I started a No Buy Year

Why I'm doing it and what it involves

Inspired by the book, The Year of Less by

Cait Flanders

, I decided to embark on my very own No Buy Year in November 2023. Technically speaking, all of 2023 was supposed to be a No Buy Year but it turns out ‘don’t buy anything’ isn’t a very useful rule and gives you lots of wriggle room to buy chippies from KFC. You know, as a treat.

I was probably doomed right from the start. In January of 2023, myself and seven members of my extended Māori whānau travelled around Japan for six weeks on a Prime Minister’s Scholarship where we engaged with the indigenous Ainu people. I tried my best, but there’s only so many Muji stores, Uniqlos, and second hand shops you can throw my way before I cave. In the end, I bought a bunch of unnecessary clothes that felt very necessary at the time, like a pair of cute Docs and an awesome quilted jacket that would later get slobbered on by hungry deer.

So, what makes this new No Buy Year different? First off, I began it in November, so it’s not a New Years resolution thing. You can start something new any time in the year and I have a suspicion that committing to it when you’re actually ready, not when the date changes, will make your latest endeavour more likely to succeed. 

Secondly, I actually have some intentions and criteria this time that will help guide my No Buy Year. To help me out (and following Cait’s example in the book), I’ve created three lists:

• The Essentials List - The things I’m allowed to buy when they run out

• The Non-essentials List - The things I’m not allowed to buy

• The Approved Shopping list - Specific things that I’m allowed to buy

In The Year of Less, Cait is very clear about what goes on each of these lists. There’s no big promises about only eating food at home or ditching all fun activities. Instead she encourages you to be realistic and prioritise the things you care about. Travel because you’ll have to do a lot of it for work anyway? Yes. Alcohol because it’s a comfortable crutch to help avoid other things? Definitely not. Getting specific and clear about what areas you want to invest in or avoid I think is key to making a No Buy Year work. So far it’s really helped me stay on track.

To be transparent, here’s what I put on my three lists and some of the reasons why they’re there.

The Essentials List

• Groceries

• Toiletries

• Gifts for others

That’s it. This is pretty much the same list Cait had and I really struggled to think about what else I would need to absolutely spend money on that could be added, but I just couldn’t. For context, when I say ‘toiletries,’ these really are the things I use every day, not experimenting with fancy shampoo or face creams.

The Non-essentials List

• Clothes, shoes, accessories

• Household items (decor, furniture, etc.)

• Electronics

• Cleaning supplies (buckets, cloths, etc.)

• New kitchen supplies

• Nice to haves, like stationery, books, magazines, zines, art supplies, art.

• New subscriptions, apps or memberships

• Eating lunch out unless it’s with other people

It hurt to add things like books and zines to this list, but the beauty of deciding what is ‘non-essential’ is that it makes you be brutally honest with yourself about what you’re willing to go without for a year. For me, this list really covers a) my money problem areas and b) the source of a lot of stress, which is clutter. In her book, Cait doesn’t just embark on a No Buy Year, she also declutters 70% of her belongings. For her - and this made a lot of sense to me - this challenge was a way to reclaim some control over her life and to understand what really mattered to her. Saving money was an added bonus.

In order to build this list properly, it’s important that you only add things that you feel like you already have enough of to last you for the rest of the year. There’s no point adding something like ‘clothes’ to this list just to “save money” when you know that you’ll need to replace a pair of jeans soon. The Non-essentials list is really about avoiding those unnecessary impulse purchases. For items that you know you need to replace or would really like to purchase in the next year, you can add them to your Approved Shopping List.

The Approved Shopping List

• Rug for the living room

• Rug for upstairs entrance

• Something breaks and has to be replaced

• Air purifier

• Stock, supplies, packaging, subscriptions, etc. for my business

• Frames

• Travel

Seeing Cait’s list really helped when it came to writing out my own Approved Shopping List. Everything that’s listed is something that I know we’ll either need to spend money on soon (e.g. visiting my parents in a different city) or that we’ve been intending to buy for some time now. Again, a little bit of thought does need to go into this list, but if it’s something that you think you’ll really need or want in the year, then add it. The only limit I’ve given myself is that this list should probably have less than ten things on it so that I’m not taking the mickey out of the exercise.

I have added to this list since I first made it back in November. Usually because I’d forgotten something vital during the initial brainstorming phase, like resources for my business, but I’ve also added picture frames because we still need some for a few more pieces of art. Just like the Non-essentials list, the items you give yourself permission to buy is bespoke and completely up to you.

So, how is the No Buy Year going and is my husband taking part? Great questions!

---

Why do a No Buy Year?

The obvious answer is to save money. By limiting spending, we’ll hopefully have more left over after payday to put towards savings, particularly while we’re not earning as much. Reading about Cait’s journey and her considered approach to her No Buy Year was really compelling. It offered an approach that allowed me to see for the first time a clear path to successfully sticking to a No Buy Year, and I’m happy to say that it’s largely working so far.

Is your husband doing a No Buy Year as well?

No. It’s not really his thing to do challenges like this and he’s already really good with money. I struggle with impulse and emotional spending, so this seemed like a good thing for me to try out. I tend to do better with some rules and processes in place, so Cait’s three lists have been a helpful framework.

Why declutter during a No Buy Year?

During Cait’s No Buy Year, she didn’t just limit her spending; she also decluttered 70% of her belongings. That is a lot of stuff. While reading her book, I was struck by how vital this step seemed to completing the journey. Having too much stuff, especially if it’s not serving a particular purpose, can be a real burden. I love that Cait chose to do this alongside her year of mindful spending. Not only did she become more aware of what she was bringing into her space and her life, but she also examined why she was keeping certain objects around. This inevitably led to better purchasing decisions and less impulse buying. I hope it has the same effect on me.

So, how IS it going?

Just like Cait, I’ve had some close calls. I didn’t have to return an online purchase like she did, but I did cancel a free exercise class trial the day after I signed up because, as experience has taught me, I’d probably keep paying for a membership and rarely ever attend.

The biggest change I’ve noticed is how much money I no longer spend on getting lunch out. I often struggle to feed myself due to being neurodivergent, so in the past I’ve relied on the local bakery or sushi spot when I need to eat at work. Since starting my No Buy Year in November 2023, I think I’ve only gotten lunch out once during work, which is huge considering my previous habits.

It hasn’t all been rosy - I have slapped together some GRIM microwaveable convenience meals in my pursuit of the ‘no lunches out’ lifestyle. But at least I’m fed! Groceries are (obviously) on the Essentials list, so one concession I have made is that I can buy more ready-to-eat meals and snack food during our weekly shop than I usually would. I try to avoid these products, largely because of all the plastic, but I know that I’m better off fed so I’m not tempted to sneak over to the KFC during a break (though I do love Wicked Wings). I’m sure there’ll be more compromises and challenges ahead, but having those three clear lists to follow has been incredibly helpful.

---

I’ll keep you updated throughout the year, but I’d love to know if you’ve ever done a No Buy Year before. How did it go? Did you make it to the end? What did you learn or what challenged you more than you thought it would? Drop a comment so we can commiserate!

---

---

Want to support my work?

• New here? Consider becoming a free subscriber 😊

• Share take out books with someone who you think would like it 💌

• Become a paid subscriber on Substack - get access to the full archive of past posts and help to fund cool new content. It’s only $5/month or $50/year!

• Follow me on Instagram @takeoutbooks and @kimcandraw

• See what I’m reading on Storygraph