The Year Of No Shopping

[idvsego]

Well I'm not sure if this counts as a cave in or not. I went to the running store last night because I needed some new athletic underwear. I ended up leaving with a few more items than I had originally bargain for. BUT they are are items that I actually need, as oppose to just wanting. For example I'm using pretty much all of the new items in a run tonight after work. So in my mind I'm still in the 'no purchase' camp. Now if I end up buying a pair of AE shoes during the seconds flash sale (unless it's already over) then that's another matter.

Only you can define need. As an avid hobbyist in several areas, I know my idea of need can be very different from a layman...but it's for you to judge.

[paintflinger]

So I feel that I really need to try this, especially after having buyers regret on a recent Suitsupply Outlet purchase (summer suit was much darker than it appeared). But I also don't feel not buying anything for a year is all that realistic. Are there agreed upon exceptions that make sense (or will making exceptions swallow the rule)? The exceptions I am thinking of are:

1) to replace a clothes/shoe item that is no longer wearable/worn out/torn/etc... (eg, socks/underwear/tshirts);

2) to fill out an actually needed item in your wardrobe (e.g., a swimsuit for summer, a raincoat if you dont have one, etc..);

3) or items needed for a special occasion (eg, ski trip, black tie affair, etc...).

#2 is probably most subject to abuse. I also agree with others that removing emails from favorite emails and not checking certain clothing websites would do wonders. Probably just adopting a quasi-uniform for your work, casual, and dressed-up looks would be helpful.

Deleting stored card info is pretty effective as well. The second you have to type in the card info, it tends to hit harder what you are doing and you question whether or not you really need said item.

[dpark]

Only you can define need. As an avid hobbyist in several areas, I know my idea of need can be very different from a layman...but it's for you to judge.

Need is definitely subjective/relative for people who don't have legitimate life-sustaining needs. I just bought a few t-shirts from Old Navy. I have 3 currently and they're constantly in use because I'm home on paternity leave for 3 months. They're my default uniform at home because they're comfortable and the baby doesn't care how I dress. They also get worn at night so that I don't have to spend time getting dressed if the baby yells. I picked up 4 more so I have enough to get through the week. This isn't a strict need, but it's valuable enough to me that I'd count it.

I did avoid piling stuff onto my cart to hit the $50 free shipping mark. Instead I actually took one shirt out to get me closer to $30, which isn't no shopping but is less shopping at least.

[dpark]

2) to fill out an actually needed item in your wardrobe (e.g., a swimsuit for summer, a raincoat if you dont have one, etc..);

3) or items needed for a special occasion (eg, ski trip, black tie affair, etc...).

These are essentially the same thing and both are very subject to abuse. (Obviously, not shopping is a voluntary choice, so it's only "abuse" in the sense that you might not be following the spirit of your own arbitrary rules.) The real question for a sudden "need" is why you survived without it up to now. Why do you need a raincoat and swimsuit when you apparently didn't need them last year? Why do you need to own a tux when you didn't need to own one the rest of your life? It's up to you to decide how strict you want to be.

[srlclark]

These are essentially the same thing and both are very subject to abuse. (Obviously, not shopping is a voluntary choice, so it's only "abuse" in the sense that you might not be following the spirit of your own arbitrary rules.) The real question for a sudden "need" is why you survived without it up to now. Why do you need a raincoat and swimsuit when you apparently didn't need them last year? Why do you need to own a tux when you didn't need to own one the rest of your life? It's up to you to decide how strict you want to be.

For me, at least, the distinction would be that it is a need if I am letting other people down if I don't get it; otherwise, it is not. So, the major example of a need would be if I were in a wedding party and the couple getting married wanted me to buy/rent a particular suit. One example that might count for me in 2018 is that I turn 40 and am going on a family holiday to Italy, so I could conceivably need a pair of swimming trunks, and I actually recently donated my (very) old pair. I don't think I could really use either of my pairs of gym shorts for swimming, so either I don't go swimming or I buy a pair. And we're staying in a villa with a pool and it's near the sea.

Otherwise, the only things that I think could even plausibly become needs in a year are socks and underwear, perhaps t-shirts as you mentioned in your other post. But even then, I doubt any of us have so few pairs that, strictly speaking, we need new ones within a year. I would not count it as a need to replace a particular color of sock so as to match. Wearing socks that don't quite match your pants won't kill you.

Anyway, I'm not doing the no buy in 2018, so this is theoretical. I will buy the swimming trunks.

But I might do it in 2019, which makes me ponder this question: if someone deliberately stocks up on something before the year starts so as to avoid having to buy anything during the year, is that within the spirit of the challenge or not? I mean, the point of the challenge is to spend less money on clothes, so it somewhat undermines the point to move the spending forward. The point is not to do it at all. And there's always going to be something that one can convince themselves they need to stock up on.

[SaWuttae]

I'm still in, no purchases yet.

Yeah "needs" are fine if truly needed to be replaced. If your plain white shirt gets a hole, OK. If your neon green polo gets a hole......

I made one purchase before the year, a replacement blue and a white plain button down for work because my current ones will likely need replacement during the year. Although I might return both, tried CT again and just can't find a fit I like from them.

The rules are what you make of it though, there's no prize money or anything in the end...

[CptSlow]

I'm still in, no purchases yet.

Yeah "needs" are fine if truly needed to be replaced. If your plain white shirt gets a hole, OK. If your neon green polo gets a hole......

I made one purchase before the year, a replacement blue and a white plain button down for work because my current ones will likely need replacement during the year. Although I might return both, tried CT again and just can't find a fit I like from them.

The rules are what you make of it though, there's no prize money or anything in the end...

There kind of IS prize money in the end though.....more of it in your bank account.

[Loafer28]

I am going to do my best to not have any “needs” this year. I have plenty of socks, underwear, swim trunks and t-shirts to survive. If one of my blue shirts wears out, I have at least 2 slightly different options. I am attempting complete cold turkey.

Still going strong btw.

[idvsego]

I am going to do my best to not have any “needs” this year. I have plenty of socks, underwear, swim trunks and t-shirts to survive. If one of my blue shirts wears out, I have at least 2 slightly different options. I am attempting complete cold turkey.

Still going strong btw.

Same. I think our definition of need creepers over time.

[dpark]

For me, at least, the distinction would be that it is a need if I am letting other people down if I don't get it; otherwise, it is not.....

Anyway, I'm not doing the no buy in 2018, so this is theoretical. I will buy the swimming trunks.....

But I might do it in 2019, which makes me ponder this question: if someone deliberately stocks up on something before the year starts so as to avoid having to buy anything during the year, is that within the spirit of the challenge or not?

That’s a pretty reasonable interpretation. If you stick to it honestly it rules out the “but I really want an X” purchases.

I’m not really doing this either. I’m not buying much in terms of clothes just because I don’t need anything and I’m sick of ordering outerwear and sending it back because the fit isn’t good. I also pretty much burned through my “fun money” at the end of 2017 on other stuff, too. If I happen across a field jacket I love I’ll get it but I’m not actively looking for anything and browsing sales feels pointless lately.

As for stocking up, I actually don’t think it violates the spirit to do that the year before. The point is really to teach yourself to avoid impulse shopping. You accomplish that by not shopping for a year, even if the week before the year starts you stock up on random stuff. Plus realistically, you can stock up on impulse purchases. Because the sales going the week before the new year are not the same as the sales going the rest of the year.