Say goodbye to impulse buys: How to tackle TikTok’s ‘No-Buy 2025 Challenge’

If you’re anything like me, TikTok can feel like a financial minefield. Every few swipes uncover enthusiastic live sellers, enticing deals, and that ever-tempting “Shop” button that’s begging to be clicked. Whether it’s skincare, cute trinkets, or crystals, the urge to indulge is real—and so is the strain on your bank account.

While doomscrolling, I often find myself impulsively buying things I don’t actually need. There has to be a drastic change before I’m left with nothing in my bank. Ironically, TikTok has just the solution for this.

Enter the No-Buy Challenge — the latest finance trend on the platform, that encourages (or forces, depending on how you look at it) you to curb your spending and reprogram your consumption habits.

What is the No-Buy Challenge?

As the name implies, the ‘No-Buy’, or some would call it the ‘No-Spend Challenge’, is when you go an extended period of time without spending money on things you don’t need. Some common non-essentials users have mentioned are clothes, makeup, takeout meals, and home decor. On TikTok in particular, users are taking it a step further by committing to making 2025 a no-buy year.

 A quick search of this trend will uncover thousands of videos with users posting their list of rules for their no-buy year, some more restrictive than others, and the rationale behind them.

If you take a trip down the rabbit hole, you’ll find that the ‘No-Buy Challenge’ has been around for quite some time, but notably garnered more attention when users started sharing their ‘No-Buy’ rules and just how much they managed to save through the challenge in previous years. For instance, user @miawestrap announced that she had saved more than £7,000, or a whopping $11,000, during her ‘No-Buy’ year in 2024.

The name of the game is simple enough: identify the areas you could be spending less or preferably zero money on, commit them to your ‘No-Buy’ list, and hold yourself accountable by keeping track of your progress and expenditure through someone you trust or, of course, posting a monthly update on TikTok.

In pursuit of financial freedom and sustainable spending

For most users, the main goal of the challenge is to, of course, curb spending on things they don’t actually need, like a new Owala water bottle or another lipstick in a suspiciously similar shade to the ones they already have.

Here, user @inspirachel talks about how she won’t be buying coffee or tea when she goes out unless it’s a special occasion, because she already has all the ingredients to make them at home.

The joy of showering yourself with little treats from time to time is undeniable. But if you think about it, those small purchases are a black hole for your wallet - they suck you in with the promise of low financial commitment but add up over time and without you realising, they’ve stopped you from investing in higher quality items that probably would’ve lasted you a lifetime. 

Another common reason for taking on this challenge is debt. Some users realise that they won’t be able to pay off their debts unless they make a dramatic lifestyle change. Others have big purchases, like a house or a car, and don’t want to take out loans for them.

For instance, user @fourzeros0000, a self-confessed shopping addict, shared that she’s working towards paying off a five-figure credit card debt by the end of this year. Beyond posting videos of herself styling clothes that she already owns as a form of accountability, she also shares about times when she slips up and breaks her ‘No-Buy’ rules.

Other users, like @laurendoesntspend2025, simply feel the need to channel their inner Marie Kondo and purge the clutter in their lives to free up space at home.

But when you peel back the onion a little, you’ll realise that the ‘No-Buy’ method addresses a deeper, more prevalent problem: overconsumption. With every corner of social media today becoming hotspots for brands and influencers to peddle products they can make a commission on, it’s hard not to fall into the trap of buying things you don’t need.

‘No-Buy 2025’, a mainstay of “underconsumption core”, thus promotes the move towards intentional spending by focusing more on utilising what you already have, to reduce consumption and ultimately shape a more sustainable lifestyle.

How to get started

If you’re ready to stop spending on things you don’t need, here’s a little guide on how you can get started on your ‘No-Buy’ journey:

Declutter your space

According to Psychology Today, clutter, or visual mess, can actually impact your ability to focus and cause you to feel overwhelmed. Clear your mind by clearing your space and get rid of the things you hardly ever use that are just collecting dust. 

This way, you can take stock of what you already have and make a note of what not to buy.

If your items are still in good condition, consider donating to a charity or selling them before tossing them out completely.

Analyse your spending habits

Before crafting your ‘No-Buy’ list, it’s crucial to reflect on the things you tend to overspend on. Otherwise, you may be targeting the wrong categories during your ‘No-Buy’ season which won’t really address your main spending concerns. Is it makeup or skincare? Collectibles? Your daily latte? Think about when you’re more likely to splurge too; do you tend to spend more when you’re feeling down? Or are you just buying random things online because you’re feeling bored?

Be brutally honest with yourself and make a list of these items and habits. These will be the things you should be more wary of when doing your ‘No-Buy’ year.

Decide on your ‘No-Buy’ rules

After identifying these items, you can decide how you want to minimise spending on them. For example, do you want to stop buying makeup completely or buy something new when your old ones hit the pan?

Everyone works differently; some people can go cold turkey while others work best when there’s a bit of an allowance. Hence, you have to decide how restrictive your rules will be, keeping in mind your own financial goals.

Some examples include not buying new shoes until they’re totally worn out or not buying takeout meals completely.

Get rid of distractions

If you know that you get tempted by going on certain shopping apps, delete them from your phone. Don’t forget to unsubscribe from email lists and unfollow shopping brands and influencers on social media too! 

These platforms often advertise slashed prices and promo codes that you’re more likely to click on because you have direct access through your phone. The best workaround is to just get rid of them altogether.

Hold yourself accountable

Get someone you trust, like a friend or family member, and share your goals and no-buy rules with them. Give them permission to call you out (nicely) if you aren’t sticking to your rules. 

Better yet, get them to do the ‘No-Buy 2025 Challenge’ with you. It will feel much easier to work towards your goal when you know someone’s right there with you. 

Otherwise, document your progress on TikTok. There’s a whole community of users taking on this challenge who can relate with and support you while keeping you accountable.

Start small

It’s hard to make a lifestyle change just like that. If you’re used to spending, you’ll especially feel the sting of tightening your purse strings.

But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If a ‘No-Buy’ year seems impossible, start with a low-buy month and go from there. Small changes can make a big difference.

Be kind to yourself

Last but not least, remember to be kind to yourself. You’re committing to a whole year of changing your habits and reprogramming yourself – it will be difficult. But the fact that you’re taking the first step to make better financial decisions is already commendable.

If you find yourself breaking some of your ‘No-Buy’ rules, don’t sweat it. Dust yourself off and start all over again!