I have found Black Friday to be a major disappointment this year. I was hoping to pick up a few bargains, but everything I wanted was excluded from the sales. I bought a few Christmas presents for others but compared to last year, I showed a lot of self restraint (On a side note, I think the offers were so much better last year – or is that just me??). It got me thinking, however about what I am spending my money on and why I am actually buying ‘things’.

I realised that a lot of the time, I have been buying things I like just because they are on offer. I don’t actually need the goods, I just like them. I then remembered this feeling I had when I was on a coach in Greece. I observed the locals, especially the older generation who seemed to live a simpler life. This is by no means an insult. They just seemed happier with less. It made me crave a life where I didn’t want to buy designer handbags, expensive trainers or a brand new laptop.

I have tried to make changes in my life to be more minimalist. I have reduced the quantity of clothes I buy, to the point where I actually need to buy more T-shirts and jeans! So many of mine have have holes in or are unsightly faded from washing.

I am also thinking about the environmental impact of buying less, especially in Black Friday sales. For example, I have made some eco swaps around the home including using soap instead of hand wash, choosing refillable products in glass jars or buying biodegradable/compostable alternatives eg. toddler wipes.

The first step I have made is to UNSUBSCRIBE. The temptation is lessened if I am not aware of the daily promotions in my inbox. I am also less exposed to new products this way, as I am sent a lot of emails saying, ‘Have you tried this?’ as a result of previous purchases.

I am keen to spend less in December but I am obviously worried about going cold turkey (quite apt for the festive season!). I am toying with the idea of a monthly system where I can set a limit to treats for myself. I am not sure of how much that should be but I will definitely let it roll over, so say it was £20 per month but I didn’t redeem it in January, I would have £40 to use in February. I think this would be more achievable than going ‘without’ for a month and then splurging later and spending triple as a result.

What do you think, have you tried ‘no spend’? Did it work and if so, for how long? Bx