Oh yeah, it’s a new year! Happy 2020 everyone! And with a new year, comes some new goals. Or resolutions, however you choose to look at it. And this year I am choosing to do both. There is 1 huge resolution, which is basically a year long challenge, along with a few goals for 2020.
I love setting goals, as well as challenging myself. In the past year I had 1 personal 30 day long challenge, and then I participated in many group challenges. And one thing I have learned from challenging myself is that I thrive on challenges! And boy, do I have a BIG one for 2020.
No Buy Year 2020
I have decided to go big this year. This year, I am planning on having a no buy year for 2020. I know, that seems like a lofty goal, but hear me out.
I love to shop. But my extravagant shopping that I do is pretty much limited to horse related items. If there is something I want to by for my horses, I can find a way to justify it for myself. Which has led to a lot of excess horse stuff. And I am sure we all know, horse stuff can be really expensive. The perfect example of this was the dream shirt I felt I had to have which cost $125.00. Needless to say, I do not have that shirt, nor will I probably ever have that shirt unless it is gifted to me.
And in the past, I have tried to curb my spending by collecting everything that I have, so that I can see it, and see just how much stuff that I have. Then I purge everything, and end up selling most of it at a loss. Some of the things I had bought, I never even used.
I justify it by telling myself I am getting it for a video, and I could really use it. But over the past several years, even with my attempts at de-cluttering, I still have ended up with a lot of stuff. And it’s time to stop accumulating so much stuff! Well, it is for me anyways.
So for a big fat hairy resolution, I have decided to have a No Buy Year for 2020. Yep, I am committing myself to not buying in excess for 2020.
Now that doesn’t mean I won’t be buying anything, I have set up rules for myself. And I will be buying food, and horse feed, paying my bills, and all that goes along with having horses at home. But it does mean no more hauls, or subscription boxes, impulse shopping sprees, and excess shopping.
No Buy 2020 Rules
In order for this big resolution to be successful, I had to set some ground rules. And the first rule should be of no surprise;
No New Horse Tack
No new halters, or bits. New brushes will be a thing of the past as will any latest and greatest grooming products. I have so much stuff that it will still be like I have new things. I have enough saddle pads that I can use one every day for 12 days and never use the same pad twice.
Now granted, most of the thing I have bought I have found on sale. But just because it was on sale should not have been the reason I bought the things that I did.
And while I can justify every purchase, a lot of these things I didn’t really need. I even tried to make myself get rid of 2 things for every new item I brought into my house/tack room. But then I got to the point where I stopped doing that too. So no new horse stuff is my first rule I will stick too.
No Subscription Boxes – Or Clubs
I love getting surprises in the mail. But I have had a couple of different equestrian subscription boxes for a long time, along with Boxy Charm. And these subscriptions add up to a minimum of $95.00 a month. And then when I add in what I typically spend with Grove (fancy cleaning products) I usually spend around $65.00 per month.
So by cancelling the subscription boxes, and my Grove membership I will save at least $150.00 per month, which is awesome. And I feel like I have started the year off well, because this morning, before writing this, I cancelled all of the subscriptions.
This also means in October, I will not be renewing my Sams Club membership. While I have enjoyed it, and used it, I buy stuff I don’t need. I can actually save money, and bring less stuff home by cancelling this club membership. But it automatically renewed in October, so I will use it for gas, but other than that, bye bye Sams Club.
No Eating Out at Work
I am fairly good at this already, but I can do better. For awhile I was going out to lunch every day, and sometimes even having a fancy coffee. Which means I was spending about $15.00 a day just to eat out on work days.
Well that is just silly. By taking the time to make my lunch at home, or even buying a frozen meal to take with me, I can save about $300.00 a month.
No New Clothes – Period
This means work clothes (scrubs), equestrian clothes, or anything else. I have plenty of everything, and I really don’t need anything at all. Christmas was good to me in the socks and underwear department, so I am good for at least the next year.
My daughter is getting married in February, and thankfully I already have my dress (thanks Amazon) and my husband has his suit. So for that special occasion, we are covered.
Thankfully I am not really a clothes horse, unless you consider my equestrian related clothing. But again, I have more than enough clothing that is perfectly suitable for whatever occasion may arise. So I am very confident I won’t need to be running out to buy a new outfit for anything.
No New Home Decor
Oh this one might be a little more challenging. Just like the no new horse tack! I love finding pretty things to bring into my home. But, just like my horse tack collection, I already have enough home decor and I don’t need to add to what I have.
So no shopping trips to Home Goods, Target or American Furniture Warehouse this year. And I’m ok with that.
No More Dollar Store Shopping Sprees
When I am searching for a video idea and I can’t come up with anything, the easiest video to make is a Dollar Store Haul style video. A word of advice for any of you wanting to have quick success with your YouTube channel, if you want a video to get lots of views, and you don’t really have to think about it, do a haul or unboxing video. I guess people really like watching what other people buy. Maybe they get their own dopamine rush from watching. I dunno. But what I do know is this is a fast way to make a video.
But I have more than enough Dollar Store videos, along with more than enough Dollar Store items to keep me busy for all of 2020. So no more dollar store shopping sprees for me.
No Pet Toys or Pre-made Horse Treats
Our pets have replaced our children. Mainly because our children have all grown up, and have their own lives. So basically our pets, dogs, chickens, and horses, have become our fur babies. And they have lots of toys and treats because of this.
But I can make my own horse treats, and I know what is in them instead of buying bags of treats. And our dogs, well they have enough toys. I don’t think I will be able to stop my husband from buying treats for the dogs, but that’s ok. This is my challenge, not his.
Why Have A No Buy Year?
I think I have laid out a little bit of why I decided on this resolution. But I think the biggest reason is I am tired of focusing on stuff. I would much rather focus on experiences, than stuff. And I get that horses are a very expensive hobby, but I don’t need 15 brushes in my grooming kit. And on that note, I don’t need 5 grooming kits. My horses don’t need 6 bridles, or 12 saddle pads. I am tired of accumulating stuff. I have enough, and I don’t need more.
By changing my focus to what is important, the experiences, and not feeling that I have to have the latest and greatest of everything horse related I think I will have more time to actually be with my horses.
I want to simplify my life and not let the stuff run my life. Does that make sense? So I am challenging myself for 2020 to not focus on the stuff, but rather on experiences.
New Year – New Goals Welcome 2020!
There are a couple of purchases I will be making in 2020 though, and I will share more about that in an upcoming post, a long with how I am going to earn the money for those purchases. But I just wanted to share my big fat hairy resolution for 2020. I know, it’s a dozy! But I am confident that I am in the right frame of mind to do this. Time will tell if I am able to do it. But I plan on holding myself accountable by sharing with you my monthly expenditures. It works better if you have an accountability partner, so I am using you as mine!
How about you? Do you set a resolution for the new year? Do you need an accountability partner? They say if you have a goal, and write it down you are more likely to be successful with reaching that goal. They also say if you share that goal with others, you are even more likely to achieve what it is you are attempting to do. So how about it? What’s your goal?
A Review of the Year 2019
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