If you’ve trying something new this year and implementing a low buy, brace yourself for all the temptation coming your way. There will always be a great new invention that will fill your screen, and all your favorite influencers will be talking about them. There will always be something that needs replacing around the house, and they will nag at you every day that you’re not taking your wallet out to buy the replacement.
When it comes to a low buy year, the goal is to save and buy with more intention. Here are the rules to live by:
You’re allowed to replenish your stocks
A low buy year doesn’t mean you’ll run out of shampoo and make do without it. Everything that is essential in your life right now can be replenished once they run out, such as your toiletries, makeup, and Korean sunscreen. However, if you’re eyeing a new product to add to your skincare or a new item of clothing to add to your wardrobe, you’ll want to ask yourself if they are really worth the new buy.
You’re allowed to look and shop around
There’s a difference between shopping around and shopping. When you’re doing it online, this means stopping right before you complete the checkout process. So feel free to look around and add to your online shopping cart to your heart’s content, as long as you know when to stop. If you don’t have that self-control, however, you’ll want to uninstall that shopping app you have on your phone. If you’re browsing through your computer, use incognito so that your details, and therefore your shopping preferences, will not be saved. This will help make it hard for online marketers to send you targeted ads.
When you feel the urge to buy, ask yourself why
Similar to how we are always picking up a phone just to mindlessly fidget, you may be buying something online just because you have nothing else to do. Next time you feel that urge, ask yourself why, and don’t take impulse as an answer. Remember, the goal of a low buy year is to be more intentional in your purchases. So ask yourself what the intent is behind that purchase before you make a decision.
Celebrate small wins
There will be days when you might be too tempted to buy an item, and that’s alright. It is a low buy, not a no buy year, after all. But don’t take these as failures. Rather, look at the opposite side and consider the successes–the days when you didn’t buy or have resisted the urge to spend on unnecessary items. These small wins will carry you through the days when you feel like you’re depriving yourself by not buying.
Not giving in to every advertisement you see online is a skill you need to master when you’re doing a low buy year. It’s okay if you struggle at first, but if you keep at it, you will learn how to practice self-control and curb your spending for a more financially responsible version of yourself.
