8 Tips For Shopping Less In 2016

If you have difficulty sticking to New Year's resolutions, you're definitely not alone. While it's easy to get overzealous with these idealistic (or unrealistic) goals, sometimes the issue in sticking to a resolution is simply just that you don't have a plan set up for how to accomplish it. If one of your goals this year is not to shop as much, then I've got you covered with some tips for how to shop less in 2016. You can do this. Trust.

Curbing shopping may just be the least exciting resolution you could make, but I think we can all agree it's probably the most practical. Saving money in your 20s (or at any age, for that matter) is so important — especially with the economy being as volatile as it has been. While you sometimes can't avoid buying things you actually need every once in a while, often times shopping turns into buying a whole bunch of stuff you don't need/wear once and never again/forget you even bought and rediscover at the bottom of your drawer a year later. The struggle is real.

If you love fashion, shopping less can be somewhat painful (or a serious hindrance to your creative process), but don't worry, because there's plenty of ways you can still make fashion a part of your life without buying new things on the regs. Ready to make a change? Follow these eight tips to help you shop less in the new year. You got this!

1. Set A Firm Budget

You aren't giving up shopping altogether, you're just going to shop less, so you need to set a budget and make sure you stick to it. Take a look at your finances, calculate your monthly expenses, maybe set aside some money for savings, and then decide how much of what's left you can spend on shopping — and do not go over it.

2. Rediscover Your Closet

I'm sure everyone has had the experience of cleaning out your closet and finding pieces buried in there that you didn't even know you had or completely forgot about. Spend a day sorting through the madness and bring your lesser worn items into rotation. They'll at least feel new.

3. Have A Clothing Swap

Get your friends in on it and have a clothing swap. That way, you don't have to spend anything, but can deviate from your wardrobe a bit.

4. Work From The Basics

As long as you have some basics in your closet (the perfect tee, a great pair of jeans, ballet flats, etc.), your possibilities for creating outfits are endless. Get creative and mix and match pieces — putting together outfits in a new, unique way says way more about your style than just buying new clothes.

5. Sleep On A Purchase

If you are going to buy something, make sure it's something you really want and isn't going to end up in the "never wear" pile. Instead of impulse shopping, sleep on a purchase and see how you feel about it the next day.

6. Be Willing To Sacrifice

You really want those heels? That'll cost you Chipotle for a month. If you want to buy something that goes above your budget, then think about what other non-essentials you can cut from your expenses.

7. Only Buy Or Donate When You Sell

There are plenty of websites for selling clothes, as well as local consignment shops and of course, donation centers, to consider when getting rid of your old clothes. Help yourself shop less by only shopping if you've sold or donated something.

8. Accessorize

You could literally wear the same shirt every day, but if you pair it with different jewelry, vary your shoes, or do your hair and makeup in a new way, it'll look like a whole new outfit every time.

Want more style tips? Check out the video below, and be sure to subscribe to Bustle’s YouTube page for more hacks and tricks!

Image: FirmBee/Pixabay; Unsplash