A family went back to basics and only bought the essentials for an entire year - and their two young children didn't even notice.
Scott and Gabby Dannemiller, from Bellevue, Tennessee, decided to buy no clothes, gadgets, electronics or toys for a year as they felt they had lost touch with what was important in life.
They kept the challenge a secret from their children Audrey, five, and Jake, seven, and neither noticed any change - apart from an increase in quality time together, which they loved.
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It’s been almost two years since BNY ended and people keep asking us about it. Our lives have both changed so much: Geoffrey is on an around-the-world trip for the next 18 months and Julie is living in Toronto now working for an NGO on citizenship and inclusion issues after taking an impromptu road trip last summer. We both found freedom with the money we saved through the project and are both pursuing things we’ve always wanted to do. Read Laura Shin’s article in Forbes or Julie’s interview in Glamour for an update on how the project continues to affect our lives. Follow Geoffrey’s epic adventure on Instagram at @gszus911 or Julie’s life in Toronto at @julieish.
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It has been nearly one year since Michelle McGagh embarked on a buy nothing challenge. The 32-year-old personal finance journalist from London, England, realized that she was actually terrible with managing her own money. Despite knowing the major outgoing amounts from her bank account, she lacked knowledge and control over discretionary spending — the small bits here and there that add up so quickly. Inspired by Buy Nothing Day, a growing act of protest to the rampant spending of Black Friday, McGagh decided to take it even further. Her official start to Buy Nothing Year was November 27, 2015
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The proposition to “buy nothing” can seem daunting and difficult to achieve. But buying nothing, even for a year, can save you thousands of dollars and make you more spending conscious.[1]Start with simple adjustments to your lifestyle and your budget to transition into buying nothing for a long period of time, possibly forever.
Here's how to do it
