No Buy July: How to Benefit from Shopping at Home

This post is Part 2 of the “No Buy July” Challenge Series.

Last Monday, I shared the No-Buy July challenge and what I’m doing to save money by not buying anything unnecessary for one month: using up, making do with what I already have, or going without.

This challenge – not buying anything that isn’t necessary for a month – doesn’t need to be as intimidating as it may seem. Think of it as 31 days to be creative and find inventive ways to save money.

Such as shopping at home.

How to Save Money by Shopping at Home

By “shopping at home,” I am not referring to buying from online websites or QVC! It means looking at your “store” in your closets, cabinets, and pantries – before making a purchase. It’s refraining from immediate purchases with Amazon Prime, buying a new product you see on a store display, and even making that quick run for a couple items you need for dinner.

This week, let’s look at two ways you can save money by shopping at home:

Shop your closet.

In July, store clearance sales are at their peak to make room for the new fall items. This can be a temptation (it is for me!) to purchase a couple new items to wear for the rest of the summer. Instead of looking for deals through the clearance section at your favorite store, shop the racks in your closet instead.

Challenge: Spend time this week in your closet. Do a quick organization of your clothes by putting them into categories of tops and bottoms. Next, set aside clothing you already know isn’t your size.

Then, look through the remaining clothes and (1) put in front those items you purchased and haven’t worn so you can see them, or (2) create 5 new outfit combinations that are different from what you usually grab to wear. When I coordinate, I find matching bracelets or necklaces to put on the hangers of blouses and tops, so everything is ready to go.

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash

Clothing can also be separated by color to help create new looks. This also spotlights the odd items that will not match anything else that you wear. Time to give away or donate them.  

Inventory Bathroom Storage

If you are like me, the bathroom is where many unused or extra products are stored, relating to haircare, skincare, makeup, and other bathroom routines. Over time, things can accumulate from replenishing and not tossing the old — or keeping expired items.

Challenge: Take 30 minutes this week to sort your products into categories and discard all expired items. Refer to this complete guide of expiration dates. If bottled products are safe to dispose in the sink, empty and rinse them for recycling.

I like to combine bottles of shampoo or conditioner and empty the small amounts from bottles of body wash into my hand soap dispenser (this works best when you use similar or unscented products – although I have created some lovely new fragrances!)

Going through my bathroom products by putting them in categories and discarding the old, I inevitably find something I forgot about. I put it out to use, and it feels as though I just purchased it.

If you purchased replacements recently, now is the time to switch out that shower loofa, nail file, disposable razor, and makeup brushes.  

Remember — doing these challenges is not a reason to buy new containers and bins! Instead, grab a shoebox, small shipping box or even a clean plastic kitchen container to store item in your bathroom.

2 More Ways to Shop at Home with the No-Buy July Challenge

In my original post, I received other ideas from blogger friends about how they could do their own unique twist on a No-Buy July, such as a No Book Buying month or a No New Projects month:

Doing a “No Book Buying Month” could be when you shop your bookshelves to see what you have. Create a new TBR (to-be-read) stack for the month with various forgotten titles. It may also be the time to purge books (I know – gasp!) that have been on your shelves for months that realistically, you will probably never read.

One idea that I plan to implement later is a “No New Projects Month.” This can be when to dig out those projects you have meant to make or finish. You undoubtedly have all the supplies, so what better time than to finish those projects!

If the temptation is strong with online shopping, make it easier by removing those apps from your phone (or deleting the shortcuts from your desktop). This can slow down immediate purchases when you realize you must take the time to download the app and sign in again.

Next week: 4 easy ways to save hundreds on your food bill.

Will you try one of these shopping-at-home challenges this week?
If so, which one?