Join the Buy Nothing Rebellion!

I don’t usually appreciate online social movements because they rarely make a real impact. Most of them are just trends for clout — they burn bright for a week, help no one, then fade into obscurity. But when I came across the Buy Nothing Rebellion, my interest was actually piqued.

The idea’s simple: stop spending money for no good reason.

You’re broke and have no savings because you spend too much. That’s it. I’ve been practicing this mindset for a few years now, and it all started when I realized something — at some point, we all hit a wall of hedonistic saturation. When that happens, we either keep escalating our lifestyle or decide we’ve had enough. I reached that point after buying every material thing I’d ever wanted.

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

Let me show you a Keep Notes I wrote in 2018.

I even thought about buying a Miata at the time, but there wasn’t any parking space available at my apartment building. Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t go through with it, even though I could’ve easily afforded a second car. I already had one — my Peugeot 3008 Mk1 — and it’s taken me across the country, across the Baltic Sea, and 400 km through Sweden. It’s efficient, reliable, and costs me only about €0.15 per kilometer. That car has given me the freedom to travel and take on work that lets me see more of the world.

The more I appreciated my current car, the less I wanted my “dream car.”

The same goes for the rest of my stuff. I’ve built two gaming PCs since moving to Finland, both of which can handle AAA titles at 1440p. I barely touch my PlayStation 5, my Switch still works perfectly, my camera takes amazing photos, and I own several pairs of sunglasses but only ever wear one.

Furthermore, I can’t think of a reason to buy anything new — what I already have is enough.

I really understood this when I decided to stop working full-time. I didn’t want to grind five days a week anymore. Not only that, but I valued my free time more than a bigger paycheck. Sure, it meant less income, but adapting to that smaller cash flow taught me something valuable: I don’t need much to live well and be happy.

Spending less has taught me many things, but the most important lesson is gratitude.

I’m grateful for every bit of money I earn. I’m grateful that I can travel, wake up without an alarm, cook for someone I love, and live safely.

Ironically, spending less also led me to have more. My savings are growing. I’m more liquid now working 28 hours a week than I ever was working 60. My investments in index funds have me feeling optimistic about the future — even with all the talk of a coming recession.

So yeah, not buying what the ad men sell has only been good for me.

That doesn’t mean I’ve stopped buying things altogether. I still like stuff — collecting figures, building models, messing with new gadgets. I’ve just learned that I don’t need the latest, flashiest version of everything. When I do buy something, I think about whether it’ll actually add value to my life.

If I see a new gundam model, I don’t buy it until I’ve finished the kits I already own. When a new game comes out, I make sure I’ve fully enjoyed the ones already in my library.

That’s what the Buy Nothing Rebellion really is — taking back control of your spending and not letting the advertising machine control you.