17 things I am not buying anymore in 2026 as a minimalist

I am not doing a full blown no buy year in 2026. But I do have a very long list of things that I am definitely not going to buy this year. And hopefully, some of those things I will never ever buy again. Others I will at least not buy for a very long time.

I collected 17 things that I will not buy in 2026, and maybe you can take some inspiration from this list for your own no buy year or low buy year.

Maybe you felt completely overwhelmed in 2025 by the amount of clutter and stuff that piled up in your home. All the hypes and trends on TikTok. The endless scrolling and thinking, oh, I need this too.

Then you look at your home and everything speaks to you. Everything needs your attention. Everything needs to be taken care of. And at some point, it is just too much.

So maybe you decided to do a no buy year. Or a low buy year. Or you simply decided that you want to reduce your consumption.

Not everybody has to do an extreme no buy year. Sometimes it is already enough to be more intentional about your spending and to put more thought into what you really want to own and what is just hype or something someone else tells you that you need.

I already reduced my spending a lot during the last two years. I barely spend money on new things anymore. But there is always room for improvement.

There are still a few things I splurge on from time to time. And because as a woman, financial independence is not just about earning more money. It is also about only buying the right things and investing the money that is left over at the end of the month.

Being intentional with your money has nothing to do with deprivation or sacrifice. It is about getting back to what actually matters to you and not what matters to other people.

There is this saying that we spend money on things to impress people we do not even really like. I hope I quoted that correctly, but you probably know what I mean.

English is not my native language, but I can tell you from experience that out of maybe 100 things I did not buy, I regretted not buying one. Maybe it was a souvenir or something truly special that was only available in that moment.

But apart from that, we live in a society where you can get everything at any time. There is no real scarcity anymore. You can literally buy almost everything whenever you want.

I do not feel like things are truly unique or special anymore. Most of them are mass produced, often made in China, and very often made out of plastic.

So today I want to share the 17 things I will not buy in 2026, so I can invest more in my financial freedom, stress less, and build wealth instead of clutter.

And if you are listening to this and thinking that you really want to reduce clutter and overconsumption, not just physical stuff but also content and digital noise, then do not forget to sign up for the waiting list for my 30 Day Underconsumption Challenge.

In this challenge, we focus on reducing physical spending, digital consumption, and identifying stress factors in your life, whether that is clutter, debt, financial pressure, or constant overstimulation.

If you want to calm your nervous system in 2026 by consuming less, make sure to sign up.

Now let us start with the list (you can also watch the whole thing on YouTube):

1. Bottled Water

I will not buy bottled water anymore. It is too much plastic, too much money, and I honestly do not like the taste.

I drink a lot of water. I do not drink coffee or tea. And here in the US, I feel like the tap water often does not smell or taste great.

In the beginning, I bought a lot of bottled water in plastic, but it did not align with my values. So I invested in a reverse osmosis water filtration system. It filters out microplastics, pesticides, and other substances and remineralizes the water afterward.

I do not buy bottled water anymore. I take my own water bottle when I go out and fill it with filtered water at home.

It saved me a lot of money and a lot of carrying heavy water bottles in and out of the house. And it simply feels better.

2. Cookbooks and Recipe Books

I will not buy any more cookbooks. Even my favorite cookbooks that I use regularly still have dozens of recipes I have never tried.

YouTube and Pinterest have everything for free. I could probably cook for two more years using only the recipes I already own. And even after that, I would still have access to endless free content.

If I ever need something new, I can go to the library and borrow a cookbook. So I simply refuse to buy more recipe books.

Let us be honest. Most of us rotate between the same 10 to 20 recipes anyway.

3. Random Toys for My Kids

I will not buy random toys for my kids.

We swap toys with friends and family. We pack toys my sons are not playing with at the moment into a box and swap them. When they get them back a few months later, they are just as excited as if they were new.

Sometimes I rotate toys within our own home. I put some away in the garage and bring them back later. They forget how many toys they already have.

For birthdays and Christmas, they can get something new. But I encourage family members to look for second hand items or stick to a specific wishlist.

This results in less clutter, fewer meltdowns, and more savings.

4. Plastic Clothing

I stopped buying plastic clothing and switched to natural fibers.

Polyester makes me sweat, feels uncomfortable on my skin, and wears out faster. Even in thrift stores, so many clothes are made of plastic now.

I look for materials like cotton and linen and always read the tags. Sometimes it is harder in thrift stores because many good pieces are sold online.

One of my favorite platforms is ThredUp. You can filter by material and condition and even find items with tags still attached.

5. Face Cleansing Products

I stopped buying face cleansing products.

I use reusable makeup remover wipes that cost about seven dollars for a pack of two. I have been using them for over six months. You just throw them in the washer and they last forever.

No trash, no restocking, and a lot of savings.

6. Expensive Skincare

This goes together with the makeup remover.

I use a black charcoal soap that costs about three dollars and lasts almost a year. Combined with microfiber towels, this is the cheapest and most effective skincare routine I have ever had.

My skin actually improved when I stopped using too many products. Less really is more for me. I believe the beauty industry often encourages overuse so we buy more.

7. More Water Bottles

When I moved to the US, I was shocked by how many water bottles people own.

I own two. One plastic one for the gym and one metal insulated bottle for hiking or summer heat. The metal one was expensive, but it will last for years.

That is enough.

8. Fabric Softener

I will not buy fabric softener.

It is unnecessary, often made from animal proteins, and does not make a real difference. If it is about smell, I add a few drops of essential oil to the washer.

9. Nail Products

I tried press on nails in 2025 and hated it. They damaged my nails and I do not want to spend money every few weeks on nails.

I am comfortable with my natural nails. I use one transparent nail polish once a week and that is it.

10. TikTok and Trend Products

I deleted TikTok and Instagram from my phone. The constant overconsumption made me feel sick.

Trend products are used once or twice and then forgotten. I own a gua sha stone that proves this point.

If I want something trendy, it stays on my wishlist for months. If I still want it later, I decide then.

No impulse buying in 2026.

11. Books

I use the library.

Library cards are free where I live and the Libby app gives me access to thousands of books. I read on my iPad and sometimes have to wait a little, but the savings are huge.

12. Buying New Instead of Second Hand

In 2026, I will try to buy used first.

Thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, and other second hand options come before buying new. There are already enough products on this planet.

13. Trash Bags

I will not buy trash bags.

We get so many plastic bags from grocery shopping and deliveries. I use those instead.

14. Notebooks and Pens

This is my weakness.

I love cute notebooks, but I already own many. Paper is paper. I am doing a project pen and project notebook year.

15. New Subscriptions

I have enough subscriptions.

Subscriptions are silent wealth killers. I stick to what I already have and avoid adding more.

16. Decorative Items

I already own so much decoration, much of it inherited.

If I feel the urge to decorate, I will rotate or upcycle what I already have. No new decorations in 2026.

17. Upgrading Tech That Still Works

If it works, I keep it.

My phone, laptop, iPad, and microphone are not new, but they work. Depreciation is not investing.

Final Thoughts

These are the 17 things I will not buy in 2026.

If this inspired you, I would love if you subscribed to my channel. My goal for 2026 is to reach 1,000 subscribers.

Watch the YouTube video:

Minimalism is not about extremes. It is about realistically looking at what we already have and what truly adds value to our lives.

Let me know how your no buy or low buy year is going.

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