I went on a no buy in august, here's how it went

[@floskywalker6220]

I'll admit I unfortunately failed mine, but I'm just gonna try again for September. No shame in just trying again if you couldn't get it your first try

[@loafollower9590]

@@floskywalker6220 I failed mine to 😭 I feel so out of control

[@earthfa333]

in the opinion of a stranger... even if you broke the no buy, no matter how many times, the fact that you intentionally started the journey to go on one is such HUGE win. I'm so proud of you.

[@Squishbiscuits]

No-buy success here! My goal is to get to October. I felt like my no-buy August was pretty easy, but now I’m feeling pretty itchy. Fall is my favorite aesthetic season and I finally moved somewhere with a REAL Fall. So I’m feeling the mega-desire to go out and buy all the cozy sweaters and boots my previously subtropical climate never let me wear. I’m making myself just “wishlist” until it actually starts to get chilly. I’ve also been really trying to focus on mindfully enjoying the last bits of summer. I know I will miss summer once winter hits and it’s gonna be a SHOCK. But the New Season excitement is REAL 😖

[@sandyk2310]

That type of clothing will soon be making an appearance at the local thrifty! I know that I'm looking for the cozy 👴 sweaters!

[@maddie8415]

By holding off on getting the colder weather clothes you'll also probably be able to get them for a better price when the times comes!

[@shawnaripari]

I absolutely feel you with that fall itch! Congrats on making it through August and wishing you well in September!

[@cyancat8933]

I did fail my no buy, but I realized how much time I spent (before the no buy) just looking at things to potentially buy, and have been (with like 95% success rate) able to direct that time into doing things I find more value in. I am trying again with a no buy for September and more than just win/fail I am looking to build more better habits/better mindset. Also failing a no buy and then keep going is in itself a good exercise in a less perfectionistic mindset for me.

[@shawnaripari]

you've made so many wonderful realizations! I'm so proud of you for continuing

[@MariPopović]

August was terrible! Bought absolutley nothing but had family visiting for vacation and a medical emergency..had to dip heavily into my savings and now I am behind for months. Even tough life happens, all the time I could hear Shawna saying girl NO! Prolonging my no buy until the end of 2024 and hoping it will get me back on track!

[@generated.name.by.human.]

I wish you good luck on that no-buy journey ♡ I know you can do this!!

[@athenapantazes]

Medical emergencies should not count for a no buy because it’s medical and an emergency! Plz don’t be too hard on yourself about it

[@MariPopović]

❤

[@minyoonjidabaddie3368]

I did fail mine but what i also did throughout the month was track and write down everything I brought this whole month. I spend alot of money of food and shop alot at cheap stores. 😂 It helped me realized I spent more money when its stores that are cheap. I just end up spending way more because i dont feel bad cause " its only 1.50 for each item". I know itll be hard for me cause i love shopping and been for years but slowly i know i can become better. :)

[@sandyk2310]

💵 🌳 does that to me every time!

[@xmultishipperx7206]

Ive been so proud of myself for not buying any clothes & shoes for a while , and thanks to you youve helped me be more concious about what i buy ! usually i use Pinterest to help me not buy but look at things i might like and wait to see if i still like them after a bit

[@shawnaripari]

this is a great win! Thanks so much for sharing

[@maddie8415]

I also just love how you talk about getting to the point where you can find something cute and admire it without always feeling compelled to buy it. These days marketing often relies heavily on our emotions and identity and I really think that's why it's difficult to admire something without feeling a strong urge to buy it every time. As my mom used to say "there will always be something you want".

[@lolagonzalez3682]

9:18 The BEST nail polish base/top coat combinations that I've found are: Sally Hansen "Hard As Nails" Nail Hardener (not necessary, but I have weak nails and this helps immensely!) Orly Bonder Base Coat Essie Top Coat Will last me 2 weeks easily. And I take daily showers, I work out, and I'm pretty rough on my hands! I would also recommend putting oil on your cuticles/nails. I use jojoba oil :)

[@maddie8415]

I absolutely love how much you're talking about what you've been doing with your time and energy as a whole. I'm becoming more and more aware that the biggest trigger for regrettable shopping is not having other things to focus on and get satisfaction out of. That feeling of emptiness, dissatisfaction, or utter boredom is what often triggers a desire to shop in myself and surely many other people. My biggest advice to anyone trying to recover from compulsive shopping is to redirect your focus by starting or re-engaging in a hobby (that can be low-cost up front), setting some general goals for what you want to do with your time or accomplish...and unsubscribing from all marketing emails and hiding social media ads that trigger you to shop. I'm going for a no-buy September after having a rather "spendy" August!

[@shawnaripari]

thank you for sharing and wishing you the best of luck this September 💕

[@maddie8415]

@@shawnaripari Thank you!! 💗

[@hayleypflug7384]

I did not go through a SINGLE drive-thru this month. We’re three days into the new month and I don’t wanna break the chain. I’ve been doing more cooking obviously lol. You mentioned your year of contentment a few videos ago and I’ve been combing thru that playlist. You mentioned how no buys don’t have to be a punishment, and to start new projects. I started cross stitch/embroidery again! I’m having so much fun with it and I’m making something for my niece’s nursery 🥹 This month was a mixed bag because my income has changed a lot this summer. There were some beautiful things too.

[@Vanessabeachdreamer2025]

Shining a blinding light on spending in general on items we want but don’t need is so damn relevant to maintaining positive mental health/growth/and responsibility. Thank u so!!

[@violet_418]

I did my August no-buy focused on beauty/toiletries and using up stuff that I had. I finished 9 things! I have a tendency to squirrel away the last few uses of fancy stuff like scented lotions, but I went ahead and used them up and really had fun with it. At the end of the month I bought 3 replacements items of essentials. I think reframing no-buy into use-up for beauty stuff makes it a lot more fun! I am going to keep going another month and only get replacements at the end of the month, if I truly need something and have used all other options up.

[@Sdirtttymop]

I finished my first no/low buy ( I did want to buy pants for back to school) this month and it was crazy to me. I’m also started a project pan/use it up during this month, Because I had so many “backups” in lotions, shampoos, etc. The first two weeks were really hard, I refused to buy the pants I wanted because I was itching to spend n shop and was worried I was going to impulse buy in that mindset. I went in thinking by the end of the month I MIGHT have 4-5 empties for my first round…I impressed myself by reaching about 25 empties. Don’t get me wrong a lot of them were really close to being completely used up but I didn’t finish because I struggle throwing things away. that’s being said, that’s still 25 less things that I have cluttering my space. And I feel it, I feel less overwhelmed when I get ready… and it’s only the beginning. What really surprised me is how proud I felt after finishing a product! I used to struggle with depressive episodes where I would go days neglecting myself, and a lot of stuff would expire before I would finish using it up. So seeing my box full of the proof of me taking care of myself, was really empowering.

[@LadyVintageBags]

Thanks to you and alexa i completed no buy august! Both of your videos helped me to get through the times where i really nearly failed! Im now embarking on no buy september with the overall next goal post to achieve a no buy year on non essentials. Big thank you to yourself and alexa for your great and helpful content!

[@rachelfollowill3249]

A few weeks late with my comment, but I am seeing this as a win regardless of if I spent or not. I learned alot about my triggers, I spent so much more time doing things I love like reading, crafting, hangin with my kid. Will probably be retrying low buy for Oct, Nov and Dec.

[@lifeisanadventure406]

My no buy went pretty well. I bought two moisturizers, but I kind of needed them.

[@littlefairykaija]

I want to say I did way better on my no buy than I expected for my first time trying it! It was very interesting to see that once I decided to not spend on unnecessary things how my brain switched to encourage me to buying things that were "more necessary" but still not needed? If that makes sense? Like I have wavy hair (around 2b/2c) but never bother to do a curl routine because my mom (who has the same hair type) never taught me how to growing up. So when I wasn't using my free time thrifting because if the no buy, I went down a rabbit hole of curly hair tutorials and ended up purchasing a few products. They will all be used, so it's not going to be a waste, but it totally could have waited until after the no buy. So it's kind of a fail for me there, but it was in the name of self care and I think the mindset of being on the no buy certainly helped keep me in check a lot better than if this was one of my usual ADHD-new-idea-obsessive-shopping-extravaganzas. Lol, so also a win? I'd also had an incredible weak moment due to a horribly stressful event where I ended up waiting for my bike to be emergency fixed (it is my only means of transportation to my job) and while waiting at the mall next door I bought a new cellphone. Granted, it was just an $80 flip phone, but still. I'd been toying with the idea of going back to a "dumb phone" because if too much screen time and impulses to shop, but once I was home and trying to set it up it dawned on me just how many things I use my phone for at work. I tried to figure out if I could somehow use my smart phone just at work and the flip phone for my personal phone and came to the realization it was just a bad purchase/set up. So I returned it and instead set up timers for the apps I get stuck in. So I was able to correct the mistake purchase, learned about what I really needed, and so far, the short time limits mean I am engaging with my hobbies and offline activities much better! I'm even finding it easier to get housework done. I will be continuing this no-buy into September. I'm hoping to keep it going until the end of the year. Instead of just shopping randomly I am making wishlists of things I think will be needed and really planning out a purchase if I do need to make one. I want them all to be in the spirit of the project, as you've said. I've foubd this to be quite a learning experience and I think it will be helpful with my wedding upcoming in May. I'm already planning to do that as minimally as possible with it being a simple planned elopement ceremony, but the push for brides to BUY BUY BUY so many weird, wild and unnecessary things on sites when I'm looking up an sort of tips or ideas is very scary!!

[@shawnaripari]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! Returning the item you felt like was a bad buy is a definite win

[@isabellaross1472]

I did really well but I was on more of a low buy. I made sure I was very intentional this month. I “failed” at a NO buy because I am 8 months pregnant and needed a few things yet for myself or the baby when he arrives🎉 but I am being very minimal with baby products this time with our third baby

[@pom.bo.]

thats still a win, you were very conscious of what you needed! wishin you the best of luck with remaining pregnancy and the new baby 🎉

[@CrepuscularQueen]

When you talked about your fall wardrobe it started making me yearn for my fall wardrobe too :) It starts becoming colder so I break out knitted sweaters, my trench coat, my long sleeve shirts and one orange dress I have. I noticed that my earrings are also seasonal because some earrings just match with my sweaters as well and I don't tend to wear them with anything else during summer. I'm just so excited! This is like my "fall shopping" without shopping to me when I reorganize my closet. I am trying to talk myself into putting some short sleeve shirts and tanktops away so I have this same excitement come spring.

[@annaviolinista]

I achieved my main goal, which was no solo dining, Doordash, or drive-through coffee in August! I did have a couple of coffee shop trips where I sat there and did homework for a few hours while enjoying my coffee. I finished off the month by ordering pizza, but I will try to do another no-fast-food month in September!

[@singingfan]

So proud of you Shawna! 🎉

[@ddk760]

Love your videos, just bindged a few in a row, I really like your nonjudgmental tone 🙏 also I love the question to self "is it in the spirit of the project?".... Such a lovely way to put it

[@PurpleBatProjects]

I’ve been doing a relaxed sort of no buy and the best thing I’ve noticed is that I’m eating better! We have kind of a sugar tax where I live, so chips and candy are expeeeensive. Skipping them means there’s more space in the grocery budget for nice cheese and fruit and things like that, which actually brings more enjoyment overall!

[@legallybreakfast3272]

I failed my no buy August but you're so right about learning from it! Going to try again for a no buy September with a lot more focus.

[@greasyykhaleesi]

I started a few days late so am on day 28 of 31, but so far it's been great! I'm definitely itching to make a couple purchases but decided to keep a wishlist instead. I'm finding I no longer even want some of the things I put on it a week or two ago! Going to attempt a longer no-buy after this, or maybe some rules like the x number of items per year strategy. This channel has been super helpful and definitely contributed to my success so far!

[@carrierae6964]

🦋 i failed my no buy august, it was mostly reacting to grief (i lost my beloved furbaby), so it'll be a no spend september for me🦋

[@janeheller8917]

I always love fall. This year with the storms and heat I’m ready for fall September 1st lol

[@heartquaked]

I failed mine but also learned a ton and did WAY better than I would have not being on a no buy! New month new goal… let’s goooo!!!

[@quaintlyso]

I am new here, and did not attempt the no-buy this month, but very much appreciated how the process acted as a speed bump for you. I’ll certainly be giving it a try in the future

[@eleanorandrews6048]

I'm doing a no buy for September through to November.I was just going crazy shopping the last few months and don't need anything really.Initially I felt physically ill like heart palpitations and hot flashes when I decided to do it ,which was interesting to me but I started a short try no buy preparation period a week before the 1st and this eased me into it, which helped me alot easing into the idea.Also did a reset of my clothes and shoes ( for the new season) and it made me realize I have more than enough with plenty of backups to spare😊

[@jonelle_roxx]

I loved this video! The ending really resonated with me because my Alma Mater has a hockey jersey that's been on my mind for the past 5 years, and I was still thinking about buying it. I thought that since I haven't had a chance to make it back to Homecoming, I might buy the jersey from the online store and make a donation to one of the student funds.

[@TessKarlsson-n3k]

running is the best, srsly. august was a mess for me. i'm starting over today (sept 2nd), wish me luck. really have to save some money, on top of all the other reasons i wanna do a no buy/low buy

[@abigailcompton9488]

No buy August was a complete success! Going to national parks with my already existing national parks pass really helped me 🎉

[@shawnaripari]

this is so awesome! Happy to hear it went well for you

[@abigailcompton9488]

@@shawnaripari It was the first no buy I had where it didn't feel difficult the whole month

[@lli457]

Just wanted to say, I love your channel and seeing no buys. I'm really small so 95% of the time brands don't carry sizes that fit me which is a natural barrier between me and shopping. And because of that I've never been into shopping/the mall, which is why I like your perspective as being someone who used to shop a lot. I would imagine it would be a lot harder when your size is more readily available and constantly marketed to.

[@emmafarr4200]

I feel like we would be such good friends! You have such a great personality! Love your videos 💕

[@laralikesmascara]

I 100% feel you on runs being the best in August. Especially while listening to august

[@shawnaripari]

they were just SO good, and ofc August in August

[@emmadroste8493]

I mostly stuck to my goals of a low buy on only one day of the month with one exception which was to get an immersion blender set and a tattoo care cream. However, i am pretty proud of the purchases and how much I reduced the number of trips to crafting stores and target

[@MCgrinseprinzessin]

No buy Win here ☺️ and for the first time I really experienced the urge to buy something because of buying. But I could manage it and the "rule" of the no buy month helped me there. I said to myself I can buy it in September if the urge is still there. So I take two things in September the other things regulated themselves after a week.

[@sandyk2310]

The thrift store of your college town may be chock-full of campus gear... when I return to mine I'll definitely be scouring the racks!

[@Vexingpixels]

I’m doing no Buy September! Seeing all of this/ these comments are so helpful

[@reno5964]

I started one and failed miserably! I recently lost 50lbs and had purchased a small amount of clothes that I thought would be enough. The I lost control and bought a lot of new clothes. I'm having so much fun with them! I am really focusing on buying pieces that are well made and will last. I also purchased most second hand. So I think my only win was focusing on second hand. I now have a full large well fitting wardrobe. I own 12 pair of pants. Spent $165 total for the pants (4 pair were gifted to me--preloved) The rest were purchased second hand from goodwill, thred up, and ebay. 5 pair of jeans, 6 cordoroys all different colors, and one pair of slacks). I've never owned 12 pair of pants at once that all fit perfect! Lots of new tops too. But I gifted my entire previous wardrobe to several coworkers. I went from size 14 to 8 so I had no pants at all.

[@reno5964]

I wanted a specific color of nail polish but I mixed 2 colors instead of buying new. I wanted a new work bag but repurposed on I already had. Used a body spray that I never reached for as "bathroom" spray. finding items to use up in place of buying new products. Created an online closet to "play" with my new clothes. Also planned meals around items on hand.

[@no-username69]

I'm very happy with my no-buy August! I went over my discretionary spending since the beginning of 2023 - which is something I've been keeping track of for several years - and came up with the following rules for myself: * No books * No games * No electronics * No stationery * No software, apps, or in-app purchases * No movies, except to watch with family * No tools or materials for current or new hobbies * No (new) personal care/grooming/hair removal items * No exceptions for limited-time offers (sales, Humble Bundles, Kickstarters, etc) To keep myself honest, I volunteered my best friend as my accountability buddy and told her that if I failed I'd send her $100. (This is something I want to phase out eventually, but at the start I found it helpful.) The closest I came to temptation was seeing some handmade journals while we were on vacation early in the month, but I knew better than to engage and just walked by. I'm going to continue in September with more or less the same ground rules. I don't know if I'll extend this to an entire no-buy year, but I don't have any specific plans to stop, either. Thanks Shawna for the motivation!

[@christineg6123]

Sephora canada has a sale this wknd and i placed an order for 2 pink highlighters and one peach plus one refillable lipstick. I cancelled it all. I already have highlighters and lipsticks.

[@shawnaripari]

congrats on cancelling the order!

[@upgrade101]

I'm going on a no-buy for Secondhand September, since I almost exclusively buy secondhand and I have enough stuff. I'm going to focus on styling what I have and donating what I don't reach for.

[@dayannecristina9066]

I bought a new watercolor set with dyes and brushes, so technically was not a no buy, but I've been wanting to try new paiting techniques, so I'm happy with my purchase. Otherwise, it was a regular no buy month, only paying for essentials (medicine, food, transportation).

[@caesarsalad1520]

My no-buy was more of a month in which I wanted to use up products I already have and not buy duplicates. I used up 13 products (makeup and skincare) and only purchased 6 products with two being free samples

[@SimplyKatieWalks]

What does panning mean?

[@shawnaripari]

Panning is when people try to intentionally use up their beauty products. If you've ever used a product in a compact like a powder or a blush, then you've had the experience of 'hitting pan.' The term panning has been extended beyond the compact or products physically in pans to encompass all kinds of beauty products someone might work on and finish

[@MrJeromeRN]

I was able to stay totally buy free for the first three weeks of the month but was drawn in by a sale on an air purifier that I simply had to have. So no clothing or skincare but I did drop the ball on a sleek gadget that was very much marketed to my ascetic.

[@slvr323]

*aesthetic, ascetic is a different word with a different meaning ✌️

[@bethanywood1769]

Going to try for the rest of the month of September. Just got back from an almost 10 day vacation so it was not happening on that lol.

[@pothosprincess1]

I had a great low but August! Btw I love the Torriden lip essence if you are still looking. I swear it’s my holy grail!

[@shawnaripari]

this is one of the ones that I was using that was causing me problem 😢 I think I was overusing it or using it too closely with something else and they didn't jive well. I stopped using it for a while, switched up another one of my lip products and begam using it at night only and it's ok now! More importantly however, I'm so glad you had a great low buy August!

[@Karlae86]

Awesome just bought groceries. ❤

[@steph_the_franco]

I'm on a low buy. I still allow myself to purchase stuff ONLY when I can purchase it twice. So for a 40$ item I need 80$. I use 40$ for the item and I use 40$ to increase my net worth. It's working for me :)

[@Binebear]

I'm doing a No Buy September 😊

[@itscarolinemary]

I didn't know that you live in the Toronto area! Super cool... it's so pricey here lol

[@pandaseal1611]

I’m going to try in September

[@margretsimons1693]

I’d say I was pretty successful!! I saved $920 😮 went back to school shopping for my son and used a gift card to get myself a birthday present.

[@Amyjwashere]

I bought 2 unnecessary items this month, I think that’s pretty good! I try to pay off any credit cards first (obviously) which I racked up during covid. I do need to put more limits on eating out for lunch, cuz I feel that is where I spend my $, since I am lazy and don’t like cooking lol. A true “no buy” for me would most likely include fast food.

[@igeorgoudi]

I am tracking my purchases right now and see when I buy , what kind of emotion do i experience to get motivated to buy? I feel it is getting better with purchases lately.

[@shawnaripari]

this is so wonderful!

[@igeorgoudi]

@@shawnaripari still not where I want to be but at least I buy more mindfully now ^^

[@patriciaramos6655]

I did a no by July and extended it to August. It was a success, except two days ago I went wild buying incense sticks 😂 I mean wild. And still want to get a lot more. Well...

[@syddlinden8966]

My August had a couple of small hiccups: incense, muffins at work, a few stickers... Considering I spent all month wanting to spend $100 on fountain pens I think I did pretty good. Am I no buy continuing into September as it's to try and offset car repair costs. I'm going to assess my august hiccups more in depth and hopefully find more focus through it.

[@syddlinden8966]

I'm hoping to continue through October and November because I have a really bad habit of way overspending in the fall on myself on top of having to acquire Christmas gifts for people. So I'm hoping to focus on using what I have versus my very typical buy it because seasonal depression is kicking in.

[@Moonpie90]

I didn't attempt a no buy last month. I'm doing a low buy in September - I'm allowed to buy whatever I want (within reason) in person but I'm not allowed to place any online orders - except one preplanned drugstore order for medical reasons and one for my dog. No uber eats, no Amazon, no shiney rocks etc etc. Online shopping really is my downfall as I hate driving

[@shawnaripari]

I'll be rooting for you this September!

[@jendavis5672]

I made an unexpected deviation from my original goal, but after reviewing my month overall I'm OK with the deviations I made.

[@scorpio7938]

Great listening i donated some clothes a sweater hoodie a shirt a pizza cutter why do i need two i did buy family members pants for one and a jacket for another and a shirt for myself but i am using up my conditioners shampoos lotions and am not buying till everything is used up shampoo almost done and bodywash no more extra because when i moved you have to pack and unpack 1 to 2 back ups from now on

[@chrismosher6975]

Win: I didn’t buy any physical things Loss: I did spend more then I wanted to on food out

[@catherinehuynh7068]

How do i control not spending money on others lol bc i find myself instead of getting things for myself ill shop like crazy fir my friends family and things for my pets and home

[@littlefairykaija]

I struggle with this too! I take a picture of the thing and send it to the person I would want to buy it for and say something nice with it. For example: "This candle made me think of you! The smell reminded me of when we went to that park together, I love spending time with you!" I also try to remember how I have tried to be bringing less stuff into my house, and maybe they are doing to same.

[@Squishbiscuits]

I’m a gift-giver too! My hobbies are hobbies that can MAKE gifts. Since it takes me a good amount of time to make each gift and the financial investment is small, I end up spending much less. I also get to share my hobbies and skills with them and better myself in the process. I paint. I knit. I sew. I make soap. I rotate the gifts with whatever hobby I’m most invested in emotionally at any given time.

[@catherinehuynh7068]

@@littlefairykaija I’m glad I’m not alone! Aww yes that’s a great reminder to be mindful that maybe they don’t need this Knick knack crowding their home.

[@electrar1678]

I failed once again. Bought 5 items and feel super guilty😢

[@shawnaripari]

I hope you can be kind with yourself 💕

[@Letty4]

I made it 22 days.

[@user-fq4ni3bv6z]

If you have time, I would love to see another video of products or stuff that you used up! 🫶🏻 love the channel