No-Buy Year 2025: Why This Family is Taking the Challenge

In 2025, our family is taking on a no-buy year, and I’m excited to share our journey with you.

As we will adjust to life with (soon) two young children in a 2-bedroom home in Helsinki, we’ve realized that simplifying our lives by buying less will help us feel more grounded and intentional.

Why We Chose a No-Buy Year

When we first moved into our 2-bedroom apartment in early 2023, it felt manageable for just the two of us and our baby.

But with another little one on the way, we’ve found our space feeling more cramped, and the pressure to keep up with endless purchases—whether baby gear, clothing, or home improvements—has become overwhelming.

As first-time parents, we too fell for many marketing tricks, believing that new products would make us better parents or provide more comfort.

But now, we’re challenging ourselves to rethink our habits and focus on what adds value to our lives. That’s why we’ve decided to take on a no-buy year in 2025.

What Does a No-Buy Year Mean to Us?

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.

Our no-buy year is all about reframing our relationship with material things. For us, this means:

• Avoiding non-essential purchases: We’ll be focusing on using what we already have, rather than acquiring new things that only add to the clutter.
• Prioritizing sustainability: Whenever we do need something, we’ll aim to buy second-hand or seek out sustainable options.
• Being mindful: Every purchase will be carefully considered.

Our No-Buy Year Goals for 2025

By committing to a no-buy year, we hope to:

• Reduce clutter and stress in our home
• Make more intentional, sustainable purchasing decisions
• Create a peaceful, present home for our kids, free of constant consumer pressure
• Find balance in our small 2-bedroom apartment with two young kids, making the most of the space we have available
• Instead of shopping, we’d like to prioritize our family relationships, spend more time outdoors, and get creative with our activities to see what we can come up with without needing to spend money.

Our No-Buy Rules for 2025

No-buy rules are the personal guidelines you set for yourself during a no-buy challenge. These rules help you define what you can and cannot purchase, ensuring you stay focused on your goals and avoid unnecessary spending.

We’ve set clear rules to help us stay focused:

• Essentials Only: We’ll still buy groceries, pay bills, and purchase clothing or household items only when necessary (e.g., if something is broken or no longer fits).
• Baby and Kid’s Needs: As we welcome our second baby, we’ll allow necessary baby items—carefully researched and only if truly needed.
• Home Improvement: We may need to buy some things for ongoing home renovations, but we’ll prioritize second-hand or sustainable options.
• Family Experiences: We’ll allow spending on experiences like family trips or occasional date nights.
• Gift Giving: Focus on experiences, not material gifts (except for kids’ birthdays or highly special occasions).

What about all the things we’re not buying?

I’ve written a separate blog post about the 10 surprising things we’re not buying during our no-buy year in 2025 (as a family with young kids).

Challenges We Expect

While we’re excited about the challenge, we know it won’t necessarily be easy. Some of the biggest hurdles we anticipate are:

• Preparing for a New Baby: With a second baby on the way, we know there will be unexpected needs. To stay on track, we’ll create a detailed checklist of baby essentials and aim to borrow or buy second-hand whenever possible.
• Home Improvement Projects: Renovating our home could lead to some necessary purchases. We’ll focus on high-priority items and carefully evaluate whether each purchase will add long-term value.
• Staying Consistent: As we navigate life with a growing family, it could be easy to slip back into old habits. To stay motivated, we’ll break the challenge into smaller monthly goals and celebrate our wins.

What We Hope to Achieve with This No-Buy Year in 2025

Our goal is to simplify our lives and focus on what really matters:

• time with our kids,
• a peaceful home, and
• mindful choices that reflect our values.

We’d like to try applying the principles of family minimalism to thrive in our small 2-bedroom apartment with two kids.

By embracing a minimalist approach, we aim to create a space that feels open, organized, and functional—without the stress of excess stuff.

We want to build a home where everyone can move freely and enjoy the space, rather than being bogged down by clutter.

We’re also hoping to learn more about conscious spending and explore how to make a positive impact on the environment.

Join Us on This Journey: Let’s Simplify Together!

This no-buy year challenge isn’t just about our personal goals. It’s about hopefully creating a community of like-minded parents who also want to simplify their lives.

I’ll be sharing our progress, the highs and lows, as well as practical steps we’re trying throughout the year.

We’d love for you to join us. Let’s support each other as we navigate this challenge together.

Ready to Take on the No-Buy Year Challenge in 2025? Here’s How You Can Get Involved

Our ultimate goal is not only to tackle the no-buy year. We would also like to build a lifestyle that prioritizes what truly matters. For us it’s spending time with our kids and being present and intentional with how we live our life.

Are you ready to take the plunge and join us in the no-buy challenge in 2025?

Let’s simplify our lives together — bookmark this blog and follow us on Instagram to get updates on how we’re progressing!