Another 'low buy' year
I don't usually refer to my practice as 'low buy', but I notice that many of my fellow humans in various sustainability movements (zero-waste, simple living, slow living, etc.) find this concept very useful.
I've been practising minimalism, in constellation with various other practices such as slow living, zero-waste, and simple living for around 15 years. That is 15 years of generally consuming much less than what is the norm in our society. It has been a journey where I have made many mistakes and certainly invited into my life some things that I would later find unnecessary. Yet, living this way allowed me to make important and expensive decisions about my life and still live within my means. I would not be able to afford any of these decisions if I was consuming more. For example, doing my PhD, moving countries, resigning from my position as an act of protest, even stepping on the path of having a child are some of these decisions.
Buying less does not feel like a sacrifice. The act of buying itself, I feel, receives too much attention, as well as energy and time, in our society. Other acts are so much more important!
There are things that I buy, like most other humans. We always pay rent and bills. We buy food and pay for public transport when we can't walk somewhere. I buy medication whenever necessary/prescribed. We also buy items to maintain our home, such as dish brushes and baking soda. We replace personal care items such as toothbrushes, bar soap, and shampoo. And we replace clothes and shoes when they wear out. My partner pays for hairdressing services and massage, while I generally don't use such services. I cut my hair perhaps once in 2 years. We buy gifts for some family members for major holidays and when we visit someone.
We also spend on less necessary things. For example, occasionally we eat out. It's one of our new year's resolutions to go out even less. I'm happy about it because I much prefer cooking and eating at home. At times, we buy plants and flowers for our home. In 2025, I would love to grow some tulips.
We travel very rarely. I used to travel more often when I was younger, but as I walked further down my life's path, I realised that it felt much more authentic to me to explore and fall in love with the region where I live. Perhaps it's a season of my life when I have a deep desire for rootedness. In 2024, we went to Bornholm where my partner's family have had a summer house for generations. In 2025, I dream about going to Bornholm again, and perhaps exploring some other Danish islands too.
If everything goes well with my pregnancy, in 2025 we will invite some baby items into our home. My intention is to continue practising extreme minimalism in this domain too.
I don't have strict rules for my practice of buying less. This practice evolved organically, in a deep entanglement with a philosophy of life.