With economic uncertainty, 2025 looks to be a 'No Buy' year

The drain of overconsumption amid rising prices and uncertain economic policies has led some consumers to a TikTok trend for salvation. The No Buy challenge empowers people to stick to the essentials, save money and challenge their spending habits.

'Pushback against the forces of a consumerist culture'

In the vein of other trends that push back against overconsumption, a "growing league of people are swearing off unnecessary purchases altogether" for the No Buy 2025 challenge, The Hill said. There are thousands of posts under the #nobuy2025 hashtag on TikTok, with "many people sharing their personal rules for a year of buying less." Despite its name, the trend is "more about putting entire categories of spending off limits, or cutting far back on nonessentials," as it is "obviously not feasible to swear off buying groceries, gas and other necessities." Items like new clothing, makeup or impulse buys typically make no-buy lists, but everyone's list differs.

The trends tie into a "broader underconsumption core lifestyle," which emerged in response to "influencers peddling new product after new product," said CNN. Trends like No or Low Buy and Project Pan (where you use beauty products until they are gone and you hit the pan) "have seen a resurgence in January."

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The No Buy fad is "as much a pushback against the forces of a consumerist culture" as it is about saving money, and "scorn for corporate manipulation" is being "mixed in with tips for changing personal habits," said The New York Times. That scorn was on full display in the call for a 24-hour "economic blackout" on Feb. 28 by the People's Union USA, which says it is fighting an "economy designed to exploit workers, suppress wages and keep the majority of us in a constant state of struggle."

'Control in an uncertain economy'

The No Buy trend "feels like a kind of counterprogramming against the overwhelming force of overt and covert advertising," said The Washington Post. No or low buy is not a new idea, but its "renewed popularity" feels like "an attempt to assert control in an uncertain economy," when the average credit card balance is the "highest it has been among Americans in a decade." Many people are also adopting these habits "in light of recently proposed economic policies in the new Trump administration," said CNN.

Money is not just about numbers; it is emotional, said Clifton Berwise, a clinical psychologist, to CBS News. "It's tied to our sense of security, our goals and even our identity," adding that spending habits can impact mental health in multiple ways. Taking control of your finances can "absolutely help you feel more in control of your life overall, and that sense of control is incredibly important for mental well-being." Financial stress often "comes from focusing on things we can't control — like rising prices or taxes." But it can be empowering to "shift our focus to what is within our control, like budgeting intentionally and creating realistic financial plans."

What this trend will mean for the "overall retail industry in the long haul is uncertain," said Forbes. For now, it is the "marquee high-end brands that are feeling the pinch," with some analysts warning of an "extended downturn or, more dramatically, a basic change in consumer culture." While luxury retail has been hit the hardest, "you don't have to be wealthy to act on a rational instinct for self-preservation," the outlet added. For most young and ordinary consumers who are "living a few paychecks away from disaster," these trends reflect "exhaustion and discouragement about the future." For many, No Buy in 2025 has the "appeal of a rebel cry."