5 Things I’m Not Buying In 2021
This year I want to reduce my impact on the environment AND cut back on spending so we can save for more experienced-based purchases! After this past year, we also want to really learn some serious ways to budget. We don’t typically go shopping, but we want to start planning for our future investments and savings. But I’ll save that for another post if you all are interested in that topic!
Today’s topic is all about things I’m NOT buying in 2021 because I want to be more intentional with our purchases this year and help the planet along the way. I know how hard it can be to break impulse spending and shopping in general. That was what I thrived on only 6 years ago! I was constantly coming home with something from Target or HomeGoods and I didn’t even have my own space yet. It was like a little lightbulb went off one summer when I was supposed to be saving for college and I ended up using the entire savings from my summer job on pointless stuff! I know going off to college is a big deal and I could have splurged a little, but I could have also been perfectly content to use what I already had or thrifted perfectly good items as well.
I know some people are doing no-spend challenges this year, you can look into those if you are interested. But for me, it’s less about being overly restrictive or trying to see to see how much we can go without - it’s about being intentional with our purchases, making sure our purchase align with our values, and intentionally saving.
One-time-use Kitchen items
This year we will not be purchasing one-time-use or disposable items! We won’t be using items like aluminum foil, parchment paper, saran wrap, cupcake papers, ziplock baggies, and sponges. We also won’t be using the plastic produce bags in the produce section, nor will we use plastic/paper bags at the grocery store. It has taken us a while to create a collection of zero waste items for our kitchen, but we finally did it! I think we have officially cut out all of our single use items and it feels so great to know that we will be helping the environment and our wallets from here on out.
I know stores are refusing to use reusable bags right now, but many will still let you if you ask the cashier ahead of time. The self-checkout rows were closed one day, so we just politely asked if it was possible to use our own bags. The cashier thanked us for asking first and would set stuff aside so we could bag it ourselves! If that is not an option for you, then you can try the scan and go options that most Kroger stores have now or use the Meijer app (if you are in the Midwest). I haven’t used the Meijer scan and go app feature yet since we very rarely visit, but we have a few friends that have raved about it!
If you are stuck on what you can buy to replace those single-use items, then here is a list of the items we have in our home!
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8
2. Single Use pantry Items and non-recycable packaging
We will be extremely limiting food purchases that come in packaging. There is an exception to some recyclable items that we allow on occasion. But if the packaging isn’t recyclable, then we won’t buy it. We very rarely drink anything other than water, so we have our reusable water bottles for that. Our water bottles have small tops so they don’t need straws; but if we do need one, then we have bamboo and metal ones we keep ready to go.
3. Shampoo
This year I’m jumping into shampoo bars! This is something I have been debating for a while, but I recently started using locally made, zero waste packaging, soap bars, so I think I am ready for this zero waste journey. I have also been using body butter more frequently, and practicing my skincare, so I won’t be purchasing any perfume.
4. Single Use Menstrual Products
Let’s talk that time of the month, ladies! Single use menstrual products have a BIG environmental impact, with millions of tampons and their packaging ending up in U.S. landfills every year. It is estimated that a regular non-organic pad can take 500-800 years to break down. Let’s not even mention the amount of plastic used to make up the products, they will never truly biodegrade. These disposable products that do not make it to landfills can end up in our oceans or washed up on our beaches.
In addition to environmental impacts, single use menstrual products are even harmful to your pockets. It’s no secret that the desire of companies to make a profit off of these products are the main reason that they have become more popular than reusables. The consumer is required to re-purchase them regularly, whereas a menstrual cup can last for up to 10 years. So, speaking on averages, the average tampon used per period cycle is 7. An Organic Cotton Tampon box can supply about 30 regular tampons, at $6.99. That means you can get through about 4 period cycles on one box. Now let’s add up the costs over ten years: 3 organic tampon boxes a year X 10 years X $6.99 = $209.70 OR You can spend $19.95 on one menstrual cup that will last about 10 years.
I understand that $200 might not seem too bad over the course of 10 years, but that could be an extra $20 a year into your savings and I won’t even begin to do the math of how much packaging would be saved from the earth. So instead of single-use products, here’s what I’ll be using instead:
5. Books
What! Okay so this isn’t necessarily true. I will still be doing a lot of reading this year, but I’m saving space and recourses by purchasing digital books or audiobooks. Trust me, I love the smell of a good book too! But my collection had grown so large that we just didn’t have enough room for me! And I had realized that having a collection of physical books just wasn’t holding up to my values. I still have a handful of physical books that I know I will be rereading, referencing, or passing down to our children, but I will be reading more digital books and listening to more audiobooks this year.
Now that I’m in my mid-twenties, I feel as if my perspective has gone through a huge shift. I want a home that is ME, that reflects my personality, my family, and my values. I also want the products I use to be more beneficial for my body and my other home, the earth. So these are just a few items that I am switching to this year.
Charlie and I both work from home now, so I think it just makes more sense to have our home reflect our intentions and values. Not to mention, our budget and financial goals will thank us too!
You’ve made it this far, you’re feeling inspired, but it is still overwhelming? Here are a few questions to ask yourself before your next purchase:
Do I already have something that would fill this item’s purpose?
Would I want to move this more than once?
Will this item bring me joy?
Asking yourself these questions, or similar questions, can help you gain some clarity on what truly matters to you. What matters to you is what you should invest your time, money, efforts, and space in.
Did I miss anything? Is there anything you are choosing to not purchase this year? Do you have similar guidelines for yourself when you shop? Let me know how your shopping habits have changed in the comments down below!