Early this month, I shared how I set a challenge for myself: to do a “No Buy July” inspired by Kathi Lipp, author and podcaster at Clutter Free Academy. I decided it was time to pay closer attention to my spending habits and see what I could change.

The idea is simple: avoid unnecessary purchases for an entire month and pay attention to what was being used. My goals were to uncover spending habits, challenge my mindset on convenience purchases, and hopefully, save money along the way. In other words—be intentional.

Setting Myself Up for Success

My husband was supportive of my little experiment (though he didn’t join me). His main concern? That he’d still have dinner after work. (Fair enough!)

I initially focused on three main things:

• Skip fast food and drive-thrus (unless I had gift cards or rewards).
• Avoid online shopping (delete those “SALE!” emails before opening them).
• Use what I already had in the pantry and freezer for family meals.

Here is how I followed the four “Clutter Free” principles:
Use it up. Wear it out. Make do. Do without.

Use it Up

I only made three grocery trips during the month—for essentials and fresh items. Most meals came from what we already had in the pantry or freezer. I cooked extra portions to cover lunches for my husband and son, reducing food waste and the need for takeout.

My favorite win: When my son asked for spaghetti, I realized I was out of jarred sauce. Normally I would’ve made a store run—but instead, I looked up a simple homemade sauce recipe (you can find it at the end of this post) that I tweaked with what I had on hand. It was fast, delicious, and cost nothing extra. (Gold star for me!)

Wear it Out

Mid-month, I noticed our garage freezer wasn’t as cold as usual. Thankfully, I’d been checking it regularly and caught the issue quickly. The food wasn’t spoiled yet, and because I had been using up the indoor freezer, there was space to move everything inside. Crisis (and money loss) averted.

And technically? I think we wore out the freezer! (And have no plans to buy another.)

Make Do

An example of making do: We ran out of jug iced tea—and instead of making a convenience store run, I remembered the tea bags in the pantry. I dusted off my lonely, iced tea maker, and we had a fresh batch in 15 minutes. Gold star #2.

Do Without

We canceled two streaming services (and haven’t missed them!), made a Goodwill donation run, and offered free items to neighbors through our local Facebook group.

The triple-digit Texas heat helped too—it made it easy to stay home, which meant no drive-thru stops and just one gas refill all month. Every little bit helped.

What I learned

This month opened my eyes to how often I default to convenience: buying fast food snacks, precooked meals, extra grocery runs and grabbing individual water bottles instead of using my stainless-steel one. I realized how those “little” purchases were adding up fast.

I also started thinking beyond purchases—how else can I save or stretch our resources? Things like:

• Being more intentional with food planning.
• Doing fewer, larger loads of laundry
• Planning errands to save gas

The Bottom Line

The best part: I saved $550 over the month. Not a typo. That amount went directly into our savings account. It felt amazing. All because I paused the extras, used up what I had, and reset some spending habits.

Live it Out: Try a “No Buy” Month

Even if July has passed, it’s never too late to try this challenge on your own. Choose a month that works for you—ideally one without big vacations, holidays, or major events.

Here’s how to plan it:

• ✔️ Set clear goals. Decide what categories need your focus—eating out, online shopping, clothes, coffee runs, etc.
• 📦 Make a plan. Take inventory of what you already in your pantry, freezer, bathroom drawers, and closets. What can you use up? (or donate?)
• 💡 Create a “make do” list. Jot down DIY ideas or look up recipes to stretch what food items you already have.
• 💬 Involve your household. Even if you’re the only one doing it, let your family know your goals and boundaries.
• 💵 Track savings. Watch your spending habits. Compare your spending to the previous month. Journal what you’re learning.

You don’t need perfection. You just need a plan—and a willingness to pause spending long enough to gain some fresh perspective.

Have you tried a “no buy” month? Would you consider it? Tell me your favorite way of saving in the comments!

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Disclosure: Feature photo courtesy of Sasun Bghdaryan via Unsplash.com

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