Last Updated on October 25, 2024

I shop sustainably by waiting 30 days before making any purchase. It’s something I talk about pretty often on my Instagram feed because eco friendly shopping is so important! I love supporting sustainable businesses, but I also love not buying things because not buying something is one of the most sustainable choices you can make.

Learning how to shop sustainably requires a great deal of self-control but it is so worth it — for your wallet and the planet. My 30 day buy ban has helped me not only save money and resources but also be more intentional and creative with the items I already own. When you wait and think before you purchase, you’re one step closer to a zero waste lifestyle!

shopping sustainably in a marketing-centered world

I for one am super susceptible to marketing, and I think a lot of us can be. Pretty much every time I find a new TV show, I want to buy their entire wardrobe. Have you seen Timeless? I want all of Lucy’s sweaters. What about Jane the Virgin? I want to live in Petra’s closet.

Marketers have done a great job making us believe we need a new product for every problem or want that we have. For example, I don’t need baby blue hot pants –– but I want some. When I put some separation between myself and what I want, even for just a few days, the want dies down and I can make a more rational decision.

I don’t know about you, but when I impulse buy, it’s easy for me to forget that simple solutions are all around us — it just takes a bit of creative thinking. Or, taking a good look through your drawer to realize you already have a navy blue sweater.

You can read more about this under the header Know Thy Wardrobe in the post 6 Tips for Secondhand Shopping. These thrifting tips will make it easier for you to shop sustainably.

why think before you purchase

Recently, I wanted to get an electric kettle for my office.

One thing about me is that I love a good cup of tea. And I sure do drink a lot of it. I love tea so much that I would end up working at the kitchen table instead of my office just so that I could be closer to the stove and kettle.

If I were to go downstairs and make myself a cup of tea every time I wanted tea, I’d spend all of my time downstairs instead of working.

An electric kettle would have solved this problem. But, before I bought one, I decided to wait 30 days to see if I could come up with a better solution. Guess what? I did!

I had a double insulated wine bottle I had never used before and it turns out that it’s perfect for tea.

It holds an entire French press worth of tea and holds heat better than any other bottle I have. There’s actually some science behind this, and it has to do with how skinny the neck of the bottle is.

It takes me around two hours to drink all the tea in this bottle. At that point, I feel like it makes sense to go downstairs to grab a snack or stretch. This is the perfect time to put the kettle on to make a new batch of tea.

I’m so glad I took the time to pause before purchasing. Doing this saved me from buying a second kettle that I truly didn’t need. Instead, it allowed me to finally find a use for a brand-new item I already had. I would highly encourage anyone to adopt the practice of waiting before buying!

The next time you want something, just tell yourself to wait until next month. Don’t write it down because if you forget, then clearly you didn’t need it in the first place.

my top 4 reasons to think before you buy

1. save money

With so much marketing around you all the time, it can be easy to feel like you need certain items and that you need them right now. Understand that’s exactly what marketers want you to think. Waiting a while before you buy something new can help you avoid impulse purchases… and save a lot of money at that!

2. save resources

Another reason why you should think before you buy is the environmental impact that your purchases have. It’s important to shop sustainably because it takes a lot of resources to make products. Waiting 30 days before buying has helped me take a look at my own needs as well as the amount of resources I personally consume and am responsible for.

3. buy with intention

The 30-day waiting period that I’ve committed to has helped me focus on shopping sustainably and buying things that will truly add value to my life — items that genuinely serve a purpose and I can use long-term.

4. enjoy being creative

One of the best things that has come out of my decision to shop sustainably is the opportunity to get creative. Contrary to what marketers want us to believe, I’ve learned that I don’t need to buy a product to help with every task I do in my daily life. Instead, I can use my creativity to solve any problems or difficult situations that I come across!

eco friendly shopping faqs

why is shopping sustainably important?

Practicing sustainable shopping habits will help you save money and do something better for the planet! When you choose products made from sustainable materials and environmentally friendly processes, as well as make an effort to buy less, you’ll help preserve our planet’s resources.

how can you shop sustainably?

Sustainable shopping habits can include buying less, buying second-hand, or in some cases, not buying at all. Another way to prioritize eco friendly shopping is to buy from sustainable businesses, such as ones that use environmentally friendly ingredients or non-toxic packaging.

are sustainable products more expensive?

Shopping sustainably, especially when it comes to clothes, can sometimes be more expensive because of the higher quality materials used to make the items. While you might have to pay more upfront for a sustainably made item, the durability and value in the long run are so worth it!