MY NO BUY YEAR REVIEW / WAS IT WORTH IT?

Hi friends!

Long time no talk! I’m so excited to chat about my no buy year, finally coming to an end. It was such an interesting challenge with many ups and downs, and I want to share with you my experience in case you’re thinking about doing a no buy year challenge as well.

No buy video that i watched first:

Hannah Louise Poston no buy series:

My Instagram:

As always I’m excited to talk in the comments, thank you for being here!

Love,
Mollie

[KayKayBayForever]

It’s funny, I have had exactly the opposite problem, but it also comes from a scarcity mindset. I buy very little and am always worried about spending too much, but it means that I don’t buy things when I should. I keep clothes when they’re falling apart and don’t appreciate looking out together enough.

I still found this video inspiring, though! Even just hearing about someone realizing their abundance is helpful. We’re both striving do they happy medium between underspending and overspending.

[chloetavares]

This video came to me at the perfect time! I started to become obsessed with my "image" and with how fast the media is feeding us more to buy, it becomes impossible to even know what my best self is when I'm being influenced to pick a new me every few weeks. I've been giving up on shopping, I have been more sustainable when I need to shop but going into 2025 I will be implementing a no buy year. Your video has so much to relate to, I really think a lot of people could benefit from this sort of approach even if it's just once.

[craigcoughlan]

Great video, going to do this for the year of 2025! 🙏

[michellepaiano]

This has inspired me❤ this year I’m going to concentrate way more on what I HAVE, not what I WANT. 😊

[valess]

Such a great video :) ! I've been watching videos on this subject since a few months and the calling to do a no buy year is getting stronger and stronger. These last years I've bought sooo many clothes cause before I didn't have enough money for that and I love so many different styles, but over all, I think I just love the artist expression it is. Well, now I'm at the point where I'm getting overwhelmed. I want and need to slow down drastically in order to trully enjoy and cherish what I have. I need to get out of the overstimulation that shopping creates. I'm not sure I can do a full year without shopping but a few months can be doable :).

[invitethecalm]

I've spent a bunch on my business this year with leaps of faith that it was worthwhile. I like the idea of a no buy year for clothing in particular. I really don't need any more clothes. And then feeling free to invest in myself in other growth ways.

[beyond.the.mirror.]

Great video! I'm planning on doing a no buy for 2025 and I'm actually looking forward to it! Wanting to slow down on my consumption and just use what I have

[Quickeeeee]

Wonderful ❤ both the journey you had and also the message you put forward. I've had a similar experience, tho maybe I didn't enjoy it as much due to other life stressors. But now that life has calmed down I can take in the good things ❤

[kotykivna]

Started my no-buy month on August 1st, 2023. Eventually, It turned out to be a no-buy year. And on August 1st, 2024 my second no-buy year started. These 16 months weren't perfect. I made 15-20 impulse purchases (5 books, 5-6 pieces of clothing, makeup, and accessories - all the things from my no-buy list) and decluttered some of them/// BUT before this challenge I could buy all these things and even more in 1-2 days. Also, I've decluttered and donated hundreds of pieces of clothing, books, some makeup, and accessories. I've read dozens of books I already have, I'm trying to use all my hair care products and stationery and I haven't bought anything new during these 16 months. Actually, my hair care products motivated me to start this challenge - I decided to grow my hair out. I have wavy, thick, and frizzy hair, and I cut it in a bob and straightened it. So I got tired of ruining it with a straightener, and I started watching a bunch of videos and buying dozens of different products to care for it. Because I went to work, and my unstraightened hair would look terrible. In the end, in 3 months I bought about 70 products, and some of them were very expensive. And that was a wake-up call. Despite the fact that I haven't bought any new hair products since June 2023, I still have over 50 different bottles, most of them are full, so I definitely won't be buying masks, creams, and hair sprays in the next 2-3 years.

The main insights, discoveries, and changes for me were a few things. First, although I've decluttered hundreds of things and bought almost nothing during this time, it seems to me that I have even more books, clothes, and lipsticks than I did before the challenge. These things literally suffocate me, but decluttering is a slow process, and it's been going on for two years now, I started before my no-buy year. Second, I began to appreciate and love the things I have and those I actively use more. I like to wear something out or use it up. I became less attached to certain things, and I want them less. For example, before, I kept all the books, even the ones I didn't like, because this is my home library, which I've dreamed of since childhood. Now I don't see the point in buying low-quality, very cheap books or keeping the ones I didn't like, because they don't add value to my library. It's better to give it to people who will be able to appreciate these books. I also feel much less inclined to buy anything, especially something very cheap - I don't want to waste my money, I imagine how it will clutter up my space, etc. Quality has become much more important than quantity. And I'm not even talking about the fact that thanks to this challenge I saved a lot of money and hundreds of hours of my life that I could have spent on shopping.

[BeginnerCyclistNetwork]

Ahhh I loved the part of you lying down contemplating your socks purchase 😂 you look sweet.

[JenniferL-CDN]

I decided after over consumption during Black Friday week I was going to do a no buy January to March and then see how it went after that. I love that you name dropped HLP 🥰 as her no buy in 2018(?) was the first time I was introduced to this concept. I have been consuming a lot of no buy / no spend content to prepare myself for January, I have also unsubscribed to a lot of emails and am not on social media as much. I find if you don’t see the products and the sales the FOMO is less/gone.

[franciellesales]

I'm wanting to do a year without shopping too. I'm buying a lot more than I need and this habit is hurting my wallet and affecting me mentally too. I know it will be a big challenge for me, but I will work hard to achieve it. Your video was certainly very useful to me at this time, thank you!

[Ohheydanaee]

Absolutely loved this video and hearing your insights into the challenge.
It's so interesting how you attracted further abundance by simply appreciating all that you already own.
This has inspired me to limit my spending this year!!

[sjzonio]

If you wanna do this but its overwhelming start small!ive been working on minimalism for years to make it a lifestyle without a quick switch! First thing i did was go thru all my body sprays, i used some as room spray and made sure i finished everything. It took a year because they were mostly from christmas gifts, now every year on christmas or my bday i will buy one very nice everyday purfume that i absolutely love. And follow this concept for your other items. Although there is less, your surroundings are filled with everything you absolutely love and its less to clean so you can spend more time doing things you love! Also use gift giving holidays for things on your list to repurchase but dont wanna buy!

[nastassialaptsinskaya]

Very inspiring to try this challenge out. I'm quite addictive to the cosmetics in middle/lux segment and yoga clothes.. Will try to maximize the use of everything I already have rather than constantly buying sth new. I'm so so happy you are back! How are you? I missed you Molly :)) Life update would be a great idea :))

[marceline]

I love your accent and your voice is really calming haha)

[ff]

It's my first time watching you and I watched the whole video which I usually don't. Your energy and voice is so calming. I'll keep watching your videos and very interested in another video about your no buy year- especially about managing the temptations you had. Thank you!! and happy new year already :)

[fkcoolers]

I think too many people have fallen into bad habits with buying cheap, terrible quality goods like fast fashion and such and then you have social media and targeted advertising just jamming things at you nonstop because their goal is to exhaust you and then take all your money. Everywhere you look, someone is trying to take your money. It's gotten quite parasitic.

Anyways, investing in higher quality goods (that you can afford) are gonna yield better returns because they last. I mostly own wardrobe staples and they were pretty expensive but I get a minimum 3-5 years use with proper care.

Lucky for me, social media has basically zero impact on my consumer habits. It's a tough cycle for many to break but a very worthwhile one. Most trends (imo) are simply bad and not in good taste. Good stuff lasts longer than one season.

[Jayne_Rose]

Congratulations! Thankyou for the video as I've been considering it for next year.

[ashlyndrew]

i love this. i relate to so much of what you said about your relationship with money, scarcity mindset and the feverish urge to buy more. can’t wait to implement this in 2025! x