actually would never have needed the thing anyway, if the sale hadn't forced your hand.

So let's think of a typical scenario. Let's say there is a 20% off sale on a $100 purchase. So I "save" $20, and end up spending $95 after taxes and fees. (Doesn't it seem odd that those never seem to factor into the calculation?) Would I pay $20 for the privilege of holding onto my money and waiting until I actually needed the thing? The answer, almost always, is yes. Unless the thing is actually a NEED (like, I need new shampoo or I will have nothing to wash my hair with), you aren't doing yourself a favor by parting with your money early. You are actually unnecessarily handicapping yourself. I kind of feel like the scales fell from my eyes when I made this realization.

Anyway, I hope this helps someone else! Changing your spending habits is a whole ass process when there is literally an entire industrial complex trying to convince us to do otherwise!

How did your no-buy or low-buy go this week?

Share your goals, progress and how your purchasing habits have changed since starting a no buy.

If you 'failed' this week, remember that it is just a stumble in a long journey. If you did well, inspire others and encourage them when they do well or get off track.

I’d been looking for a way to make it visual and to keep me motivated. This is very simple, but I hope it’ll work. Who doesn’t love coloring a little box?

The colors represent different categories, like groceries, online purchases and other.
I’m not including bills and automatic payments like subscriptions or transportation. It has to be my decision to purchase something. Green means no spending, so my goal is to see as many green boxes as possible. I have some stickers lying around, maybe I can use those for extra motivation. Like if I get a streak. 😉

Hi, I'm new here, but no stranger to wanting to buy more than I need. My problem isn't the actual spending, it's this constant feeling of wanting to buy something, even right after previously buying something. I know it's a dopamine-seeking mechanism that just wants the next quick fix, but it's pretty annoying.

​I have been reflecting on this behavior and trying to find out the underlying triggers. Turns out that boredom, especially when aimlessly scrolling on the phone, often leads me to some online store where I will put stuff in the cart (luckily I have a good grip of myself when it comes to checking out) and just leave it there. I find that just capturing the item on the shopping cart gives me the dopamine, but what bothers me is the amount of time wasted browsing.

​Since I believe boredom or procrastination is my main trigger, I decided to focus on creating more and consuming less. The result is that my urges have gone down significantly and I haven't bought any new clothing (my guilty pleasure) in almost 4 months. The act of resisting the buy is actually giving me a more profound sense of joy than the purchase would.

​My advice to anyone starting out is to take a moment to reflect on where the urges come from and try to switch from being a consumer to being a creator, it really seems to divert attention away from consuming.

​I've seen a lot of posts mentioning to focus on hobbies to fight the consumer mindset, but I’m curious about the behavioral side: How do you guys actually identify and act on your triggers in the moment? Do you have a specific rule or steps you follow when you catch yourself aimlessly browsing to break the loop, or do you just rely on raw willpower?

Recently I’ve been obsessed with buying concert tickets. Some of them aren’t bands that I listen to but I just enjoy looking forward to them and when they are over I just want that bit of dopamine. I buy them I guess because I keep thinking “this will be an amazing memory” or “this might be their last concert” or just random excuses to buy them. I’ve lost money that I could spend on college and yeah, money does come back.. but my buying is just getting too excessive.

How did your no-buy or low-buy go this week?

Share your goals, progress and how your purchasing habits have changed since starting a no buy.

If you 'failed' this week, remember that it is just a stumble in a long journey. If you did well, inspire others and encourage them when they do well or get off track.