The Year I Stopped Buying Clothes
A Journey of Budgeting and Manifestation
In 2018, I decided to take control of my finances by refinancing my student loans with LendKey. To accelerate the payoff, I chose to add an extra $100 per month to my payments, aiming to clear the debt in five years instead of seven. (You can read more about my refinancing journey [here].) But this decision meant I needed to find an extra $100 in my budget each month.
To meet this challenge, I committed to not buying any new clothes for an entire year. The truth was, I didn't need anything—I just had a lot of wants.
Starting on Black Friday of 2018, I bought some socks, essentials, and a few gym items, and then embarked on my year-long clothing freeze.
The Guidelines:
Second-hand Stores: I could purchase clothes from second-hand stores, with a $10 per item limit.
Gifts: I could accept clothes as gifts from others.
Gift Cards: I could use gift cards to buy new clothes, but I wasn’t allowed to ask for gift cards specifically.
What I Learned:
I realized how many of my desires were just wants, not needs.
I often added items to my cart, only to put them back after thinking it over.
I started avoiding shopping trips with friends and suggested alternative activities instead.
Interestingly, I manifested more clothes that year than I could have bought. The universe seemed to provide exactly what I wanted, and my wardrobe evolved with more color, freedom, and well-fitting pieces.
Manifestations Along the Way:
My glamorous grandmother, who wore the same size as me, passed away, and my grandfather allowed me to choose items from her wardrobe. I inherited shoes, leather pants, fur vests, and more—continuing her stylish legacy.
At a dinner with friends, someone brought bags of clothes they no longer wanted. I ended up with some beautiful dresses and tops.
Clients who were downsizing their closets offered me first pick before donating the rest, leading to more additions to my wardrobe.
I received a few gift cards unexpectedly.
A friend found a shirt that reminded her of me, and it fit perfectly!
Another friend gave me a shirt that matched a pair of shorts I already owned—it was as if it was meant to be.
I had so much fun with this experiment that I’m considering continuing it. I have a few items in mind for Black Friday, and I’m working on manifesting exactly what I want, including the price.
At the end of the year, I found it easier to say no to unnecessary purchases and became more thoughtful about where I spend my money. Repeating this challenge, even for just six months, could be a fun and rewarding experiment.
Let the games begin!
