You might be thinking to yourself, “Brittney, is this a repeat post from 2020?” Basically, yes. Only since I’ve evolved since 2020, so have my big plans and ideas. I’ll be doing a year-long “low buy” in 2023. In a “post-pandemic” and “post-having-twin-boys” world, I could use a bit of grounding, purging, and realignment with the things I keep. If you’re interested in hearing all about my low buy goals, I’ve got them all laid out for you below.

LOW BUY GOALS/RULES

1. Stop shopping just to shop.
   I’m definitely one to shop just because I’m bored. Not even just online or at my favorite stores…but at grocery stores, especially! This goal will help me on so many different levels with this challenge.
   
2. Use what you have.
   I have a tendency to over-prepare. If we are down to 5 lbs of chicken in the freezer? Time to stock up. If the twins are entering size 2T, it’s time to buy their whole 3T wardrobe “just in case.” It’s obviously great to be prepared, but I think I could do a better job of using up what we have and making things last longer if possible.
   
3. Reduce waste.
   Food waste is easy to do if you aren’t planning well. I notice that when I go off a plan and use what I have, my waste goes down tremendously.
   
4. Purchase secondhand when able.
   If we need to make any purchases this year, I will try my best to buy secondhand. I have a grand plan to do “Thriftmas,” but only when it makes sense. I’m not going to gift my mom something used, but I know my kids will not know the difference. (Also I’m not against buying brand new secondhand items as gifts either!)
   
5. If you can’t stop thinking about it after a while, it’s likely fine to purchase.
   Since I’m doing a LOW BUY and not a strict NO BUY, if I see something and keep thinking about it…it might just be meant to be mine. Just like when we restrict our diets too much and then binge on sweets, the same can happen when restricting your budget. It’s about mindfulness and being intentional! (Also I’ll try to buy it secondhand if I’m able!)
   
6. Spend less on groceries.
   I’ve already begun sharing my journey on YouTube, but I’m excited to get our grocery budget back on track. We were easily spending upwards of $1200 per month on groceries. I’m trying to keep it around $600 per month in 2023.
   
7. Save.
   We have a lot of savings goals. We want to build a house. We want to increase our retirement saving. And we want to go to Disney World with the kiddos, dammit! (I also want to go back to London for our 10 year anniversary, but we’ll probably chicken out.)