15 Comments
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Kayla Pins's avatar

No buy is definitely easier than low buy! This reminds me of Gretchen Rubin's habit profiles. I'm definitely an abstainer. It's easy for me to say "no" than "maybe."

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Style In Process's avatar

Completely agree - same here!

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Ooh so interesting!x

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Tina Boetto's avatar

A no buy being easier than a low buy makes total sense! It's amazing that you had more time to focus on the things you love like reading and being more creative - that handmade card is gorgeous. Your styling has been a big inspiration for me this year. Statement collars have been haunting me lately and I love the one you're wearing here.

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Thanks Tina x

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On Shopping My Closet's avatar

I’ve just discovered you, Harriet, and your Substack. Thanks for such a calming post. I’ve literally quieted my body and my thoughts reading it. Like meditation. 👌🏻😌

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Awe that’s so lovely to hear thank you x

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Cheryl Shops's avatar

Agreed, No-Buy sets a stronger, easier-to-enforce boundary than a Low-Buy. For example, I have a friend who’s sober, and she can’t just have one glass of wine as that’s a slippery slope (to put it mildly) so she abstains altogether. But I am with you on the point that a No-Buy forces you to confront your feelings in a way that you may not be prepared for. That, to me, is the hardest but most rewarding part.

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Yes that makes total sense x

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Emma's avatar

Thank you for sharing very insightful, after going through all of my purchases from last year it was a bit confronting. This year I have set myself a challenge of purchasing one item a month, so far it’s been positive for me and forced me to prioritize want vs need.

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Ooh what have you bought so far?

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Emma's avatar

A pair of Lie Studio earrings as you have worn them so much during your no buy and a grey cashmere knit from Cos ( Coming into winter in Aus) because I couldn’t justify the Ophelia one from The Row.

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Love!

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Kelly Williams's avatar

I immediately empathized with "no buy" being easier because I tend to be a very black or white thinker; it's easier for me to say "I won't buy anything" than trying to create rules for what I will buy. And you touched on something that gives me heartache no matter how much I'm buying; "is this the very best thing?"

My friends and I were just talking about this as it relates to the budget too. It's hard to know the item to actually take the plunge and buy at the higher price because my brain is always calculating whether or not I could find it cheaper.

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Harriet Hadfield's avatar

Yep with you on this Kelly x

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