Tackling a ‘no-buy’ year
Choosing to buy nothing can be a way of gaining control, being more mindful, saving time and money, and breaking the habit of immediate gratification, writes Sharon Stephenson.
It was the white shirt that did it – a pretty cotton number almost identical to the five other white shirts hanging in my wardrobe.
But it was on sale, I was on holiday and, dammit, I’d worked hard for the money. So I swiped the square of plastic, feeling a rush of pleasure. Which was almost immediately followed by remorse: not only was it a waste of money I didn’t have, it was also the first time in six months I’d fallen off the buy-nothing wagon.
Some context: I used to work in an office where I numbed my unhappiness with lunchtime trips to the shops. My ‘‘hoardrobe’’, as my husband called it, was heaving. Fortunately, a few years ago I started working from home, where I gladly embraced the uniform of track pants and Ugg boots.
Last year, I moved to a 6-hectare lifestyle block, where I no longer needed seven black trousers or the alarming number of cocktail dresses I’d somehow accumulated.
After the sort of cull Japanese decluttering expert Marie Kondo would be proud of, I resolved to buy no clothes or shoes unless I absolutely had to.
And, aside from that one white shirt, it’s going well. I don’t miss shopping or the time, energy and disposable income it sucked from my life.
Even better, my shopping ban has made me more conscious about my general spending behaviour, encouraging me to make do with what I’ve got and, if I really need something, to search out second-hand alternatives. Who knew resisting society’s constant pressure to buy-buy-buy would spark so much joy?
Lots of people, it turns out. Over the past few years, various movements have sprung up around the globe encouraging people to put away their wallets for 24 hours, such as Buy Nothing Day (November 29 this year), a global celebration of living lightly which started as an anti-consumer protest against the Black Friday sales and gained momentum during the Occupy movement.
Or for longer: the Buy Nothing Project, which started in the US and has since expanded to more than 450,000 members in 18 countries, including New Zealand. This ‘‘collective against consumerism’’ taps into the gift economy as members trade items, time and services from their neighbours without exchanging cash.
Auckland psychologist Nadine Isler says people instigate shopping bans for a number of reasons, from saving money and decreasing their environmental footprint to learning to live with less and ending their dependence on consumer culture.
‘‘Evidence suggests the old notion of ‘retail therapy’ can be more harmful than therapeutic when used to excess, causing people to go into debt and develop spending addictions that leave them still feeling unsatisfied, so they have to spend even more,’’ says Isler.
For some, the antidote could be following the teachings of Kondo to evaluate belongings and keeping only those that bring joy. Or taking on the no-buy challenge.
‘‘Buying nothing can be a way of gaining control, of choosing to be more mindful about spending, and can have other benefits, such as saving time and money and breaking the habit of immediate gratification,’’ says Isler. ‘‘People might also become more creative, finding ways to make do with what they already have or making things themselves.’’
Changing shopping behaviours might not come easily to some, particularly those with a hoarding disorder, but Isler says going the no-buy route can be a positive step. ‘‘It all depends on your motivation. If you’re doing it for environmental reasons or acting in accordance with your values by taking a stand against consumer culture, or simply