For being a shorter month, February sure seemed to be a harder month for my No Buy Year.

January is coming off of the frenzy and excess of the holiday shopping season. Whether you actively participate or not, the notices of special sales and discounts are everywhere and you’d have to wear blinders and ear plugs to avoid exposure. I’ve admitted that my year-end shopping was fairly heavy. And I’m easily swayed all the marketing and the “spirit” of the season (IE: spend, consumer, spend!).

For me, about mid-way through January is when I feel the pull of my normal shopping habits to go away. I’m not browsing Amazon or online stores when I’m bored. I’m not going to stores just to have something to do.

Thrift Shopping

One thing I wanted to change about my habits was visiting thrift stores every weekend, and I’ve been successful! Even though I bought something maybe half the time I went in to one, the act of spending most of my Saturday morning driving to each one was both enjoyable and yet also not the best use of my time.

Now, I did go to a few thrift stores in the past week. My nightstand lamp broke (my fault) and it’s just not repairable. I went thrifting to see if I could find a base replacement but I did not find anything suitable. For the time being I can live without that lamp.

My thrifting habit was one that was hardest to break because I really enjoyed it. But I know the only way to stop things coming into my home that I don’t need is to simply not go. As I clear out more things from our home I need to simply drop them off at the donation bin and not go in!

I bought a few books this month. I spent more than I wanted to, but books are approved on my No Buy list.

Listing Out My Wants

I have two work trips over the next couple of months, and I felt this urge to purchase a new suit and shoes. While this is something I do want in the future, I decided that I would not let myself be persuaded by thinking that new clothing would somehow enhance my life. I have more than enough clothing and while some of it does need repair or replacement, I’m not there just yet.

Here’s my spending re-cap for February 2026:

Groceries	$587
Essentials	$35
Other	$294

For clarity, Essentials includes vehicle fuel, non-food items like coffee, hygiene items, etc); Other is any books, media, or charitable donations, and a streaming subscription I pay for my parents.

Looking into March

With two months of my No Buy complete, I feel proud of where I am. I have more time for my hobbies, exercise, and self-reflection. I’m enjoying a simple walk if I feel bored, and I’m slowly working through my TBR list (to be read).

Until next time, share some love and kindness with your fellow humans. That costs you absolutely nothing.