Take the “Ease Off The Excess” Experiment

Take The Challenge

Overconsumption is costing us more than we know. It strips us of our time—the more we own, the more time we spend shopping, cleaning, putting things away, looking for stuff, organizing, and getting rid of crap. It’s impacting our bank accounts—the average American spends nearly $18,000 a year on nonessentials and carries over $6,500 in credit card debt. And it’s costing us our future—overconsumption is one of the main drivers of the climate crisis. A 2015 study found that household consumption, which includes the production and use of all of the stuff we buy and services we utilize accounts for 60% of global greenhouse emissions…with footprints skewing heavily on wealthier nations such as the United States.

Use your spending habits to fight for the future you want by cutting out the excess. Take this one-month buy nothing challenge to discover ways to make your purchases more intentional and find resources to help you buy less “brand-new.” Ready to begin? Let’s go!

When to Start

It’s best to begin the challenge on the first of the month for a clean start. It doesn’t matter if the month is 30 or 31 days, just be sure to commit to however many days are in that month.

What Can You Purchase

Don’t worry you’re not going to go hungry or miss out on the fun. You can still purchase necessities like:

Food
Personal care essentials (hey, we still have to brush our teeth)
Experiences (like going to the movies or a yoga class)
Medical or health needs, including prescriptions
Bills
Repairs (a broken pipe cannot wait)
Essential services
Pet basics

What CAN’T You Purchase

This month, you’re going to avoid purchasing any brand-new non-essential items, including:

Clothing (assuming you haven’t just moved from a nudist colony)
Makeup
Toys
Home decor
Seasonal or holiday decorations

Try using what you already own or see if you can go without. If you feel you must have a nonessential item, skip buying it brand-new and try getting it secondhand, for free, borrowed from a friend, or as a rental.

Tips for Success

Connect: Not sure you can fight the urge to shop? Choose connection over consumption. When you want to buy something to make you feel better, look for another outlet. (And I don’t mean a shopping outlet.) Meet up with a friend, spend time with your kids, call a family member, or plan a date with your partner. Connecting with someone you care about is much more fulfilling.
Reinvest: Choose to invest in yourself instead of things. Go to a yoga class, meet friends for dinner, take a class, go for a run, or cozy up on the couch and read a good book.
Build Community: Allow the challenge to foster a sense of community—share your experiences, don’t be afraid to ask others if you can borrow items (don’t forget to share your things in return), and support others in exploring sustainable living choices, etc.

One Free Pass

This is optional, but you can have one free pass to buy a nonessential during the month. (It helps you be more mindful of that one special purchase you want to make.)

Share

Share your journey with the #easeofftheexcess hashtag. You are also welcome to message me (via email or Instagram) to ask questions or fill me in on your progress. I’d love to hear from you!