My Low-Buy Year 2025 Update (It's Not What I Expected)

I like your practical approach to frugality and your underlying philosophy. Thank-you for your great video!

I would love a downloadable pdf.
Thank you🩵
I’m going to try matcha tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed I like it, because it always looks so delicious when you show it.✌🏼

You're such a joy to watch, lobe your videos and I am definitely going to try and be more consistent with some frugal habits, lol. Thank you!

Ooh, we buy the same tea!

Lovely video😊❤

Would you consider doing a Magic: The Gathering how to video for anyone interested in starting?

I definitely feel good about using things up, such as making soup with the ingredients I already have. Soup is forgiving! But I'm sure some of us here don't put books in that category. Rather, we go minimal on other things so our books can be in our space. I do not hesitate to buy what I know I wish to own and will read again. As an educator and writer, I find this a good, happy thing to do. I buy secondhand most of the time and donate what I'm through with. But my library is joyful and there's a lot of furniture I can be fine without! There are lots of minimalist practices that make space for and curate an interest that involves collecting, and your advice here can be applied to help it work! 🙂

Take another break and come back when you have som real news. All in this video are old news-sorry to say...

To treat yourself.

I noticed one thing which may sound antiminimalist but indeeed it is: I started to buy clothes rather expensive, not the most expensive but quite costly for me. I can buy one item like a skirt or trousers for circ. 300 € but this item hits me in all the right places. Paradoxically I'm saving money, time and space. One thing satisfies me fully and gives me a sense of "job well done" so I do not search for other similar things and finally have this sense of completeness. It's hard to explain it. I really like to dress in the morning. Its also a symbol for me that I have freedom of choice and I matter in my budget not always family or higher goals. It was a gamechanger for me. Anyway, I love your observations and thank you for good content, food for thought.

I have 100s of books that I haven't read yet

Glad you are back, Vera! My husband and I and our two children live in a remote village and go grocery shopping to the nearby town once a week on the weekend. We used to have a habit of popping in to the thrift store (where they only sell clothes and accessories) just to browse and perhaps buy something fun. We called it our "therapy". And--news flash!--the stuff started accumulating! I realized we don't have that many occasions to wear all those clothes since I'm a stay-at-home-mom and my husband works remotely. And although I love styling and designing my outfits I started avoiding those stores like a plague. Like you said, if you don't see it you don't have the temptation to have it. This rule really works for everything in life: don't put yourself in the position to be tempted (things, gadgets, food, alcohol, relationships, etc.) and you'll be fine and dandy! Best regards from a subscriber in Ukraine. Peace.

Yes, to the minimalism/frugal questions before you buy. 💯

I’ve had a savings mindset ever since I started working, and I got my first job when I was 18. I had a university friend who told me about how she would transfer a certain amount of her pay check to her savings account (the amount depended on how much she was paid). I started doing that, and still do now. It’s been cool to see my savings account grow little by little.
I am trying to cut back on buying books (I’ll never stop completely, I love reading too much for that). I have started to use my library again, and plan on doing so again in the future as I am in the middle of re-reading all the books I own. One thing that I think has helped me with this is only buying the books I want to buy, the ones I have on a list. I haven’t been great with following this, but that list is getting long, and I want to clear it hopefully before the end of the year (but there are a lot of books on that list which might take longer).

A really fun way to use everything up is to have a potluck party with friends! 😊 Even if something you bought wasn't to your taste, chances are someone will like it; or at least, all the taste-testing will use it up. 😂

If cutting your fruit and veg is a chore, sharpen or replace your knife 😊 Having a quality peeler with a cushioned hand-grip is more comfortable and makes the task much faster, too. A razor sharp mandoline is a small investment that saves home cooks time and money.

One essential aspect of meal- planning is what TIME committments you have this week! I was planning and buying ingredients, then finding myself too busy or too tired to make what I'd planned, and upset about wasted food. Now, I factor in my time, as well; meals can be simpler or prepped ahead for long days 😊

I’ve been looking for this kind of explanation. Thanks a million!

Thank you, Vera! Good to have you back! 🌱💚

Happy your back too!!!!😊❤

My grandmother told her three daughters, only losers have to work for a living so make sure you marry up instead of down and you'll never have to do your own dishes and laundry again. She firmly believed that the women's right to work was a vehicle for capitalism to enslave even more people and exploit them without proper paychecks.

The thing is the quality of things like cosmetics and clothes deteriorate. Therefore I keep some in storage.

I always come here when I am overspending to bring me back on track

We use Netflix as a streaming service and what we do is buy gift cards. They last for 2 months more or less and when we don't watch for a while we just wait with using it.

Your library might give access to language learning software! Mine has Rosetta Stone and Mango Languages.

As soon as you said you understand some may have disabilities, I subscribed. Thank you! Many frugal channels practically condemn those who don't follow exactly. I had to start buying precut veggies when I turned 60. Arthritis. And, I was born and raised in Katwijk!!

I really appreciate your support! Great tips 👍🙂
GREETINGS FROM ILLINOIS 👋
What made you move to the Netherlands? Do you prefer there over the US?

❤✨Thank you!✨

Yes I would like to have those questions thank’s

Questions to ask yourself before purchasing something please

If i buy soda (not very often), I use 1/3rd soda w 2/3rds water. I dilute everything w water to stretch it further: o.j., tea, mineral water...tastes fine plus healthier & cheaper!

Lately when i really want to buy gifts i spend money with local vendors

Library great way to save money borrow then take back. No clutter or spending money on ebooks

Pre cut fruits and veg are washed in bleach to increase their shelf life

Yes I want bookshelves full of books. I love having things! In no way can I understand your mind set. I love shopping and having nice things. But good for you, I guess.

Yes I want bookshelves full of books. I love having things! In no way can I understand your mind set. I love shopping and having nice things. But good for you, I guess.

I'm happy that you are back! You were missed, Vera❤ thank you for the reinders and for the tips - much needed in the life stage I am actually in.

Greetings from Italy ❤you are very talented and very clever

Thank you so much for this entry, Simple Happy Zen! I learned a lot and was inspired to keep a healthy financial lifestyle!

Everyone are busy these days, but one thing everybody neglected most is health and wellbeing: we care more on other things that is less important than health.

We are very neglegent on our own self, when it comes to health matter.

This is so tedious.

I'm a senior, at Christmas, Birthday and Mother's day when asked what I want or need I said just give me a gift card to a restaurant or grocery store. 😊

I've watched many videos from multiple posters regarding frugality and the info you share resonates with me more than others. It's logical, simple and easy to implement. I enjoy your channel, thank you for creating!

I have been re = using my things

I really appreciate your content so much! ❤

As someone with lesser hand dexterity, thank you so much for acknowledging it. :D

It extends to other stuff like needing a nurse to come over to cut my toenails because I can't.
For anyone else in the same boat:
Whoever doesn't get it, doesn't need to be in your life. - Do whatever you need to ensure your healthcare, especially the little things and grooming.
But know that people who will acknowledge you as a person and do a fantastic, caring job do exist (the current nurse will be gentle about it and understand that I can't look at her tools because my previous experience was terrible).

If you can't cut veggies or fruit, you can get a cutter/slicer with multiple tops that works by pressing down and you'll get the food cut into small pieces of a certain shape and the pieces drop into the bowl below the cutting part for you.

Thank you! Good advice. I'm pretty much doing all of them. We also live very modestly, just one income and we have to be thoughtful about where we spend our money. And it's a good life!

My mother always said, "Use up, wear it out, make it do, or go without"

Could we have that list please you mentioned, the one with the questions to ask prior to making a purchase? Or perhaps the link to find it on your site/another video? Thank you. 😊