Last year turned into the Year of Buying Everything here at Casa Aloha: new tires, new washer and dryer, new computer, new phone, new clothes for school, dorm room needs, new kitchen worktable, new living room chair, and so forth. Along with all the traveling we did, it was an expensive year. We saved nothing extra.
Brett and I have decided that 2017 will be The Year of Buying Nothing. We have a goal to save as much as possible this year, so that other than buying food, toiletries, paper goods and cleaning supplies we’re putting ourselves on a spending fast for the year, with a few exceptions:
- Necessary items for YaYu. She will require uniforms and team shirts for sports, new running shoes and socks for cross country in the fall, and a prom dress this year, although she’s thinking of renting one from Rent the Runway instead of buying.
- Christmas and birthday gifts. Meiling’s and YaYu’s January birthday gifts were purchased before the end of last year, so WenYu is the only one of the girls to buy for this year (we have a $50 limit per girl). We’ll purchase our grandson’s birthday gift when we are in Japan, and will bring along and leave birthday gifts for our granddaughter’s first birthday next fall because the postage from here to Japan is just too outrageous now. We have a monthly allotment already set up for Christmas shopping next year, so those expenses will be covered. Brett and I don’t exchange birthday or Christmas gifts.
- Baby gifts to take to Japan. Used items are not appreciated in Japanese culture, so we will be buying some new things for our granddaughter to take with us in March.
Omamori for sale at a shrine in Japan - Souvenirs. Brett and I have decided that purchases in Japan will be limited to food items (KitKats!) and some omamori (amulets) for good luck and fortune from the shrines we visit.
There are thrift stores here on the island, but we’ve decided that rather than even buying used, it’s better to buy nothing at all. Looking around, we definitely don’t need anything so hopefully this will be a fairly easy challenge to stick with this year.
The more we don’t buy, the more we can save. Let the Year of Buying Nothing begin!
The Occasional Nomads 
What size does YaYu wear? I have at least two lovely dresses and my daughter is pretty tiny. I’d be happy to send them to you, or bring them with as we still plan on being there before prom season!
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Send pictures! And thank you! YaYu said she’d check them out. I don’t know how small your daughter is – YaYu is pretty tiny, like a size small or x-small.
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Rachel is 5’2″ and a small. I’ll send pics this weekend!
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I’m with you on being more mindful with spending this year. We spent way too much last year, part of that is because we live in the Bay Area and we have a big chunk of change for rent on the 1st of each month and that seems to set the tone. I’m trying to be more rigid with expenditure, sticking to my grocery list, not throwing in anything extra as CVS because I have a coupon. I live close enough to the shops that if I run out of soap it only takes me 5 minutes to walk to the store to get the next bar as needed. I’nm figuring if I can come in under budget in January that will set the tone for the rest of the year.
BTW a viewing recommendation for you to add to your list is A French Village. It’s only available on Amazon MHZ. There are 6 series. It’s a french production with english sub titles. It’s set in WW2 in a French village from the time it is occupied by the Germans after the Vichy agreement through to the end of the war. It is very gripping and we are binge watching that at the moment as it is possible to get a free 7 day trial of the Amazon MHZ service.
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Just want to echo your comment on the rent in the Bay Area!!!! oh my
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Ooh, I just remembered a book recommend so I’m adding to your post 🙂 “A Man Called Ove” by Fredrik Backman. A delight.
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I put on hold at the library! I’m #241 in line, so I’m guessing it’s good. It got great reviews . . . I’m looking forward to it. Thanks for the recommendation!
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We are definitely going to check out A French Village – sounds intriguing. Brett and I enjoy binge-watching period dramas (the girls cringe though).
Oh, and I totally get the big chunk of change for rent every month, although I think the Bay Area is actually worse than here (but not by much).
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I love your plan of buying nothing. I’m trying hard to limit us to just “needs”, and to also get rid of things we don’t use. Knowing a move is looming is helping, and also motivating even my husband, who is usually pretty disinterested in this stuff.
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It’s scary how much we pay and how little we get in return. However, there is definitely a turn in the market in the renter’s favor. We live in Redwood City, they have been building so much supply that it is now outstripping demand. I know they are struggling to fill our apartment complex and rents for 2 bedroom apts have come down by $700 in this complex over the last 7 months. Even so, prices are still ridiculous. Everyone has the idea that if you are living an working in SV you must be earning millions, but the crazy thing is, and I feel embarrassed to say this, a salary of less than $200,000 is a struggle because rent is so high and buying is even sillier with the initial cost plus property taxes.
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We looked at retiring in California (my home state) and gave up pretty quickly. Between housing costs and taxes there was no way we’d have made it. Housing is outrageous here too, but no as bad as California, especially up your way.
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Honestly, every time I think of something, for now anyway, I figure out pretty quickly that we don’t need it. YaYu is going to be the one that needs things, but we’ve told her even she needs to think “minimal” this year.
Brett used to be the biggest pack rat I knew. He never threw anything away. Now he’s maybe more minimalist than I am.
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Honestly, every time I think of something, for now anyway, I figure out pretty quickly that we don’t need it. YaYu is going to be the one that needs things, but we’ve told her even she needs to think “minimal” this year.
Brett used to be the biggest pack rat I knew. He never threw anything away. Now he’s maybe more minimalist than I am.
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We’re doing the same in our house. . . . no buying of anything. We set the goal of how much we want to save and will work to reach that amount.
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We’ve got an idea out there of what we’d like to save, but no definite goal other than to save as much as we can. I know what we have “left over” every month, but there still always seems to be something that digs into it (usually something YaYu needs).
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Go, Team Saving, Go!
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LOL! That’s how we feel this year – we can do this!!
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Love this goal. Sounds like a good one for me as well. We stocked up a great deal last year. We could go a long time…..
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We will be stocking up along the way as well, at least some. We don’t have a lot of storage, but we plan to buy extra of one or two things every month and tuck it away. Interesting times are coming.
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I wish I could follow that but I’ve been putting off expenses like new glasses for two years. Also tractor repairs and some plumbing issues that have waited too long. Maybe 2018
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You do have big expenses on the way. That was us last year – just one thing after another it seemed, and poof! nothing got saved.
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