A 35-year-old Brooklyn resident gave up buying new clothes. A 22-year old in San Diego swore off retail therapy at Target. A 26-year old in England banned carbonated drinks from her shopping list.
These three women, who don’t know each other, all started the year resolving to spend money only on necessary purchases, or what is popularly known as engaging in a no-buy challenge. The self-imposed rules of the challenge are simple: participants pledge to stop buying non-essential items, be they unneeded shoes, additional beauty products or other impulse buys for a set amount of time, usually 12 months.
What started several years ago as a blogged-about experiment in budgeting and mindful spending has become a popular trend on social media. A Reddit group where people share their experiences has 51,000 members. The challenge primarily gained popularity on TikTok, where some videos of users seeking to hold themselves accountable get hundreds of thousands of views.
I'm sure everyone choosing to do this has their personal reasons. Personally it reminds me of why certain people go vegetarian/vegan: they think this kind of consumption is bad and they're trying to resolve cognitive dissonance. It's a way of creating new habits that more closely align with their values.
Another way it has vegan/vegetarian parallels is the social effects. Tips and tricks you find of social media can make it easier to do. If you've been thinking about taking the pledge then seeing it on social media can act as a reminder. Lastly, if enough people do it then it gets easier. But nothing groups, clothing swaps, etc. makes it easier for other people to participate in a virtuous cycle.
I doubt this will move the bottom line, but I do think it's a good thing and it doesn't need to be wide spread to bring value to people participating