What I Learned Doing A Buy Nothing Year
What goes around comes around...
Buy nothing and low spend years are having a moment. You do not have to look far to see that it is being discussed a lot in many different corners of the internet and on social media. I am 100% here for it.
When I first set out to do a buy nothing year, I was genuinely scared and anxious. Not just because I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to do it, but I was concerned (terrified) how it would impact my finances. Consumption is how I made my living. I wasn’t sure if I could survive without it. It’s a story for another day (one that I’m figuring out how I want to discuss) but the truth is, it has been challenging. I’ve talked about it before, but selling stuff to people is way easier and significantly more financially lucrative.
That said, I want to help support anyone who wants to explore this idea. Instead of looking at it as a challenge or punishment, I hope to help you see it for what I believe it has the power to do, set you free.
That may sound absurd to some, but here’s something I wrote a few months ago:
The overflowing inbox with reminders of sales or the expiring 20% off code. The “low stock” items to snag before they’re gone. The endless scroll on social media showing all the things we “need.” The time spent staring at a screen, or returning something that doesn’t work out. It’s all those stolen moments that eventually add up.
Maybe it sounds cliché to say spend time with people you love, enjoy nature, meet up with a friend, listen to music, volunteer, take up a hobby, but these are the things that will bring us joy, fulfillment, a sense of place, community and meaning. What if the things we seek to gain from buying stuff are actually free, and have been there all along?
Over the the last few weeks I’ve been reflecting on what the experience of a buy nothing year has taught me along the way. It was particularly illuminating to list out some of what I’ve discovered, but maybe most importantly to recognize that we can’t shop our way out of a burning planet, political turmoil, or human suffering. In fact, our consumption habits are making all of those things worse. The good news is we can decide the role we want to play moving forward, and that’s something to be excited about.