Sustainable Life: Could you buy nothing new for a month?
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Could you survive without buying anything new for a whole month? “Impossible!” you might say. “Crazy!”
You’re not alone if that’s how you reacted but stick with me. Buying nothing new for a month is easier than it first appears and the benefits are huge—for your bank balance and for the planet.
Buying nothing new doesn’t mean buying nothing either. Need a new dress for work or a special occasion? No problem, check out Canberra’s pre-loved designer outlets like Material Pleasures in Fyshwick or Goodbyes in Braddon.
Got to source camping gear for a trip that’s coming up? Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree will have you covered. Is there a special appliance you need in the kitchen? Put a call out to borrow from hundreds of Canberrans in your local area by joining a Buy Nothing Facebook group.
There’s a growing ‘buy nothing’ movement. To join, make a pledge that you won’t buy anything new for a month, excluding food and medicine. The benefits of taking the challenge will last far beyond the month. Most people report that one month of buying nothing new changed their thinking for years to come, helping them to source things second-hand or avoid buying stuff altogether.
Here are my top tips for succeeding in a buy nothing new challenge:
Plan your spending
Take a look at your calendar for the next month. Is there anything you might need, so you can do the things you love? For those things that you need, make a plan for how you will source them second-hand or borrow from a friend.
Making a plan will help make sure the buy nothing new challenge doesn’t stop you from having fun. It will also help you to make new habits.
It feels so good to give to friends and family, marking special occasions with special items. But… do you need to give a ‘thing’ or could you gift an experience?
Movie tickets, restaurant vouchers or a Paint Pinot session in Braddon could all gift wonderful memories. Consider gifting something homemade or pre-loved and have a conversation about your buy nothing new challenge.
Feeling special
Retail therapy has a special way of lifting our confidence… but there are other ways to feel confident and special that don’t involve buying stuff. A massage, facial or manicure are all great ways to feel special.
How about booking a coffee with a friend you haven’t seen for a while and glowing in the good vibes of a deep connection?
Ask, ‘Do I actually need that thing?’
Avoiding buying something at all is the ultimate for both the planet and your bank balance because it’s easy to get trapped in a cycle of buying new. Retail outlets make it so easy to get new stationary or new kitchenware. It only takes a few clicks online or a quick trip into the store.
Take a moment to search your house, is it possibly that you already have that stationary at the back of your cupboard? Is that new kitchenware really needed or is there an alternative that’s in your kitchen right now?
Find a buddy
Change can be tough, especially when it feels lonely. If you find someone who wants to do the challenge with you, then you’re both more likely to succeed.
You can share ideas for sourcing things secondhand and help each other stay on course when shiny new things to buy present themselves in your Instagram feed.
