Low-Buy Year: How I Cut Spending and Stress

If you’re like me, you probably noticed a lot of people undertaking low-buy or no-buy challenges on social media at the start of the year. Tired of excessive spending, they set rules to cut down — or eliminate entirely — unnecessary expenses.

Seeing those posts got me reflecting on my own spending habits and the goals I wanted to achieve in 2025: less financial pressure, a more intentionally curated life, and the freedom to plan new experiences without guilt.

So, in January, I decided to embark on my own low-buy experiment and sought insights from experts.

The objective of a low-buy or no-buy challenge is to break the cycle of overconsumption by reducing nonessential spending for a specific period.

“Although social media has made no-buy or low-buy challenges trendy, as a financial expert, I’ve observed this trend annually over the past decade,” says Bola Sokunbi, a certified financial education instructor and founder of Clever Girl Finance in Bridgewater, N.J.

With a low-buy challenge, individuals review their purchases from the previous year and establish rules based on their primary financial challenges. The aim is to redirect saved money towards meaningful financial objectives and transition towards underconsumption.

This challenge involves reevaluating your spending habits, especially if you tend to purchase items that end up cluttering your living space and causing stress. To pinpoint areas for reduction, recognize parts of your home or life that cause overwhelm, suggests Amanda Rakoczy, a content creator from Florida who successfully paid off $50,000 in credit card debt last year.

For instance, if you find yourself stumbling over kids’ toys or struggling to find storage for unused home decor, those expenses are likely worth cutting back on.

New clothing was a significant budget drain for me. My wardrobe felt like a mishmash of fleeting trends, cheap online purchases, and postpartum essentials that didn’t align with my personal style.

For Rakoczy, beauty products were her weakness. “Before I knew it, I had accumulated 20 lip glosses from four different brands,” she shares.

Rakoczy is now embarking on a low-buy challenge with her family.

Practicality and realism are essential for success. “Most people fail at no-buy or low-buy challenges because the rules aren’t tailored to their needs,” Sokunbi explains.

For me, committing to not purchasing any new clothes for an entire year just isn’t feasible. Therefore, I allow myself to buy secondhand clothes, but only those of superior quality compared to what I already own — such as 100% cotton, wool, cashmere, silk, or denim.

I did deviate from my rules once to buy a pair of shoes I had been eyeing for months — but they were heavily discounted, and the purchase felt calculated and premeditated. I embraced the new consumption habits I’m trying to cultivate, and that single purchase didn’t trigger further spending.

Your rules can also be adjusted to suit the current phase of life you’re in.

Rakoczy and her husband opted to divide their low-buy year into quarters, each with distinct rules that align with seasonal expenses and make the challenge more manageable with their two young children.

This quarter, they’re concentrating on saving money at the grocery store. “We noticed a lot of waste, so we managed to cut our grocery bill by nearly $400 for the month,” she notes. They simplified shopping trips, allowing their kids to pick just one snack for the week instead of several.

Another advantage of breaking a longer low-buy challenge into smaller segments is the opportunity for a fresh start. If you slip up, it doesn’t mean the entire experiment has failed.

During the initial stages of a low-buy or no-buy challenge, Sokunbi suggests using a spending journal, spreadsheet, or smartphone app to monitor your purchases — or non-purchases. Identifying your spending triggers can help you comprehend your habits and make more informed decisions.

I personally track my no-spend days on my physical calendar and maintain a note on my phone listing all the items I wanted to buy but refrained from. At the end of each month, I calculate the total cost saved to gauge my progress.

Dawn Abernathy, a certified financial planner, recommends utilizing a budgeting app to categorize expenses and gain insights.

“It provides real-time insights into your spending,” explains Abernathy, based in Chesterfield, Missouri. “This way, you can adjust your behavior or gain a true understanding of your financial habits, rather than what you perceive them to be.”

For some individuals, a low-buy or no-buy challenge serves as a means to achieve financial milestones, such as clearing debt or saving for a major purchase like a home or car.

A low-buy or no-buy challenge can also be an effective strategy for establishing an emergency fund, Abernathy suggests. Having three to six months’ worth of essential expenses saved up can provide financial stability and a sense of empowerment, she notes.

Reducing consumption can also alleviate financial stress.

“I used to worry about facing another emergency, a sudden layoff, or some unforeseen event that could disrupt the fragile balance of my life,” Rakoczy reveals.

But things have changed. “Now, I make purchases that align with the life I want to lead. I feel empowered and back in control,” she affirms.

This challenge has also strengthened her marriage, fostering more accountability and teamwork, she adds. Even her kids are catching on; her son requested a family trip instead of a birthday party with gifts. It signals a shift in their family dynamics.

Staying connected to your “why” can be the driving force you need to stick to your objectives, Abernathy emphasizes.

“It’s easy to say, ‘I want to save for the future.’ But when you have a purpose behind your actions, it adds more significance and makes it easier to implement,” she explains.

My motivation becomes clearer with each passing day. I experience less financial strain and can easily handle unexpected expenses that would have derailed me in the past.