What is the Buy Nothing movement?
The Buy Nothing movement has found global popularity. Its main focus is reducing consumerism and consumption. The core principle is buying less, finding what you need within the community, and passing on your items to others who may need them. Followers of the buy nothing movement believe in sharing and lending goods and services within their local community, all for free. The focus is on building connections within your community instead of focusing on material possessions.
How does the Buy Nothing movement work?
- Local groups – Buy nothing groups are often hyperlocal. They can be organized by region, city, town, or neighbourhood. There are many such region-wise groups on social media, as well as a “buy nothing” app. Users can post items they want to give away to community members or request something they need.
- Gift-based giving – All items shared in these groups are given freely to other community members. There’s no buying, selling, or trading – members offer their items without expecting anything in return. This is an important qualifier to be part of this group. Attempting to sell or trade things is generally frowned upon. It goes against the core principle of the movement, which is about making fewer purchases and sharing within your community.
- Rules – The primary – and most important – rule is that everything must be free. There is encouragement to build connections within the community. People also offer assorted “lots” of smaller items. You can pick up a “lot” and keep the items you need. You can then put up the rest of the items as a “lot” and continue the chain. People often add their own small items into these “lots” before passing them on.
- Accessibility – Buy nothing groups are accessible to people of legal age in the area. You can join community or city-based groups in your area. Such groups will often want to know your locality or closest intersection to ensure you’re joining a group that serves your area.
How to join a buy nothing group?
Find a buy nothing group on social media that serves your area. If you’re in a densely populated region, double-check their location coverage before you apply to join. Once you’ve found the right page for your community, you can request membership. You may need to answer a few relevant questions, as they also want to confirm they’re adding members who actually belong to that community or locality. After that, you get access to the Buy Nothing group for your area! Now you can begin participating by giving things away or requesting what you need. Feel free to engage in others’ posts and build connections.
Benefits of the Buy Nothing movement
Save money
By participating in a movement that focuses on sharing and reusing, you will naturally save money. This will reflect positively on your budget. In turn, you will be able to use that money for other needs or save up for future goals. You may even feel comfortable attempting a no-spend month challenge! A survey of over 2000 Buy Nothing members showed over 1/3rd of them had saved more than $20 per month, with some even saving hundreds of dollars per month.
Reduce waste
Things like baby clothes or strollers are expensive, used for a short period of time, and are often in good condition when the child has outgrown them. Such things are very popular on these groups and help reduce a lot of waste overall. People who no longer have use for these things, and people who are looking for them, can both benefit from this movement.
Build community connections
You can get to know more people in your community via this movement – people who share similar values with you. It’s a great way to build connections and maybe even friends!
Circular economy and intentional spending
When you start seeing that the Buy Nothing movement can be beneficial in so many ways, you will naturally start seeing spending money as a more intentional process. Pausing to check if you can get something via these groups for free can help you break a spending cycle, too.
Mindful consumption
This movement, in turn, leads to greater mindfulness. In terms of consumption and spending, of course, you need to spend money on your day-to-day life. Being able to share some things or lend some things can change your perspective on quite a few of your intended purchases. In turn, this helps cut down on lifestyle inflation. The same survey mentioned earlier also revealed that the money saved was usually spent on buying essentials or local goods and services, with a decent chunk going to savings as well.
Environmental impact
At the end of the day, you’re saving things from going to the landfill. Whether that means lending things you no longer need or getting something the other person no longer needs, you’ve given that item a new life. This is counter to the current philosophy of things being “disposable”, which does not serve your wallet or the environment.
Buy Nothing movement in Canada
There are over 700 buy nothing groups in Canada. In fact, “buy nothing” has been around in various ways in Canada since the early 1990s. It is once again seeing an uptick in popularity. The buy nothing philosophy can provide financial relief amidst the high cost of living and inflation in Canada. Building community-based relationships is also a valuable benefit of being an active participant in this movement.
Tips for buy nothing groups
- Follow the group rules while participating. Groups may often have their own list of rules for participants, so read it carefully before you start interacting.
- Be respectful, considerate, and polite. It is a community effort, and people are expected to behave a certain way.
- If people have put up items to give away and someone has already claimed them, do not try to demand special treatment. The groups work by people being respectful and accommodating.
- If you need something specific, ask for it! Make a post with relevant information and make your request. Chances are, someone will be able to help you out. Even if they may not have the exact thing, you’re likely to find something close enough that serves your purpose. That’s the beauty of this philosophy.
Key takeaways
Buy Nothing is a practical and community-driven concept. Local groups are very accessible and easy to join. The buy nothing movement benefits the community, individuals, your budget, and the environment. It’s a lifestyle and a social movement, all in one. Your wallet will thank you, and you might even make new friends. The benefits are numerous, and there’s no downside to joining one – that’s a rare find. This is especially beneficial if you’re on a tight budget or trying to make ends meet without going into debt. If you’re currently dealing with debt, you can contact one of our trained credit counsellors for advice – they can help you figure out which debt relief strategy could be the right fit for your specific situation.
