5 Ways a No-Buy Improved My Mental Health

Meagan Hammer
Apr 18, 2020
3 min read

What's your relationship with money like? I admit it. I'm a spender. I LOVE how good buying new shiny things makes me feel especially if I'm going through a difficult time. If you are reading this, chances are good you can relate to this pattern of emotional spending. I hear from many people dealing with PTSD and trauma that money is tight, either from the type of spending I mentioned above or from having to give up a job to focus on their health.

For many reasons, doing a no-buy (not spending any money on things other than basic needs like food and gas) has become a popular challenge for people wanting to meet their financial goals this year. The year 2020 is a no-buy year for me and after 3 1/2 months, I have discovered some unexpected mental health benefits that have occurred in conjunction with the financial ones.

5. More Joy

After years of mindless spending, I amassed quite a collection of stuff, a good portion of which I NEVER use or worse, things I wind up giving away. These things are often a source of guilt and disappointment and weigh heavily on my mental health. Not only am I eliminating more sources of buyer's remorse and disappointment by completing a no-buy, I'm also finding joy in discovering uses for things that have been sitting in storage.

4. Creative Problem Solving

Before my no-buy, I usually just bought whatever appeared to solve my most recent problem. Bored? Buy some new craft material. Unhappy? Buy a book that teaches you how to turn that frown upside down. Hate your life? Purchase a course that promises to magically transform your world. This is exactly how I have come to be the proud owner of hundreds of books, thousands of dollars worth of courses, and some pretty random crafting supplies. Without the option to buy something, I'm forced to, you know, actually work on solving the problem, rather than just throwing money at it and hoping it goes away.

3. Boundaries and Saying No is Much Easier

Before my no-buy, I violated my own boundaries and broke promises to myself all. the. time. Not just with money and finances but with all sorts of things. This was an endless supply of anger and disappointment in myself and **spoiler alert was not good for my mental health** Thanks to the no-buy, I have learned how to say no AND I have found a new source of self-respect and love which has improved my mental health substantially. It may be hard to believe but, I don't feel deprived, I feel proud that I'm keeping my promise to myself. These good feelings far out-weigh the temporary high of obtaining something new.

2. Less Choice = Less Stress

I definitely fall prey to paralysis by analysis. My brain loves to spend hours churning the pros and cons of whatever simple or major decision I need to make. If you ever want to stress me out just give me a bunch of choices. Eliminating the choice to spend money greatly reduces the number of choices I make in a day and thus has reduced my stress levels. It' simply not negotiable so I don't have to worry about it.

1. FREEDOM

Here it is, my #1 mental health benefit: freedom. How can I have more freedom by placing restrictions on myself? It has to do with how my mental health, self-worth, and happiness were held hostage by my bank account and spending habits. I thought that if I could just make enough money that I would be happy/secure/worthy/etc. But whatever I made was never enough, I constantly tortured myself with thoughts of how my life should be different (i.e. filled with expensive things), and I felt imprisoned every time I looked at my bank account. Since I could no long soothe these uncomfortable feelings with buying things I had to face my fears and really examine my beliefs. Here is what I found: true freedom has nothing to do with how much stuff you have and it is not controlled by your finances. I found that I have access to the peace, happiness, and self-acceptance I have been looking for by buying things, right here, right now. I have felt more gratitude and joy than I ever did before my no-buy. So yes you read that right, doing a no-buy has equaled more freedom and happiness not less.

I hear from so many people that money is a painful subject for them and is a barrier to doing the work necessary to heal trauma. Doing a no-buy may be a tool that not only eliminates this barrier but also can have some surprising mental health benefits. Let me know how doing a no-buy has impacted your mental health in the comments section below.

As always, I'm here to support you on your healing journey.

Much love and many blessings,

Meagan