Buying only the basics was easier – and more fun – than I ever expected.
When I first saw the no-buy challenge on social media, I was skeptical. As a personal finance editor, I wasn’t sure a savings challenge could teach me anything about money management that I didn’t already know. But I figured a spending detox couldn’t hurt, especially with a recession on the horizon.
So, for 30 days, I bought only the basics. And I was surprised by how transformative it wound up being.
It saved me a chunk of change, sure. But it also changed my relationship with my money in a fundamental way that will serve me for months — and years — to come.
And, even more surprising, it was actually kind of fun.
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Spending more mindfully: My no-buy rules
“No-buy” doesn’t mean spending no money at all. Obviously we can’t avoid paying for essentials like housing, food and utilities. But we can be more mindful about how we budget for them. We can also be more calculated about which nonessential items we prioritize each month.
For my no-buy month, I followed the basic do’s and don’ts of others on social media, differentiating between “necessities” and “extras.” I also added a few custom spending allowances (depriving myself entirely seemed counterproductive).
Things I could buy
| ✔️ Housing/utilities |
|---|
| ✔️ Car and home insurance |
| ✔️ Internet/phone |
| ✔️ Student loan payments |
| ✔️ Groceries and personal care items |
| ✔️ Emergencies (like an urgent car repair) |
| ✔️ Gas |
| For purchases like groceries, I set an additional rule that I could only buy things I absolutely needed. Restocking pantry staples I’d run out of was fine but I had to get creative with the ingredients I already had before buying anything else. |
Personal allowances
| ✔️ Expenses related to events I’d already scheduled (e.g., hosting a dinner party for friends, a concert I had tickets for) |
|---|
| ✔️ Streaming services (limited to one for music and one for TV/movies) |
| ✔️ Charity |
| For events I’d already planned, I focused on being frugal. Instead of purchasing new margarita glasses for a taco night with friends, I hit up BuyNothing to score some free ones. Instead of paying surge prices to park near the concert, I reserved a spot farther away in a discounted lot. |
Things I couldn’t buy
| 𝗫 Eating out |
|---|
| 𝗫 Entertainment |
| 𝗫 Unnecessary/discretionary purchases (e.g., clothing, merch at the concert I had tickets for) |
| 𝗫 Repairs I can make myself |
| 𝗫 Services I can do myself |
What I learned from my month of mindful spending
This no-buy challenge wasn’t a get-rich-quick scheme. It actually felt transformative, helping to clarify my relationship with money and establish healthier long-term habits. Here are a few of my takeaways.
Convenience is expensive
Getting more deliberate with my spending made me realize I was paying a premium for simply avoiding tasks I find annoying or time-consuming.
For example, while I don’t enjoy grooming my dogs when their fur gets unruly, it costs almost $100 for a makeover at the doggie salon. So I dug out the pet razor I’d bought months ago and actually used it. The results wouldn’t qualify my pups for a dog show but they were perfectly passable.
Another example: Ordering delivery is easier than scouring my fridge for dinner ideas and making a meal at the end of a long day. But for the cost of one Grubhub order, including delivery fees and driver tip, I could make a whole week’s worth of dinners by getting creative and spending some time slicing and dicing.
Relying on paid entertainment kept distracting me. Turns out I had a ton of fun stuff to keep me busy.
Forget the pricey restaurant outings – a potluck birthday party was way more fun (and a great excuse to try a new cupcake recipe).
Relying on paid entertainment was making my life boring
Limiting what I could spend on entertainment made my days more interesting by opening up my hobbies and interests.
I canceled all but one streaming service, so instead of mindlessly scrolling through things to binge-watch, I finally dove into the pile of craft projects I’d been collecting for months. I did puzzles and adult coloring books. I repotted and rearranged my plant babies. I finally listened to audiobooks I’d bought months ago.
I missed doing things with my hands and I was able to get outside my usual routine and challenge my mind to work in new ways.
Spending is a social crutch
I didn’t realize how often hanging out meant forking over a decent chunk of cash. Dinner and drinks, plays, concerts — whenever I hadn’t seen a friend in a while, my first instinct was to book an activity with them. I’d forgotten about the less-pricey ways I maintained friendships as a broke girl in my 20s.
It turns out board game nights and dinner parties at home are more fun than a crowded, loud restaurant. I was surprised to learn that many of my friends felt the same. Now I don’t have to worry about being pressured to buy a fancy bar cocktail just to throw a social gathering.
Some things have emotional value
One benefit of my no-buy challenge was cutting back on things that didn’t matter, which gave me more room to afford what was emotionally valuable.
When my partner was invited to an out-of-town surprise party, I almost didn’t join him. However, it was a chance to meet some of his friends and see his old stomping grounds so it was worth it. I’m not sure I could have fit the trip into my budget if I hadn’t already shifted my spending in other categories.
Bonus: I bulked up my savings
Thanks to my no-buy experiment, I shaved a little more than $100 off my normal monthly spending. That money is going straight into savings to pad my emergency fund.
Although I’m not officially doing the challenge anymore, my spending habits have definitely shifted. Ordering takeout, paying for movies and clicking “buy now” are no longer things I do on autopilot.
My no-buy month was just the reset I needed, and it improved my life in more ways than just financially. All in all, I’d consider that a win.
