0:00 7 years ago, I was a full-blown shopaholic in over $120,000 of debt. And I realized that if I didn't make any changes quick, then I was going to be a broke girl cosplaying rich for the rest of my life. Today, I'm 100% debtree and I have completely transformed my relationship with my money and myself. But that doesn't mean I am not always trying to do better. So, in this video, I want to share with you the 12 things I'm not buying in 2026 so that I can refine my spending even more to save some money and so that when I do decide to spend money, I know I'm actually getting true value from it. So, I hope this video gives you some ideas for your own no-by list. Starting with the first thing I'm no longer spending money on in 2026, and that is quitting online
0:45 shopping. Yes, and I do have some rules around this so I can keep it doable. But I was doing an audit of basically how I shop and my spending behavior. And I realized that I'm primarily an online shopper. And even though I am much more intentional about what I do buy, I find I still feel like online shopping creates this opportunity for me to buy more things than I probably really should have or even actually wanted. I feel like online shopping just creates what I realized is an open curiosity loop in my brain that I just can't satisfy until I actually order the thing. And this is because I'm intrigued and curious about the item. I want to see what it looks like in person. I want
1:30 to feel it. I want to try it on. And I can't get that information or satisfy that curiosity until I actually order the thing. So, there's that aspect to online shopping for me. But the other aspect is that online shopping is just so easy to do, almost too easy. I think it is way too easy to just scroll on this thing looking for something to want and buying it completely friction-free. That's when I feel like we put ourselves at a greater risk of shopping more emotionally to kill time or to fix boredom. But on the flip side, at least for me, because I don't make a lot of deliberate time to go shopping, if I do want something or need something, it means I actually have to go and take the time to actually do it. And the nice thing about that for me is I am lazy and
2:16 I am busy. I still work a part-time job and do content creation full-time, which is basically a full-time job and a half. And any downtime I do have, I'd rather spend it at the gym, spend it with Jeff, or spend it with my family. So, if I want to go shopping, it means I got to schedule that time in, which I'm absolutely fine in doing. I feel like I could use a little bit of more work life balance and leisure time. But the other thing I'm excited about is to actually just go and spend more time in Toronto. Not only exploring the stores I like to shop at in person, but also just going to more local stores, independent businesses, and just seeing more of what the shops and the places in Toronto have to offer. And before you say anything, I know this rule isn't going to necessarily apply to everyone. Some people live in really rural communities
3:02 where you only can rely on online shopping. Certain sizes and brands are only available online. So, if you want to adopt this rule, do it in a way that works for you. And I really only have two exceptions to this rule. Rule number one is if I see something that I like in person and it is either not available in my size or in my color in store, then I think it's okay to buy it because I've done that leg work up front in person. And the second rule is if the item I want to buy is not actually available locally, like it's a brand from the UK or from New York City or something like that, then it is okay for me to buy it online. And this is going to be for things that are non-essentials like clothes, makeup, skincare. I do have exceptions for things like gear and
3:48 equipment that I might need to order. Sometimes we do online grocery delivery just to save time and I think that's fine. But overall, this rule for me is about slowing down and creating more friction so that when I do decide to buy something, I better be serious about it and it's going to be a lot more intentional. Next, I would like to stop buying lazy takeout, especially when we have food at home. I think it's one thing to order takeout or a pizza on a Friday night after a long week of work. You want to cozy up, watch a movie, whatever. And for me, it's entirely another to order takeout because you're feeling lazy or you didn't prepare. And I found in 2025, we did find ourselves in that little predicament a lot more than I would have liked. And the problem with lazy takeout is not only is it
4:34 really expensive, and I feel like it's just getting more and more expensive every year. It's kind of ridiculous. But it also doesn't align with things like my fitness goals. This year, I'd really like to focus on eating a lot cleaner, more whole foods, more meal prepping, more fiber, and I just don't want to derail that by ordering takeout because I was lazy. This next one I think so many of us are guilty of and I feel like it's something that we can all check in with our scarcity mindsets around and that is backups. I am no longer buying backups in 2026 because if we're being so for real here, having so many backups just creates a backlog. In 2025, I did something called a project pan where I basically didn't buy any new makeup or skincare besides replacements. And if I learned anything at all, it is that it
5:20 takes absolutely forever to use up a product. Even if you're using it every single day, and a year later, I am still going through backups of product that I have. But I just don't need a backup of pretty much anything. Even if it goes on sale, it's I'm just going to get it when I need it. The end. I don't want the clutter. This next one has been a buying policy of mine for years, and I feel like it has worked really well to ensure that I buy something once and that is it. and that is I am not buying any dupes unless the dupe of the thing I want is better. But in general, I just noticed that when I see something that I really want and decide I'm going to get it, it's not really helpful for me to go and see what else is out there, I just save up the money, buy the thing I want, and nine times out of 10, I'm usually
6:06 happy with that. I just found in the past for me, anytime I ended up buying a dupe or the kind of like second best item compared to the thing I originally wanted, I would still always just end up being a little dissatisfied with it. And eventually down the line, I would end up buying the original thing anyway, which would always make me feel guilty because I would end up spending double the money and have double the clutter. Plus, I would have to get rid of the thing because I just didn't have room or use for it. So, even if the thing that I want ends up being more expensive, I kind of just bite the bullet because I know that thing is going to be it for me, that's the thing I'm going to end up using, wearing, getting my cost per use. So, I just kind of stopped distracting myself with looking for the thing that might be better. This next one is more of a habit, but I think it is really
6:52 effective in making sure that your home stays clutter-free and that you just don't end up having a backlog of things that overwhelm you. and that is there can't be an in unless there is an out aka the one in one out method. And a lot of people get upset with this rule because they think it just creates waste. I don't see it that way because realistically things just come in and out of your life all the time. Like that movement of things and usefulness and value of things in your life is just always going to be in flux no matter what you do. And I found for the past few years I was just like holding on to more than I even wanted because I was just feeling guilty about getting rid of it. But honestly, I'm just I'm kind of over that. It doesn't mean I'm just getting rid of things for the sake of it either. But if I am no longer wearing
7:38 it, I don't like it. It doesn't fit. It's damaged beyond repair. All of those kind of criteria still stand. And I will be decluttering fairly regularly this year to keep that kind of net space in my closet, especially more neutral. The next thing I am not buying in 2026 is colors that are not in my color palette. I am wearing color in 2026. Just by the way, if you've been following me for a while, then like yes. Anyways, I had a color analysis done um a few years ago and discovered that I am a deep cool and clear color type. And if you were to color type me seasonally, I feel like I'm probably a deep winter. So colors that are more saturated, high contrast, dark, and very bold, I feel like look
8:23 better on me. And quite frankly, I have really been enjoying wearing those colors, especially in workout gear. Wearing colorful workout gear is so much fun. But for the most part, I'm really starting to understand when a color doesn't necessarily work that great for me. And it has stopped me from buying things. Like I feel like in the past, I would have just bought it because I liked it, which is totally fine, by the way. You don't have to adhere to a color palette if you don't want. I think at the end of the day, if you love it and it makes you feel good, wear the out of it. But for me, I do find when I wear colors that aren't necessarily in harmony with my features, coloring, skin tone, whatever, I feel off. I feel salow, and I just don't feel as good. I
9:09 feel like I've made peace with the idea that you can like something but just realize that it's not for you. And having that color palette boundary I feel like is really helpful. This is a rule that I have stuck to for many years and I'm bringing it with me into 2026. And that is just not buying things on sale if I wasn't going to buy them at full price. Because at the end of the day, if you didn't have eyes for it at full price, then you are not saving any money by the time it goes on sale. But this rule has just stopped me in my tracks so many times from making impulse purchases or purchases that I might regret just because I was more attracted to the deal than the actual thing itself. And I'm just taking that vibe with me into 2026 again. Next is I am not buying any more gold jewelry. I am
9:55 sticking to silver or white gold. And that's because gold looks like on me. I do have some gold jewelry that I'm going to continue to wear like my Tresub. I might replace this eventually with something silver so it really kind of pops against my skin. But I've had this since I was a baby. So I'm just going to represent and keep wearing it. But I have been slowly switching over all of my jewelry from gold to silver. I started buying jewelry in like 2014 15 16 and that's when that like really yellow bright gold jewelry was really popular. And I just didn't know any better at the time. But when I was color typed, I also learned that silver looks a lot better on me, and I feel a lot better in silver. It just pops. It pops
10:40 against my skin. It makes me feel fresh and bright. I really like it. And buying things in sterling silver, it's actually a lot cheaper than buying gold. And I find it performs just as well. So, I am happy with that. And I am happy to be a silverwareing gal in 2026. Next is a habit that I have been doing more of every single year, I feel, and I'm just going to keep going with that this year. and that's prioritizing secondhand first when possible. I feel like in general, whether or not you shop online or in person, looking for secondhand items first, just in and of itself slows down the entire process so much. Plus, there's the added benefit of secondhand shopping being a lot more affordable generally. It's sustainable, and in terms of style, I feel like you can find
11:25 a lot more cool and unique pieces that way. This next one is more of a boundary, but it's something that I kind of learned about myself in the year of 2025 as I was really trying to audit and pay attention to when I found myself shopping the most and when that shopping felt more icky than intentional and thoughtful and the way that I want it to feel in general and that is I am cutting out shopping in the mornings. I kind of have a bad habit of waking up in the morning looking at my phone. So, I'm getting this big burst of dopamine and over stimulation right away, comments, messages, which I feel like puts you in a dopamine deficit state. And I'd find
12:11 myself just being a lot more vulnerable to wanting to get that dopamine back by shopping. But it was kind of like an opportunity that I noticed in my shopping behavior and more just like trying to get that balance of dopamine back. Um, so we'll see how that goes. I would like to minimize buying items at full price if I know that they're going to go on sale. This is definitely hard to predict, but at some of the brands I shop at, I just kind of have started noticing this. So, I feel like unless it's something that I absolutely just want in that moment, like it's an absolute hell yes, like I'm legitimately nervous of it selling out and I don't want to miss out in that moment. And
12:56 that's not, you know, from marketing or whatever it is. It's just like, oh, hell yeah. This is what I want. This is going to fill a gap in my wardrobe. I am all in on this. Fine. I'm going to buy it. I'm going to be happy to buy it. I'm I'm good with that. But some things I'm just kind of like, I really really like you. I really want to own you, but I can wait. We can just let's just see what happens because every time I do see the thing go on sale, I'm just like I knew I should have waited. So, this is like really going to test my like FOMO scarcity selling out brain. It's just happened too many times for me to like not test out this theory. And this last one is something that I couldn't quite put my finger on for many years, but once I figured it out, it has been a gamecher for me. And that is I am
13:43 not buying any more high-rise pants. Having the illusion of long legs is a lot of fun, but proportionally I just always, always, always feel like something is weird. And I always feel so much better in a mid to lowrise bottom. Hands down, full stop. And that might be a bit more trendy right now, but I just feel so much more comfortable. And I just don't want to be fussing and faffing with my clothes. I want to put something on, feel chill, feel relaxed, and high-rise just never does it for me. If it does for you, I'm happy for you, but for me, it's going to be a no. So, those are just a few things that I'm either spending less on or not spending any money at all on in 2026. And if you want to build some habits that are going
14:29 to make you an even more intentional spender without necessarily having to sacrifice on luxury, you can watch this video next where I break down the 10 frugal chic habits that can save you serious money. Thanks for watching and I'll see you next week. Bye.
