I saved $36,000 by not buying anything new – here are seven reasons you should do the same

Life was genuinely better once I got off the consumerist hamster wheel, and it could be for you too

In 2013, I thought: “Hey, wouldn’t it be FUN to see if I could buy nothing new for an entire month?” (which, I recognize, is not most people’s idea of fun). And, thus, my no new things challenge was born.

At first, the premise scared the crap out of me. I thought I would be chomping at the bit for the one-month mark to arrive. But the challenge welcomed so many incredible benefits and ushered so much ease into my life that I carried on – for nearly two years. Yep, 683 days of shopping my own closet, gifting experiences and thoughtful secondhand finds, outfitting my life with creative upcycles, and thoroughly enjoying an inbox free from constant promotions and receipts.

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