No-Buy Year 2025: Why This New Mom is Taking the Challenge
In this blog post, I’ll share my plans for a no-buy year in 2025.
Why I’m Ready to Attempt a No-Buy Year in 2025
Have you ever felt like your stuff owns you instead of the other way around?
When the Clutter Took Over
In early 2023, while getting ready for our first baby’s arrival, we found ourselves buried under to-do lists, baby gear, and endless advice—it was a lot to handle!
We were lucky to receive plenty of baby supplies from friends and family. I remember thinking, “What am I going to do with all of this? Where am I going to put all of this stuff?”
The Move That Made it Worse
My husband and I were just about to move into our new home by the seashore in Helsinki, Finland, when our baby finally decided to arrive.
We ended up moving all our belongings into the new apartment, just shoving everything in. Because I was just a few days into learning how to breastfeed our newborn at the time, I wasn’t fully able to take part in the moving process.
Fast forward to today, my husband just recently pointed out that he actively avoids visiting the storage space of our new home. This is because seeing all the clutter piled up after the move just makes his anxiety skyrocket. And I have to admit, I feel the same way.
Falling for Parenting Marketing Tricks
As clueless new parents, we too fell for many of the marketing tricks. Marketing today is thoughtfully designed to make you feel like you need to buy that one product in order to be a successful parent.
I’m now pregnant with our second baby, due in February 2025. Already, the familiar overwhelm of nesting and “gathering all the right stuff” has started to creep in.
Preparing for Our Second Baby with a New Mindset
This time I want to challenge myself to stop. I want to really think about why I feel the need to buy something and whether it’s truly necessary. Could I do without it?
If I refused to buy the latest “miracle product” that everyone raves about on social media, would we still be a functional family?
This reflection has led me to my decision to attempt a no-buy year in 2025.
What Does a No-Buy Year Mean to Me?
A no-buy challenge is a commitment to stop spending money on non-essential items for a set period of time. This could be a week, a month or even a year.
The idea is to focus on using what you already have, saving money, and rethinking your consumption habits instead of buying new things.
A no-buy challenge can look different depending on your circumstances and lifestyle. For parents with small children, it might mean resisting the temptation to buy every cute outfit or toy, prioritizing essentials, and finding creative ways to make do with what is already at home.
Our No-Buy Rules for 2025
What are the rules for a no-buy? No-buy rules are the guidelines you create for yourself during a no-buy challenge, defining what you can and cannot purchase.
These rules can vary greatly depending on your goals and lifestyle. Setting clear rules helps you stay focused by distinguishing between essentials and non-essentials.
Below are the no-buy rules our family will follow in 2025.
Our no-buy rules outline our essential spending, exceptions, and approach to gift-giving and purchases.
Essential Spending (Non-Negotiables)
- Living Expenses: Mortgage, utilities, car payment, phone, and internet bills.
- Groceries and Household Essentials: Food, cleaning supplies, and other necessary items.
- Health Needs: Medications and doctor visits.
- Kids’ Clothing and Accessories: Only when needed for seasonal changes or if current items are broken or too small.
- Parent’s Clothing and Accessories: Purchases allowed if something is broken, worn out, or no longer fits.
Allowed Exceptions
- Baby Essentials: As we welcome a new baby in 2025, we will allow necessary baby-related purchases. However, only after
- researching and comparing options carefully, and
- determining the true necessity of each item.
- Home Improvement Projects: With ongoing home renovations, we may need some furniture or improvement-related purchases. To stay intentional, we will:
- carefully research and compare options before buying, and
- prioritize second-hand or sustainable options where possible.
- Family Experiences: Allowed spending includes:
- Fun family day trips, museum visits or outdoor adventures,
- Rare date nights to nurture our relationship,
- Occasional self-care activities, such as a massage or haircut, when needed.
Gift Giving Guidelines
- Holidays and birthdays will focus on experience-based gifts rather than material ones.
- No material gifts unless for kids’ birthdays or other very special occasions.
Mindful Spending Guidelines
To ensure thoughtful purchases throughout the year:
- At least 50% of all purchases (whenever possible) must be second-hand.
- No purchases will be made without sleeping on the decision.
- Every purchase will be carefully researched and compared before committing.
My Reasons for Taking on the No-Buy Challenge in 2025
Reason 1: I Want Less Stress and Less to Manage
I’ve realized that the constant cycle of buying and decluttering adds unnecessary stress to my life. Especially as a mom of young kids, I’d like to be able to fully focus on supporting their growth and development, and actually enjoying the time we spend together.
As we settle into our new home in Helsinki and try to find a place for everything, I’m noticing a pattern. I shuffle piles of clutter from one corner to the next, secretly wishing they would just disappear on their own.
At the same time, I find it difficult time to let go of things. Why, oh why, is it so easy to buy something but so difficult to part with?
The endless shuffling of storage containers and clutter around our home is so exhausting. Especially being pregnant with our due date just a few months away.
Reason 2: I’m Worried About the Environment
I’m deeply aware of the state of our planet and feel paralyzed by the fear of making wasteful choices. I don’t want to be throwing away something that could still have value. This fear often leaves me stuck in indecision, unable to take meaningful action.
By attempting this no-buy year, I hope to break free from this cycle. I want to learn more about how to make a positive impact, and explore more sustainable options whenever possible.
Reason 3: I Want a More Peaceful Environment for Our Kids
I feel a strong need to heal from the overwhelm of managing too much stuff.
I dream of a home where we can focus on being present with our little ones. I don’t like the idea of constantly having to tell our kids “no” or “don’t touch” because of all the clutter around us.
What I Hope to Achieve with This No-Buy Year in 2025
By cutting back on purchases, I hope to create a more peaceful, clutter-free home.
I hope to learn more about conscious spending and how to make thoughtful purchasing decisions that align with my values. I would like to be as sustainable as possible while raising young children.
Through this challenge, I also want to explore my emotional connection to material things. I’d like to rediscover the joy of appreciating what we already have.
Ultimately, I hope this year helps me embrace a simpler, more intentional lifestyle that our family could sustain long-term.
The Challenges I Expect and How I Plan to Overcome Them
Challenge 1: Navigating Necessary Purchases with a New Baby
- What I’m Anticipating:
- Preparing for and caring for a new baby could bring unexpected needs, from baby gear to clothing. Balancing these essentials with the no-buy challenge could become tricky, especially since we all want the best for our kids!
- To Overcome this Challenge, I will:
- create a detailed checklist of baby essentials in advance to avoid unnecessary purchases,
- borrow or buy second-hand whenever possible.
Challenge 2: Balancing Home Improvement Projects with the No-Buy Rules
- What I’m Anticipating:
- Some home improvement projects may require new furniture or materials. It can be hard to distinguish between true needs and “nice-to-haves.”
- To Overcome this Challenge, I will:
- Set strict criteria for purchases, such as will it add long-term value to our home?
- Prioritize projects and consider phasing them over time to spread costs,
- Explore second-hand options whenever possible.
Challenge 3: Staying Consistent During a New Season of Life
- What I’m Anticipating:
- With a growing family and new routines, sticking to no-buy rules could feel like an additional responsibility.
- To Overcome this Challenge, I will:
- Break the challenge into manageable monthly goals to stay motivated,
- Celebrate small wins, like choosing second-hand over new.
- Try to automate decisions for common purchases, like using a go-to sustainable store for essentials.
Join Me on This Journey: Let’s Simplify Together!
This no-buy year challenge isn’t just about my personal goals. It’s about hopefully creating a community of like-minded parents who also want to simplify their lives.
I’ll be sharing my progress, the highs and lows, as well as practical steps I’m trying throughout the year.
I’d love for you to join me. Let’s support each other as we navigate this challenge together.
Follow along for daily and weekly updates and behind-the scenes glimpses into my life as a new mom. I’ll be happy to share the little steps I’m taking toward a simpler, more intentional life with kids.
Ready to Take on the No-Buy Year Challenge in 2025? Here’s How You Can Get Involved
My ultimate goal is not only to tackle the no-buy year. I also want to build a lifestyle that prioritizes what truly matters. For me it’s spending time with my family and being present and intentional with how I live my life.
Are you ready to take the plunge and join me in the no-buy challenge in 2025?
Let’s simplify our lives together — bookmark this blog and follow me on Instagram to get updates on how I’m progressing!
