I feel like it's very important to be transparent about what is actually going on and acknowledging things we wanted and why. Because working on this "why" is exactly the key to eradicate the conditioned need we are subjected by the consumerism culture. Congratulations on this no-buy year and thank you for staying realistic with your path, while having compassion towards your improving self. It's inspiring!
Further transparency will be displayed tomorrow - but all in all, it's still progress for me and I'm still motivated to keep going towards an even better relationship with consumerism culture in 2025!
I will say what you didn't buy is still a win. The whole process is a win, because there will always be setbacks when learning new habits. You have inspired me to rethink about my purchases, and have increased my motivation to not buy impulsively. So, thank you for being so transparent!
Further transparency will be demonstrated tomorrow 😅 but yes, despite the failures, there were some successes! And those points of failure/success will also be covered in the last video of 2024 - so all in all, the no buy was worth doing (and is worth trying again, in my opinion)
I never think you let us down!! You worked and work so hard to unravel thoughts and habits, and while doing so, you are so generous in vulnerability to show it so openly ❤❤❤❤❤❤
But we don't need better! For most things in life, we just need "okay" or "good enough!" especially in the case of things we already own one of. If I'm buying a new thing that I don't have already I'll take a lot of time and care to get the "best one" for my needs...but once I have that thing, that's it, I now want to just use that one until it's no longer usable. It's kind of like a gentle rebellion against all the forces (marketing etc) that want us to keep buying more.
I'd add to "good enough" that better isn't always better. I noticed that with camera gear. The better one was also bigger, and it felt heavier than the numbers implied. Therefore much less fun to carry around when going for a walk. So it was a reverse "buy nice or buy twice": After the smaller one stopped working and I replaced it with the bigger one, I bought a second hand smaller one.
Thank you for being so honest and transparent with everything! It's really refreshing to hear someone on TH-cam doing such a detailed self-assessment. Please don't be too hard on yourself!! And I'm really looking forward to the new content in 2025.
Thank you - further transparency incoming tomorrow with the full extent of this year's failings 🥲 but also, commitment to do better in 2025 using what I learned this year!
You are one of the TH-camrs who taught me to pause and ask myself questions before I make a purchase. It's helped a lot.Thanks and Happy New Year in advance! I will do a low-buy 2025. Looking forward to your content next year
48:30 it's so funny you mention that! I had to stop watching Things I'm Not Buying videos too. I could feel them tickle my brain the same way haul videos did. I took a chance on this vid because you've really earned my trust so i figured it wouldn't be focused on the products, moreso on your reasoning and 'error' in thinking.
In 2024, you inspired me to check myself on all impulse purchases. I didn’t stop buying, but I but I slowed WAY down. In 2025, I want to figure out how to avoid impulse buys (esp with iinfluencers) while mastering the art of only adding to my possessions when the purchase is planned, adds constructively to what I have, is intentional, and something that will be worn on repeat.
I didn't succeed with no buy either, as will be revealed in detail tomorrow. BUT I think I did learn what I need in order to succeed in 2025! Trying again! We can do it!
I feel like this video is a good reminder to use an adblocker and disable personalised ads whenever possible! Obviously doesn't work for social media, but still helpful! I've really enjoyed your content this year! Thanks so much for your honesty and detailed discussions 😊🙌
Celebrate on your successes and build on that! I want to say that I’ve started my no buy year since black friday and your videos are helping me getting motivated and keeping me going. So that’s a succes too 😅!
I think a lot of us orchestra people dislike perfume. I don’t wear it either. My parents have this whole house automated home fragrance dispenser system and I hate that too. AND! My dad has a fragrance dispenser in his car. I had to ask him to turn it off!! Blech!!
Browsing around online and placing items in my cart satisfies me enough. After a few minutes of thinking and other distractions on social media I never actually make the purchase. I must have saved at least 5 -6 thousand dollars a year on what would've been a waste of money.
I get some brands sell quality but a 100$ for sandals for example is too much... On the other hand, the salaries in my country are 3 times less so I kinda understand the price range. So glad you are doing so good and inspire others
Yes - you may be horrified by tomorrow's video revealing what I actually did buy and prices etc... But it was actually worse for me in previous years, so progress is slow but hopefully steady, and the plan is to do a much better "no buy" for 2025.
Great job on this recap!! I am preparing for a low buy year 2025 and looking for things to watch out for!! Thank you. Have a most wonderful 2025!!!❤🎉🎉🎉
I agree with the other comment that you are too hard on yourself- no matter what tomorrow’s video shows- you’ve been majorly successful in working through the thought process and have made me want to try at least a low buy in 2025. I don’t think it’s realistic to not desire some things on rare occasions- be more gentle with yourself ❤
lol, we successfully resisted Mokki together. It will be easier next year, too, since they released a statement that they’re raising their prices at the beginning of the year. It’s pretty, but we don’t have to have every pretty thing.
One more tool in the no-buy kit: look up the brand on “goods unite us”. It’s a free service where you can type in any company (including but not only consumable goods) and see what causes or political campaigns they donate to. I don’t think we can or need to be perfect consumers in that sense, ofc these things are much bigger than individual choices by consumers. But as folks who may care about the ethics of the companies we support it can be helpful to know what’s going on (look up free people and anthropologie, for examples of brands you mentioned in this video. They donate heavy, and against what their branding would likely imply to their customers). We can and will still have to make imperfect choices according to our own ethics and boundaries, but whoof has this tool had me thinking twice about buying certain non-essentials firsthand, if at all. No need to do a video on it or anything, I know it’s not the purpose of the channel, but if you’re in pursuit of the “ick” this will probably help.
Alexa, I feel sometimes you are too hard on yourself. You did good! None of us are perfect and now you have more knowledge and experience so STOP APOLOGIZING!!! Love your content!!! 💖
I have found I have less interest in “influencer” content that features $300 jeans that are gifted to them by the manufacturer. One honest mother dishes the itchy truth…not sponsored.
I have a large glass bowl (like a fish bowl) from Michael's (maybe $10) where I put collected shells. I added a bit of sand to the bottom of it too. It reminds me of the beach year round. Stop looking at social media. I don't watch influencers or Instagram or whatever. I didn't know most of these things existed.
That sounds like a really great crafting project. A good thrifting idea too, we got our drinking glasses at a goodwill so I'm sure a similar glass vessel could be had there too if/when the need arises! I actually might completely get off socials (including TH-cam, as far as watching) for awhile in 2025. I've kept Instagram and Tiktok to post my own content (for music) and sometimes the ads are almost inevitable or pop up as soon as the app is opened...it's seriously annoying, but most of the time it doesn't work anymore as far as making me "want" the things (most of these things are from quite a bit earlier this year!)
PSA: the "washable" recycled plastic shoes we are constantly marketed will make your feet sweat, hold stink, rub bare feet raw, and lighter colors will stain even from the other sythetic dyes in the insoles 👏👏👏
Just a bit surreal to see you talking almost to yourself! The former you is so very different! Do you think yourself that you have matured? Very interesting!
Yes! I DO feel a lot different actually, and I'm not entirely sure if it's 100% due to the growth from "being online" this year and learning the new skills associated with making videos, but I'm sure that it's done something for "who I am" now and how I engage with these ideas
Thank you! Realistically I'm not even sure when I'll need to replace skincare in 2025, not because I have a lot but because I go through stuff REALLY slowly. And when it's time to replace, I'll probably just use the Cerave or Cetaphil stuff that my husband also uses
It's amazing how standards can shift 😅 I had a gf who was interested in LV handbags (quote: "If you think that's expensive, look at Chanel"). After that, 300€/$/£ seems reasonable 😂
It was very weird to watch your look-backs. When you spoke about what you wanted in week two your eyes got all sparkly and had a real far away look. Almost as if you were kinda high. You have changed so much, it is very pleasing to watch.
😆 Agreed! There may have been life-factors, sleep deprivation, etc, but there's actually still some of that going on today and I'm still much more "with it" than I seem to have been back then! Clearly a "no buy challenge" was extremely necessary for me
Hi, I watched many of your videos and I find them very inspiring, since I have a shopping problem, too. But, can I make a suggestion... Maybe you should stop having popular handbags and similar items in the background, because in your videos you're in the role of an influencer as well, and that way you're kind of promoting these items. I know you're probably not aware of it, and those stuff are there just for aesthetics of video. In one of you're videos you talked about being influenced into buying things and now you're unconsciously showing that these things are worth having and are good purchase, even though you're leading people into opposite direction of consumerism, influencers, and unnecessary spending. No bad intentions, and English is not my native language, so hope you get the message in the right and positive way. :)
To the truly initiated... her video extolling the many, many flaws and shortcomings of the Polene bags was enough to actually make the one in the background more of a cautionary tale! Ha! Ha!😎
You know, I have grappled with this a lot, and publicly on this channel. I went through a period where I only had books on there, and another period where I had cardboard boxes (which I also got requests to remove 😆) the shelves are my actual purse storage space in my home and not an aesthetic for the videos, which is why I chose to leave them be - I don't "stage" a set for filming, it's my actual bedroom corner and it's easier not to change it every time I film. However, I may decide to start removing the shelf decor for filming, because I am actually working on de-brandifying this channel for next year. I'll maybe try that and see how it feels. I think the difficulty is that pretty much anything I have in a video could be "influenced", so there probably will still be times that my water cup or the clothes I'm wearing will be something that someone wants😅 but I will think about the things I want to actively "influence" and maybe try to display those kinds of things instead of the consumable goods...
please don't feel like you should wear perfume. perfumes are actually pretty toxic for us, because of the fragances. they can acutally disrupt your hormones. i would highly recommend not using perfumes or other scented care products (this is also true about candles, air fresheners etc.)
I have rediscovered 4711. The world’s oldest Cologne. Repurchased from Proctor and Gamble by a true perfume house. Very light and natural. Find that when I am in the shower the fragrance is back. I wore this in the 1970s. Was kind of rare then and I recently found it on Amazon. Many perfumes give me migraines.
Yep - I no longer feel like I "should" wear scented stuff - and actually for my workplace we have it in our contracts to NOT wear perfume (we sit in close quarters with our colleagues, and some will be intolerant or sensitive to scent)
lol, we successfully resisted Mokki together. It will be easier next year, too, since they released a statement that they’re raising their prices at the beginning of the year. It’s pretty, but we don’t have to have every pretty thing.
Oh wow! Yeah I kind of feel like I'll leave the Mokki alone, the initial thought was that if I ever find myself in Paris or Tokyo (or wherever else that may have a favorable exchange) and feel moved to get a purse in person, that can be the one. However I can't fathom spending almost $700 on a purse, so maybe not, if they're going to go up again.
I feel like it's very important to be transparent about what is actually going on and acknowledging things we wanted and why. Because working on this "why" is exactly the key to eradicate the conditioned need we are subjected by the consumerism culture.
Congratulations on this no-buy year and thank you for staying realistic with your path, while having compassion towards your improving self. It's inspiring!
Another very worthwhile comment!
Further transparency will be displayed tomorrow - but all in all, it's still progress for me and I'm still motivated to keep going towards an even better relationship with consumerism culture in 2025!
"No offence if you have one!". This is SO Alexa! Talk about an empathetic being! The care of others is literally off the charts! 📈
😁
I will say what you didn't buy is still a win. The whole process is a win, because there will always be setbacks when learning new habits. You have inspired me to rethink about my purchases, and have increased my motivation to not buy impulsively. So, thank you for being so transparent!
Further transparency will be demonstrated tomorrow 😅 but yes, despite the failures, there were some successes! And those points of failure/success will also be covered in the last video of 2024 - so all in all, the no buy was worth doing (and is worth trying again, in my opinion)
I never think you let us down!! You worked and work so hard to unravel thoughts and habits, and while doing so, you are so generous in vulnerability to show it so openly ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Great comment!
"These might be better than the ones I have" is the best explanation for the amount of duplicates I have in my closet! When will I learn the lesson?
But we don't need better! For most things in life, we just need "okay" or "good enough!" especially in the case of things we already own one of.
If I'm buying a new thing that I don't have already I'll take a lot of time and care to get the "best one" for my needs...but once I have that thing, that's it, I now want to just use that one until it's no longer usable. It's kind of like a gentle rebellion against all the forces (marketing etc) that want us to keep buying more.
I'd add to "good enough" that better isn't always better.
I noticed that with camera gear. The better one was also bigger, and it felt heavier than the numbers implied. Therefore much less fun to carry around when going for a walk. So it was a reverse "buy nice or buy twice": After the smaller one stopped working and I replaced it with the bigger one, I bought a second hand smaller one.
Thank you for being so honest and transparent with everything! It's really refreshing to hear someone on TH-cam doing such a detailed self-assessment. Please don't be too hard on yourself!! And I'm really looking forward to the new content in 2025.
Thank you - further transparency incoming tomorrow with the full extent of this year's failings 🥲 but also, commitment to do better in 2025 using what I learned this year!
It is insane how much thought goes into this! ...for someone who is not into shopping....
😅 I do tend to overthink EVERYTHING, not just the shopping
You are one of the TH-camrs who taught me to pause and ask myself questions before I make a purchase. It's helped a lot.Thanks and Happy New Year in advance! I will do a low-buy 2025. Looking forward to your content next year
48:30 it's so funny you mention that! I had to stop watching Things I'm Not Buying videos too. I could feel them tickle my brain the same way haul videos did. I took a chance on this vid because you've really earned my trust so i figured it wouldn't be focused on the products, moreso on your reasoning and 'error' in thinking.
Tomorrow's video of what I actually DID buy, I don't even show the products😅
I’m definitely with you for 2025.
Me too!
In 2024, you inspired me to check myself on all impulse purchases. I didn’t stop buying, but I but I slowed WAY down. In 2025, I want to figure out how to avoid impulse buys (esp with iinfluencers) while mastering the art of only adding to my possessions when the purchase is planned, adds constructively to what I have, is intentional, and something that will be worn on repeat.
I didn't succeed with no buy either, as will be revealed in detail tomorrow. BUT I think I did learn what I need in order to succeed in 2025! Trying again! We can do it!
I feel like this video is a good reminder to use an adblocker and disable personalised ads whenever possible! Obviously doesn't work for social media, but still helpful!
I've really enjoyed your content this year! Thanks so much for your honesty and detailed discussions 😊🙌
🥰
Celebrate on your successes and build on that! I want to say that I’ve started my no buy year since black friday and your videos are helping me getting motivated and keeping me going. So that’s a succes too 😅!
Still very much a win, proud of you!
i'm excited to watch this video :) and good job on your no buy year!
I think a lot of us orchestra people dislike perfume. I don’t wear it either. My parents have this whole house automated home fragrance dispenser system and I hate that too. AND! My dad has a fragrance dispenser in his car. I had to ask him to turn it off!! Blech!!
Browsing around online and placing items in my cart satisfies me enough. After a few minutes of thinking and other distractions on social media I never actually make the purchase. I must have saved at least 5 -6 thousand dollars a year on what would've been a waste of money.
Love you and thank you for not selling us things we don't need
I get some brands sell quality but a 100$ for sandals for example is too much... On the other hand, the salaries in my country are 3 times less so I kinda understand the price range. So glad you are doing so good and inspire others
Yes - you may be horrified by tomorrow's video revealing what I actually did buy and prices etc... But it was actually worse for me in previous years, so progress is slow but hopefully steady, and the plan is to do a much better "no buy" for 2025.
Great job on this recap!! I am preparing for a low buy year 2025 and looking for things to watch out for!! Thank you. Have a most wonderful 2025!!!❤🎉🎉🎉
I agree with the other comment that you are too hard on yourself- no matter what tomorrow’s video shows- you’ve been majorly successful in working through the thought process and have made me want to try at least a low buy in 2025. I don’t think it’s realistic to not desire some things on rare occasions- be more gentle with yourself ❤
lol, we successfully resisted Mokki together. It will be easier next year, too, since they released a statement that they’re raising their prices at the beginning of the year. It’s pretty, but we don’t have to have every pretty thing.
One more tool in the no-buy kit: look up the brand on “goods unite us”. It’s a free service where you can type in any company (including but not only consumable goods) and see what causes or political campaigns they donate to. I don’t think we can or need to be perfect consumers in that sense, ofc these things are much bigger than individual choices by consumers. But as folks who may care about the ethics of the companies we support it can be helpful to know what’s going on (look up free people and anthropologie, for examples of brands you mentioned in this video. They donate heavy, and against what their branding would likely imply to their customers). We can and will still have to make imperfect choices according to our own ethics and boundaries, but whoof has this tool had me thinking twice about buying certain non-essentials firsthand, if at all. No need to do a video on it or anything, I know it’s not the purpose of the channel, but if you’re in pursuit of the “ick” this will probably help.
Alexa, I feel sometimes you are too hard on yourself. You did good! None of us are perfect and now you have more knowledge and experience so STOP APOLOGIZING!!! Love your content!!! 💖
I'm apologizing in advance for the sins that will be revealed tomorrow 🥲 but progress has still been made! And I'm going to keep going! Thank you 🥰
I have found I have less interest in “influencer” content that features $300 jeans that are gifted to them by the manufacturer. One honest mother dishes the itchy truth…not sponsored.
Itchy? Oh no! Yes this year I definitely started seeing "influencer" content for what it is, which is basically just a different form of advertising
I have a large glass bowl (like a fish bowl) from Michael's (maybe $10) where I put collected shells. I added a bit of sand to the bottom of it too. It reminds me of the beach year round.
Stop looking at social media. I don't watch influencers or Instagram or whatever. I didn't know most of these things existed.
That sounds like a really great crafting project. A good thrifting idea too, we got our drinking glasses at a goodwill so I'm sure a similar glass vessel could be had there too if/when the need arises!
I actually might completely get off socials (including TH-cam, as far as watching) for awhile in 2025. I've kept Instagram and Tiktok to post my own content (for music) and sometimes the ads are almost inevitable or pop up as soon as the app is opened...it's seriously annoying, but most of the time it doesn't work anymore as far as making me "want" the things (most of these things are from quite a bit earlier this year!)
PSA: the "washable" recycled plastic shoes we are constantly marketed will make your feet sweat, hold stink, rub bare feet raw, and lighter colors will stain even from the other sythetic dyes in the insoles 👏👏👏
Danish string quartet!! ❤
You got it! There'll be a few with this one, and then we'll see if I can get my loop-covers-act together for next year 😄
Just a bit surreal to see you talking almost to yourself! The former you is so very different! Do you think yourself that you have matured? Very interesting!
Yes! I DO feel a lot different actually, and I'm not entirely sure if it's 100% due to the growth from "being online" this year and learning the new skills associated with making videos, but I'm sure that it's done something for "who I am" now and how I engage with these ideas
Byoma skin care I found hard on my skin. So I don't recommend it. I was influenced by cute package :/
Thank you! Realistically I'm not even sure when I'll need to replace skincare in 2025, not because I have a lot but because I go through stuff REALLY slowly. And when it's time to replace, I'll probably just use the Cerave or Cetaphil stuff that my husband also uses
Girl,,, the price of your items gives me hives, hand bag for 300 hundreds, lip balm for 32 bucks. Thank God you did not buy 😅😅
It's amazing how standards can shift 😅
I had a gf who was interested in LV handbags (quote: "If you think that's expensive, look at Chanel").
After that, 300€/$/£ seems reasonable 😂
I’m with you in 2025!
It was very weird to watch your look-backs. When you spoke about what you wanted in week two your eyes got all sparkly and had a real far away look. Almost as if you were kinda high. You have changed so much, it is very pleasing to watch.
😆 Agreed! There may have been life-factors, sleep deprivation, etc, but there's actually still some of that going on today and I'm still much more "with it" than I seem to have been back then!
Clearly a "no buy challenge" was extremely necessary for me
Being that I’m late to the party and just now about to embark on my journey for 2025, and after all of my purchases of 2024..:: no judgement here 😂
Hi, I watched many of your videos and I find them very inspiring, since I have a shopping problem, too. But, can I make a suggestion... Maybe you should stop having popular handbags and similar items in the background, because in your videos you're in the role of an influencer as well, and that way you're kind of promoting these items. I know you're probably not aware of it, and those stuff are there just for aesthetics of video.
In one of you're videos you talked about being influenced into buying things and now you're unconsciously showing that these things are worth having and are good purchase, even though you're leading people into opposite direction of consumerism, influencers, and unnecessary spending. No bad intentions, and English is not my native language, so hope you get the message in the right and positive way. :)
Another case of "everything can be a sales pitch", lol.
But for this and the next video, it fits because it's about things she did and didn't buy.
To the truly initiated... her video extolling the many, many flaws and shortcomings of the Polene bags was enough to actually make the one in the background more of a cautionary tale! Ha! Ha!😎
👜🚫
You know, I have grappled with this a lot, and publicly on this channel. I went through a period where I only had books on there, and another period where I had cardboard boxes (which I also got requests to remove 😆) the shelves are my actual purse storage space in my home and not an aesthetic for the videos, which is why I chose to leave them be - I don't "stage" a set for filming, it's my actual bedroom corner and it's easier not to change it every time I film.
However, I may decide to start removing the shelf decor for filming, because I am actually working on de-brandifying this channel for next year. I'll maybe try that and see how it feels. I think the difficulty is that pretty much anything I have in a video could be "influenced", so there probably will still be times that my water cup or the clothes I'm wearing will be something that someone wants😅 but I will think about the things I want to actively "influence" and maybe try to display those kinds of things instead of the consumable goods...
please don't feel like you should wear perfume. perfumes are actually pretty toxic for us, because of the fragances. they can acutally disrupt your hormones. i would highly recommend not using perfumes or other scented care products (this is also true about candles, air fresheners etc.)
I have rediscovered 4711. The world’s oldest Cologne. Repurchased from Proctor and Gamble by a true perfume house. Very light and natural. Find that when I am in the shower the fragrance is back. I wore this in the 1970s. Was kind of rare then and I recently found it on Amazon. Many perfumes give me migraines.
Yep - I no longer feel like I "should" wear scented stuff - and actually for my workplace we have it in our contracts to NOT wear perfume (we sit in close quarters with our colleagues, and some will be intolerant or sensitive to scent)
lol, we successfully resisted Mokki together. It will be easier next year, too, since they released a statement that they’re raising their prices at the beginning of the year. It’s pretty, but we don’t have to have every pretty thing.
Oh wow! Yeah I kind of feel like I'll leave the Mokki alone, the initial thought was that if I ever find myself in Paris or Tokyo (or wherever else that may have a favorable exchange) and feel moved to get a purse in person, that can be the one.
However I can't fathom spending almost $700 on a purse, so maybe not, if they're going to go up again.