everything i bought in 2023
yes, i'm really putting this on the internet
As I approach January 2024, the beginning of my year of only buying 20 things, it’s time to reflect on my “low-buy” year of 2023, where I tried to buy 35-40 things. (I started with a goal of 40, lowered it to 35, and then ended up with 40.5 things.) In this post, I’m going to talk about how my feelings around buying shifted throughout the year, what I bought, what felt most worth it, and what I would do differently.
If you’re coming here from Reddit—first, thank you. Second, I won’t be reposting what my purchasing rules were for this year, but you’ll soon see what my guidelines are for 2024. I’ve been editing and mulling them over.
I also want to let you, dear readers, know that I’ll be enabling paid subscriptions for my work. If I’m being super transparent, I’m also about to end a contract for a (corporate writing) job, and my income for the time being is shifting considerably as I figure out what’s next.
On top of that, it’s my dream to make a living as a writer, and I feel I have to treat that dream with integrity. . .and the 2023-2024 cusp seems like a good time to start. ISubscribing also allows you to post comments, and I’ll be rolling out more benefits like polls on new essay topics, a book club, and more! (Let me know if there’s something you’d really like to see as a paid subscriber.) Recent content will be free for the first two weeks of its publication and then shift to paid.
winter 2023
Upon reflection, this was probably my heaviest purchasing time of year. I was in the deepest grief, I was new to the idea of not buying stuff, and I hadn’t bought anything towards my goal of 40 things, so the possibilities felt super open…and/or enabling.
I think it was normal for the high to start where it did, and that “spend spend spend” feeling started to wear off as I got to the mid-year point.
spring and summer 2023
Here, I did some traveling. I was diving into biking seriously and taking up sewing again. I was definitely buying less because I was experiencing more. Living out of a suitcase, even for a week at a time, always convinces me I could live with a third of what I own and, emotionally, feel freer than I might otherwise. At the same time, if you look at winter and spring, I bought about half of my items in these two seasons. Once I hit the rough mid-point of my purchasing, and the adrenaline started to wear off—and my self-reflection improved— my buying slowed further.
I also had a bike accident in late July/early August 2023, and while it could’ve been much worse (thank you, helmet! and strangers who pulled over!), I had to spend about six weeks in recovery. There is something unfortunately sobering about events like this, because I wasn’t going out/doing much. I did get a lot of reading in, though!
fall and winter into 2024
This was an easier time. The joy of not buying has been sinking in further and further, and my resolve to buy even fewer things in 2024. Also, as I mentioned at the top of this post, I’m entering the new year with a big shift in work. That’s both stressful and clarifying. . . I’m shifting to a budget of just essentials a little bit ahead of my 20 things in 2024 and focusing on the key things that keep me functioning well.
here is the list of everything i bought in 2023
1 set of knitting needles (pre-planned) - bought secondhand
A magazine subscription
1 yarn swift - bought secondhand
1 yarn ball winder - bought secondhand
1 (reference) book from a local indie bookstore
Yarn for a balaclava I made
Yarn for an upcoming sweater (after knitting 5 projects) and stitch markers to go with it
Stickers
2 jumpers
Fabric - bought to sew a bicycle bag, which I did sew! Picture below.
Pre-planned travel purchase
Pre-planned travel purchase
A crochet hook - This purchase was a mistake! I tried this beautiful handmade crochet hook I found on Etsy, but I decided it didn’t work for me. I ended up sending it to someone as a gift.
I made one big purchase, which is an indoor spin/stationary bike. (NOT a Peloton. Nothing wrong with it, but I’m not going to be locked into that $45/mo subscription.) It was originally a $800-900 bike but I got a used one picked up in my neighborhood for $250! - As of December, I still use this bike ALL the time, and it’s probably in the top three things I bought this year.
Bluetooth headphones - used, to go with my phone. - As of December, I ended up selling these. Even with a 30 day waiting period for buying things, I found that I still misjudged the value of my purchases here and there.
A crochet hook that I loved and have kept.
I sort of broke one of my rules here! Libro.FM, one of my favorite audiobook sources, had a big sale and I bought a couple of audiobooks.
I bought bike pedals for my bike. I debated putting this on my list, because I didn't *need* new pedals, but I had cheap plastic pedals that had come with my bike, and I bought big flat pedals. They're beautiful and make riding way easier. I had no idea.
My All-City Space Horse Tiagra with upgraded brakes - I ended up buying a new bike! I know I'd previously said I'd wait till the second half of this year, but I'm biking pretty heavily these days and got a really good deal on a beautiful bike that's made locally. It was not cheap, but it's been totally worth the funds.
Shokz bone conduction headphones - Because I'm biking a lot, I wanted a set of headphones I could wear while still hearing what's going on around me, so I bought a used set of bone conduction headphones (Aftershokz) and they're incredible. Expensive, but totally worth it.
An old Sony PRS-600 ereader - which I bought a used item on eBay but it didn't work, so then I was refunded. Sony ereaders are very old, but they had amazing touch screens and nice beautiful metal builds, so I found one that was supposed to work on eBay. The battery life was bad (this item was made in like 2009) but I found a way to fix it - there's an amazing website that sells batteries for old technology, so I bought a new battery for $24, installed it myself - took 10 minutes and a YouTube video - and it works like new. Here's to fighting planned obsolescence! I upload books to it using Calibre.
Books - I bought a few books last month that I realize I forgot to include, so adding them here.
Fabric for fanny pack - I really wanted a handlebar bag for my bike, but the one I wanted was very expensive. I decided I'm going to try and make my own! I'm not an expert sewer, but I'm going to give it my best shot. I'm excited for this project.
Two watch bands. These were optional purchases - I have a watch band, I just don't like it as much as the alternative ones I bought. One is for exercising, and one is more decorative/for fun.
A metal mouse candle holder - This was an impulse purchase. I am a member/worker of a grocery coop, and they had these ADORABLE metal mouse candle holders. I just lost control! LOL. That's ok!
A new water bottle
A [replacement] of my bike kit that got cut off of me in the ambulance - Story time! I got into a bike crash. It wasn't incredibly serious in that I didn't break anything, but I did lose consciousness and had to take an emergency a trip to the hospital for stitches, a bunch of x-rays, and a CAT scan to make sure I hadn't broken anything or damaged my brain. . . and in the crash, my bicycle computer was lost (this was SO sad as I'd saved for it and only had it for about three months and loved it dearly), my bike needed a solid cleaning and repair, and my favorite bike kit (set of biking clothes) was ruined by the wonderful EMS as they cut it off my body. This lead to me replacing a few items that had been actively destroyed -- a new front wheel, a new helmet (cracked mine -- always wear a helmet!!!), deciding to replace my favorite bike kit, and replacing my bicycle computer. Did I absolutely need to replace my biking kit? Probably not, but it just made me so sad to imagine losing it to this accident and always thinking of it as lost in this event. So, I'm not sure it's a necessity, but as it was totally destroyed, I'm giving myself a pass. I did save the scraps of the destroyed fabric to hopefully reuse what is salvageable, but there was no way for me to stitch it back into a wearable garment.
I upgraded the pedals on my bike (item 28) - they were 40% off — These were my second set of pedals after my first ones got a little scuffed up in my accident.
I bought a book for book club (item 29) - I'm in a book club and couldn't get this book from a local library.
A new swimsuit
A new (to me/used) phone - I switched from a smartphone to a "feature phone" — you know all about this!
Used book
Stationary - This was definitely a cave! I went to MUJI specifically to buy a replacement to this correction tape (link to an example so people know what I mean) I use. Then, I got lured in to a notebook/binder combo they had, and a couple of fun highlighters... so it was kind of a fail!
A used copy of Watership Down
A kit to learn a new hobby - I’m being vague here on purpose as I’m working on a hobby-related gift for someone, but it is definitely a more typical “old man” hobby and I’m loving it.
A pewter tea spoon - I'd wanted for two years from this American company, Plum Deluxe Tea. It wasn't expensive, but I never felt I could really justify it. Then, last year it went out of stock. This year, it finally came back, and I thought, "Okay, I'll reward myself for my no-buy with this spoon." Which, honestly, I want to not reward not buying with buying, so that's a note for myself for the future.
A book
A book
A book
A book
40.5 (let me explain) . . . A cheap, used $40 tablet - This is potentially "needed" in that I got rid of my smart phone and need a way to DuoLingo (and a few other tasks) that I really miss but don't want a smartphone again. BUT could I absolutely live without it? Sure. So, I don't know whether or not to count this. Which is why I'm giving it a half point!
was any of it worth it?
It’s interesting to look at all of this now. Some of it I remember very well. Some of the items, well, I’d easily return them if I could. What’s been most worth it?
My bicycle
The pewter tea spoon, which I use almost every day and really love
My replacement bike kit
The books
The new knitting needles
In hindsight, these are the items I’m most glad I bought. The yarn is lovely, but I’m still using it up, and I definitely feel that I need no more yarn or craft items in 2024.
I found that as I tried new things throughout the year — new headphones, a non-smartphone phone — I sometimes got rid of/sold/donated something and then regretted that. While I want to continue to downsize and simplify my belongings, I want to be mindful of how quickly I decide on essentials. I also decided staunchly that unless something totally breaks down, I’m not buying any kind of new technology in 2024. In general, I’m a “late adopter”, but I just don’t even want to consider it. I want to be less technologically connected. While some tech has been super useful (hello used tablet for Duolingo), it’s not something I want more. of in my life.
how does this set me up for 20 in 2024?
I’m working on what my “guidelines” are for what I will and will not purchase in 2024. I had a long list of rules in 2023 because I was trying to push myself to use what I had and enjoy my belongings instead of scratching the false itch of wanting, and I hope to build on these things even further.
I’ll probably post in early January about these new rules, along with an exclusive (for paid subscribers) post of all the books I read in 2023 (up to 44 at the moment) and which ones I most recommend.
I’m curious! Do you do “new year’s resolutions” or other similar goal-setting/intention-setting for the year? Please let me know in the comments!