I still don’t think you failed at a low buy year. Maybe a NO buy but def not a low buy. And imo as long as you learned something it’s not a fail it’s a learning experience 🖤
i realised that mostly of our desiree to buy things is bc of social media, so i stopped using tiktok and rarely use instagram and it really does make a big difference in my consumption, i hope i can do a no buy next year!
The moment you said that you are almost fully funded for six months made me so happy. That’s one of my goals too and it’s so nice to hear someone achieve it as well… makes me feel like I can do it too. (As long as I am disciplined.. I also kind of failed my low buy year…but I did learn a lot about my style and my shopping habits so that’s a win.)
Your end pep talk was my favorite. I took a hard look at my debt and I am doing a no buy year next year. I have a budget set out and I am very prepared to stick to it and have plans on how to avoid purchases. I've technically already started but I plan to just go till the debts gone
@michaeladickson thank you, thankfully I believe i am well prepared for this. I've done 5 years of trauma therapy and am in school for my bachelors in psychological counseling. I love watching other people's perspectives to get ideas on things I could be doing too.
i stopped seeeing beauty in life because mine wasn't as aesthetic as the influencers' lives. always wanting more and absolutely addicted on social media. today i uninstalled instagram, tiktok and pinterest bc of that. wish me luck :)
I totally understand this. I had to stop watching certain creators and unfollow a lot of people. I started to become so jealous and that’s not a feeling I want to feel because I love my life!!!!
i keep having huge fluctuations with my weight which i use as an excuse to buy new things so i basically have almost two wardrobes for each end of the spectrum which i KNOW is because im not disciplined with my health (eating balanced meals while leaving space for fun occasions, exercising regularly, having a consistent sleep schedule) so thats my main goal for next year bc ill feel much less enabled to shop if im at a consistent spot with a couple pieces of clothing for period related fluctuations 🕺🏾
I can relate so much. Part of my problem(s) is low self esteem. As I'm nearing my 60's, it shouldn't have such an impact on my life, but still it does. Eating is my method of rewarding myself when nobody else does. A couple of years ago I could wear a small size, now it's extra large. I lost a few pounds by iron will, but it takes so long. Some of my favorite clothes don't fit anymore and I refuse to let them go!
okay i just wanted to say that you have inspired me so much with these videos, even from the first one about the low buy i just started being more mindful about what i consume (clothes and other stuff) this year and i love that you are actually keeping it real with all this stuff and not being extreme and allowing yourself to “fail” which is so nice and also i think its the first time ive heard someone say that they don’t want an aesthetic/minimalist life because i feel like that is being pushed so much these days that its starting to become the “norm” so thank you for keeping it real i am planning to do a low buy for 2025 but not really with any rules, just spending less money on useless crap basically :)) sorry for the long comment, just wanted to say this stuff because i really love and agree with the stuff you talked about and also you are so lovely and funny and enjoyable to listen to ❤😊
deleting all of my consumerism-stimulating social media did wonders regarding my shopping habits. even though my original idea to delete social media had different reasons to it, it was still an awesome "side effect". i think people with a massive FOMO could really consider doing that too, because not even knowing what's trendy and not seeing any creators you might consider comparing yourself to is a huge help to just stop giving a damn and keep that money
I really loved your take on low buy (and the amazing try-ons, declutters). We have a no-buy coming up in 2025 and you’ve made me reconsider a few things, especially around care and comfort. Am I sitting with uncomfortable feelings that maybe make me want to buy something or am I sitting in literal discomfort in too tight of black jeans in the middle of summer because of rules I set up for myself 6 months prior in different circumstances. I’m not trying to punish myself, I want to spend some time reflecting on my consumerism and consumerist trends in general. It also made me realize in order to get the most out of this year I should be journaling a little instead of just crossing days off a calendar. thank you for sharing this challenge!
You've inspired me to do a low buy next year, with a no buy just in January. I currently spend about 200 euros each month on buying fun things (second-hand clothing, shoes, make-up, hair and skin care etc.) I don't have any debts and I still save money every month so that's not the problem, but I do realize that I don't need all of this stuff and I'm just making my small apartment more and more cluttered. I think about what to buy all the time and I just want to spend my energy on more productive things. This video is so helpful and I really needed the pep talk at the end! You did an amazing job with your low buy, don't be too hard on yourself in that regard ❤
Omg can you imagine the things you could do with even just €50 of those 200 saved instead of spent?? This got me so excited!! I also buy a lot of clothes second-hand on Vinted and I’ve decided to completely stop unless I identify a very specific item that I think I need for 3 months. I have very few makeup items but I have enough to justify banning that from my shopping list next year as well. Really excited about the things we can achieve when we look at our spending habits and consumption habits that clutter our lives!
idk if this is a trend everywhere, but where I live in Sweden young men or even boys are following finance bros on tiktok and discussing stocks and investing, like it's genuinely a huge trend. And young women/girls are viewing saving or investing as more masculine coded, like one of my friends said she doesn't want to get into it because it's just guy talk and annoying. It's so destructive to women's personal finances to be like lol!!! girl math 🤪 and not save money in a future proof way, and making saving and investing money a masculine thing just makes it so much worse. (Men aren't necessarily more financially literate in Sweden overall, but they do save and invest more and have bigger savings increasements than women. idk what it looks like in other countries but it's genuinely worrying imo that women here save significantly less money than men. It's not solely the fault of women as these stock owning differences start at 3 years old and is a societal issue, but taking control of your own finances as a woman is realllllly important. anyway. end of rant)
Thanks for this video! You made incredible points which we know but yet hard to articulate and even accept. I’m also throwing a tantrum at the returns I have to do and YET I was about to buy a 500 dollar pair of shoes that were 1/2 a size too small because I imagined myself aesthetically running around my apartment with them on. Make. It. Make. Sense. Thank you for deinfluencing me
Currently considering what rules I’m going to set for my own 2025 low buy year and this is exactly what I needed to see! Maybe one of my goals will be to rewatch this every month to keep things in perspective when I’m missing my constant influx of new clothes 😊
@@longbranch11207 I obviously don't know your social media habits, but for me it really helped this year to regularly watch videos of people doing no buys and low buys, and to not watch any haul content or other consuming-filled content.
That is so amazing to be able to pay off your student loans 👏 I’ve been working full time for almost 4 years and still am working at it 😅 My favourite girl math is the “I can’t go out in broke” has $50 in checking and $25k in savings.
Thank you!! I still have some federal loans I’ll have to pay back after I graduate but I’ve got a plan in place to get rid of them as fast as possible 💪🏻
I totally agree with you! There is a cost of living crisis - but I don't think it actually affects most of the people who are complaining about it. The fact that budgeting is not typical anymore is alarming and the normalization of living in debt will ruin the country's economic future
I started my ROTH IRA this year and I wasn’t able to max it out so my goal for next year is to save more money to put it towards that! I know starting something strict right off the bat won’t work for me so I’ve decided on doing no-buy categories/items. Makeup and nail polish (my biggest impulse buy categories) will be a no buy for me and maybe even skincare other than replacing the items I really need. Idk if I can do it with clothes but I’m definitely trying to be more mindful of what clothing items to buy so that’s a good step forward. I haven’t been able to save as much as I wanted to this year so your videos have really helped inspire me and get me back on track!
I discovered your channel this year and watching all your videos has convinced me that I am poor with my money when it comes to groceries and home decor so I plan to do a low by year basically making a budget for my groceries and sticking to it 100% and not buying any furniture for my home That is unnecessary and just being happy with the furniture that I currently have
I’d love to see a video about how you got started with your brokerage account and what you’ve learned about investing as a beginner! I’m trying to get into it for my own finances and it’s so overwhelming.
I opened both my Roth IRA and brokerage account with Robinhood. It doesn’t feel overwhelming and it’s easy to navigate! Other than that I don’t really have any advice, I just kinda played around with it until I found what strategy worked best for me 😅
Your perspective and personal reflections on consumerism was very helpful! Feeling inspired to actually open a Roth IRA in 2025. It was something I wanted to do this year and avoided.
After frustration about returns, I am going to try to only buy clothing in person, or at least clothing I can try on in person even if I need to get a different color online as much as I can. I think online shopping creates a sense of unreality and it is easier to know if something works for you in person.
Can you talk about how you’re saving each week? I know the advice is always to save a percentage but my income is so wildly different month to month that it’s pretty hard! Curious to hear how you’re handling it
Thanks for the video! Ive been doing some research on this topic, since I just had to take out a 401K loan for an emergency. Looks like I'm "unintentionally" going to have to go down this route... unfortunately. Crossing my fingers I'm successful in 2025.
You have a slightly wrong idea about minimalism. It's not about having 5 T-shirts, 1 cup, 2 plates, and not buying anything but food and medicine. Rather, minimalism is about making (ideally) only conscious purchases: things that you really need or things that make you happy - and most importantly, once you buy them, you USE them, not having 100 dresses and wearing only 2. In August 2023, I started my no-buy month, which grew into a no-buy year, and in August 2024, my second no-buy year began. During these almost 17 months, I bought 15-20 things from my no-buy list (4 books, 5-6 items of clothing, 2 pairs of earrings, perfume, and something else). But I don't regret it at all and I don't think that my no-buy challenge was a failure. Yes, I ended up donating some of these things, but I like most of them, I wanted them, and I use them or am going to use them. But, first of all, we all make mistakes, so there's nothing wrong with that, especially since before the challenge I could have bought so many things in just 1 day! I also saved money and a LOT of time, and bought a laptop for the first time in 12 years. In addition, I donated, gave away, or used hundreds of things that I had bought before, and I began to appreciate the things I have now much more, and learned to let go of things that I don't need and don't bring me any joy or benefit. I used to feel like I didn't have enough clothes, lipsticks (40-45 items!), books, and accessories, so I was always buying something, spending every penny I earned. And now I look at all my things (after having donated hundreds of items of clothing, 100-150 books, used a lot of hair care products, etc.) and think: “My God, I have so much stuff! How can I use it all?” And most importantly, I can't understand how I managed to fit all those hundreds of things in my closets that I had already gotten rid of. Because the closets are still full!
okay you’re right about i’m just a girl and girl math but i simply cannot stop saying it anytime i make a simple mistake or say something facetious im sorry i love a silly little phrase but i am being fiscally responsible i promise😭
Thank you for pointing out the girl math thing! It was cringe and it made me sad. Being bad at money is not sexy
The irony for me is that among the people I've met, the top spots in being bad at money are held by men.
I still don’t think you failed at a low buy year. Maybe a NO buy but def not a low buy. And imo as long as you learned something it’s not a fail it’s a learning experience 🖤
Yes!! I learned so much!
i realised that mostly of our desiree to buy things is bc of social media, so i stopped using tiktok and rarely use instagram and it really does make a big difference in my consumption, i hope i can do a no buy next year!
The moment you said that you are almost fully funded for six months made me so happy. That’s one of my goals too and it’s so nice to hear someone achieve it as well… makes me feel like I can do it too. (As long as I am disciplined.. I also kind of failed my low buy year…but I did learn a lot about my style and my shopping habits so that’s a win.)
Your end pep talk was my favorite. I took a hard look at my debt and I am doing a no buy year next year. I have a budget set out and I am very prepared to stick to it and have plans on how to avoid purchases. I've technically already started but I plan to just go till the debts gone
A huge step is acknowledging you need to change! I wish you the best of luck, it’s hard but so worth it!!
@michaeladickson thank you, thankfully I believe i am well prepared for this. I've done 5 years of trauma therapy and am in school for my bachelors in psychological counseling. I love watching other people's perspectives to get ideas on things I could be doing too.
Hello! I want to be better about spending over this next year too. I’m curious, do you mind sharing your plans on how to avoid purchases?
i stopped seeeing beauty in life because mine wasn't as aesthetic as the influencers' lives. always wanting more and absolutely addicted on social media. today i uninstalled instagram, tiktok and pinterest bc of that. wish me luck :)
I totally understand this. I had to stop watching certain creators and unfollow a lot of people. I started to become so jealous and that’s not a feeling I want to feel because I love my life!!!!
i keep having huge fluctuations with my weight which i use as an excuse to buy new things so i basically have almost two wardrobes for each end of the spectrum which i KNOW is because im not disciplined with my health (eating balanced meals while leaving space for fun occasions, exercising regularly, having a consistent sleep schedule) so thats my main goal for next year bc ill feel much less enabled to shop if im at a consistent spot with a couple pieces of clothing for period related fluctuations 🕺🏾
Knit clothing is more forgiving when weight fluctuates - also embrace lagenlook
I can relate so much.
Part of my problem(s) is low self esteem.
As I'm nearing my 60's, it shouldn't have such an impact on my life, but still it does.
Eating is my method of rewarding myself when nobody else does.
A couple of years ago I could wear a small size, now it's extra large. I lost a few pounds by iron will, but it takes so long.
Some of my favorite clothes don't fit anymore and I refuse to let them go!
okay i just wanted to say that you have inspired me so much with these videos, even from the first one about the low buy
i just started being more mindful about what i consume (clothes and other stuff) this year and i love that you are actually keeping it real with all this stuff and not being extreme and allowing yourself to “fail” which is so nice
and also i think its the first time ive heard someone say that they don’t want an aesthetic/minimalist life because i feel like that is being pushed so much these days that its starting to become the “norm” so thank you for keeping it real
i am planning to do a low buy for 2025 but not really with any rules, just spending less money on useless crap basically :))
sorry for the long comment, just wanted to say this stuff because i really love and agree with the stuff you talked about and also you are so lovely and funny and enjoyable to listen to ❤😊
Thank you for this comment 🥹💞
deleting all of my consumerism-stimulating social media did wonders regarding my shopping habits. even though my original idea to delete social media had different reasons to it, it was still an awesome "side effect". i think people with a massive FOMO could really consider doing that too, because not even knowing what's trendy and not seeing any creators you might consider comparing yourself to is a huge help to just stop giving a damn and keep that money
I really loved your take on low buy (and the amazing try-ons, declutters). We have a no-buy coming up in 2025 and you’ve made me reconsider a few things, especially around care and comfort. Am I sitting with uncomfortable feelings that maybe make me want to buy something or am I sitting in literal discomfort in too tight of black jeans in the middle of summer because of rules I set up for myself 6 months prior in different circumstances. I’m not trying to punish myself, I want to spend some time reflecting on my consumerism and consumerist trends in general.
It also made me realize in order to get the most out of this year I should be journaling a little instead of just crossing days off a calendar.
thank you for sharing this challenge!
A low buy/no buy is not sustainable when there’s absolutely no wiggle room. Much like a fad diet- easy way to crash and burn!!
You've inspired me to do a low buy next year, with a no buy just in January.
I currently spend about 200 euros each month on buying fun things (second-hand clothing, shoes, make-up, hair and skin care etc.)
I don't have any debts and I still save money every month so that's not the problem, but I do realize that I don't need all of this stuff and I'm just making my small apartment more and more cluttered. I think about what to buy all the time and I just want to spend my energy on more productive things. This video is so helpful and I really needed the pep talk at the end! You did an amazing job with your low buy, don't be too hard on yourself in that regard ❤
Oh and off-topic; your hair looks amazing!!
Omg can you imagine the things you could do with even just €50 of those 200 saved instead of spent?? This got me so excited!! I also buy a lot of clothes second-hand on Vinted and I’ve decided to completely stop unless I identify a very specific item that I think I need for 3 months. I have very few makeup items but I have enough to justify banning that from my shopping list next year as well. Really excited about the things we can achieve when we look at our spending habits and consumption habits that clutter our lives!
Is it an aesthetic life or just an aesthetic apartment? That question really shifted my perspective.
idk if this is a trend everywhere, but where I live in Sweden young men or even boys are following finance bros on tiktok and discussing stocks and investing, like it's genuinely a huge trend. And young women/girls are viewing saving or investing as more masculine coded, like one of my friends said she doesn't want to get into it because it's just guy talk and annoying. It's so destructive to women's personal finances to be like lol!!! girl math 🤪 and not save money in a future proof way, and making saving and investing money a masculine thing just makes it so much worse.
(Men aren't necessarily more financially literate in Sweden overall, but they do save and invest more and have bigger savings increasements than women. idk what it looks like in other countries but it's genuinely worrying imo that women here save significantly less money than men. It's not solely the fault of women as these stock owning differences start at 3 years old and is a societal issue, but taking control of your own finances as a woman is realllllly important. anyway. end of rant)
I did a low-buy in 2024 and failed Hard many times! But the awareness I gained of my thinking patterns and spending habits was invaluable.
Love it when you talk about paying for your summer classes - you are so right xx
Thanks for this video! You made incredible points which we know but yet hard to articulate and even accept. I’m also throwing a tantrum at the returns I have to do and YET I was about to buy a 500 dollar pair of shoes that were 1/2 a size too small because I imagined myself aesthetically running around my apartment with them on. Make. It. Make. Sense. Thank you for deinfluencing me
I love the way you talk! Instantly subscribed.. so rare to find authentic talks without that *influencer self improvement* tone!!
Currently considering what rules I’m going to set for my own 2025 low buy year and this is exactly what I needed to see! Maybe one of my goals will be to rewatch this every month to keep things in perspective when I’m missing my constant influx of new clothes 😊
Yes girl, nothing beats a day of Olive Garden and shopping, but make sure you swing by Culver’s on your way home to get some curds and a shake😉🤣
I’m doing a low buy 2025 I have that insatiable lust for clothes ✨😂
So am I . I tired this year and failed miserably lol. But I do believe that 2025 I can do it
@@longbranch11207we got this!! 😎
Y’all got this!!!
@@longbranch11207 I obviously don't know your social media habits, but for me it really helped this year to regularly watch videos of people doing no buys and low buys, and to not watch any haul content or other consuming-filled content.
"The amount of time ive spent shopping and returning" - I feel this to my core 😬
That is so amazing to be able to pay off your student loans 👏 I’ve been working full time for almost 4 years and still am working at it 😅
My favourite girl math is the “I can’t go out in broke” has $50 in checking and $25k in savings.
Thank you!! I still have some federal loans I’ll have to pay back after I graduate but I’ve got a plan in place to get rid of them as fast as possible 💪🏻
I totally agree with you! There is a cost of living crisis - but I don't think it actually affects most of the people who are complaining about it.
The fact that budgeting is not typical anymore is alarming and the normalization of living in debt will ruin the country's economic future
Totally unrelated, but your hair looks absolutely stunning!
I started my ROTH IRA this year and I wasn’t able to max it out so my goal for next year is to save more money to put it towards that! I know starting something strict right off the bat won’t work for me so I’ve decided on doing no-buy categories/items. Makeup and nail polish (my biggest impulse buy categories) will be a no buy for me and maybe even skincare other than replacing the items I really need. Idk if I can do it with clothes but I’m definitely trying to be more mindful of what clothing items to buy so that’s a good step forward. I haven’t been able to save as much as I wanted to this year so your videos have really helped inspire me and get me back on track!
Okay I really needed this video. Thank you ! 🙏🏻
I discovered your channel this year and watching all your videos has convinced me that I am poor with my money when it comes to groceries and home decor so I plan to do a low by year basically making a budget for my groceries and sticking to it 100% and not buying any furniture for my home That is unnecessary and just being happy with the furniture that I currently have
Good luck!! You got this 💪🏻
@@michaeladickson I’ll let you know how it goes! 🫶🏼
I’d love to see a video about how you got started with your brokerage account and what you’ve learned about investing as a beginner! I’m trying to get into it for my own finances and it’s so overwhelming.
I opened both my Roth IRA and brokerage account with Robinhood. It doesn’t feel overwhelming and it’s easy to navigate! Other than that I don’t really have any advice, I just kinda played around with it until I found what strategy worked best for me 😅
Your perspective and personal reflections on consumerism was very helpful! Feeling inspired to actually open a Roth IRA in 2025. It was something I wanted to do this year and avoided.
After frustration about returns, I am going to try to only buy clothing in person, or at least clothing I can try on in person even if I need to get a different color online as much as I can. I think online shopping creates a sense of unreality and it is easier to know if something works for you in person.
Great lessons learned - such pearls of wisdom!
My "throw pillows" are pokemon and I'm 40 something, live for you, not the camera.
I appreciate this very much! ❤
Can you talk about how you’re saving each week? I know the advice is always to save a percentage but my income is so wildly different month to month that it’s pretty hard! Curious to hear how you’re handling it
Heavy on the financial literacy as women!!!
Thanks, the video that I needed
You go girl!!!❤❤❤
Great video!
Thanks for the video! Ive been doing some research on this topic, since I just had to take out a 401K loan for an emergency. Looks like I'm "unintentionally" going to have to go down this route... unfortunately. Crossing my fingers I'm successful in 2025.
What are you studying?❤
You have a slightly wrong idea about minimalism. It's not about having 5 T-shirts, 1 cup, 2 plates, and not buying anything but food and medicine. Rather, minimalism is about making (ideally) only conscious purchases: things that you really need or things that make you happy - and most importantly, once you buy them, you USE them, not having 100 dresses and wearing only 2.
In August 2023, I started my no-buy month, which grew into a no-buy year, and in August 2024, my second no-buy year began. During these almost 17 months, I bought 15-20 things from my no-buy list (4 books, 5-6 items of clothing, 2 pairs of earrings, perfume, and something else). But I don't regret it at all and I don't think that my no-buy challenge was a failure. Yes, I ended up donating some of these things, but I like most of them, I wanted them, and I use them or am going to use them. But, first of all, we all make mistakes, so there's nothing wrong with that, especially since before the challenge I could have bought so many things in just 1 day!
I also saved money and a LOT of time, and bought a laptop for the first time in 12 years. In addition, I donated, gave away, or used hundreds of things that I had bought before, and I began to appreciate the things I have now much more, and learned to let go of things that I don't need and don't bring me any joy or benefit. I used to feel like I didn't have enough clothes, lipsticks (40-45 items!), books, and accessories, so I was always buying something, spending every penny I earned. And now I look at all my things (after having donated hundreds of items of clothing, 100-150 books, used a lot of hair care products, etc.) and think: “My God, I have so much stuff! How can I use it all?” And most importantly, I can't understand how I managed to fit all those hundreds of things in my closets that I had already gotten rid of. Because the closets are still full!
I’m looking forward to a low buy year in 2025… I’m starting to believe I can do it.
❤
okay you’re right about i’m just a girl and girl math but i simply cannot stop saying it anytime i make a simple mistake or say something facetious im sorry i love a silly little phrase but i am being fiscally responsible i promise😭
It might have started as a joke. But my impression is, as a trend with lots of viral clips, it paints women as immature, weak, and bad at money.
Great video!