A No Buy 2025
After beginning the year sick as a dog, along with many other Vancouverites, I find myself financially in a hole that I am trying to smash together a ladder to climb out of. Having missed a solid 7 days of work, the revelation that I, again, like many Vancouvrites, am one pay-check away from not being able to pay rent, struck me with a cascade of thoughts relating to spending, societal programming, needs/wants, income, budgeting, and the ‘what happens in case of emergency?” type considerations.
In this city, it can be difficult to leave one’s house without $100 dissolving into what feels like thin air as soon as you venture from your doorstep, but I’d like to challenge my habits, as well as my psychological desire to ‘have’. Not to mention, the environmental repurcussions of over spending. The planet cannot hold anymore garbage, and in this modern age, we are creating waste in the tons every day. Everytime we make a purchase, we are potentailly creating more waste, depending on what we’re investing our money into- Is it something that will last us 30-40 years, or a couple of months? Is it worth the buy? Is it worth creating a footprint over? Not only is modern consumerism detrimental to our pockets, but to our planet as well.
Years ago, our purcahses would last us a lifetime- a wool coat would be our winter coat for decades. Our shoes would last us until the soles wore through. Luggage - that would last one’s entire life. But here and now, within North American culture, we shop every weekend, buying things that will likely end up either in the trash one day. Much like the way of food, and how many of us, post 90’s have gone back to a whole foods, healthy balanced diet to preserve our wellbeing - many of us will be forced to spend less, and be far more mindful about our spending habits. Or else, you just - won’t be able to live. So, a tigher economy, while challenging, provides an opportunity for decreased consumerism, which our planet desperately needs. If we can access dopamine through connection, heartfelt moments, creativity, and physical activity, our superficial need for accessing those feelings outside of ourselves dimishes, and we can just simply be and enjoy life.
And although I’ve always considered myself a mimimalist, I do find it all too easy to tap my credit card furthering innessental consumption. Maybe it’s a t shirt I don’t need, a pair of shoes I’ll wear down in two months, another lip balm. And as a mininimalist, it does me no good to continue to consume and propel the need to donate goods on a regular basis. While donating your clothes is the best thing to do, we just in general have far too many clothes on the planet. We can’t keep up, regardless of how many thrift stores we have. It’s just too much.
So, enter a No Buy 2025. I will include a list of Essentials (Items I will still be buying out of necessity), and Non-Essentials (Items I will not be buying in 2025.)
The Essentials:
Rent
Utilities
Transportation Costs
Phone Bill
Groceries
Cafes/Restaurants for Special Occasions
Natural Health Costs - (Gym Membership,Therapy, Chiro, Etc.)
Household (Cleaning Products, Dish Soap, Etc)
Non Essentials:
Clothes
Shoes
Fitness Classes
Books (Use Library)
Alcohol
Decorations
Jewelry
Furniture
Household items
Plants
Some Non-Essential Items that I do need/plan to repurchase in 2025 are: A new bathing suit, new underwear, a haircut next month. That’s it. I have everything I need for my home, my wardrobe, and I don’t spend very much on beauty, etc.
Alright, let’s see how we do…